MENTION India and the image of clear stream waters that dance through lush meadows seldom come to mind. But that is exactly what Manali offers the unsuspecting visitor.

My travelling companion and I had just visited the majestic Taj Mahal in Agra and went back to New Delhi for our next pick up into the state of Himachal Pradesh, where Manali — a hill station — is located.

We first drove into the industrial town of Parwanoo. The drive got more interesting as we progressed to Shimla and Manali.

The highlight of Shimla was Mall Road — a shopping mall in the middle of the hills that impressed with its colonial architecture. I was fascinated by the houses in Shimla as they were all carved and built into the hills.

If you love shawls, Manali is the place for you thanks to the sheer number of shops that sell shawls. Since I did not know the difference between angora and pashmina, I ended up buying most of my shawls from a co-operative called Bhuttico.

At Bhuttico, the prices are fixed and the quality of the shawls is excellent. Its shawls also carry labels that state clearly whether they are 100 per cent pashmina or otherwise — so you are assured that you are getting what you are paying for.

Those with more expertise in the art of shawl selection may want to check out the numerous shops that dot Manali. The prices for some gorgeous shawls range from $8 to $400 — so bargain!

Manali used to be the winter sports capital for the British colonialists. On one side of Manali lies the Beas River.

For those who love great scenery, this is the place to be.

Lush meadows and herds of horses dot the countryside. Imagine travelling against a backdrop that includes fruit orchards, sunflowers as big as dinner plates, glorious roses that are in bloom and crystal clear streams that gurgle happily through towering pine trees.

For the more adventurous, there are a myriad of options ranging from trekking to rafting to skiing during winter.

The highest point of our holiday (literally) was the excursion to the Snow View Point on the Rohtang Pass.

At the peak, no words can do justice to the breath-taking view of snow-capped Himalayan peaks.

I had one of the best meals of my life here. During the drive up to Rohtang Pass through the craggy mountains that were cloaked in a cloud of mist, it began to get progressively colder.

I spotted a couple of shacks with men cooking at the stoves and asked the driver to stop so that we all could grab a bite. I ordered chai (tea), an omelette sandwich and Maggi noodles. The chai was spiced with cinnamon and as the rain started to batter the flimsy tent that covered the shack, we stood there sipping wonderfully warm chai.

It was delicious.

I wolfed down the omelette sandwich and the Maggi noodles in record time. Both were spiced with masala from the cook's spice jar and I remember thinking that I could subsist on this for the rest of my life. I also enjoyed the luxury of feasting on fresh farmed trout almost every day for my meals.

We had the option of taking a detour to Solang Valley where one can go paragliding instead of taking the Rohtang Pass road.

Unfortunately, the weather conditions that day did not allow us to go paragliding. Other places of interest include the Naggar Art Gallery and the hot water springs at Manikaran.

Depending on what you would like to do in Manali, time your trip there to make the most of it. The climate is refreshingly cool for the greater part of the year except for the harsh winter months from December to February.

Manali is a part of India that is loved by most locals, but is still relatively undiscovered by foreign tourists. So if you are tired of the commercialised and much-touted golden triangle of New Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan, Manali may be just the perfect Indian destination for you. - TODAY