Manyashi Village

Manyashi is a tiny village perched on a ridge above Dehuri in the Sainj Valley. From Dehuri's flat agricultural floor, you can see it clearly on the hillside, two wooden towers poking up above the rooftops. A 15 to 20 minute walk through terraced fields of apple, maize, and barley brings you to the base. A short climb through orchards gets you up to the village itself.

The reason to come is the two wooden tower temples. One is dedicated to Pundrik Rishi, the same sage after whom the nearby Pundrik Rishi Lake is named. The other is dedicated to a local deity called Janjar (sometimes spelled Janasar in traveller accounts). The towers are built in the traditional stone and wood style of the Kullu hills, and from the ridge, they frame the entire Sainj Valley below. If you have seen the Raila Twin Towers or Chehni Kothi, these are in the same family. Smaller, quieter, and almost never visited by outside travellers.

Here is the honest framing. Manyashi is not a destination you plan a trip around. It is a 1 to 1.5 hour side walk from Dehuri that you do on the same day you visit the lake, or on a separate morning if you are staying in the area. The village is small. There are no shops, no accommodation, and no facilities. You walk up, see the towers and the view, walk around the village lanes, and walk back down. The whole thing takes about an hour including the walk. But that hour is one of the most photogenic in the valley.

Outsiders generally cannot enter the tower temples. This is consistent with similar structures across the Kullu region. Photograph the exteriors, enjoy the ridge view, and respect the space. If a local villager is around, ask about the history. You will learn more in five minutes of conversation than from any search result.