Vashishtha Temple is a major tourist attraction of Manali. This temple is located 3 km from the city center of Manali. This temple is located in the village named Vashishtha and is famous for its magnificent hot water springs and Vashishtha temple.
Vashishtha Temple – 4000 Years Old History
Vashishtha temple is one of the most famous places in Manali. Vashishtha Temple which is believed to be more than 4000 years old, is dedicated to sage Vashishtha.
Vashishtha was the Raj Purohit and guru of lord Rama and many other historical personalities including Bhishma and Samvarta. A black stone idol of the sage wearing dhoti is situated inside the Vashishtha temple.
Beautiful Wooden Work
Vashishtha Temple is decorated with exquisite and beautiful carvings on wood, moreover, the interior of the temple is embellished with antique paintings.
Apart from the Vashishtha temple, there is another temple located here which is known as the Ram temple. The idols of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana are installed inside this temple.
Story of Vashishtha Temple
Vashishtha Guru is one of the seven sages (Sapt Rishi) of Hinduism and hence the village is named after him. According to a legend, sage Vashishtha was saddened that his children had been killed by Vishwamitra.
Sage Vashishtha tried to commit suicide by jumping into a river but the river refused to kill him. After this the sage started a new life in the village.
The river in which the sage tried to commit suicide was named Vipasha. Now the same river is known as Beas river.
Famous Hot Water Spring
Vashishtha Hot Water Spring is one of the famous attractions of this place. This hot spring has its own medicinal value. The springs are known to cure many skin diseases.
People come to take bath in Vashishtha springs to get rid of their skin infections and diseases. There are also separate bathrooms for both men and women.
Opening and Closing Timings of Vashishtha Temple Manali
Vashisht Temple Opening Timings: 7 am to 9 pm.
Timings for bath in Vashishtha: 7 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 9 pm on all days.
How to Reach Vashishtha Temple Manali
Reach by Flight
Vashishtha Temple is a major tourist destination of Manali. If you want to travel by air to Vashishtha Temple, the nearest airport is Bhuntar, which is located at a distance of 55 kilometers from Vashishtha Temple. One can take a taxi from the airport or travel by state transport buses to reach Vashishtha Temple.
Reach by Road
Buses are easily available from Delhi to Manali. Manali is at a distance of 570 km from Delhi. Bus services are also available from Shimla, Dharamshala, Leh and Chandigarh to Manali.
Reach by Train
If you are planning to go to Vashishtha Temple or Manali by train. The nearest railway station to Manali is Ambala Cantt or Chandigarh. After reaching Chandigarh or Ambala with the help of train, you will have to travel by bus to Manali.