Exploring Somvan, the best kept secret near Manali.

Hi All,

Somvan is a forest in Batahar region of Kullu valley. It’s a lush green pine forest with many forest departments and research stations within it.

To reach Somvan, one needs to take a right turn from 15 mile towards Batahar bridge as seen in the photo above. Onto to other side of the road, you can see a lot of Tibetan prayer flags that shows the Tibetan influence this place has.

It’s an old bridge constructed on Beas river around 1970. It’s suspension kind of bridge that’s still intact after all the floods that had hit this place in past 50-60 years.

Whenever I get over this bridge, I remember a very famous poem by Robert Frost about woods.

Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound’s the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.

-Poem by Robert Frost.

This is how I feel when looking at the woods of Kalath while seeing them from over the bridge.

There are many Tibetan flags on the bridge too indicating the Tibetan influence of this region due to nearby monestry.

I was also able to capture this stunning shot of a crow flying while I was walking over the bridge.

Entering the Somvan-

As soon as you enter the Somvan, you are greeted with lush green tall pine trees and two paths leading inside the forest. I first took the right one.

What a treat it was to walk there! Fresh air, cool breeze and amazing views. It was just perfect for a morning walk.

I came across many people who were enjoying their morning walk there. I greeted them and asked them about other things that existed in the Somvan. They told me to take the other path to find the forest department and forest nursery.

As I was Walia towards the other path, I realised that the trees in this forest are easily a few hundred years old considering their height.

Forest nursery and forest department office-

There I was, onto the other side of the forest. The first thing here is a forest nursery.

I was amazed to see about thousands and baby pine trees there in the nursery. It’s a great approach of forest department to restore the deforestation.

You can see the beds of trees in the photos below!

It made me think that if every month, we planned those many trees and cared for them, our forests will be lush green again.

Indo-Japanese forest development project-

I was stoked to see another forest specific development project there in Somvan. It was a collaboration of Indian and Japanese governments.

It made me think that the governments are doing a lot to save our forests but it’s not only them while can save them. We all as individuals need to take initiative to save the forests then only we can save our planet.

And with that thought in my mind, I started my return journey!

That’s all for today!

Thanks for your time.