Malana Chanderkhani Pass Trek

Overview

Below the Chanderkhani pass of the Kullu valley lies a small cluster of around two hundred stone roof houses constituting a village called Malana. Its inimitable culture and the temple of Jamlu distinguish the village. The village consists of around 1500 inhabitants and has an impeccable system of administration with a higher and lower court guided by the spirit of village god Jamlu. Malana stands out as an autonomous self-sufficient unit whose inhabitants claim Greek ancestry. Some stories about the village called “a little Greece,” this village in the interior of the Himalayas is its architecture, language, worship rituals, and autonomous administrative system. The unique geographical location of Malana has enabled it to preserve its biodiversity and it is an ecological haven.

Malana is connected to Kullu by three mountain passes – it can be reached from Parbati valley crossing over the 3180 meters Rashol pass and via Naggar over the 3600 meters beautiful Chanderkhani pass. For the outsiders, there is a long list of do’s and don’ts to be followed in the village. The people are friendly but outsiders are told to keep their distance and not to touch anything in the village. Malana is divided into two – upper Malana (dhara beda) and lower Malana (sor beda). Kanashi, the language of Malana, does not resemble any of the dialects spoken in its neighborhood but seems to be a mixture of Sanskrit and several Tibetan dialects. Two important festivals are celebrated in Malana. One called Badoh Mela is celebrated in August and the other called Fagdi mela in February. – By Dr. Virendra Bangroo