Mana Village

The historic threshold of India where ancient Vedic epics were penned amidst rugged granite canyons

Nestled on the banks of the Saraswati River just 3.2 kilometres north of Badrinath, Mana is an enchanting high-altitude hamlet officially designated by the Government of India as the "First Village of India" (formerly called the last village before the international border). Situated at an altitude of 3,200 metres, Mana sits just 24 kilometres south of the high Mana Pass (Dungri La) leading into Tibet. It is inhabited by the resilient indigenous Bhotia community (Marchhas), skilled pastoralists, traders, and master wool weavers.

Mana is a living museum of Mahabharata mythology. According to sacred lore, it was through this very village that the Pandava brothers, accompanied by Draupadi, embarked on their final heavenly ascent (Swargarohini). Ancient slate-roofed stone cottages cling to the steep terraces, flanked by fields of kidney beans, barley, and potatoes. Cobblestone alleyways lead visitors past historical caves, sacred water springs, and rustic wooden tea shops where steam from hot chai mingles with crisp Himalayan winds.

The village serves as the trail-head for legendary trekking routes into the Inner Himalayas, including the 5 km hike to Vasudhara Falls and expeditions onward to Satopanth Swargarohini Lake. Mana’s artisans are celebrated across Uttarakhand for hand-crafting dense tweed blankets (Pankhi), warm shawls (Chutka), raw wool carpets (Dan), and harvesting aromatic medicinal herbs like Himalayan birch bark (Bhojpatra) and dry saffron.

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