Wandering The Land Of Gods-HIMALAYAS (part-2)
'Chasing angels or fleeing demons, go to the mountains -Jeffrey Rasley
I had always had this affinity towards mountains. Just the
thought of enjoying the thin air and the beauty of it all, is a reason enough
for me to visit the valleys. I woke up to scenery so beautiful, that it felt
like waking up into another dream altogether. Rejuvenated by a good night’s
sleep, we prepared ourselves for the best leg of the journey. We got ready, had
breakfast and then went to visit the Tabo Monastery. It is supposedly the
oldest, continuously running monastery in all of the Himalayas. The 'stupa'
there was the most beautifully embellished I have seen till now. Stupas
generally represent the enlightened mind of the Buddha. One of the symbolic
meanings is that they represent the five elements: the square base represents the
earth, the round dome is for water, the cone-shape is fire, the canopy is the air
and the volume of the stupa is space. Stupas are often used to store relics
from important teachers as well. The kind of aura this place has just makes you
want to stay there. Even his holiness, the Dalai Lama once expressed his desire
to retire and settle in Tabo.
After spending some time in the monastery we headed towards
Kaza and while we were at it, our driver decided to wash up in the river and
asked if we wanted to take a dip. Me and friend of mine fell for it (wonder what
we were thinking). The water was ice cold and the wind wasn't doing any good
but still rallying courage we stepped in. The water froze ALL that went in it.
I swear to God !! For once my body was in shock because of the cold, I
jumped so high and out that had there been a kangaroo, it would have been proud
of me. Damn it was cold!
We reached Dhankar at noon and went to visit the monastery. It is the oldest monastery in Spiti valley. This monastery is sitting on a really high spur and apparently, is facing the danger of collapsing. Many organizations are working hard to reconstruct it. One can actually feel the vibrations while walking around in there. It does spook you a little bit; the view you get from there is enchanting enough to make you forget about everything else. Overlooking the confluence of Spiti and rivers from Pin valley it is one hell of a setting for a Gompa(monastery).
Our plan was to do a hike to Dhankar Tso (Lake) but the usual way was under a thick blanket of snow. We were trying to stomach the thought that we won’t be able to do it. Then out of nowhere, a local guy came to our rescue and was ready to guide us to the Tso by another way. He was humble, like everyone there is, and we starting following him. It was so steep that half way to our first section of the mountain we all looked at each other and wondered how we would go back. Anyhow, we continued and after struggling our way in knee deep snow we reached the top and boy ! it was a struggle. The Tso was frozen and was still about2-3km away from us. The path that lead us from there was under deep snow of about 5-6 feet, so we couldn't reach it. The view from the top was something that leaves an impression on your soul. No camera can do justice to what I saw there.
Me and a friend of mine reached the top first, I looked at him and he had tears in his eyes. I began to reason his hysteria, low oxygen perhaps, or maybe there was no reason at all. There is something about these mountains that affect you in a spiritual way. Sitting there, at a place so sublime, you are left alone with your mind with no distractions and in times like these, you start thinking about your existence. There was nothing I could have done for him as he was in his own world. I hugged him and just sat there being amazed, yet again, waiting for the rest of the guys. The wind there was sharp and it was really cold up there, so much so, that the gloves I wore were frozen. They made a crackling sound when I made a fist. I took a walk on that ridge, away from the guys, and all I could hear was the music of wind and followed by a short moment of clarity, tranquility, where I just gave myself to nature and let it hold me. We were surrounded by magic, 8 people on that ridge, lost in their individual worlds.Hiking up wasn't easy at all but going down was an adventure in itself. As the mountains were covered with snow, we decided to slide our way down, twisting and turning our way, dodging rocks and bushes and changing 'slides' a couple of times. We reached the end in like 1/4th of the time it took us to reach the top. Our pants were wet; rear got numb, pockets filled with snow but altogether this was one of the best moments of the trip. When we reached our taxi, we quickly changed our clothes and took off for Kaza. On our way we saw a herd of mountain goats. They had a charm of their own.
