Malana | |
|---|---|
Village | |
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  Malana Location in Himachal Pradesh, India  Malana Malana (India) | |
| Coordinates: 32°03′46″N 77°15′38″E / 32.06278°N 77.26056°E | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Himachal Pradesh |
| Population (July 2017[1]) | |
| • Total | 4,700 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Hindi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
Malana is an ancient Indian village in the state of Himachal Pradesh. The only village in the Malana Nala, a side valley of the Parvati Valley northeast of the Kullu Valley, it is isolated from the rest of the world. The peaks of Chanderkhani and Deo Tibba shadow the village. It is situated on a remote plateau by the torrential Malana river, at a height of 2,652 metres (8,701 ft) above sea level. Malana has its own lifestyle and social structure, and people are strict in following their customs. Malana has been the subject of various documentaries, including Malana: Globalization of a Himalayan Village.[4] and Malana, A Lost Identity.[5] The existing speakers of the autochthonous language Kanashi, the traditional language of the inhabitants of Malana, number approximately 1700. According to the 1961 census, the language speakers were then 563, but today the population of Malana is at least three times as large as 40 years ago.[6] The most common route to the village is by taxi or bus from Jhari. Roads to Malana Village trekking gate are developed.
As per the village's strong custom, outsiders are prohibited from physically touching anything in the village, including its people and temples, a rule punishable with a fine of ₹2,500 to ₹3,500. As for the villagers, one may rush to take bath once they touched an outsider.[2] Shops may ask visitors to leave money on the floor in exchange for goods to not touch one another. Villagers strictly keep up with this custom to "preserve the 'purity' of the village".[3]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
HTwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b "Why tourists are not allowed to touch anything in this Kasol village". Times of India. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ a b Chakraborty, Mehk (21 August 2018). "Malana: A Himalayan village shrouded in myth". BBC. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ Malana: Globalization of a Himalayan Village, 2010 Archived 28 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Documentary Film makers & Film Productions. Watch Documentaries Online".
- ^ Malana : Shangrila in the Himalayas