29th October 2019, 01:42
| #1 |
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| On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh The middle land blessed with wealth of flora and the profusion of wild flowers. Vast meadows on the banks of the lake carpeted with lust green pine trees and hundreds of varieties of wild flowers. The cold desert with scorching sun and numbing cold was like beauty in a beast. Your imagination is bewildered with the picturesque images, right? You will be more amused to witness this place through my eyes. In my intro I have mentioned “The middle land” because that it what the word “SPITI” means i.e the cold desert middle land between India and Tibet. I would skip the highway journey as always curtailing the wait time to meet the main characters of the trip. I was adjoined by my wife (Shikha), brother (Tanu) and a colleague (Arijit) from my office and his wife (Tamasi). Mentioned couple was on bike from Delhi onwards. Trip started way ahead through planning, purchasing food stuffs, car preparation and luggage packing; however the engine accelerated on 10th August 2019 at 6:30 am towards the point of disembarkation. But before that there is a surprise here. One of Bolero’s left leaf spring was broken the previous night. That does not mean that the trip is canceled. I had already created contacts and had a schedule of getting it changed in between Durgapur and Asansol. Itinerary: DAY 01: Kolkata - Varanasi DAY 02: Varanasi - Panipath DAY 03: Panipath - Chail Palace - Narkanda DAY 04: Narkanda - Chitkul DAY 05: Chitkul - Giabong - Ropa Valley - Nako DAY 06: Nako - Gue Village - Tabo DAY 07: Tabo - Dhankar Lake - Dhankar Monastery - Mud (Pin Valley) DAY 08: Mud - Fukchong - Kaa Village - Kaza DAY 09: Kaza - Key - Kibber - Chicham - Kaza DAY 10: Kaza - Langza - Hikkim - Komic - Kaza DAY 11: Kaza - Losar DAY 12: Losar - Chandratal - Batal - Chatru - Gramphu - Kothi DAY 13: Kothi - Ambala Cant. DAY 14: Ambala - Fathepur DAY 15: Fathepur- Tenughat Dam (Jharkhand) DAY 16: Tenughat Dam - Kolkata Glimpse  Climb the mountains and get their good tidings  It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves  Turtle in inner peace by realizing who it is at the deepest level  A forest bird never wants a cage  The face is the mirror of the mind  The animals of the world exist for their own reasons  Mountains are the beginning and the end of all natural scenery  If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads  Hike more. Worry Less. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The sky's the daily bread for the eyes To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:33. Reason: Picture & video spacing. |
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29th October 2019, 21:55
| #2 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Kolkata
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 01: Kolkata to Varanasi It was around 9 am that we were around Panagarh. I knew in Panagarh at least local shops can help me with the leaf spring of Bolero. This is the USP of having the most commonly commutable public car; however the uncertainty of the durability of locally available parts led me to Mahindra Service Centre. The nearest one that was open and the workshop having the leaf spring set in stock was Rudra automobile Pvt Ltd in Asansol. As the car was parked in the workshop, it was hung in the air and the mechanics fastened the bolts and dismantled the leaf springs. It was then known that the inventory did not have leaf spring set because an accidental case was in and the leaf spring was already used to that car. In order to attain customer satisfaction; the service adviser sent it to other workshop to get it repaired. This was the Achilles’ heel of our trip and I will explain that later in the story. It was around 11 am that the repair was completed and we left the place. Sojourn for the first day was at most acclaimed Kaushik Hotel on NH2 at around 10:30 pm. Dinner was appetizing and helped in early snoring for all of us. Day 02: Varanasi to Panipat From Varanasi to Panipat, the drive was gigantic. The highway traffic between Varanasi & Allahabad was a mess that day. I had been driving along the wrong side to avoid huge jams of loaded trucks. I could see private cars packed in between the parked trucks with no change at all for hours. Not only had I, most private cars made the same move on Kanpur Allahabad Highway. It was chaotic due to ongoing work of flyover construction. Meanwhile Arijit was updated with our status and was advised to book a hotel in Panipat once he reaches there. Beyond Allahabad no stopping at all over Agra-Lucknow Expy followed by Taj Express highway. Smooth roads are one of life's unsung pleasures. When a car glides across a glass-smooth, like a skater on ice, there is no need to reduce speed to negotiate bumps and dips. Belly rolls do not jiggle nor do teeth