Wander through India

Monday, 22 December 2014

Northern Expedition 2014 : Towards the Pass of a million flags and homage to the future buddha

# DAY VIII: Leh-Deskit

#50. The road strike ensured that we started the day while the sky was still dark and no sign of the pre dawn. Leh town was in deep slumber as we made our way through the streets towards the exit from the city. The period before the onset of the dawn is the blackest of the entire night and so was the case here with the sky black as ink. On the way as we passed a few home stays we encountered individuals standing in the dark with rucksacks and other gear which gave indication of fellow travelers who were also getting out of the town whilst it was still open.

#51. Deskit though was quite a way off, first coming up was the famous Khardung La, the pass of the million flags. He definitely made the list of being amongst the celebrity passes in this country. The climb started almost immediately after Chagspa as we exited the town. The winding road lay ahead shrouded in darkness and in between flickering moving lights gave us the indication of similar travelers who were on their way towards Kahrdung La.

#52. South Pullu was reached soon enough and a quick check with the TCP and we were waved through. The predawn had come up by now and we were thankful that we had made the best of the situation and what a sight it was. The first rays of the sun soon struck gold on the towering peaks of the Himalaya and mortals like us stopped in our tracks to gaze in awe at the creation of nature being unfolded.

#53. The climb was relentless as the INDOMITABLE moved in first gear or second gear all the while. I was conscious to give way to all the 4WD vehicles who came up from behind so that we did not hinder their approach as we continued in a more sedate pace by not pressurizing the Indomitable too much. The photographic breaks were numerous where ever I could get an opportunity to stop the vehicle.

#54. Khardung La was reached by 0730 hours and it was super cold and empty, we were thankful for the empty place. We were met by few army jawans who were present and had a pleasant discussion with them. After paying homage to the Lord Shiva temple out there and with the customary clicks we were ready to move ahead. The road stretched ahead all the way through the snowy white carpet on the mountain as the sun gained strength with each passing moment.

#55. North Pullu was our next stop and after the necessary verification with the TCP and a cup of hot tea we made our way towards Khardong village. The path till North Pullu was better than the one from South Pullu till K Top. After North Pullu the tar reappeared and we were able to sustain a good speed. I was very happy with the performance of the Logan and it instilled with me a lot more confidence for the paths that lay ahead.

#56. Kahrdung village has plenty of options to stay as well as eat. It’s a pretty village tucked away amongst the high mountain ranges. After Khardong the next stop was supposed to be Khalsar, which was a good 63 km away and just before the town was bifurcation point for the entry into the Agham/Shyok sector. Our path this day lay straight ahead northwards. The beauty of the valley ahead was unfolding as the blue sky sparkled against the brown earth which was interspersed with the golden cover of vegetation.

#57. Khalsar, a small village with a sprinkling of shops was reached by 1130 hrs and thereafter we took a turn towards Deskit instead of heading on the northern arm which lead to Panamik and Siachen Base Camp, more on that route in the next post. As we stopped at one location admiring the pretty Shyok river I was having a talk with one of the local taxi drivers who was mentioning that the road ahead to Turtuk been closed few days back on account of heavy rainfall. As I digested this bit of news I was approached by one fine gentleman who very enthusiastically introduced himself and we shared a lot of light talk subsequently. Why I am mentioning this is because that light talk has been the start of a wonderful friendship and I am glad to have made some very fine friends on the roads including the gentleman in question, Mr Sunil Arora.

#58. Soon we proceeded ahead and reached Deskit by 1300 hours. As soon as we approached Deskit, we were astounded by the beauty of that place, the serene and pristine atmosphere was so inviting. We crossed Deskit and gunned the vehicle ahead towards Turtuk, but then something within made us question the reasoning of leaving such a place behind and in such hasty a manner. Looks exchanged I just turned the vehicle around and decided to stay a while and see the place.

#59. The scenic beauty was so captivating that we ended up staying the entire day out there , found a great Home stay named Sonam GH. The afternoon was spent in the village of Deskit followed by a visit to the Deskit Monastry where we were fortunate to enter into a conversation with one of the senior Lamas which ended up with an invite to this place within the monastery for the evening tea.

In the fading light we went to the sand dunes of Hunder and relaxed ourselves amongst the towering mountain ranges above us and the cold desert beneath our feet. I think staying back was a very good decision as we got the opportunity to experience many moments which otherwise would have been lost . Dinner time was spent in the company of our hosts as we talked on a lot of topics and came to know many a fact about Deskit and the people who stay there .ODO for the day stood at 75073.

