Malana - Tribal Paradise
At an altitude of 3029 m the tribal village of Malana in the state of Himachal Pradesh is a magical green rimmed village located overlooking the Deotiba and Chandrakhani Peaks. This little village of 1500 inhabitants is known as one of the oldest democracies in the world. It is also known by the drug mafia for its 'charas' which is extracted from the Cannibis plant and travels the world which is also the main source of income for the Malanese. The distinguishing factor of the culture of this village is they follow Jamdagni Rishi who is said to be one of 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Shiva is said to have come before before him during his intense prayers. Jamdagni Rishi asked for a secluded place, full of nature's riches and lord Shiva told him to go to Malana. If you decide to visit this esoteric village it is adivisable to not touch the walls or belongings of any of the Malanese people as you will have to pay a fine for this. 'Kanashi', the local mountain language of Malana and does not sound like any of the dialects spoken in its neighboring villages and the language is also considered to be one of the secrets of the village that outsiders from other villages are not allowed to use.
Malana is connected to Kulu by three mountain passes. Once in the state of Himachal Pradesh it can be reached from Parvati valley across the Rashol Pass and Chanderkhani pass. I went from Jari which is two hours drive from Kulu by Taxi which will cost about INR 1700 and is situated at the confluence of the Malana and Manikaran. The easiest way to reach Malana is from Jari, which is a 23 km away. Jari is also an entry point to Malana. About 1.5 km from Jari is the Malana powerhouse and foreign visitors have to register their names before entering the valley for security and logistics. Everyone must trek the last 4kms uphill to reach Malana. The scenery shifts as you begin the ascent towards Malana after the taxi ride stop. You will be greeted by a valley which has more shades of green than you can imagine and a the river with a surface like a roaring storm. If you are lucky, it will drizzle and the whole view would have a veil of mist. Going further up, you lose sight of the river with a little bridge and are instead be fascinated by a view of about 200 stone roofed houses and inhabitants in the distance. As you are taking in this view and nearing Malana by the minute, if you look at steep uphill stone road ahead, you will find it lined with a myriad variety of wild flowers covering the side of the hill in huge numbers in colors of pink, cream, orange, white, blue and purple! If you are a nature photographer, it will be many hours before you actually finish the drive and walk before you enter Malana.
The best time to visit Malana and witness the pleasing landscape, birch forests, rhododendron bushes and wild flowered valleys which offer awe-inspiring views is between March and October. The summers range between 8 and 20°Celsius and the cold snowy winter months the temperature can vary between -10 to 10°C. It is advisable to carry rain wear throughout the year during your visit.
In this culturally sound village of 200 houses it is advisable to make friends with some of the villagers and stay with them in tiny home made guesthouses. The price will change according to your relationship with them but an estimate of about 100 Rs a day to stay like many small villages in the mountains of Himachal are a clue. One can also use a tent and go camping around the village. There are no popular guesthouses as there is not much tourism around these areas due to its esoteric location.
There are a very few food options in Malana. There are a handful of outdoor eating places or 'dhabas' where you can get chai and are run by the local women or men villagers from the houses nearby. The meals range from the most delicious dal and rice to mouth watering butter 'rotis' or Indian bread – Lentils and Rice are available in most cafes and they also serve vegetarian food while some villagers serve non - vegetarian food in the handful of guesthouses that exisit there. The best way is to befriend a local and eat a home cooked meal inside their house if you are ever permitted!
There is no shopping in Malana save for some 'charas', if one likes to smoke hashish or Marijuana which can range anywhere from Rs 1000 to Rs 2000 for 10 grams.
The expenses in Malana village are slim and the lifestyle is simple. However along with travel by taxi around Himachal Pradesh I would recommend a budget of INR 6000 to 10,000 for one week.
Closure
I must admit that my experience with the culture and the locals of the village will be a trip to remember as will the pristine scenery surrounding it.
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