rattle as one zips down such a highway. A smooth road can make a drive enjoyable, safer and cause less wear and tear on a vehicle. We were in the hotel by dinner time in Panipat. Next day it was planned to start a bit at ease as the last two days had been exhausting and rejuvenation was necessitated. Day 03: Panipat to Narkanda Post breakfast in a dhaba besides acres of paddy field, the Jai Viru pair of bike and Lazy Turtle began. Ambala Chandigarh highway has changed my notion of so called Dhaba. The three, four storey mansion like Dhabas near Chandigarh seemed to be beyond my reach. Some of them glittering in gold boasted off their royalty. Right after entering Himachal, we were stuck in a halt for some time apart from which no blocks to mention. Shikha sat at the back seat searching for hotels in Narkanda and short listed few of them. It’s her task to be handy with hotel contacts and location. The Narkanda PWD guest-house is always our first choice for its singular view of the wide range of Himalayan range but getting a room there without pre-booking is onerous. Shikha is good at clinging like a leech on the caretaker until he says, “Yes.'' Chail Palace was a stop before Narkanda so we had our maps aligned accordingly. It was by noon that we reached Chail Palace and it was raining. The Chail Palace is available for common people to witness the aristocracy of the Royal Indian Family. The large Baithak Khaana having upholstered furniture, gave it an elegant look. The corridor with Tapestry walls gave yield to the visitors. The Palace was crowded and the maharaja dining hall seemed to be earsplitting. The garden was as royal as the palace but the foggy weather barricaded it from charming the guests. Few kms ahead of Narkanda, some kind of a problem seemed to creep up in the clutch. The clutch was not engaging properly and as a result the gear shift was feeling harder than usual. I reached Narkanda assuming that it was not a big problem. After a lot of requests and persuasion, Shikha was able to arrange a room in the pwd guest house for 5 of us. A family ahead of us was already stuck with no room availability and has settled in the adjacent room. At the Narkanda market place utilizing the dinner time, I got the car checked and refill the clutch oil. It is not advisable to move with any vehicle fault in a big trip and especially on the roads of Spiti valley. After dinner I wanted to walk in the garden in the moonlight but the sky was gloomy, hoped to have a clear sky the next morning.  Our Stay at Narkanda.. To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:33. Reason: Picture & video spacing. |
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29th October 2019, 22:23
| #3 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Kolkata
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 04: Narkanda to Chitkul Morning in Narkanda was warm and bright. The fluffy clouds clinched to the snow clad mountains as if hugging around their neck. The breath of fresh air was soothing to the soul. Thanking the caretaker, we aboard the car and headed towards Chitkul.       Ready to move ..Leaving Narkanda Before that Hatu Peak had to be discovered at a distance of around 7 kms. Hatu peak is named after the wooden temple of Hatu Devi (Maa Kali). Just near Hatu peak there is a trek route leading to a stove like rock structure which is believed to be used by the Pandavas brothers to cook their food during their Agyaat Vaas. The peak is surrounded by dense forest of conifers, oaks and maples.  Returning from Hatu No waiting longer, we directed the Lazy Turtle towards Chitkul. At Karcham Bridge, I took a right but Arijit went straight. After driving few kms when I lost his view in my rear view mirror, I was sure that he was on a wrong route. There was no mobile network so the only option was to have patience and wait for him. Far at a distance the sight of the bike gave relief, finally we were all united.  Ice-Cream Scooter.  Beautiful board at our breakfast corner.   Enterig kinnaur     With a small giggle break, we have started off again. For breakfast we stopped The highway Grill restaurant in Mandholi near Shimla. Here we met a bikers group mix of bengali and non-bengali people. They were in a dilemma whether they would reach Chitkul today or else where else to put up. I guided them and advised to stay at Kalpa if not Chitkul. Bidding goodbye we left promising to meet again. On the way a picturesque view clinged to our sight and the place was Sangla. Sangla is a small town in Baspa valley in Kinnaur district. During winters it was white with snow and now it was in its full bloom with lush greenery and clear sky. Sangla Valley lies perched on slopes near the banks of Baspa River. While giving a pass to a state bus, I encountered that I could not put my car in reverse gear. I checked with the locals there to find mechanic if any but to my dismay no