Mandi is a beautiful city situated on the banks of River Beas in the Mandi district of the North Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Mandi is a famous centre of trade and commerce in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Formerly known as Mandav Nagar, Mandi was named after the great Hindu Sage Mandav and is home to many ancient temples.
There are around 300 temples in Mandi, which are primarily dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Kali. Among these are some 81 ancient temples that are made of stone, and with intricate carvings. Some of the popular temples housed in Mandi are the Panchvaktra Temple, Ardhnareshwar Temple and Triloknath Temple among others. Most of these temples are under the care and protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
The oldest of these temples is the Bhootnath Temple, which was built during the 1520s. The Gurudwara Gobind Singh, which is visited by thousands of pilgrims each year, is another important religious attraction of Mandi.
The Ghantaghar (also known as the Sunken Garden), Gadda Gusaini, Sunder Nagar, Joginder Nagar and Janjehli are some of the popular attractions of Mandi. A popular picnic spot is the Rewalsar Lake, situated near to Mandi.
Apart from the ancient temples, Mandi is also famous for its colourful fairs and festivals. Mahasivaratri, the main festival of almost all the temples of Mandi, is celebrated with great fanfare and pomp by people of the entire region. The Nalwar Mela is another crowd puller in Mandi.
Mandi is full of lush green forests consisting of tall pine and deodar trees. Mandi is also known for its tea plantations.
Mandi is also a popular Buddhist centre. As such, Mandi is dotted with Buddhist Gompas all over. Some of the prominent Gompas in Mandi are Drikung Kagyu Gompa, Rewalsar Monastery, Tashijong Gompa, Bir Monastery and Tso-Pema Ogyen Heru-kai Nyingmapa Gompa among others.
Mandi is also home to the Shikari Peak that is well known for the Shikari Devi temple and the Shikari Devi Sanctuary located in its premises. Rewalsar Lake, Kamru Nag Lake, Kumarwah Lake, Kunt Bhayog Lake, Pandoh Lake, Prashar Lake and Sukhsar Lake are some of the prominent lakes in Mandi. The Kalasar Lake and the Sukhsar Lake are situated at 1755 m and 1760 m above sea level respectively.
Excursions can be undertaken to places like Kamlah Fort, Panjain Thach, Jhatingri, Rohanda, Tattapani, Naldehra, Mashobra, Barot and Balh Valley from Mandi.
The Chauntra Valley and Pangna-Karsog Valley, Tarna Hill, Magru Mahadev, Mamleshwar Mahadev, Kamaksha Devi, Balak Rupi, Naina Devi and Padamasambhava Cave are the other important tourist destinations located near Mandi. Mandi is well connected and easily accessible. The best time to visit Mandi is from the month of March to October.
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