The sage Manu, who is said to be the creator of the world and the author of Manusmriti, is honored at this majestic temple. We are talking about this beautiful temple known as Manu Temple Manali.
Manu Temple Manali
If you are in Manali, three kilometers from the main market lies the Manu Temple, which is located in old Manali.
The temple is one of Manali’s most popular tourist sites, and it is said to be where sage Manu meditated after his arrival on the planet.
This location has a special historical heritage that appeals to the majority of visitors to Manali.
Manu was a sage who is well-known for his wisdom. After redeeming mankind from the great flood, Manu is thought to be the first king to rule the earth. The Matsya Avatar of Lord Vishnu forewarned him of the impending flood and instructed him to build a massive boat. Let us look at the legend of Manu Temple and event which led to ManuSmriti.
Manu temple history
So below is the legend associated behind the story behind the Manu Temple Manali.
As the legend in Matsya Purana, Lord Vishnu’s Matsya Avatar initially appeared as a small fish when King Manu was washing his hands in the river.
The small fish requested the king Manu to save him. Honoring the request from this small fish, King Manu placed it in a water jar.
Soon the fish grew big and was too big to fit into the jar and King Manu shifted it into a bigger bowl.
But the fish kept growing bigger and bigger, and King Manu had to shift it from the bowl to a well and then into a reservoir.
The fish kept growing bigger and bigger, King Manu had to shift the fish back into the river.
Very soon even the river seemed insufficient for the fish as it had grown to gigantic proportions and King Manu had to shift the fish into the ocean.
That is when the huge fish transformed into Lord Vishnu and informed King Manu of an all-destructive deluge that will soon flood the entire world.
King Manu built a boat big enough to house his family, 9 kinds of seeds and animals and birds to repopulate the earth once the deluge was over.
It is believed that post the deluge, King Manu stepped on the earth and meditated at the very spot where Manu Temple is situated. King Manu later on came to be known as Sage Manu who is also ascribed to the Manusmriti (Laws of Manu).
Who wrote Manusmriti
So have you wondered – who wrote manusmriti ?
The Manusmiriti text presents itself as a converse given by the Sage Manu to an assembly of Rishis who beseeched him to guide them in how to face natural calamities and establish peace and discipline in the society.
Is is said to be one of the first written rule books.
The dialog between Sage Manu and other Rishis was captured and preserved and came to be known as Manusmriti.
How to Reach Manu Temple
The closest airport to the Manu Temple is Kullu Manali Airport, which is approximately 53.5 kilometers away from the temple. You can easily get a cab private taxi from there to the temple. And remember the temple is not very far from main city center.
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Your total journey time is estimated to be 1 hour and 39 minutes from airport to the temple.
Alternatively, many buses which are run by the state transportation service companies to run between the Kullu Manali Airport and Manu Temple.
The city falls in NH3 and if you are coming by your own car.
If you plan to reach Manali by train –
Ambala Cantt, which is 200 kilometers from Manali, is the nearest railroad station. A train to Chandigarh, which is 250 kilometers away, is another possibility.
From there you can hire a cab or take state run or private buses.
Best time to visit Visit Manu Temple
So, Manali is in extreme north and hence winters are quite heavy in Manali. Being a hilly area and hence monsoons are also challenging in Manali.
And hence the best time to visit Manu Temple is between March to July.
In summer, the weather is quite pleasant and hence it is nice to walk around and explore. The maximum temperature may be around 33 to 34 degrees , but being hilly area night temperatures still may drop to 10 degrees or a bit below.
This means that in summers as well it will be better if you carry a light jacket.
July to September are monsoon time and hence there are heavy rains in the area. Though immediately after the monsoons the the natural beauty is just amazing.
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So you can still go in July to September , but be aware of rains.
Now coming to winter, as I mentioned before being in extreme north, the region receives a good amount of snowfall and hence not advisable to visit Manali during winters as temperature, many a times goes below zero.
Manu Temple Address
Below is the address of Manu temple in Manali:
Old Manali, Manali, Himachal Pradesh 175131
Manu Temple Timings
The temple is open from 9.00 AM in morning and 5.00 PM in evening. You will probably need 1 to 2 hours for the temple visit.
Tourist places near Manu Temple Manali
So here are some places which you can visit along with Manu Temple Manali.
| What to visit | Distance from Manu Temple | Famous for |
| Hidimba Temple | 1.0 Kms | Dedicated to goddess Hidimba |
| Vashisht Village | 5.0 Kms | Temple carved out of sandstone and encircled by natural springs. River Ravi flows adjacent to this temple |
| Hampta Pass | 10 Kms | Trekkers paradise of Manali. Open valleys, barren lands, and lush green forest covers. |
| Deo Tibba | 13 Kms | Highest peak of Manali. Excellent trekking destination. Surrounding views of snow-clad mountain ranges. |
| Kothi | 16 Kms | Scenic village tucked atop a hill with a height of 2500 meters. Breath-taking views of the Beas River |
| Bhrigu Lake | 20 Kms | High altitude lake which has an elevation of 4200 meters. Can be easily trekked either from Vashisth Temple or from Gulaba village. |
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