mechanic facilities was available in that area. Hence, I decided to act upon the role and slid myself under the bonnet. Tanu assisted me by following my instructions. I drained off enough of gear oil and refilled it with fresh one. Perfect, no more problems at all. Took a test drive to confirm that and we were on start mode again. Rakchham clinched my sight on the go. The pink color patches of flowers decorated the green valley contrasting it. The snow clad mountains complimented the place to give it a model calendar picture finish. Finally we were in Chitkul after numerous halts the last village on the old Hindustan-Tibet trade route. It is also the last point in India one can travel to without a permit. We were unable to take our eyes off the serene beauty of the place. Last time I had seen this place fully painted in white with snow covered rooftops, this time the pine trees were in their full bloom with vibrant colour flowers bestowing greetings to us.    Shikha made a quick bargain and we had a nice stay in a home stay just behind the PWD guest house. It belonged to a retired colonel of Indian Army who made our stay perfectly comfortable. We were served with tea in the evening and had placed the dinner order. Having all set, we walked down along the village to the Baspa river. According to a recent study by Centre of Atmospheric Sciences at IIT Delhi, Chitkul has the cleanest air in India. Its was already dark to capture any picture of the place, never mind, I will do so in the morning gasping fresh air. It was a chit chat day and all of us gathered in one room to relish the break day.    To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:34. Reason: Picture & video spacing. |
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29th October 2019, 22:47
| #4 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Kolkata
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 5: Chitkul - Giabong - Ropa - Nako Equipped with tripod, camera and action camera I drove along the roads leading to the isolated fields. Bathing in the warmth of the early morning sun, I captured the clouds floating like light white cotton balls. The river ran down the valley having snow-clad mountains on the right bank and the rest of the terrain was full of greenery and flowers along with wooden houses. I could relate the snow covered football ground with the present field full of vibrant colour flowers. Arijit was looking for shop to get raincoats as the ones they were carrying along was torn. Before putting more picture of Chitkul, I am adding couple of snaps from my last visit. It will be hard to co-relate but this is the reason we are hooked to Himalayas.  [Dec-2017]  [Dec-2017]  [Dec-2017]  [Dec-2017]  [Dec-2017]  [Dec-2017] - Kids playing football  [Dec-2017]  [Dec-2017]  [Dec-2017]  [Dec-2017]  [Dec-2017]  [Dec-2017]  [Dec-2017] https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...tarakhand.html (Snow-laden Himachal and Heavenly Uttarakhand) Complete Story      The Football ground [Aug - 2019]   To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:36. Reason: Picture spacing. |
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30th October 2019, 21:12
| #5 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Kolkata
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 5 continued ...  Leaving Sangla At Sangla he was able to look for a shop to find one. Chitkul to Nako is 150 kms which would require a drive of around 5 and a half hours.In between this the itenary had a point Ropa valley named after the Ropa river, a tributary of Satluj river . Ropa valley near Puh/ Pooh is famous for shawl-weavers, apple orchards, and the finest metal artisans. The apple orchards were blooming with apples and you are free to have them. Though it was not completely ripe, Tanu had missed no chance to pluck some for each one of us To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:37. Reason: Picture & video spacing. |
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30th October 2019, 21:24
| #6 |
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 5 continued ... Post this no stopping except for capturing snaps. The roads were smooth, steep and narrow. The gushing storm like air in the cold desert caused buzzing in the ears. At the confluence of Sutlej and Spiti river there was a restaurant named after the confluence of two rivers “Sangam”. This village Khab is the start of Spiti valley. The Spiti river flowing through the spiti valley here meets the Sutlej, which originates from Mansarovar Lake in Tibet. The peak of Reo Purgil, which rises to 22,400 feet (6,800 m), is visible and the cold desert of Spiti lies across the nearby bridge. The pillars of the bridge was scribbled with liners which will definitely tickle your thoughts. Delicious maggie was enjoyed sitting across Sangam. The colour of Spiti river reminded me of the fact mentioned by the owner of Chango Restaurant. As the Spiti valley approaches, mountains lose their green cover and stand threadbare. Naked is the first word that comes to mind when you look at those giant mounds of what looks like sand. These are fragile ranges; small stones keep falling on the roads. The Spiti Valley Road is one of the toughest adventure roads left on this planet. It's arguably one of the India's most dangerous roads. The road includes gravel and asphalt sections. It's terrible narrow, pretty steep and very dangerous, and probably more challenging than the famous Leh-Ladakh Roads. No more cities now rather just a few thinly populated villages.    