Though Naggar was the capital of the Kullu kings for about 1400 years, today Naggar is one of those quiet hamlets overshadowed by it's more famous cousins Kullu and Manali nearby. Most people ignore this place or at best cover it on a day trip from Manali. This is a shame, as true beauty of this place can be enjoyed only when one stays here.
I traveled to Naggar by an overnight bus from Delhi - by far the best way to travel. It covers the 13 hours journey overnight and the Volvo bus - with it's so called "Air Suspension," offers a far more comfortable journey on these roads than what a normal car would offer.
in naggar we stayed at The Zahir Resort. While being close to Naggar proper, it is situated in a quiet location and offers gorgeous views of the surrounding snow peaks. The owners are personal friends of mine and we spent many happy moments chatting with hot cups of tea on the resort terrace. The back side of the resort opens up to a large apple orchard.
Last of this season's apples...
Just across the resort is a lovely wooden deserted house (a la Walter De La Mare). My friend has plans to take over the same and convert it into a cafe for the trekkers. This place has a long balcony which opens up to the valley - so as a place to relax for a while with some hot cappuccino this place seems an ideal choice.
One of the most beautiful structures of Naggar is the 'Mata Rani' temple. Made of wood with some exquisite intricate wood carvings, this place is certainly worth a visit and at least a couple of hours of your time.
In and around Naggar there are small places that offer lovely views, coupled with complete serenity. Jana village was one of those places.
We stopped in between at some nameless villages...
.... and saw the villagers drying food for the impending winters
The Zahir Resort has taken a second property in a place slightly detour from Jana. You have to walk about a km from the main way and come to this lovely place
We also visited two famous tourist destinations in Naggar. First one was the 'Roerich Memorial' - which is the old house of the famous Russian artists, Nicholas and Svetoslav Roerich. Part of this house has been converted to an art gallery.
view from the Roerich House
The other significant tourist place is the Naggar castle, from where the Kullu kings ruled. This has now been converted into a heritage hotel by HPTDC.
The castle has some intricate woodwork and also offers a nice view of the town.
We stayed in Naggar for 4 days and came back with happy memories of friends and laughter, and some peaceful relaxing moments spent with nature.
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