May 2008 Desktop Calendar Wallpaper

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

This month's calendar is a smiling young monk, from Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. Click on the image to get the larger version.

Index to Lahaul, Spiti Valley and Kinnaur

Monday, April 28, 2008

Also see: Images from Himachal

DELHI, SHIMLA AND AROUND

* Arriving in Delhi
* Loosing things during the journey
* First Day in Himachal
* At Giri River Camp
* Driving to Shimla via Chail and Kufri
* A Day in Shimla



AROUND MANALI AND ROHTANG PASS

* Manali and around
* Images from around Manali - I, II, III
* Solang Nala
* Rohtang Pass



LAHAUL AND SPITI

* Driving to Batal
* Batal and Chandratal
* Kunzum La, Kaza, Ki Monastery and Kibber
* Tabo Monastery and Nako Village
* The hurried women of Nako



KINNAUR

* Highlights of Kinnaur
* Kalpa Village

OTHERS

* Our driver Mangal
* Information and Logistics

About Lahaul, Spiti Valley and Kinnaur

Travelling in Himachal in June - 2007
Shimla >> Manali >> Rohtang >> Chandratal >> Ki/Kibber/Tabo >> Kalpa >> Shimla
+ Previous: Kalpa Village
+ Go to beginning of the story or index page

The travelogue on Lahaul, Spiti and Kinnaur is complete with this post. Here is the last one on planning, logistics and other information on the trip.

We started from Manali and ended in Shimla, travelling via Batal, Kaza, Nako and Rekong Peo. It is perfectly fine to do it the other way too, which seems to be the most common way to travel because Shimla is closer to Delhi and that's where most people would like to begin.

Road Conditions

Some sections of the road will be closed in winter and will be open only for 4-6 months a year. If you are starting early in summer, it is always good to know weather condition. The stretch between Shimla and Kaza is likely to remain open through the year unless there are landslides or exceptionally bad weather. Rohtang Pass opens some time in late May but can get delayed depending on snow conditions. Kunzum la can take more time to open.

If you are planning to take your own vehicle, do note that the section of the road from Rohtnang Pass to Losar village in Spiti can't be done by cars. This stretch doesn't have tarmac and can be ridden with stones and bad surface. It is better done with a utility vehicle. Tata Sumo and Mahindra jeeps seem to be the most commonly used vehicles. Scorpios might work too, but I haven't seen Qualis or Tavera plying on these roads. The stretch from Kaza to Shimla can also be done by a small car. Bikes should be able manage the entire journey without too much of a problem, though Rohtang Pass to Losar will be a bit painful.

Road to Chandratal is always the last to open, if at all. Sometimes forest department closes the road to keep the place environment friendly while people with other interest try to keep it open. Always find the latest status before you go.


Weather

It doesn't get very cold in summer, despite the altitude. I found a good jacket and a woolen cap to be sufficient cover. Days are in fact warm to hot. The high altitude sun tends to be very strong, and carrying sunscreen is important. Always wear full shirt or you might risk sunburn on the hands.

Logistics and expenses

You can hire Sumos or Mahindra jeeps in Manali, and hopefully in Shimla too. This would be the biggest of your expenses, so more people you have less expensive it is. The prices are much higher than in the plains and it might cost you more than Rs.2,000 per day. A lot of people do this journey in bikes too. Bikes can be hired in Delhi or Manali, but as far as I know there are no bike rentals in Shimla. The general opinion seems to be that you can get good bikes in Delhi but not in Manali. Food and accommodation is inexpensive in most places, but is also basic.

Public transport is available in good frequency till Rekong Peo. Connectivity from Rekong Peo to Kaza is also not bad, but you might want to know the timings before hand and plan the journey after you reach Rekong Peo. Buses start plying between Kaza and Manali a little late in summer, as it takes some time for the road to be fit for buses to go.

An ideal itinerary according to me would take seven days, stopping at Batal(2 days), Kaza(2 days), Nako, Kalpa, Sangla. But most people do it in 5 days or less, which is very much possible. The fastest you can do is in three days, doing just driving and little else. The most scenic part of the journey is between Rohtang Pass and Kaza.

