07-May-2015 – DAY 5

Naggar town which is in Kullu district is approximately 21 kms from Manali. The Beas river appeared on and off along the way adding romanticism to the picturesque setting. By the time we reached the Nagar castle it was almost noon and the sun was at its merciless best. We decided to have lunch before exploring the castle. A nondescript terrace restaurant provided a good opportunity to capture the magnificence of Kullu.

The present day Naggar town was the capital of Kullu for almost 1460 years. It is believed that the Naggar castle was built by Raja Sidhi Singh in early 16^th century. The castle was built in the local architecture named “Kathkooni” … combination of stones and wooden beams…the same architecture is visible cross all Manali temples.

The Naggar castle houses a small temple in its courtyard called “Jagti Patt”. It is revered as the judgement seat of Kullu gods. Interestingly, Raja Gyan Singh sold the palace for a gun(!) in 1846 to British who added additional comforts like fireplace, chimneys etc. resulting in a queer amalgamation. Recently, the palace has been converted in to a heritage hotel by HPTDC. The Beas River flowing close by and the majestic castle enhance and complement each other’s beauty!

The song “Yeh hai ishq” of the movie “Jab we Met” was shot in the castle.

The visiting hours of the castle is 9 AM to 6 PM and the fee is Rs. 30/- per head.

With long history imbued within its four walls, the Naggar Castle boasts of astounding architectural features. The castle is a photographer’s paradise with its offering of majestic wooden façade, intricate design, glorious view of the Beas River and the mountains and of course snow during winter… the castle offers subjects galore!

International Roerich Memorial Trust (IRMT) was our next stop. It is around 1 KM from Naggar Castle. Nicholas Roerich was a Russian who was an accomplished artist, scientist and Philosopher. Nicholas’s son Svetoslav and his wife Devika Rani the bollywood actress of yesteryears established IRMT. The IRMT consist of the Memorial Roerich house, Art Gallery, Summer studio of Svetoslav, Memorial stones of Naggar Rajas and Samadhi of Nicholas Roerich.

I recommend visiting the estate because of its expansiveness and the natural setting of this place.

The estate is immaculately maintained. The arts museum is at the base of the hill. Everything else of the IRMT is on top of the hill. It is a steep climb but worth the effort.

Urusvati is the Himalayan Folk and Tribal Art museum established by the Roerichs.

For automobile lovers, Roerich’s car is a must see. It is a 1930 Dodge still kept in pristine condition.

On the way down from IRTM, we stopped at Tripura Sundari temple. The temple is built in Pagoda style architecture just the Hidimba temple. Goddess Tripura is the reigning deity of Naggar. Other than Goddess Tripura, the temple enshrines Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. An idol of Tripura Rakshasa can also be seen in the temple.