Managram – The Last Frontier

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Managram is a small village in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. For those who really love hills and hill stations, the place is a ‘piece of the kingdom of heaven’. It is said that the goddess of nature has made this place with her own hands by pouring all her generosity.

If you want to go to Managram, you have to go to Haridwar station by train from anywhere in India, or by plane to Jolly Grant Airport, you have to go to Badrinath first by jeep, cab or bus from there. Badrinath is the ‘Chhota Chardham’ of Uttarakhand, i.e. Gangotri-Jamunotri-Kedarnath-Badrinath is one of these four pilgrimage sites. Lord Vishnu is worshiped in the Badrinath temple. Surrounded by high mountains, this Badrinath temple is situated in the background of a wide, hilly area covered with ice. It is important to mention here that the best time to visit Badrinath is from April to June, and September-October. The rainy season is dangerous for travelling to Badrinath. Due to the tremendous snowfall, the Badrinath temple and the adjoining towns are completely closed for a period of six months from late October to late March or early April. At that time all the worship of the temple is done in a village called ‘Joshimath’ located at the very bottom.

One of the places to visit from Badrinath is Managram. There are a number of jeep stands in Badrinath you can hop in one and visit ‘Managram’. The village is the last settlement on the Indo-China border near the state of Uttarakhand. There’s a famous tea shop called there “Hindustan Ki Antim Dukan” is literally the last tea shop in India, after that is China.

The main point of attraction for tourists in Managram is the Saraswati River, which from nowhere rises from the crevices of two hills at a place in front of the tea shop at the far end of the village, The sudden disappearance of the river in the lap of the hill a little further down again, the whole thing is so astonishing and weird that it will linger in your mind for quite some time another reason that you will keep thinking about this place is the simplicity of the lives of the people in the village, the hand-woven sweaters made by the local women in the village, the cave of Byasadeva, the Markandshila, the Alaknanda river and many more things.

If you go to Badrinath, you must go to Managram. The jeep fare of the round from Badrinath to Managram is around five hundred rupees. Before leaving, you need to arrange a hotel to stay in Haridwar, and also book a hotel in Badrinath. The day you reach Haridwar, it is better to leave for Badrinath the next day as it takes about twelve to thirteen hours to get to Badrinath from Haridwar.

– Piu Bhattacharya Mukherjee –

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