Also see more information on Shimla, Manali and Kalpa.

End of the Series.

Kinnaur - Kalpa Village

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Travelling in Himachal in June - 2007
Shimla >> Manali >> Rohtang >> Chandratal >> Ki/Kibber/Tabo >> Kalpa >> Shimla
+ Previous: Highlights of Kinnaur
+ Next: Infomration on Lahaul, Spiti and Kinnaur
+ Go to beginning of the story or index page

Kalpa Village in Kinnaur was our next stop in the journey.

Being in Rekong Peo, the big town just before Kalpa, is like returning to 'normal world' from mountains of unlikely scale, desert like climes and altitudes running to five digits. And life is also 'normal' - almost like in the plains - motor traffic increases several folds, there are people everywhere, and the town has every kind of commerce you will see in a town of its size anywhere in the country. Wide roads with good tarmac that was unimaginable till now in Spiti, takes you through the town and then into Kalpa. It is still not a place flat enough to have football grounds, but is a far less forgiving landscape than in the high altitude desert we had left behind.

The road climbs steeply from Rekong Peo to Kalpa but driver Mangal takes it fast and easy, after being through the terrible roads for many days. Apple orchards and other cultivation dominate the vegetation, with a few small strips of coniferous growth here and there.



Once in a while we see signs of guesthouses indicating that it is a well visited place. There aren't too many of them though, and fortunately bigger and plush hotels have not yet arrived here. But that doesn't mean Kalpa can be be put in 'undiscovered' category. Tourists from Delhi, tired of going back to Shimla every year and wanting explore newer locations, come here in good numbers to escape the summer heat. Once entering the village, small guesthouses are everywhere, and a construction in progress springs up every hundred meters. It can almost get classified as a hill station sans the Raj influence. Don't be surprised if you arrive here ten years down to see a few Obeois, Tajs and Hiltons complete with a mall-road where people juggle for space.



Kalpa's pleasant weather is only second of its major attractions. It is the view of Kinner Kailash ranges on the other side of the valley that pulls in people here. Nearly every guesthouse proudly displays posters of these mountains bathed in golden light of early winter evenings. Unfortunately we were there on a time when it was cloudy half the time, although not completely betrayed of the views. But having been soaked in the grandeur of Spiti where we walked right in those high mountains, Kinner Kailash suddenly seemed far away and less impressive from the distance we were in. But that is not to undermine the great views of these snow-clad peaks. It is a good place to rewind and relax and is an ideal long weekend getaway from heat and dust. And yes, definitely much better than Shimla.

Information
Kalpa is known for its pleasant weather and views of Kinner Kailash range of mountains. Legend has it that Kinner Kailash is the winter abode of Shiva. At a distance of approximately 250km from Shimla, it can take the whole day to reach here. Roads are decent, at least for the standard of terrain, and it is not too hard to drive. Buses connect Shimla with Rekong Peo town, and Kalpa is a short 30 minute away from there. You can combine your visit to Kalpa with Sangla and Chitkul known for their mountain scenery. There are some budget to mid-range accommodation available in the village, and should not be hard to find a place except in weekends of peak seasons. Summers here are pleasant, and I was told that it can get really cold in winter.

Continued at Information on Lahaul, Spiti and Kinnaur

Compilation of posts - Lahaul and Spiti Valley

Saturday, April 26, 2008

List of posts from Lahaul and Spiti

* Driving to Batal from Rohtan Pass
* Batal and Chandratal
* Kunzum La, Kaza, Ki Monastery, Kibber Village
* Tabo Monastery and Nako Village
* The hurried women of Nako

Travelling in Summer

Friday, April 25, 2008

A few summer destinations(read - hills) on India Travel Blog, if you are looking to travel this summer, and wondering where to go.

North and North East

* Shimla

* Kufri, Chail and Mashobra


* Manali and Rohtang Pass(You can't cross Rohtang yet, the road beyond Rohtang usually opens in June)




* Spiti Valley(Ki, Kibber, Kaza)


* Spiti Valley(Nako, Tabo). Spiti is accessible only upto Losar village in this season. Kunzum La and Chandratal open only in mid-June.