Few Snaps Near Sangam      Nako @ evening when we reached Day 6: Nako - Chango - Gue Monastery - Tabo Nako is a small Buddhist village on a remote hill at the edge of Spiti valley. Technically it falls in Kinnaur district, but in character, it is far closer to the culture of Spiti valley. Etymology of Nako – that comes from Tibetan word Nego and means Tirth ka Dwar or the Door to a holy place. The cotton like clouds floating freely in the valley of snow capped mountains approved the authenticity of the name. The old Nako Monastery was affected by the 1975 earthquake hence a new monastery is under construction to conserve the heritage of the place. The beauty of Nako lake could not be evaluated in darkness, so in the morning the reflection of the Nako monastery on the lake enhanced the spectacularity of the oval shaped lake. There is a rock here which is believed to have the footprint of Padmasambhava recording his visit to the area. A shrine has been built around this footprint and there is also stucco statue of Padmasambhava above it in addition to murals.    My Brother, 3rd member in Car        Lazy Riders  Nako in the next morning before we leave for Chango To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:41. Reason: Picture & video spacing. |
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30th October 2019, 22:27
| #7 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Kolkata
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 6 continued ... From the Nako lake we were on our way to Gue monastery, however we were stopped at a place at the sight of a handmade structure. The structure articulated our future and it was terrifying. Usage of plastic bottles have strangled the earth and the call of the moment was to be an avenger and save the earth.Very well said by the owner of the restaurant “The Yellow Leaves” who had actually made the structure. He was a bengali from Madhyamgram in Kolkata and had settled there a few years ago and was running a hotel in the middle of an apple orchard at the bank of river Spiti. Apples from Chango are considered to the best quality one in the country and the majority of the produce is exported abroad. Everyone was hungry so we had some noodles and tea at his restaurant and cracked a conversation about Spiti valley and places of interest. He was the one who explained the reason for the river water being grey in colour. The chinese industrial chemical wastes polluted river water is flooded in the Indian Spiti river making it unsafe for use of drinking and irrigation purposes. The break was as sweet and juicy as the apples of Chango.  Morning View of Nako Valley from Our Stay Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:43. Reason: Video spacing. |
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30th October 2019, 23:47
| #8 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Kolkata
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 6 continued ... Tabo Monastery is one of the holiest and the town has spread around the monastery so to have a different experience, we opted to stay at Tabo monastery guesthouse itself. Many foreigners who have a zeal for the Buddhist culture stay at Tabo monastery to study the heritage and culture of the place. Tabo is a small town living peacefully in the lap of lovely Spiti valley. Situated on the banks of Spiti River, Tabo is surrounded by the Leo Pargul peak in the east and Manirang in the west. What makes it famous is its 1000+ year-old Tabo Monastery (Estd: 996) and the amazing heritage hidden inside its mud wrapped complex. The Tabo Monastery is quoted as 'Ajanta of the Himalayas' for its painted wall murals and also for the fact that both Ajanta and Tabo represent the Buddhist faith. Treasures at Tabo Monastery include wall murals, Thangkha paintings, manuscripts, stucco sculptures and an architecture that is unique. It has a library of its own wherein you can gain cognizance of the religious aspect of the place.      