Late in the evening, we reached Kaza(3650m) and stayed at Lhamo home stay where a soft spoken lady in her fifties was our host. It was almost dusk when we reached there. As the sun sets early in these parts, we couldn't really see much. We were really tired, so after grabbing dinner we dozed off (temperature -10degrees).Next morning we took a stroll in the city. My friends bought some souvenirs. I got prayer flags for my bike and promised myself to drive on these roads with her someday.
After filling the fuel tank from the highest petrol
station we headed towards Key monastery. It is located atop a hill at an
altitude of 4,166 metres and is the biggest monastery of Spiti Valley. It is
also a religious training centre for Lamas. In Spiti there is a tradition in
which every family sends their second son(at the age of 8-9yrs) to the
monastery to become a Lama and parents consider it as an honor to do so. This
monastery also has a Stupa which contains the remains of Rinchen Zangpo, the
great translator, who was a prolific translator during the early part of the
Later spread of Buddhism in Tibet, translating a large no. of Buddhist text
from Sanskrit to Bhoti(Tibetan). This monastery is older than 1000years and the
view from this place is breathtaking. We took a little tour around, guided by a
senior monk, and with the sound of kids reciting their texts in unison we
started our journey back home.
From Key we drove nonstop to Tabo and stayed there for the day roaming around like explorers, looking for nothing yet something. Then came the highlight of this trip. Wait for it !!.......Playing cricket with locals on a helipad, 3280m above sea level. Every delivery bowled and every run taken left us breathless, literally, but it was worth it. We played 2 matches and won both (winky face). It was for the very first time that we had shared a good conversation with the locals. We shared our stories about the trip; they had anecdotes of their own. It was an amazing experience.
That day, walking back towards my room some time later, I started feeling a little blue about leaving these mystical valleys. I couldn't sleep the entire night, enjoyed every moment in retrospect. Sitting in that room, surrounded by the best of mates, who made this trip ever so memorable, there was nothing more that I could have asked for. The Himalayas had amazed me in every way possible. Just when you think you have seen enough, it surprises you. My love for these valleys has increased many folds. I have seen just a small patch of this heavenly land and now I just crave for more. It was time to go home now, tracing back those dodgy, rickety and, at times, smooth roads. Looking into the rear view mirror of the taxi and seeing the road, valleys leaving me are the last of memories I have of this enthralling place. On that day, I added something to my bucket list. A ROAD TRIP and I vowed to whoever was listening, I’ll be back.
I had always had this affinity towards mountains. Just the
thought of enjoying the thin air and the beauty of it all, is a reason enough
for me to visit the valleys. I woke up to scenery so beautiful, that it felt
like waking up into another dream altogether. Rejuvenated by a good night’s
sleep, we prepared ourselves for the best leg of the journey. We got ready, had
breakfast and then went to visit the Tabo Monastery. It is supposedly the
oldest, continuously running monastery in all of the Himalayas. The 'stupa'
there was the most beautifully embellished I have seen till now. Stupas
generally represent the enlightened mind of the Buddha. One of the symbolic
meanings is that they represent the five elements: the square base represents the
earth, the round dome is for water, the cone-shape is fire, the canopy is the air
and the volume of the stupa is space. Stupas are often used to store relics
from important teachers as well. The kind of aura this place has just makes you
want to stay there. Even his holiness, the Dalai Lama once expressed his desire
to retire and settle in Tabo.
We reached Dhankar at noon and went to visit the monastery. It is the oldest monastery in Spiti valley. This monastery is sitting on a really high spur and apparently, is facing the danger of collapsing. Many organizations are working hard to reconstruct it. One can actually feel the vibrations while walking around in there. It does spook you a little bit; the view you get from there is enchanting enough to make you forget about everything else. Overlooking the confluence of Spiti and rivers from Pin valley it is one hell of a setting for a Gompa(monastery).
Our plan was to do a hike to Dhankar Tso (Lake) but the usual way was under a thick blanket of snow. We were trying to stomach the thought that we won’t be able to do it. Then out of nowhere, a local guy came to our rescue and was ready to guide us to the Tso by another way. He was humble, like everyone there is, and we starting following him. It was so steep that half way to our first section of the mountain we all looked at each other and wondered how we would go back. Anyhow, we continued and after struggling our way in knee deep snow we reached the top and boy ! it was a struggle. The Tso was frozen and was still about2-3km away from us. The path that lead us from there was under deep snow of about 5-6 feet, so we couldn't reach it. The view from the top was something that leaves an impression on your soul. No camera can do justice to what I saw there.