* Auli, Uttaranchal. No Skiing of course, but great views


* Sikkim - Goecha La Trek

* Sikkim - Yumthang Vallery and Gurudongmar



* Tawang


* Shillong and Cherrapunjee/Sohra

South

* Hill Stations - Ooty, Kodai and Munnar



* Wayanad



* Coorg



* Chikmaglur


* Periyar Tiger Reserve

300 and not out

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Post number 300 is a meta. Delighted of course, I am. I would not want to bore you with too many narcissist information and stats, so keeping this short. Thank you for having been dropping by and saying good things all the time :)

Update: As if to coincide with the occasion, India Travel Blog can now be accessed via All Top Site India.

Kinnaur

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Travelling in Himachal in June - 2007
Shimla >> Manali >> Rohtang >> Chandratal >> Ki/Kibber/Tabo >> Kalpa >> Shimla
+ Previous: The hurried women of Nako
+ Next: Kalpa Village
+ Go to beginning of the story or index page

The journey beyond Nako was hardly exciting. It was a descending road all the way and landscape changed considerably after driving for a few hours. Mountains got smaller and a few trees started appearing here and there. Sun became bearable as we progressed. Once we left Spiti behind and drove into Kinnaur region, mountains became greener and apple orchards could be seen on the slopes. Prosperous villages with large houses that flourished by farms of exotic fruits and vegetables could be seen on the top of the hills. Sutlej grew wider as we descended but never lost steam. A few things worthy of mention.

* Roaring Spiti meets an equally wild Sutlej coming down from river. Together, they become a force that deserve fear and respect. Our road followed Sutlej for many many hours from here on and she doesn't loose her energy one bit all through the journey.


Confluence of Spiti and Sutlej

* It is too fearsome and fast for boats. At places far from bridges, people crossed the river in manually operated cable cars. What do they call them?



* Mountain walls were no longer loose sediments but were solid and rocky. Fear of landslides here would be lot less than Spiti but not completely alleviated.

* The road cut from near vertical rock cliffs at places. A narrow groove in the rock, a couple of hundred meters above the river forms the road just wide enough for two small vehicles to pass.




* Sun mellowed down as we descended and reached tree line. It was pleasant weather in Rekong Peo and Kalpa village. But we no longer had clear deep blue skies that were characteristic of Spiti. It was cloudy or hazy most of the time.

* The road to Sangla and Chitkul were blocked by a landslide. Another disappointment after missing out Dhankar Monastery. Just the way people told me that Dhankar is one of the most beautiful places in Spiti, I had to hear ravings on Sangla and Chitkul that were supposed to be prettiest region in Kinnaur. Murphy's law was working.

* There is a large hydro-electric project under construction beyond Rekong Peo. They have drilled large tunnels all over the mountains, probably to pass water. In one such place where a dam was already commissioned, water gushed out from a tunnel in full force into Sutlej.



* Unlike deserted and forbidding Spiti, Kinnaur's weather is much pleasant and favourable to horticulture. In effect, population density is also much higher. You never have to worry about getting lost anywhere.

* Landscape becomes prettier again and the slopes are filled with dense deodar forests once the road leaves Sutlej valley and climbs up towards Shimla.

Continued at Kalpa Village

Earth Day Post

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Much as I love to travel, a part of me is always feeling guilty about the footprints left by us travellers. Let's admit it, travel is hardly anything environment friendly. The least we can do is to try to minimize our footprints, or if possible, go Carbon Neutral.

It would be nice to scribble some tips and then forget it, but it is much better to say what I am trying to do myself. Here are a few things I have been consciously trying to do, things that have happened by themselves and things that I hope to do someday.

* Not to drive. I have cut down on driving trips drastically. Three years back, nearly every trip I made was in my car. Now the passion of driving has weathered down; and I am also consciously cutting down on my driving. Even within the town, I don't take the car out unless I have absolutely no choice. I even use a bicycle now for short rides around home, which were done with a car earlier. And if I remember correctly, I haven't made a driving trip since last August.

