Manali was once an obscure point called ‘Dana' meaning fodder where traders travelling towards the legendary bazaars of Central Asia stopped to restock their supplies and get fodder for their pack ponies and horses. Later under the British it was named P.O. Duff Danbar after a British Deputy Forest Officer who served here in the 1850s. His pahari style house built a little above the Dhungri village has been acquired by a public school. Mr. Dunbar was also responsible for acquiring all the material from England for the iron suspension bridge still being used to cross the River Beas at Bhuntar. The real Manali after which the modern resort town is named is a big village across the Manalsu Stream about a kilometre northwest.