On the way to tabo           Tabo Monastery and Surrounding This ancient monastery has been hollowed out by several caves that serve as dwellings for monks during the harsh winters of the Himalayas. Termed as 'Tabo Caves,' these magnificent caverns are artificially excavated for monks and were initially used as an assembly hall or meditation centre. The roof of these cafes has a wide hole that opens up to the sky and serves as a vent when fires were burnt inside the caves to keep warm in brutal cold. These caves are the best places for the meditating for monks as there is no place as peaceful as these caves for the seekers of nirvana. Inside the caves there are multiple rooms, one leading to the other. We walked uphill to those caves which inherited some of the ancient Thangkha paintings.  After coming back, we had some food and walked down the river to the helipad. At night me, Tanu and Shikha sat at the monastery watching shining stars in the clear sky that appeared to be smiling at us. Next day it was important to wake up fresh with sufficient sleep as we had a trek coming up. Arijit was not well so he rested for the day long. Medicines were given to comfort him. At dinner time we saw the bikers group have also marked their presence at the Tabo monastery guesthouse however two of them were still on their way. To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:45. Reason: Picture & video spacing. |
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31st October 2019, 23:14
| #9 |
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 07: Tabo - Dhankar Monastery - Dhankar Lake (Trek) - Mud / Pin Valley Tabo to Mud is around 65 kms, before that we had a trek planned to Dhankar lake as was advised by the Monk in Tabo Monastery. So it was necessary that we have good food to please the morning appetite. At Tabo monastery the food was great so we decided to complete the breakfast here itself saving time to search for a good looking eatenary. There was another man having breakfast there and while I was discussing my itenary of Dhankar lake with the monk there, I learned that he is also heading towards Dhankar lake. With more conversation I came to know that he also a Bengali passionate about travelling and Photography.  Tabo Monastery Library inside Monastery Stay  View of the old monastery from our room Before we leave Tabo            Few random snaps between Tabo and Dhankar To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:46. Reason: Picture & video spacing. |
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31st October 2019, 23:27
| #10 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Kolkata
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 7 Continued ... Sichling-Dhankhar Gompa is 30 kms from Tabo and just few kms off route towards Mud. The car was parked at the monastery and we all looked at the path shown by the monk for Dhankar lake. The lake was a few kms trek away from the Gompa in the midst of mountains. At an elevation of 4,140 meters, it lies above the Dhankar monastery. The hike to Dhankar Lake begins from a hidden path above the Dhankar Monastery and throughout the journey the monastery plays hide and seek with you as you follow the serpentine path caressing the mountainsides. Dhankar Lake Trek in Spiti is only about an hour or two long yet it is very treacherous as you climb more than 1000 feet in less than 2 hours on foot. The trek route is steep with gravel and asphalt sections so recommended that you use good trekking shoes. Tanu being the most lean one led the path followed by Shikha flaunting her new trekking sticks and then came I. Arijit and Tamashi were the last one as Arijit was not keeping quite well and Tamashi accompanied him. I click pictures on a hike to grab some breathe. It is not that I am physically unfit however my city bred lungs are not used to the fresh mountain air drenched with mild scent of wild roses. With every stop we felt that the lake was just within our reach but no we were still away. Slowing climbing like a mountain goat at last I could see the lake from the top of a mountain.    Old Dhankar Monastery from a distance  Ready To Start   Half Way      Different View From the Treak Route  Almost There ..        The Lake  The Lake We could see some peaks that are home to perennial snow and are host various glaciers that feed the springs around spiti valley that meet to form the Spiti river. Shikha and Tanu rested at the side of the lakes while I was busy setting the Gopro for time lapse capture. The gusting winds seemed to blow away the stands so it was anchored to the ground with a bag full of stones. The scorching sun compelled us to crouch ourselves in the shades of rocks as there were no trees. Once the sweat beads on my forehead vanished due to gentle kisses by the mountain breeze I could breathe easy and started examining my surroundings. It took two hours to go up and another hour to come down. By 3 pm we were back in the Dhankar Monastery where we ordered for lunch as all of us were starving. Arijit requested for a bed to lie down for a while as he was not keeping well. Lunch was an excellent one post which me, Shikha and Tanu drove to the old Dhankar Monastery.       View of Dhankar Village from Old Monastery To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:47. Reason: Picture spacing. |