* Not to Fly. Flying is one of the least fuel efficient ways to travel. From the usual habit of flying everywhere(when I travel to North), I have started taking trains. It it not entirely successful, the basic reason being that train journeys require lot of planning in advance. And my return journeys are usually open, which makes things more difficult. When I travelled to Rajasthan this February, I managed to take the train to Delhi. But when I was ready to return, I could not find seats in any trains, forcing me to fly back. But abstaining from flying is not entirely by choice. Since I have not been working 9 to 5 these days, I try to keep spending to minimum.

* Simple things - like behaving properly in environmentally sensitive regions is something I have been doing for a very long time now. Things like dispose garbage properly, take care of your consumption, avoid being noisy in the jungles or burning wood, etc. I once stopped consumption of tea(once part of my daily diet) and switched over to coffee(which is also destructive, but to a lesser degree), when I was disturbed by seeing sprawling tea estates in erstwhile thick jungles of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.


* Some thing that I strongly hope to do in the next few years is to go Carbon Neutral. The strategy is simple - buy land and start growing trees there and do little else. A few people have been doing this already, and this is a project I am very keen to do once I have some extra money in hand. And then, as and when there is surplus money, expand the periphery of the forest. I am not sure when I can begin on it, but hopefully in less than 3-4 years from now. Ah, I can just imaging my private forest and going there birding every morning, makes me smile.. :)

* Another thing I hope to do, but don't know when and how I can start - to volunteer in our National Parks and surrounding villages in projects aiding conservation. I nearly teamed up with folks at Eaglenest last year but had to drop out due to some constraints.

The hurried women of Nako

Monday, April 21, 2008

Travelling in Himachal in June - 2007
Shimla >> Manali >> Rohtang >> Chandratal >> Ki/Kibber/Tabo >> Kalpa >> Shimla
+ Previous: Tabo Monastery and Nako Village
+ Next: Highlights of Kinnaur
+ Go to beginning of the story or index page

The guesthouse we stayed in Nako was run by a mother and her daughter. A bus load of tourists who had arrived on the day had taken up most of the places available in the town. There weren't any rooms available at this guesthouse too, but the women of the house had offered a room inside their house, and we took it happily.

The mother and daughter made an interesting company. They would talk in a sing song pahadi manner and go on an on without pausing for a break, and without even putting a fullstops between sentences. 'Today we went to the fields.. we irrigated the potatoes.. we brought some firewood.. it is very hot these days.. afternoons are very sunny.. tomorrow I have to go to Puh town..,' the mother would go on and on.

It was hardly a few minutes of talking and she had told us everything about them without us asking anything. They had a potato field in the village where the mother and daughter worked. They had built a small building with a few guesthouses and a couple of shops in front of the bus stop. The bus stop saw only handful of buses every day, but it was at the center of the village and was the hangout for most people. And the daughter, who had studied till 9th class, spent her mornings hours teaching at the government primary school. They had little time to relax and kept hurrying from place to place, trying to address something or the other.

And then they had very little trust in people. The daughter came our room sometime around 9pm, a few hours after we checked in, and asked that we pay the rent right away. 'What's the hurry, we will pay in the morning when we are leaving,' said our driver Mangal. She gave an embarrassed smile and said 'It is all the same, paying in the morning or now,' and waited for the money. We cleared the bills quickly, not wanting to upset her. Mangal asked her to take a seat and chat for a while, but she hurried away saying that there is lot of work to do.


Next morning, we asked the daughter to make some mint tea for us. We then headed out to a nearby mountain pass for a short trek while Mangal stayed back. It was nearly 9am when we came back and were greeted by a laughing Mangal.

'What happened?' I asked out of curiosity.

'It's the daughter,' he said, 'The mother has gone to Puh town. The daughter kept asking me to pay for the mint tea we had in the morning. I told her to wait till you folks return, but she was worried that we might run away without paying for it.'

Funnier things were yet to come. We had a quick talk between us and decided to check out and continue on the road after freshening up. I went for a bath little later, and was disturbed by knocks on the bathroom door. It was the daughter again. It was time for her to head to school, but since our room was in the house, she could not leave us behind and go to work.