THE SAND DUNES AT HUNDER

BELIEF AT DESKIT

CLOUDS PLAY FORMATIONS

HELLO

CHORTENS STAND GUARDING HUMANKIND

CAPTIVATING LADAKH

EARTH AND SKY

THE DESKIT MONASTRY

ITS ALL ABOUT BELIEF

DESKIT SPREAD OUT

MORNING SUNRISE ON THE HIMALAYAN KINGDOM

THE FUTURE BUDDHA

SAKHYAMUNI BUDDHA

BACTRIAN CAMELS @HUNDER

INDOMITABLE AT KHARDUNG LA

NO DESTINATION TOO FAR

Add caption

PRAYER FLAGS AT KHARDUNG LA : THE PASS OF A MILLION FLAGS

MESMERISING SHYOK FLOWS

TRADITIONAL LADAKHI KITCHEN

ALONE AND PROUD

REFLECTIONS AT DESKIT

DESERT MOUNTAINS FOREST AND RIVER : ALL CO EXSIST

SHIVA TEMPLE AT KHARDUNG LA

NORTHERN EXPEDITION 2014 : @Leh .. The Himalayan Kingdom

# DAY VII: @Leh

#48. The day was to be spent doing primarily administrative stuff and couple the same with a visit to Leh Palace and Tsmego Namgyal Gompa and Shanti Stupa. Accordingly we were up and headed for breakfast by 0830 hours at Gesmo Resturant on Fort Road. The breakfast was up to the mark and after a hearty meal we decided to reach the DC office near Polo Ground. The charges I found were when all the fees paid to travel around Leh amounting to close to Rs 800 which I consider to be a bit on the higher side. The permits were issued without any hassle except for Photi La. I really had a tough time trying to convince the clerical staff where this pass was situated and in absence of a map I just could not convince them. Finally the matter rested if I could convince the army for the journey to Photi La. The permits made by me beforehand were of no avail as any kind of correction in the form which depended on their way of looking at the places written resulted in one having to make a new form. The entire process took me around a hour to hour and half and by lunch I was done. Thereafter we proceeded to the motivation Hall of the army on the Kargil Leh Road followed by lunch..

#49. The afternoon was spent shopping followed by visit to Leh Palace and the Namgyal Gompa. Soon evening approached and after clicking some night clicks we were on our way to the Hotel in anticipation of tomorrows journey to Nubra Valley. The next day was scheduled to be a kind of traffic strike hence it was told that it would be prudent to depart Leh by 0530 hrs prior to commencement of the strike.

Saturday, 13 December 2014

NORTHERN EXPEDITION 2014 : DAY VI .... on the epic MANALI LEH HIGHWAY

# DAY VI: Jispa-Leh sector

#32. What do one say about this most famous of all sections , where the average elevation is 4000 mts and one crosses five mighty passes in a single day , where the vehicle struggles and the driver clutches the steering wheel with utmost dedication all the way , where there is something known as the More plains which is not called as a Highway but rather a Runway and at the same time there is the mountain , tones of it all over which ensure that the steering wheel is never steady but rather moving at all times to keep the tires of the vehicle on the centre of a road that snakes its way through the terrain climbing , falling but moving ahead all the time .This is the land of the BRO and GREF who keep the paths open for people like us to traverse the passes and the lakes .

#33. We started from Jispa just as the sun was coming up . The clock read 0600 hours and the light was just perfect to start the journey. After a quick good bye we were off passing through the sleepy town of Jispa. Soon we were speeding up as I wanted to cover as much as possible as early as possible . The first target of the day was Deepak Taal which as per my notings was supposed to come after 32 kms . Darcha was reached by 0630 and we could see a sprinkling of Taxis and a bus standing , I guess there is some place to spend the night even at Darcha. Deepak Taal was our first stop of the day and I was getting worried when I was unable to see it and eventually we spotted a guy in shorts on his morning run on the Leh Manali Highway , now this is something I was really envious for I could imagine his stamina for this , anyways we asked him about Deepak Taal and he said that it is just a few minutes ahead near to the ITBP camp.

#34. Deepak Taal in the early morning cold, well my fingers were abusing me for subjecting them to the cold body of the camera as I went about clicking some early morning snaps, there were two tents and a cycle which suggested that some cyclists had camped for the night next to the lake, personally I feel a lot of cold so somehow am unable to relate to the concept of camping unless it is absolutely mandatory.

#35. After Deepak Taal we were on our way to the Lake of the Sun , Suraaj Taal. As we were still in Himachal , the lakes were called Taal instead of the Tibetan word Tso. The road went on and on twisting and turning as we climbed higher and higher into the Pir Panjal, a red Logan in a world of brown mountains and white snow beneath the electric blue sky. The vistas were spectacular desolate and often breathtaking. Zing Zing bar was reached by 0730 and we decided that this was a good enough place to have a cuppa of hot chai . The pleasure of having tea on lonely mountain roads , now this is a different altogether , it gives a totally different perspective to the moment as one holdsa hot cup of tea in the hand and gazes upon the mountains of snow spread across the entire vision of the eyes.

#36. Suraaj Taal was reached by 0830 and I found it much more inspiring than Deepak taal , the lake has its own unique long sharp features and was shimmering in the morning sunlight. Soon after we were at Baralacha La , our second pass of the trip situated at a height of 16040 ft. Baralacha La was totally empty, devoid of any human presence other than us and the Indomitable. It shimmered in the morning sunlight as the sunrays reflected off it and the towering peaks of snow all around. A extremely lonely and lovely place it definitely leaves its mark on all those who visit.

