Mana

Mana is a small pilgrim village that is located in the state of Uttarakhand. The village is present near the religious site of Badrinath. The village has the distinction of being the last settlement on the road to the country of Tibet. It is situated at a height of around 3200 m. The village is on the banks of the River Saraswati. The entire region is surrounded by hills and one can see many small streams nearby as well. This is a perfect place for trekking and there are many trekking spots that are located here. The village of Mana can be visited as day trip from Badrinath. There is a waterfall called the Vasundara Falls that is located nearby and this is also a good place to see while travelling to the village of Mana.

There is small passage called the Bhim Pul that is located here and the River Sarawasti plunges headlong into the path and this is a sight to behold. The local population of the village lives in small cottages that are decorated and carved exquisitely. One can visit the temple of Mata Murti that is located near the town and the temple holds an annual fair, visiting which can be an interesting experience.

At an altitude of 3420 meters on the confluence of the Saraswati and the Alaknanda streams, Mana is 525 km from Delhi. Onwards, it is only 3 km beyond Badrinath, one of the world's oldest and most frequented pilgrimages. Mana is also the last Indian village, 48 km ahead of which lies the Mana pass on the old trade route to Tibet, disused after the border was sealed in 1962. The Border Roads Organisation has extended the road another 10 km to Musapani, from where the Inner line is 2 km away at Ghastoli. Mana's Bhutia tribal community is migratory, their life pattern linked to the Badrinath shrine. The community's dwelling idiom consists of stone cottages, single or double storeyed, mud plastered with slate-tiled sloping roofs, built into the hillside, some with carved wooden windows and doorway facades. Women are the real keepers of the indigenous knowledge of making natural dyes. The also collect wild plant raw materials. The Mana Bhutias are known for their expertise in making a range of woollen garments and materials, besides processing and colouring of wool. Mana, like many Garhwal villages, is thus not just a human settlement but a micro-ecosystem encompassing the local community, livestock, physical and organic resources.

It is situated near the banks of Saraswati River and is surrounded by hills and many small streams. There are many trekking trails in Mana region that can be explored during the day from the religious site of Badrinath. While trekking, tourists can see the famous Vasundhara Falls that adds to the beauty of the village. The Mata Murti Temple is popular for the village, where annual fair is organised in the month of August. This temple is situated 3 km from Badrinath, which has a beautiful idol