'I am getting late,' she kept shouting and banged the door once in a while! This was getting too much for me and I decided to ignore her, all the while listening to her shout. She almost pounced on me when I came out and hurled some more 'I am already late, I will be in trouble now' dialogues. Others were already driven away to the jeep when I was in the bathroom, and she was doing everything possible to throw me out as quickly as possible. She was not the kind who could be calmed down easily - she even followed me to the room and kept telling me to hurry up. It was hard for me not to laugh, but I managed a concerned look and asked her to wait for me to change.

When I eventually checked out, which I did as quickly as possible, she locked the house and swiftly ran towards the school. I was beginning to feel sorry for her at the end; she had simply taken up too many things beyond what she could handle.

Continued at Highlights of Kinnaur

Compilation of posts - Rohtang, Manali and surroundings

Sunday, April 20, 2008

List of posts on Manali and around

* Discovering Manali
* Images - Beyond Manali - I
* Images - Beyond Manali - II
* Images - Beyond Manali - III
* Exploring Solang Nala
* Rohtang Pass

Compilation of posts - Shimla and around

Saturday, April 19, 2008

List of posts on Shimla and around

* First day at Himachal - At Solan
* Giri River Camp
* Driving to Shimla via Chail and Kufri
* A Day in Shimla

Lahaul & Spiti Valley - Tabo Monastery and Nako Village

Friday, April 18, 2008

Travelling in Himachal in June - 2007
Shimla >> Manali >> Rohtang >> Chandratal >> Ki/Kibber/Tabo >> Kalpa >> Shimla
+ Previous: Kunzum La, Kaza, Ki Monastery and Kibber Village
+ Next: The hurried women of Nako
+ Go to beginning of the story or index page

We left Kaza early next morning. It was going to be a long drive today to Nako village, where we were planning to spend the night. Deciding not hurry through too many places, we skipped visiting Dhankar(Dhangkar) Monastery and Pin Valley. Like it usually happens, friends would tell me later that Dhankar is one of the prettiest places in Spiti Valley.

I can't be all too praises about this part of the drive. All the overused words on Spiti can be re-used again - the landscapes are dramatic, muddy brown Spiti River was in full force and we still travelled sandwiched between rows of mountains kissing the sky. But very unlike me and of my love to mountains, I started feeling the monotony. First there was boredom of driving which held us away from the feel of being part of the mountains. We were going like tourists - in way it is used as a dirty word - the fast moving sightseeing and quickly going from place to place type. And then sun was probably getting on us. High altitude sun baked our bodies and had us feeling tired in no time. Staying out was impossible, and every time we walked somewhere, we constantly kept looking for some shade.

The thousand-year-old monastery was closed for lunch hour when we made it to Tabo. We lunched while we waited, and quickly grew impatient in the sunny weather. Such experiences only increase my reverence to the ever-smiling mountain people who probably never know what getting angry is like. Nothing seems to bend them, be it the hard terrain and weather or the difficulty of everyday living that we almost take for granted.


The millennium old Tabo Monastery

Tabo monastery is said to be a world heritage center, but there seems to be some confusion about it. My driver said so, and so did the monks. Lonely Planet also makes a mention of it, but UNESCO list doesn't speak about it. I still don't have a clue of the exact status; please fill me in if you know.


Tabo monastery is a millennium old and is known for its well-preserved frescoes. The prayer hall, called Tuglhakhang, is richly decorated with frescoes in vibrant colors. A set of nine small temples built with mud surround the prayer hall, each with paintings of incarnations of Buddha and Tibetan deities. The daily activities of the monastery are performed in a new building built beside the temple complex, leaving the ancient structure preserved.

Oppressed by the sun, we did not stay there for long, and continued to Nako. It was 4pm when we reached Nako, and we immediately headed for the lake above the village, leaving driver Mangal to find a place for the night.

At nearly 10,000 feet, Nako is like a green oasis in Spiti's high altitude desert. The distinct green patch of the village is visible from far away as we drive through the valley. An irrigation system that feeds the artificial lake, and the potato fields of the village sustains the local population. Like elsewhere in the region, tourism is becoming a new means of livelihood, which is evident from ongoing construction of guesthouses in every alley of the village. The lone school has plenty of kids but seems to have problems finding teachers willing to work there. For reasons I could not figure, people here seem a lot less contented when compared to rest of Spiti we had left behind.

