Himachal

Places to Visit

A Travel Guide to Awesome Vashisht village near Manali

Planning to visit Vashisht or Bashisht in Manali but have little or no idea about this beautiful place? Here is the most authentic and definite travel guide to Vashisht…

Vashisht or Bashisht is a small quaint village located on the left bank of Beas river near Manali. The village is a popular haunt of foreign as well as Indian tourists due to its location near forests, quiet and peaceful atmosphere, beautiful forest trails, its ancient temples, hot water springs and one of the most awesome and glorious waterfalls — the Jogini waterfall.

After reading this travel guide to Vashisht, you will have a fair idea of how to spend your day in Vashisht, which places to visit in Vashisht, things to do here, where to eat and drink and what kind of problems you may face in Vashisht etc. And you will visit Vashisht like a wise traveller.

A Travel Guide to Vashisht

Vashisht village and mythology

Vashisht village is named after Vedic sage Vashishtha, one of the Saptarishis and the author of a part of Rigveda, one of the four sacred Hindu ancient texts. According to a legend, struck by a terrible grief at the death of his sons, an inconsolable sage Vashishtha jumped into a river in the Himalayas after tying himself with cords.

But the river made way for him and the great sage managed to break free from the knots, which symbolised his worldly attachment. Hence after, the river was named Vipasha (cord-breaker) and is known today as Beas river. The legend has it that after breaking free from all attachments, sage Vashishtha meditated here for years and the place was named Vashisht.

Vashisht village location

Vashisht is located on the right bank of Beas river, around three kilometres from the Manali town. The village is located around the Vashisht temple at an altitude of around 2100 meters and at the edge of a dense Deodar forest. Surrounding the village are apple orchards that bloom in the spring season.

A narrow link road off the Manali-Atal Tunnel highway takes you to the Vashisht village. You can hire a cab or drive your own vehicle to reach here. Some people even prefer to reach the village from Manali on foot.

Places to visit in Vashisht

Brahmrishi Vashisht temple

One of the oldest temples of Kullu valley, the Vashisht temple, which is dedicated to sage Vashishtha, is a place of pilgrimage for not only the people of the area but also the local deities. A gateway leads you inside the courtyard of the wood-and-stone Vashisht temple, which is constructed in the traditional Kath-Kuni architectural style with some excellent carving work. Unlike the temples of other local deities including the nearby Hadimba temple, no animals are sacrificed at the Vashisht temple.

The locals regard the sacred Vashisht deity to be the protector of the village and its inhabitants against demons, provider of fertility with immense power over the local weather phenomenon. Almost all the local deities visit the Vashisht temple once a year to pay their obeisance and to take bath in the hot water springs. Interestingly, the high-ranking Vashisht deity also doesn’t attend the Dussehra festivities held annually in Kullu’s Dussehra grounds.

The temple remains closed between 2 pm to 3 pm.

Shiva temple

Right next to the Vashisht temple is the Shiva temple. This wooden temple was constructed in 2003 after a lingam-shaped stone was found during digging in the courtyard of the Vashisht temple. The discovery of the lingam had come to be regarded as Swayambhu or self-manifestation of Lord Shiva. The temple remains closed in the afternoon between 1 pm to 2 pm.

Ram temple

Behind the Shiva temple is the Ram temple. The Ram temple is one of the oldest and one of the few stone temples of the Kullu valley. The temple has a shikhra or tower at the top and with some fine carvings on the outer walls. The temple remains closed in the afternoon between 2 pm and 3 pm.

Vashisht hot water springs

Like Kheerganga, Manikaran and Kalath, Vashisht is also famous for its hot water springs. There are separate hot water public baths for men and women in the courtyard of Vashisht temple. It is believed that hot water springs of Vashisht have healing powers and cure skin diseases. This ‘medicinal quality’ of the water attracts people from all over to Vashisht.

Things to do in Vashisht

Trek to Jogini waterfall

If you are in Vashisht then you must visit the nearby Jogini waterfall. This majestic waterfall is located at a distance of around 2.5 kms from the Vashisht temple. A short, beautiful trek of less than an hour takes you through the village, by apple orchards and a patch of deep Deodar forest to the Jogini waterfall. The trek is easy without any steep patches.

You feel joyous when on this short trek. You also get a splendid view of Manali and other nearby villages while on the way to the Jogini waterfall. The waterfall itself is a thing of joy to watch as the water comes shooting down from the top of a cliff hundreds of meters in height. Standing here, all you hear is the music of the waterfall.

There is also a small Jogini temple at the base of the waterfall and under a huge walnut tree. This stone temple is built around a stone that symbolises Jogini, a supernatural spirit worshipped in Kullu.

Forest trails

Apart from the short trek to Jogini waterfall, there are other forest trails you can explore in Vashisht. Bhrigu lake trail is one of them. Vashisht is the starting point of the Bhrigu lake trek and you can explore this trail that leads you to Deodar forests and some awesome meadows.

Bhrigu lake trek is one of the best treks of Kullu-Manali that takes you to a stunning glacial lake atop a mountain. You can do the Bhrigu lake trek with the Wildcone.

Problems in Vashisht

Vashisht Road condition

Now, let’s talk about the problems you may face in Vashisht. First one is the road. The 2-km link road that cuts from the highway to Vashisht is too narrow and often leads to traffic jams especially during the peak tourist season in summers.

If you want to avoid driving on such a narrow jam-prone road, you can hire a cab or a two-wheeler in Manali. A two-wheeler is actually the best option on this road if you want to drive yourself. Last time I visited Vashisht, I parked my vehicle on the highway and took a walk all the way up to the Vashisht village.

Parking in Vashisht

Parking is a huge problem in Vashisht especially during the summertime. Even if you manage to bring your vehicle to Vashisht, it will be a struggle to find parking space. There are a number of parking lots opened by local residents but not enough to accommodate the traffic rush. They also charge a comparatively hefty parking fee on an hourly basis.

The parking problem has become so worse that local residents have put up boards asking visitors to not even park two-wheelers in front of their houses in the narrow lanes of Vashisht village. So, driving your own vehicle to Vashisht is not recommended.

Littering in Vashisht

Like other hill stations in the mountains, Vashisht is also facing an acute litter problem. Actually, it has become a big issue lately in Vashisht as is also evident by tens of sign boards warning visitors and locals against littering. You will find the litter sign boards everywhere in Vashisht village and along all your way up to the Jogini waterfall. So be careful and don’t litter when you are in Vashisht.

Places to stay in Vashisht

There are a number of hotels, guest houses and homestays in and around Vashisht where you can stay. Some of the nice places to stay in Vashisht include Valley Of Gods hotel, Vashisht Homestay and Vagabond hostel. There are also a number of good staying options on the link road to Vashisht like Naina resort and cottages, Himalayan Woodpecker etc. Check our handpicked list of best places to stay in and around Vashisht.

Places to eat and drink in Vashisht

There are some nice cafes, restaurants and bakeries in Vashisht, some with excellent views of the mountains and the valley. You can try the 7 Sister Café for Israeli and Italian cuisine, Rainbow café for Chinese and Italian food, Seed Organic café for fresh and organic Indian and Swiss meals and Rasta café for Indian and Israeli food.

There is also a nice German bakery near the Vashisht temple. Check out our detailed list of best restaurants, cafes and bakeries in Vashisht.