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31st October 2019, 23:34
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 7 Continued ...    Few Moment in Monastery Area   Leaving Dhankar Way back, Arijit was fine enough to drive to Mud. As it has started pouring, Tamasi was asked to get in the car and Tanu pillioned with Arijit on the bike. Dhankar to Mud is just 50 kms and two hours time we were in Mud. The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. The gigantic mountains stood on our way as if validating our permit to this place.It followed us for far distance as a spy and left on the last curve being convinced of our moto. The fields on the banks of the road was masked with people of all ages plucking green peas. When I stepped down to click their photos, they filled my hands with peas. I gave some chips and chocolates to the children helping their parents. The peas were so sweet that I felt like chewing the skin and eat without peeling it. It was still drizzling and we stopped at Tara Guesthouse and this time Tanu stole the show and booked the hotel at a very decent price.        Few random snaps between Dhaknar & Mud  At Tara Guest House Mud is the last village nestled deep in the Pin Valley at an altitude of 3850 mts above sea level near the Pin-Parvati river. The banks of the Pin-Parvati river is camouflaged with lush green vegetation grown by the villagers. The banks of the river also facilitates a 360 degree view of the mighty snow-clad Trans-Himalayas. The houses are made out of mud with the windows painted in red, which is the Spitian style of houses. Mud village is located at the foot of the Pin Valley and homes as the end point for various trek route namely the Pin-Bhabha pass trek and Pin-Parvati Pass trek. Locals have spotted the legendary snow leopard during winters prowling around the village snow fields. The villagers earn their living through animal husbandry and farming. During summers when the temperature ranges from 25 degrees to 5 degrees they also earn through tourism which includes porters, guides, homestays, hiking and excursion services. Spiti valley has a barren and cold desert characteristics contrary to what you see in Mud village which is abundant in lush greenery. The peas grown in this area is considered as the best quality one available in the country. The pin valley national park is a hub for many medicinal plants and herbs capable of curing acute diseases of heart and lungs. Hospitality of Tara Guesthouse is internationally known and I have nothing new to add to it rather I would also certify the same. Cleanliness is at its best and food is yum. The owner uses his full endeavour to make your stay the most comfortable one. Being a homestay I expected the basic facilities however I think that is all that I needed and nothing else. In the evening we met some Israleli travellers having a keen interest in getting high and we had a champ in the context, Tanu. Within minutes of cracking a conversation Tanu was the one leading and by the end of the talk numbers and mail Ids were exchanged. Liron and Eitan were very interested in Bengali Rock Bands and took some of the names from me to hear. They are so happy to see the snaps and are eager to come back to India again. I have also shared some of my past travel blogs for their interest. The day was more tiring for Arijit who had yet not recovered and went to bed early after dinner. Tanu and me were still with the Israeli friends exchanging talks until the cafe of Tara guest house was closed. To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:48. Reason: Picture & video spacing. |
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31st October 2019, 23:43
| #12 |
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 8: Mud - Kaza Next day Shikha and Tamashi walked down towards the bank of the river grasping on the fresh morning breeze. I was still stuck in bed due to headache. After a quick nap I was still good enough to go however after taking shawer I was fully on. Having tea in the open rooftop restaurant in the midst of Pin Valley was the most cherishing time of the trip. I wish to come back again to this place where the hustle and bustle of the city ceases and the pace of life eases. After breakfast Arijit seemed to be recovering as he had not had proper food for the last two days. Mud to Kaza was just 50 kms drive so there was no hurry leaving the Mud village.          