Important Details
About Malana
Malana is an ancient village situated high up in the Parvati Valley of the Kullu region. It won’t be wrong to say that Malana is the most famous village in the valley. The village of Malana looks similar to the other villages in the valley, however, there is something about this village that appeals uniquely. Malana village follows its democracy and has its judicial system with lower and higher courts. The government designated the population of this village as tribals, and they follow a distinct system of self-governance. The village of Malana shot into fame for the production of high-quality hashish, which is famous all across the world and even available in Amsterdam at high prices. Earlier it took 5-6 hours to reach the village from the nearest road, but now a road constructed leads you right below the village, cutting the trek duration to a mere 1 hour. This, however, has caused a higher tourist influx and caused toxic tourism in the village.
How to reach Malana
Delhi to Malana
Chandigarh has two bus terminals, and if you happen to take a bus to Chandigarh from Delhi, planning to reach Bhuntar, then you might have to change the bus terminal. The frequency of buses plying from Chandigarh to Bhuntar is quite high, and there should be no trouble finding a seat in peak time too. There is one bus that runs directly to Manikaran from Chandigarh, so if you can catch it, you will directly reach the drop point and save both your time and money.
Chandigarh to Malana Bus
Chandigarh has two bus terminals, and if you happen to take a bus to Chandigarh from Delhi, planning to reach Bhuntar, then you might have to change the bus terminal. The frequency of buses plying from Chandigarh to Bhuntar is quite high, and there should be no trouble finding a seat in peak time too. There is one bus that runs directly to Manikaran from Chandigarh, so if you can catch it, you will directly reach the drop point and save both your time and money.
Bhuntar to Malana
To reach directly to Malana from Bhuntar, you will have to reach Bhuntar in the morning. If you are a group of travelers, you can directly take a cab to the Malana trekking point. If you are traveling solo then, you can take the bus plying towards Kasol from Bhuntar, and then you will have to get down at the Malana Dam complex. From there you will have to further take a taxi to reach the start of the Malana trek as no buses run from the Hydroelectric complex to the trekking point. The road conditions are not the best as there are constant landslides, and the tree falls on this route. So if you have a delay don’t get anxious, it’s all a part of the life here.
Malana trek
There are two routes to reach Malana village. One is from the front side, and the other is from behind. Trekking to Malana from the front side is easier. The trek starts from the famous “Welcome to Malana Gate” which you must have seen before. The village is visible from this point, and the trek distance is around 1.5 km and it should take anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 hour. The trail descends into the valley and meets the Malana nallah(sewage line). You will have to cross a bridge over the nallah, and then the trail goes up into the mountain and the altitude increases gradually. It takes 20 minutes to reach the village from the bridge.
Best Time to visit
The best is in the summer months from May to July.This is when the summer sets in properly in the valley.The entire valley bursts into vegetation and becomes covered in lush green vegetation.The weather during this period is pleasant throughout the day.The trails are perfect.After this period the monsoon sets in the valley and the trails become slippery and rainfall becomes unpredictable
Malana Temperature
During the summer months between May to September, the temperature in Malana remains pleasant in the daytime, and at night the temperature may fall to single digits. In the winter season, the daytime temperatures are in single digits and fall below freezing at night.
Winter in Malana
Malana is at a height of 8700ft, which is almost the same height as that of Rasol, which is another village situated pretty high up in the valley. Malana experiences a good amount of snowfall throughout the winters, and the village remains buried in 3-4 foot deep snow in most parts. The trek to Malana is doable even in winters, the trail is usually free of deep snow as this path frequented by villagers, but one thing to keep in mind is that a lot of things taken for granted in summers are not available in winters, still, a lot of tourists visit Malana during these coarse conditions.
Malana Homestays
Dragon Guesthouse: The Dragon Guesthouse is the inarguably the most famous property in the Malana Village and a lot of people swear by it.a lot of the buzz is because it is a really old guesthouse and back in the day was the only guest house in the village before it shot into fame.
Ayoya Homestay: There are options available starting from a bunk bed costing 400INR and then the rooms cost around 800INR.
Attractions in Malana
Untouchables of Malana
There is a large section of the village that still follows the custom of untouchability, and people not native to the village are not allowed to touch the native people of Malana. If you happen to touch them they immediately will take a bath. The people of Malnaa consider themselves as a pure race and avoided making contact with outsiders.
Jamlu Devta
Jamlu Devta is the deity of the Malana village, and everybody in the village has to abide by his decisions. It is believed that upsetting the deity brings misfortune to the village. Recently, the deity got upset because of the toxic tourism happening in the village and ruled that no outsider would stay in the village after sunset. Jamlu Devta also took part in the Kullu Dusshera, which takes part in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh.
Descendants of Alexander the Great
As believed by the villagers, Alexander the great once marched with his armies in this region and a few of his soldiers were awestruck by the beauty of the valley, and decided to stay back. Later on, they married local ladies and set up the village of Malana. Going by this story, people of Malana are descendants of the Greek people.
Malana Cream
Malana cream is a sticky aromatic byproduct of the cannabis plant that grows naturally all across the state of Himachal Pradesh. What makes Malana cream so special, is the strain, which was initially brought by westerners to the valley and conditions at which it grows. The cannabis plantation of Malana is not anywhere near Malana. It is on a distant land that is hard to reach a high altitude mountain slope. The people of Rasol and Malana both grow cannabis at the same place.
FAQ's
Is there a direct bus to Malana?
No.
Is Malana accessible in winters?
Manala is accessible is winters.The homestays are open.There are no food joints on the route from Jari to Malana.
Cheapest way to reach Malana?
Reach Jari police post on a bus from Bhuntar.Take a shared cab to Malana trek start point or walk to it.
Is staying at Malana banned?
No.It isn’t.
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