Rohtang Pass
This post is written for A to Z Challenge.
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| View from Rohtang when it is cloud and fog laden |
Rohtang Pass, is a high
mountain pass on the eastern side of Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas around
51 km from Manali.
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| Rohtang |
It connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti
Valleys of Himachal Pradesh and provides a link between two
distinct culture i.e. the humid Kullu
Valley with a Hindu culture and the high-altitude cold desert - Lahaul and Spiti valleys with a predominantly Buddhist culture.
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| Manali Leh Highway - Who found it? |
The passes used to be the route
for trade in the olden days between the two valleys and off to Tibet and China.
This pass remains open from May to November.
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| View at Rohtang in acloudy season |
It is not particularly high or
difficult to cross on foot by Himalayan standards, but it has a well-deserved
reputation for being dangerous because of unpredictable snowstorms and
blizzards, There are other passes further north moving towards Leh like Kunzam
La, Baralacha La etc.
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| Frozen roads beside Rehala |
The Pass falls on the main NH
21 which passes from Kullu to Manali and further to Rohtang and then through
Keylong to Leh and Ladakh. It becomes a very busy route during the summers once
the snow melts and the pass opens.
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| during a busy clear afternoon |
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| Route when the roads have been just cleared |
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| With patches of snow - early may |
If one is visiting Kullu and
Manali – a visit to Rohtang is an experience in itself. Manali to Rohtang is
just 51 kms but takes around 3 hrs depending upon traffic. The vegetation
shifts from dense Deodar forest to stunted high altitude shrubs. Further north,
towards Leh it turns to cold desert.
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| Glacier with frozen stream |
One must try to reach Rohtang
early in the morning as around noon time the weather starts changing and there
are heavy cloud and slow making it chilli and foggy, difficult to view the
terrain from the pass. However, you would always enjoy the hot maggi, coffee, tea and bread – omelette being sold there by the
villagers from downhill.
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| Enjoying Maggi inside the car after it cot cold due to rain and hail |
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| Maggi - Tea vendor point at Rohtang |
On the way to Rohtang one can
stop at the Rahala Nala and enjoy the water falling down. The Rahalla falls are the result of melting glaciers. It is a natural spot where one can view the natural beauty. It is also become one of the famous tourist spot.and provides marvelous and clear view of the surroundings which include silver birch trees and forest of deodar. The fresh and aromatic air provides relaxation and peace of mind. It remains frozen in the
beginning when the route opens and has a different view altogether.
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| The Frozen Rahala Nala in August |
However, the stretch of around two to three kms around this nala is always very silty and difficult to drive. Rest of the route is pretty enjoying.
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| The same Nala in another year with flowing stream |
There are Paragliding available at Marhi which can also be enjoyed. At the
top, near the pass there is an Igloo shaped temple devoted to Vyas Muni.
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| Vyas Muni Temple at Rohtang |
It is believed that Vyas Muni spent 12 years here and wrote 4 chand and 18 pran of Mahabharata.
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| Add caption |
During
the start of the season when the snow has just given way to Rohtang, the
mountains and glaciers around are still snow laden.
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| The view of Vyasa temple from Rohtang |
The area is then full of Snow scooters and horses available to
take you to these areas to have a closer look. At times Yaks are also made
available and you can enjoy the Yak ride.
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| Snow scooter ride |
Thats all for Rohtang. Tomorrow it would be S.
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