Himachal Pradesh  sets itself apart as India’s outdoor adventure playground through its varied topography and stunning natural beauty. It is a land of mysteries with so much to explore and so much to discover about this humble abode of snow. Some things though, are quite strange and intriguing about this state, and one of them is Malana valley. 

Isolated from the rest of the world lies a solitary village in Malana nala, which is the side valley of Parvati valley. Malana also known as Malana village is located in Kullu valley. Malana is one of the not-so popular places of India that are present silently in all their glory. The peaks of Chanderkhani and Deo Tibba shadow the village. It is situated on a remote plateau by the side of the torrential Malana river. 

You may also call Malana,  a village of taboos as it has been hiding several scandalous stories since ages . Malana has its own lifestyle and social structure and people are strict in following their customs. According to the local people of  Malana , Jamlu rishi (sage) inhabited this place and made rules and regulations. The locals claim it to be one of the oldest democracies of the world with a well-organized parliamentary system, guided by their devta (deity) Jamlu rishi.

Touch me not  

Villagers believe that they have pure Aryan genes and that they are descendants of Alexander the Great. The Malanese people are extremely strict about the rule of not touching or coming in contact with any outsiders, on the off-chance of getting touched they either run for a bath or charge you a fine! Not just the people, but their belongings, walls they live in, everything comes under a no-touching zone for the visitors! Apart from this, they consider their language "Kanashi" and their temples too sacred for any outsiders to visit. However, the people are known to be friendly, despite their strict rules. This overwhelming sense of seclusion is important to how the Malana community has evolved, shunning the outside world. A lonely existence in a tangle of high mountains meant that Malana once had total freedom, even from government. For very long, its villagers didn’t mingle with other Kullu villages; its village council didn’t recognise the role of the Indian state; it resisted all external influence. They are very sensitive towards their natural resources so hammering nails onto trees is prohibited , only dry twigs and leaves can be carried out of the forests and wood cannot be burned in the forests. Similarly, hunting of wild animals is not allowed without the permission of the village council that too only during specific periods of the year.

In case wild animals attack the herds of sheep and goats of the villagers the hunters are sent from the village to the pastures to kill them. And if a bear is killed, the hunter is rewarded but has to deposit the fur in the Bhandara of the Devta. Another peculiar yet true rule is that the Police intervention isn't allowed in their system. If anybody needs the help of police, the person must pay a fine of Rs 1000 to the village council. The marriage of Malanese people is pre-arranged in their adolescence. The bride is supposed to run behind her husband and her in-law while holding a torch as part of their customs, on their wedding night. A man can have multiple wives and in case he divorces one of his wives, he must help her financially. However, quite similar to the rest of the Indian traditions, anybody who marries an outsider will be banished from the village forever. 

Malana Cream  

We know it’s more like an open secret and the village is actually famous for this very feature. The place grows the finest weed in  India. Malana is famous for ‘Malana cream’, a strain of Cannabis hashish, which has high oil content and an intensely fragrant aroma. But did you know that  Malana cream is also the most expensive hashish in the Amsterdam menu?  Malana has drawn a lot of hashish lovers from all around the world.  Although it is declared illegal by the government of India. The Malana Cream is known worldwide for its high quality hash. In fact, hash is so common and sold out in the open that there would be no surprise even if a child offers it to you . Malana cream has won the Best Hashish title twice, in 1994 and 1996, at High Times magazine’s Cannabis Cup .

Malana Trek
 
 This place is also apt for all adventure lovers since the route to Malana is famous for trekking.The temples in Malana - the Jamadagni Temple and the Shrine of Renuka Devi - serve as major attractions of the village. Built closely to each other, they are well known for the worship of various gods and goddesses which are highly respected by the locals, and a lot of care is taken with respect to its preservation. The trekking route to Malana is adorned with lush deodar vegetation along with a slight view of the Malana Dam that mesmerize  people from time to time.

Hope you explore this majestic land and uncover its secrets soon  .