Morning at Mud On the way, though we had Kaa village and Fukchung in our iternary. Spiti is known for some of the oldest monasteries and schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Fukchung village is a collection of stone caves, where nuns from the Nyingmapa school of Buddhism go for long-term retreats. They typically spend 3 years in a stone cave, meditating from morning to night, and not seeing or speaking to a human soul. It’s an intense experience, to walk along the caves, imagining the conviction of the nuns meditating inside them. Kaa village is a thinly populated village perched on lush green valley. Among these Kalamurti is the smallest with total population is 3. Even the smallest village comes with trees, willows and poplars planted by humans defying the treeline and a flock of resident house sparrows. The farms and apple orchards, of course, contain their complement of non-native plant species, which nevertheless provide new sources of food for native fauna, from the bugs and pollinating bees to the Pikas tunneling among the terraces and retaining walls of farms and roads, and the Bharal and Ibex coming down to forage in the fields. To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:49. Reason: Picture & video spacing. |
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31st October 2019, 23:49
| #13 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Kolkata
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 8 continued ... The owner of Tara guest house gave a contact of their hotel in Kaza just beside Zostel, the famous hotel of Kaza. On the way back I again collected hand full of peas from the locals, the smile on their faces signified the simplicity of their living and how content they were here.  Leaving Pin Valley   On the way to Kaza   Cleaning Time   Refueling Time By around 3 pm we were in Kaza in HimYak hotel. The rooms were very spacious and it was a newly built property so was properly maintained we bargained on the condition that we are going to put up here for 2 to 3 days. The food was average, so we thought of having food in the market nearby. 3 days Lahaul Youth festival(La darcha festival) was to start from today and hence we were at the apt place at the pertinent time. Previously, this fair used to be celebrated in Kibbar maidan in Spit in the month of July where traders from Ladakh, Rampur Busher and Spiti meet in this fair to barter their produce. Due to closure of Tibetan traders, this fair is now being celebrated at Kaza, the headquarters of Spiti Sub Division in the 3rd week of August. A large number of visitors and traders from Kullu/ Lahaul/ Kinnaur meet there. It has now become a conference of cultures of Spiti, Ladakh & Kinnaur as also of the Indian plains. The field of the On the inauguration day the PWD circuit house was oozing with VIPs and VVIPs. The festival is eagerly awaited for by the people of Kaza and has an essence of the vivacious culture of the Spiti valley. The artists from the Tibetan Institute of Performing arts, Bhutan, Ladakh, Sikkim and Kinnau participate in this festival. We explored some of the cuisines in the stalls put up on the festival ground itself. The main attraction was Cham Dance (Dance of Death), in colorful costumes. The event involves performing cultural dances, wearing masks of birds and animals from the region to invigorate the spirit of folks for the flourishing times ahead. Along with it there were performances from local youth artists with Bhushan dance and Buddhist sermons.          Few Random Snaps of Kaza Festival I have recorded the complete festival and will share soon. We packed the dinner and went back to hotel where Arijit was waiting for us. Arijit was better today but still he preferred resting in the evening so stayed back in the hotel. To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:51. Reason: Picture & video spacing. |
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1st November 2019, 20:53
| #14 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Kolkata
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 9: Kaza - Key - Kibber - Chicham- Kaza: It has been raining since morning. Kaza which is known as a cold desert with scare rain in the area, was drenched like a crow in rain. The flat roofs of the mud houses were being washed away with the pouring whole night long. We were still in dismay if we would be able to go as per the plans. I still drove towards the roads leading to Key Monastery but then I was stopped by a local driver warning me that the roads are all closed due to landslides near Kibber. We came back to the hotel with nothing to do so we trenched inside the market where we met a guy in his restaurant who became a friend for all needs.  