Nako lake is an unlikely water body in Spiti's steep valleys and arid landscape. It is created by constructing a mound on the slope, just above the village. Probably because of its origins, it doesn't have the feel of a high altitude lake, normally characterized by clear, turquoise and frigid waters. It is comfortably warm for a bath and has a light green color that is more fit for the plains.


Nako Lake

Despite being lower than Batal and Kaza where we had spent the nights earlier, Nako's air is thinner and even slight walking made us feel very tired. Back from the lake, Mangal had already found a place for us where we settled down to spend the night.

Continued at The hurried women of Nako

A sneak peek to next few months

Thursday, April 17, 2008

No matter how much time I have been spending writing on India Travel Blog, I have always had a lot pending. The stories on Himachal that I have been writing now will be complete in a week or two. Had I delayed any further, it would have been a year since I made the trip.

Anyway, once I am done with 'Himachalogue', coming up next will be another long series of posts on Rajasthan, covering Jaipur, Shekhawati, Pushkar, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur.


Camel and camel drivers of Jaisalmer

After that will be a story on a few places in Tamil Nadu, which includes gigantic temples of Madurai and Thanjavur, and enchanting Kanyakumari.


At Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

Together, they should keep me busy for a few months. I should set sail again sometime in June to the mountains of the North, and stories of it should follow after return. There is enough dough for the entire year already; keep dropping by. :)

Kunzum La - Kaza - Ki Monastery - Kibber Village

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Travelling in Himachal in June - 2007
Shimla >> Manali >> Rohtang >> Chandratal >> Ki/Kibber/Tabo >> Kalpa >> Shimla
+ Previous: Batal and Chandratal
+ Next: Tabo Monastery and Nako Village
+ Go to beginning of the story or index page

We continued eastward from Chandratal. Roads improved considerably as the day progressed. My friend who looked worried on the road to Chandratal was now sitting relaxed. 'Don't you think it will be nice to trek on this road?' he had asked me on the way to Chandratal, and then admitted that he was a bit worried about sitting in the jeep.


At Kunzum La. All the information you would be looking for.. Kunzum La - 4551m, Kaza - 76km - 3600m, Losar - 19km - 4079m, Kibber - 90km - 4205m, Sagnam - 118km - 3650m, Tabo - 123km - 3050m. The blue sign belongs to BSNL and lists their telephone exchanges ahead on the road. Incredible folks they are, having managed to connect such places.

Kunzum La or Kunzum Pass was our next point and the highest altitude that we went through in our journey. The place hosts a small temple for Kunzum Devi. Whether the pass derived its name from the temple or the other way is not known. At least there was no one there to tell us about it and neither did our driver Mangal know. Walking barefoot on the cold ground was not exactly my idea of fun, but I could not resist going inside. There was some evidence of worshiping by both Hindus and Buddhists, but it is unlikely a priest would visit everyday to perform pooja.


Kunzum Devi Temple

Landscape of Spiti is remarkably different from Lahaul. Lahaul region had perfectly blue skies as if someone chose the precise shade and painted it permanently, but a tiny clouds or two popped up as we progressed eastward. The floor of Spiti valley is wide and has a lot more vegetation. Asphalted straight roads took us through Losar, the first village in Spiti and then to Kaza; it was not very different from being in the plains except for the views of the mountains on both sides. Villages appeared on the road every now and then, and there were a few people waiting on the road for transport to Kaza. Losar, with a population no more than a few hundreds even has a branch of State Bank of India. They probably had a mobile network too - we spotted towers in Kaza which was not too far away. Villages have irrigation facilities and people were out working in the fields. From the uninhabitable terrains of Lahaul, this was a complete change.



A Yak grazes in Spiti Valley

We stopped at Losar for lunch and reached Kaza around 4pm. We wanted to refuel in Kaza, but it was Sunday and the only government owned fuel station was closed. Mangal explained that they only work from 9 to 5 on weekdays, true to the style of a state owned business. But some begging seemed to work, and the operator came down to bail us out.

Ki Monastery is only a short drive from Kaza town, but its location gives it a distinction from its neighbourhood. Placed on a hillock, it stands apart from rest of the valley, with construction crowding the hill.


