1848.] Journal of a trip through Kulu and Ldhul, fyc. 209 



of the valley, and only a few feet higher than the level of the river. It is 

 surrounded by a low wall of masonry, and is enclosed in a small tank 

 12 feet square, and 3 feet deep. 



The road from the hot well to Monali for five miles lay through a 

 thick tree jungle. The occasional glimpses of the Byas shining amongst 

 the trees with its numerous tributary torrents dashing and foaming over 

 huge rocks as they descend into the river, are very beautiful. The 

 height of Monali is 7000 feet above the sea ; just before reaching Mo- 

 nali, we crossed the rivulet of the same name, a large unfordable stream, 

 by a spar bridge, 60 feet in length. 



Opposite to Monali is the village and hot spring of Vashishta Muni, 

 a celebrated saint, to whom common tradition assigns the origin of the 

 name of the Byas. The Sanskrit name is Vipasa. The origin of the 

 name is thus related in the Mahabharat : Vashishta Muni, being over- 

 whelmed with grief on account of the death of his sons, who had been 

 slain by Viswamitra, became weary of life, and having tied his hands 

 and feet with cords threw himself into the Byas river ; but the pious 

 river burst his bonds, and wafted him ashore unhurt. 



The following explanation of the above legend appears to me as sim- 

 ple as it is natural. 



Just below Monali and the hot springs and village of Vashishta Muni, 

 the valley of the Byas closes in, and the gneiss rocks which have been 

 thrust up through the mica slate are scarped on both sides of the val- 

 ley, forming opposing cliffs, which rise to a height somewhat greater 

 than the levels of Monali and Vashishta Muni. The lower village of 

 Monali is situated on an extensive alluvial flat, below which, on the op- 

 posite bank of the Monali nullah, there is a long spur covered with 

 pines, which stands out prominently, and stretches nearly across the 

 valley. This spur is much higher than the level of the Monali 

 lands, and I have no doubt that it once extended right across the 

 valley, and pent up the river, which must then have formed a large 

 lake, the bottom of which was the extensive alluvial flat of Monali, 

 which could only have been formed in this manner. Indeed, there is 

 every appearance of the former existence of a lake in this part of the bed 

 of the Byas, from which the waters made their escape between the 

 gneiss cliffs just below Monali and Vashishta Muni. When the lake 

 existed the hot springs must have been covered by its waters. In the 