All Road blocked, What to do ? By around 4 pm the sky seemed to clear and by this time we were done with our lunch in the marketplace. The newly met friend informed us that the roads towards Kibber has been cleared and we can go and come back before sunset. Quickly we equipped ourselves with the necessities and get set go. Whenever I search for Spiti, the first picture that comes up is Key monastery. Just at a distance of 14.6 kms from Kaza, it is the biggest and oldest monastery of the Spiti Valley situated at an altitude of 13668 ft clinching on a rugged ridge overlooking the alluvial plains of Spiti River. The monastery was founded in 1000 AD by Dromton a pupil of the famous teacher, Atisha, in the 11th century. It was attacked by Mongols in 17th and 19th century as a result monastery took a lot of damage. Major reconstruction work was done after each attack. Lamas reconstructed the monastery to beat back attackers in the future. Monastery suffered from a devastating fire in 1840. In 1975 a major earthquake hit the monastery. With frequent reconstruction the structure today looks like a fort rather than a monastery. Monastery still holds a collection of weapons that were used to fight invaders. The Archaeological Survey of India and the State Public Works Department played a crucial role to restore the monastery. The monastery is inspired by monastic architecture that gained popularity in14th century because of Chinese influence. It is famous for its style of architecture called Pasada.The monastery has a narrow corridor, dark passages, difficult stairways and small doors. The walls of the monastery are decorated with beautiful murals and paintings. The monastery has three rooms. Underground room is used for storage. Ground floor has beautiful decorated assembly hall and cells for monks. The ground floor is also known as Du-Khang. Rooms with murals called ‘Tengyur’ are a must see. The major attraction in the monastery are collection of weapons, musical instruments like trumpets, cymbals, and drums. Lord Buddha image in the meditation hall is also a must see. It is a religious training center for Lamas. It is home to around 350 lamas who receive their religious education. Monks stay and study religion in the monastery during winters. They spend their summers with their families working in the fields. The 360 degree picturesque view of the Spiti valley is the best thing to behold in the eyes while I stand at the top platform of Key Monastery.          Few Random Snaps Towards Kee   Kee Monastery Coming back from Key monastery the map turned towards Kibber village and so did the wheels. Kibber is a photogenic Hamlet of the Himachal situated at a distance of 6.6 kms from Key Monastery at an altitude of 4270 metres. The area is fertile, unlike the rest of Spiti Valley. The major occupation is agriculture and animal husbandry just like Mudh. Even the pattern of mud houses with doors and windows painted in red and blue has a resemblance to that of Mudh.       Few Random Snaps fo Kibber Kibber used to be highest motorable village (4200m) until Komic village took the crown. Just on the opposite face of Kibber is Chichum village. At a point on our way, both the villages seem to be like mirror images. The houses were placed like pyramid built with playing cards with one line over another. The snow capped mountains behind the village seem to spread it’s hand as a garland to embrace it. From there it was time to explore the look alike brother of Kibber, Chichum.       Chicham Bridge and Chicham from a distance Chichum being on opposite slope of the mountain, across the Parilungbo Canyon the local people built a rope-way. It’s a manual self-operated rope-way where you have to pull the rope on your own to reach the other side. The container on the pulley of the rope-way was being used to transport basically everything. Now the newly built bridge is open to all facilitating easy access to the village. Chicham has been declared as the highest bridge of Asia. This new suspension stiffened steel truss bridge coming up over the 1000 feet gorge and connecting Kibber with Chicham village over Samba Lamba Nallah on Kiato Chicham Kibber road.     At Chicham To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:53. Reason: Picture & video spacing. |
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1st November 2019, 20:58
| #15 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Kolkata
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| re: On the road again! Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Day 9 continued ... The weather became pleasant and the sun had masked some of it’s glazes. The soils of Chicham village was sandy loam in texture which made it tedious for the wheels to grip on. I drove slowly across the village and turned back to the roads towards Kaza. By evening we were back to Kaza and I marked my presence for the 2nd day of Kaza festival. Rest were all tired and went back to the hotel after dinner in the marketplace. At night the stars in the sky have spread themselves in a patterned path mesmerizing the senses.         Few Random Snaps while returning from Chicham    Enjoyed the 2nd day of Kaza Festival   View of Kaza from Hotel Balcony To be continued ... Last edited by aah78 : 12th November 2019 at 20:54. Reason: Picture spacing. |
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