It is a late post. First, I didn’t have decent internet speed for several weeks and then there were few glitches with uploading of images. Finally, here is an account of Week 3 – week that saw me travel through beautiful Spiti Valley.
Week 3 started with a dilemma. My son was missing me and I was missing him too. I started grappling with the question – is this adventure worth staying away from family? I didn’t have an answer then, but it was comforting that my wife was okay with me to continue this adventure for the time being.
I was now getting into familiar territory (having visited Spiti couple of years ago), but the intention was to explore what I had not seen before. From Jalori pass, I started early and reached Sarahan late afternoon. Sarahan has famous Bhimkali temple which I had missed last time. Apart from the temple, Sarahan is just a nice place to sit and relax looking at the snow clad mountains around. Got myself into a hotel which was 2 kms before the temple. Next morning took a stroll and went to the temple and had breakfast in the temple canteen. Apart from nice and comfortable sleep that a hotel room ensures, it also means opportunity to do laundry, ready the content for the blog and of course, much needed shower.
The next destination was Chitkul, the last Indian village before the India-Tibet border. I had been to Chitkul before, but wanted to see what else it has to offer (last time I was there just for few hours). Reached Chitkul in the evening and found a nice spot to spend the night. Chitkul is a small village nestled among snow clad mountains with Baspa river flowing by the side. Development wave has started to hit Chitkul for I could see many more hotels and home stays than last time. Not sure if this is for good or bad!
Next morning, I decided to go all the way to the point up to which civilians are allowed (3 kms from Chitkul) and on the way back met an elderly Nepali labourer who had come this far for livelihood. He suggested a shortcut route and we were back in Chitkul much earlier than I had anticipated. The spot where I had parked the car was next to Chitkul bus stand. When I returned from my morning walk, tourists, travelers and local men and women were waiting for the bus to take them to their next destinations. Conversation started with a guy and it turned out that he is also from Mumbai . He suggested that I should go for flag trek – an uphill trek to the top of a mountain where a faded Indian flag is fluttering. After breakfast, I started for this hike, took me little more than two hours to reach the top and then unexpected happened. An Indian army guy came with few locals to change the flag. It is only apt that in the second picture, I am alongside the soldier who changed the flag.
After returning from the trek, I took the car to the river side and parked it there till evening. Made myself some lunch there and covered lot of ground reading Durjoy Datta’s ‘The Girl of My Dreams”. I am not too much into reading books, but I borrowed handful of them from a colleague to keep myself occupied on this trip. The night was spent at the same spot.
I started from Chitkul very early in the morning and headed to Kalpa, a small village higher up in the mountains overlooking the Kinner-Kailash range. The sunset and the sunrise over the Kinner-Kailash range is generally spectacular, but this was second time that due to clouds, I didn’t get to see the sunset or the sunrise next morning. Kalpa also has a small Buddhist monastery which is adjacent to Kalpa market. The other thing that is famous about Kalpa and pictures of it make it to social media, is the suicide point near village Roghi, 3 Kms from Kalpa. There is a cliff that has vertical drop of several hundred feet. I saw people getting precariously close to the edge of the cliff, just for that perfect selfie or picture. I wasn’t ready for that! The night was spent at Kalpa market parking area.
Next day morning I started off for Tabo. The road condition has definitely improved in the last three years, but there are still few sections which are narrow and steep – the title of this being the most treacherous road in the world still holds true. On the way, I stopped at Nako, a small village higher up in the mountains which has several home stay options. Many people break their journey here. Nako has a small lake right by the side of the village. This time around I decided to get a better view of the lake and the village, hence decided to climb a small hill that also had a giant prayer wheel right at its top. The views were truly mesmerizing from there!
I reached Tabo little before 5 pm and found a nice spot just outside Tabo monastery. Many people also make a stop at Giu Monastery that is famous for a mummy of the monk, but I decided to skip Giu this time. Soon after I reached Tabo, I went to see the old Tabo monastery, but it was getting closed. I said to myself – no big deal! I have lot of time at hand. I just went around the village in the evening and went to a local restaurant for dinner.
In morning, the monastery opens at 9 am. I decided to check out the caves made on the mountain just opposite Tabo village several hundred years ago by the monks for meditation. It is a small climb and one must definitely check out these caves just to get a glimpse into the life of the monks who lived on these hills ages ago.
Tabo monastery is 1023 years old and is often referred as the Ajanta and Ellora of the Himalayas for its amazing paintings depicting life of Buddha that adorn the walls of the monastery. Photography is not permitted inside the monastery. After checking out the caves and the monastery, I decided to make myself some breakfast and chose a helipad to do that – again a first!
Next I headed to Dhankar, a small village 30 Kms from Tabo. I wanted to checkout Dhankar lake which I missed last time. I went for 5 kms round way trek and while it was physically exhausting (due to heat and high altitude), but once you reach the lake, all the fatigue just vanishes. I spent two and a half hours just looking at the lake and its beautiful surroundings. And, I did spend some time taking pictures as well.
After I came down from the trek, I decided to check out Dhankar monastery that is perched at the edge of a cliff. It is quite a sight as the hill on which the Dhankar monastery is situated has several conical mud walls and one wonders how the monastery is even able to stand there for so many years (1040 years old monastery). A conversation with a monk gave me an insight into several interesting aspects of the monastery and Buddhist life in those harsh lands. He also suggested I check out Lallung monastery which also has old wall paintings. I said to myself – why not. The night was spent in the parking area of new Dhankar monastery.
Spiti – Part 2…….stay tuned
sushil.is.out.of.office 