KULU-MANALI

In the last two decades Kulu-Manali complex has had a spurt of tourists annually and the natural beauty of the area amply deserves this. Roads have been well developed and well-appointed Rest houses have multiplied. Long distance tourist-planes, buses and taxis have brought the complex closer to the other areas. Dalai Lama and his Buddhist followers who came away from Tibet have been settled at Dharamshala and some other places in this area. Kulu is fairly well connected by rail and road though more improvement is possible.

The ancient name of Kulu was Kulute. This was one of the oldest principalities in the Punjab hills. Kulute has a lot of references in old Sanskrit literature. A coin bearing, the name of the early Rajas has been assigned on palaeographical grounds to the first or second Christian century. The Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang (A. D. 629- 645) visited it. At that time Kulu probably included all the territory now in Mandi and Suket. The original capital was at, Jagat sukh but was moved to Nagar and finally to Sultanpur in A. D. 1660.

Author - P.C. Roy Choudhoury

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