Grandeur setup of Ki Monastery

We entered the monastery and stood in the inner courtyard, confused and wondering which way to go. A door that seemed to lead a sanctum was closed, and so was another door in the opposite direction. A small wooden staircase lead into a dark arena and we pondered on taking it. Just then we heard a monk speaking with a feeble voice behind us, offering his assistance.

The friendly monk opened the doors of the prayer hall and lead us inside. He had a typical round Mongoloid face with small blood-shot eyes and bugling cheeks. His ochre robe clung to his body in a manner not very different from a sari. He spoke with a deep high pitch voice that seemed to be coming from the bottom of his larynx.

Ki Monastery is 800 years old, but most of the buildings are new and there is no visible evidence of its past. The buildings that stand today are made of white washed mud plaster and wood to support the roof. More buildings, built with cement, are coming up in the periphery to accommodate more students as well as tourists. Dalai Lama had given a visit to the monastery some time ago, and the chair where he sat and the bed he slept on have been preserved neatly. 'Dalai Lama used to sit here, he used to sleep in this room,' explained our guide as he took us through the monastery.

The monastery was spread around a prayer hall where the monks assembled. A few deities of worship, a kitchen and smaller prayer rooms surrounded the prayer hall. An old kitchen built many centuries ago still existed though not used anymore. Our monk escort showed us the utensils of yesteryears and asked to take a seat on a bench in the center. 'We now use this room to honour the guests,' he said and poured us tea from a pot. Over the tea, I questioned in him length about the past and present of the monastery.

'Life was much difficult before,' he explained and spoke in length, 'it was not easy to procure food and other daily needs. Now we are helped by the government. Procuring fuel and wood was a big problem, since there are no trees here. Things are much better these days, we are well connected and well provided. There is a problem of good teachers though, Tibetans don't get visa(permits?) very easily and we will have to manage with local teachers.'

Tibetans requiring a visa or permits to get to Spiti was news to me. I asked why is it so. 'They could come and go easily in the past,' he said, 'but people of Spiti were innocent and Tibetans misused us. They would take our sheep and eat them. They would steal things. So they had to be restrained.'

'Why is your monastery located in such remote place? Why are you so far away from civilization? Why do monasteries tend to be in some far away mountain or top of a hill?' There were simply too many questions I wanted answers for.

The barrage of questions was probably hard on him, but he was patient. He took some time to think over it and said, 'it is to escape from the everyday world.' I waited for him to continue but he did not seem to have more to say on it.

He escorted us back to the entrance after the tea, and humbly welcomed us to visit again. The goodness and hospitality of of the people of hills never ceases to amuse me. 'We have rooms to stay for tourists,' he said, 'next time you come, do stay with us.'

We made a brief visit to Kibber village before returning to Kaza. At more than 4000m, Kibber used to pride itself as the highest inhabited village in the world once, but the credit has now weathered down to highest motorable village. With the expanding road networks, I am sure they will soon become the second, and later third highest and so on in the days to come. They will have to search for other things to fill for highest _____ village in the next few years.


Kibber Village

Kibber is very close to Tibet border, and is mostly inhabited by Tibetan Buddhists. There are just a few dozen houses and all of them look similar. They rely on livestock to make a living, but as tourism is making inroads, a couple of guest houses have sprung up. Kibber had electricity, and even boasts of a school - a few things which they can probably use with the 'highest' tag in the years to come. As we were returning from Kibber, driver Mangal told us in a tone of discomfort and disgust - 'you know, people here eat beef.' I think he waited for us to come back strongly in response, but unconcerned that we were, he must have been disappointed. He repeated the words again with a hope that he may not have been heard earlier, even as we continued to gaze through the window, admiring the views of Spiti valley below.

The evening in Kaza was much different. It was a town full of chaos. Guesthouses littered the streets and everyone was offering a room. A few professionally run resorts too had sprung up in the outskirts of the town. But there was no power supply late into evening and most of the guesthouses did not even have water, owing to some temporary problem in water supply. The ever reliable Mangal finally found a guest house with water where we checked in for the night.

Continued at Tabo Monastery and Nako Village