Certain things just take quite a bit of priority before you realise where they came from and why they came. Experiencing snow leopard in wild was the similar priority for me. Even didn’t know when it came. Or it was there always, I never dared to make it to reality. But one fine moment I decided to make it real and I scarcely knew so many surprise packets were stored for me in this trip apart from snow leopard.
The journey started from southern India city Bangalore.. then northern india city Chandigarh through tourist’s paradise Shimla then enchanting Kalpa to high altitude Kaza and destination kibber.
Shimla, Its like any other tourist destination buzzing with crowd. But few aspect was definitely worth seeing. Like this old church.
Our journey started from Shimla towards the high altitude of Himalayas. Next stop was Kalpa where we spent a night to get acclimatise. We keep traveling along with Sutlej River. It seemed, river had shown us the way where we should build the road in those unforeseeable mountain range, as the complete journey upto Kibber was along side of the Rivers.
We travelled on one of the most treacherous highway in India, The NH 5. Seeing these roads I couldn’t stop myself from appreciating human capabilities to reach the unreachable. My first encounter with real Himalaya. Its very difficult to describe. Its giant, its gentle, Its merciless,Its beautiful, Its Treacherous, Its unswerving . Yes all opposite adjective suits to it.
his was where we entered Kinnaur district to head out our first halt in Kalpa. And still following Sutlej river by our side.
With all magical landscape and breath taking hight of the majestic we reach our 2nd stop for acclimatisation. Kalpa, a Himachal village was totally in winter hibernation. Somehow reached the hotel which was only option available during winter. All other hotels are closed and would open only in summer. We checked in and I entered into the room after climbing 3 floors. Yeah it was a big blow for me at that hight 2800 mt above sea level and oxygen being getting thinner. My heart stopped a bit when I thought I would be going 4800 mt above sea level. Anyway this was part of acclimatisation and I would be doing good.
When I removed the curtain of my room, It was a jaw drop view of Kinner Kailash mountain range in front my eyes. Suddenly my heart sank thinking I would be here only for a day. And its almost evening and sun was going down.
Well after a heart filled dinner tried few night sky images with the mountain range. The night sky full of stars in back drop of mountain was the one of the soul filling sight one can ever have. I slept with an anticipation to have an amazing sunrise from the range.
First thing in the morning I saw cloud covered sky with no sun in the horizon. But the beauty of the place didn’t sacrificed by the cloud. I have never sat on one place, doing nothing, more than 5 to 10 min may be. But that day I sat for hours together doing nothing but just watching the mountain.
Though the next day morning I couldn’t view the sunrise due to cloud filled sky but while our return journey the place blessed us with the view which was beyond anyone’s imagination. When we reach Kalpa in evening it started to snow slowly. And as usual we finish our dinner and slept off. We had absolutely no idea what nature stored for us in the next morning. The moment I opened the curtain of my room to the above view, I was completely awestruck and couldn’t believe on myself. It seemed I was still in sleep and its a beautiful dream. Please don’t wake me up.
Morning , after a real early breakfast we started our journey to our next destination, Kaza. We are still driving along side sutlej river. Himalayan range was so unpredictable. Every turn of the road unfold a new mystery in landscape.
Now we have reached a point where we need to leave NH 5 and take a diversion to NH505. Actually the regular route form Manali to Kaza from other side.. But during winter it is closed. This was the initiation point of NH 505, crossing Kaza, it goes upto Manali.
We not only left NH5 in this point, we have to say good bye to Sutlej river as well and start our journey along side Spiti River. China boarder was just 30+ KMs from this point. We have no plans to invade china. So we took a turn and head towards spiti valley with Spiti River as a guiding angel.
Once we started the course of Spiti River, suddenly the landscape changes drastically. Even color of the river. Sutlej was more like greenish water and Spiti river was completely turquoise and transparent. We experience a white shadow as snow in the landscape. Temperature was dipping down.
n the way we experienced this unbelievable frozen waterfall. The water spikes are just stand still as if the time had stand still for them. As if some one had statued them and they are waiting for summer to get free.
More and more ice as we are achieving higher altitude. Its a day break and we are bit far away from Kaza. By the time we reach it was completely dark with heavy snowfall. As we are entering the city, guess who welcome us. From far away I could see two burning red eyes in the darkness with fainted vehicle headlight. I thought it might be a dog. But it was very low level and again I thought dog cant be so small. By the time we reach bit near, what I was seeing, a Himalayan red fox looking at us on the side of the road. We stopped and it just crosses the road and vanished in the darkness. This was the first sign that our trip was going to be awesomely successful.. These are the moment you don’t want to lose with distraction of the camera. so didn’t bother to even lift it.
