Manikaran is 45 km. from Kullu. Manikaran lies in the Parvati valley of Kullu district. The spring are situated near the bank of Parbati river. These are confined to several groups of hot water springs emerging at various locations spreading upto a distance of about 1.3 kms. along the river from the old bridge to Brahmaganga. The springs at Manikaran come out to surface with pressure and are very hot. There is no sulphur or iron mixed in the waters, but it is said to be radio active. The water of these springs is so much hot that pulses ( dal ), rice, vegetables etc. can be boiled and cooked in it. There is a Gurudwara here serving visitors and provides night stay. In the Gurudwara, the dal, rice and vegetables are boiled in the hot water and served to the visitors after cooking them fine and surprisingly the meal is tasty. Vegetables etc. are cooked in a pan resting on the hot water. Usually the meal is cooked fine in 20 minutes. Even 'chapatis' are cooked by immersion. The heat near the boiling place, where the meal is cooked, is so high that inhabitual persons can not even stand and tolerate the heat for some minutes.
The healing properties of the Manikaran Springs are well known all over the country. Pigrims from far come here and for the cure of their ailments. Rheumatism and muscular pains are said to cured very fast by taking bath in this water. According to a legend, Manikaran is associated with Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati. Mani Karan means Ear Rings - it is said that once, while taking bath here, Maa Parvati lost her ear rings in the Kund (pond). When she told it to Lord Shiva, he became furious and looked at the water of the kund with great anger and then thousands of ear rings flowed out from the boiling water and since then the water of the spring is boiling. The rocks surroundings the springs are also very hot.