Me and a friend of mine reached the top first, I looked at him and he had tears in his eyes. I began to reason his hysteria, low oxygen perhaps, or maybe there was no reason at all. There is something about these mountains that affect you in a spiritual way. Sitting there, at a place so sublime, you are left alone with your mind with no distractions and in times like these, you start thinking about your existence. There was nothing I could have done for him as he was in his own world. I hugged him and just sat there being amazed, yet again, waiting for the rest of the guys. The wind there was sharp and it was really cold up there, so much so, that the gloves I wore were frozen. They made a crackling sound when I made a fist. I took a walk on that ridge, away from the guys, and all I could hear was the music of wind and followed by a short moment of clarity, tranquility, where I just gave myself to nature and let it hold me. We were surrounded by magic, 8 people on that ridge, lost in their individual worlds.Hiking up wasn't easy at all but going down was an adventure in itself. As the mountains were covered with snow, we decided to slide our way down, twisting and turning our way, dodging rocks and bushes and changing 'slides' a couple of times. We reached the end in like 1/4th of the time it took us to reach the top. Our pants were wet; rear got numb, pockets filled with snow but altogether this was one of the best moments of the trip. When we reached our taxi, we quickly changed our clothes and took off for Kaza. On our way we saw a herd of mountain goats. They had a charm of their own.
Late in the evening, we reached Kaza(3650m) and stayed at Lhamo home stay where a soft spoken lady in her fifties was our host. It was almost dusk when we reached there. As the sun sets early in these parts, we couldn't really see much. We were really tired, so after grabbing dinner we dozed off (temperature -10degrees).Next morning we took a stroll in the city. My friends bought some souvenirs. I got prayer flags for my bike and promised myself to drive on these roads with her someday.
After filling the fuel tank from the highest petrol
station we headed towards Key monastery. It is located atop a hill at an
altitude of 4,166 metres and is the biggest monastery of Spiti Valley. It is
also a religious training centre for Lamas. In Spiti there is a tradition in
which every family sends their second son(at the age of 8-9yrs) to the
monastery to become a Lama and parents consider it as an honor to do so. This
monastery also has a Stupa which contains the remains of Rinchen Zangpo, the
great translator, who was a prolific translator during the early part of the
Later spread of Buddhism in Tibet, translating a large no. of Buddhist text
from Sanskrit to Bhoti(Tibetan). This monastery is older than 1000years and the
view from this place is breathtaking. We took a little tour around, guided by a
senior monk, and with the sound of kids reciting their texts in unison we
started our journey back home.
From Key we drove nonstop to Tabo and stayed there for the day roaming around like explorers, looking for nothing yet something. Then came the highlight of this trip. Wait for it !!.......Playing cricket with locals on a helipad, 3280m above sea level. Every delivery bowled and every run taken left us breathless, literally, but it was worth it. We played 2 matches and won both (winky face). It was for the very first time that we had shared a good conversation with the locals. We shared our stories about the trip; they had anecdotes of their own. It was an amazing experience.
That day, walking back towards my room some time later, I started feeling a little blue about leaving these mystical valleys. I couldn't sleep the entire night, enjoyed every moment in retrospect. Sitting in that room, surrounded by the best of mates, who made this trip ever so memorable, there was nothing more that I could have asked for. The Himalayas had amazed me in every way possible. Just when you think you have seen enough, it surprises you. My love for these valleys has increased many folds. I have seen just a small patch of this heavenly land and now I just crave for more. It was time to go home now, tracing back those dodgy, rickety and, at times, smooth roads. Looking into the rear view mirror of the taxi and seeing the road, valleys leaving me are the last of memories I have of this enthralling place. On that day, I added something to my bucket list. A ROAD TRIP and I vowed to whoever was listening, I’ll be back.
Ahhh... Feel aagyi :D
ReplyDeleteVery nicely written bro.. :)
thanks bhai :)
ReplyDelete