With the heavy snow and late in the evening we reached the home stay, a small.. cozy.. and warm place. The owner family was very welcoming. When we entered the living room I have the first glimpse of a spitian household. The covered wood fireplace in centre of the room with the long chimney pipe reaching to celling and open up to outside. A huge kettle of water was getting warm on the fireplace. This would be used for everything water could be used. From drinking, cooking, the bare minimum cleaning as u cant afford to use more water in that freezing temperature. It would be keep refilled as its getting used.
The seating area in the room was on the ground, with cosy and comfortable cushions around and a low table in front of you to make it more cosy and help you keep the food on it while eating. You can visualise possibly every bright colour in the house hold. It may be to complement with the blunt white snow outside everywhere.
When we enter we saw the elderly lady of the family was arranging for a evening prayer, as I saw few oil lamps are getting cleaned and ready. Spiti is predominantly Buddhism followers. And it was my first experience of buddhist rituals.
We were way too tired with the whole day journey. settled and make ourselves warm with nice mountain black tea followed by a delicious spitian home cooked dinner.
But suddenly I started to feel depressed. Complete confused mind state. I was so happy and enjoying but same time I was feeling depressed seeing the high rise snow filled mountains. Wherever my eye reaches, its a white sheet everywhere. Breathlessness was catching up, in 3800 mt high altitude. Suddenly was missing family in back home. someone inside me was telling, lets runaway and go back home. Wanted to talk to someone.. cry out loud.. Nevertheless to say, that night I spend the most painful one in Kaza . Yes, mountain does this to you as well.
I was quite scared and defeated by the beauty, strength and size of the mighty Himalayas. your sense of achievement that you are so successful, you have achieved trillions in your lifetime, crashes into dust. I was so proud of my fitness as well, that I have done multiple half marathons. Here I am out of breath even walking few steps. May be I am going through the sense of defeat and true self realisation. Mountain makes you humble and brings you down to earth. You look so tiny.. Your existence is nothing in front of it. where is your ego ??
Somehow trying to catch sleep but I was in between the dream and hallucination of flying or falling down from the highest peak into the valley. first few moment was scary as I was drooping fast into the valley but later I got a sense of flying over the valley, the way lammergeiers and griffons do. This dream was not evaporating it seems.. I am going to die once I crashed into the land.
With the first sun rise I wanted to get out of the four walled room and hit the road again but weather ditched us. It had snowed heavily previous night and road to Kibber was closed and we cant move before one in afternoon. To divert my mind I started to play with the kids of the house. Very cute ones, Tanzen and Prema. They helped me a great deal, coming out from depression. After lunch we started our journey for our destination Kibber.
On the way we crossed, Key monastery or Key Gompa. Along side Key village down hill. This is the biggest monastery in Spiti valley, built in 11th century. Since then It had experienced so many fair and unfair historical incidents, natural as well as man made. But still standing tall. That might be the reason when I enter here, I felt a type of peacefulness which I never experienced before, nor after I came out. Longing so much to be there and permeate thoroughly into those peaceful moments. It holds incredible collection of artifacts and paintings. It has a huge collection of Buddhist scriptures with its ancient form. Young Lamas get trained here to spread the compassion and peace to the world, which our world needed badly. A seed of hope in today’s disturbed society. Buddhism is not only a religion but also a philosophy very close to humanity.
We passed another picturesque village, Ragrik. I always wonder how will be the landscape of these places in summer. I must go back in summer to check them out.
Finally we were getting close to our destination.
e arrived at our destination, Kibber at 4800 Mt altitude, and going to make this our home for next 6 days. The first look of the village itself is so mesmerising. The altitude sickness has already griped me very badly and I engrossed myself within my inner struggle. But when I lift my eyes to experience the view of the village, I just jumped out of the vehicle in an instance and soaked myself in that unbelievable view in front of my eyes. We were warmly greeted by our new friends Renu and Lara. I was still in depression. And they say when you are low, the first thing you remember is your family. I went so many trips without family but I never miss my family the way I did that day. There were no network and I was dying to talk back home. Only Lara’s phone was working, that to from a fixed point. Somehow manage to speak for a couple of minute and felt little good. I kept myself consoling that days would pass fast and I can go back to home soon. But believe me when I was leaving the place, I felt why 6 days passed so quickly. Again I was depressed for leaving that place. I know, I was completely conflicting personality at that time. Yes mountain does this to you too. After dinner its time to sleep and I was scared again of that nightmare I was getting since last night in Kaza. And coincidentally, the same thing repeated as last one. But eventually I was getting better.
At that moment, we had absolutely no idea what our destination was holding for us. But The journey was real enchanting.
Please visit the following link to know what happened in destination..
I have made those 3 days of journey in a 4+ min video clip here..
You might also like