#37. Post Baralacha we started descending and were continued onwards, the road conditions were satisfactory, at par with the terrain that we were crossing and I was deliberately not subjecting the Indomitable to any kind of a undue stress . We crossed the much read about Killing Sarai Bridge by 1000 hrs and thereafter reached Sarchu as the clock struck eleven. Prior to reaching Sarchu we came upon numerous camps, neatly arranged and erected for the weary traveler who stops at Sarchu for the night . Sarchu was our breakfast break and we had a well deserved stop after covering a distance of 88 Kms.

#38. The heat had built up by the time we reached Sarchu and after a sumptuous breakfast we were ready to move ahead . The Tsarap river by this time was giving us company as she had come flowing from the Zanskar all the way. She radiated a seductive emerald blue shimmer off the falling sun rays and each pebble in her rocky bed was visible to the naked eye . If only we had time, a most fruitful effort could have been spent walking along her banks and indulging in some great photographic clicks. But alas that was not be and we marveled at her brilliance and beauty from the splendid Leh Manali Highway itself.

#39. After around eight km from Sarchu we came to the next famous landmark well acquainted to all those who have read about this region or travelled out here – the TWING TWING BRIDGE on the Tsarap. We soon moved along and were bombarded with anecdotes and proverbs by BRO all the way, they kept appearing with regular alacrity and I did wonder which department within the BRO looks after slogan inventing or do they have a monthly contest of sorts going on within for selecting the best slogans. The roadside humor in slogans really kept the spirits up .The landscape were truly inspiring now with the wind eroded mountains forming eerie shapes and giving company to the Tsarap as well as us . The traffic was light and we kept speeding up stopping in between for the photographic clicks. I was behind the schedule by around an hour which I hoped to make up soon. The Brandy and whisky nullahs were crossed soon enough, a mere shadow of their former formidable glory I am sure.

#40. Soon we were at the Gata Loops and here we bid goodbye to the Tsarap as she turned northwards towards the distant mountains and we turned eastwards to ascend on the Gata Loops, a series of 21 hair pin that gain altitude. Some one had said that there were numerous shortcuts and people offroading do use them . So I was eager to have a look at them, not that I was going to attempt any . I was trying to see how many loops can be seen at once and I think not more than 4-5 can be captured in a single frame, though I tried to find the best possible vantage point but then with the traffic that we encountered out here it was not ethical to stop frequently to inconvenience the truckers for whom momentum up slope was the most important factor of all .

#41. The loops continued for the next hour as the steering wheel kept turning from clockwise to anticlockwise and back again without any respite in between .The scenery was spectacular as we kept climbing. Soon we reached our third Pass of the trip, by now we were ready to enter the State of Jammu & Kashmir. Nakee la (4750 mt above sea level) .The pass was neither windy nor crowded, so we spent some time just soaking in the feeling and looking around. Thereafter we started descending and soon we were ascending yet again and reached our fourth pass Lachung La.(16000 ft ) situated around 8 kms from Nakee La .The heat had picked up by now and the pass was definitely dusty yet pretty . The pass offered great views of the Ladakh plateau and the Zanskar range of the Himalaya. The camera went just click click all the while .

#42. The clock read 1430 and I knew that I was late , for Pang was supposed to be reached by lunch time but then what does one do when he is a first timer on the Leh Manali Highway and it is a clear day with breathtaking views all around , to fall behind in the schedule is the only natural thing to do J

#43. Anyways soon we entered the canyons of the Ladakh plateau which formed the gateway to Pang, the Tar road had long disappeared and we were confronted with awe inspiring rock formations acting as guardians of the highway which snaked through the foothills of these mountain blocks. The play of shadow and light was excellent .Kangla Jal was approached soon and I was so happy to see in reality what I used to read about or see in photographs. Soon after Kangla Jaal we met a few old friends and it was such a great feeling to meet someone whom you know this way and in this place of all the places.

#44. Pang was reached by 1600 hrs and we decided to have a late lunch. The road condition was really deteriorated all the way after Gata Loops till Pang. I was told that the road was excellent post pang once we had ascended the mountains. The butter smooth roads awaited us at More Plains and with that thought in mind which gave a real good feeling we hogged onto the Maggi and the hot tea.

#45. At pang my friends came back to have a tete-a-tete and it was such a touching moment that they turned back to spend some more time with me , really felt very happy from within . Soon we started from Pang and ascended the climb towards More Plains , it was evening and the sun was on its descent for the end of a lovely day over Ladakh plateau . The scenic beauty was incomparable and the black tarmac of More plains stood out boldly in the evening sun rays. We were soon either speeding onward else stopping or clicking photographs as we continued towards Taglang La.

#46. Diebrieng was soon crossed by which was the route towards Tso Kar and the Chumangthang Plains, but that was for later .For today it was Leh that was our focus. Taglangla the highest pass of my life and also for the Indomitable, the pass which stood at 17000 plus feet above sea level gazing down mightily at all those who attempted it. Taglang la was super windy and cold . It required an effort to stand outside the vehicle at the summit, but the views were super awesum. Tanglang la proved to be the coldest and the windiest till now as it reminded us of the power of the Himalaya and nature. Soon we were on our way, the time by now was 1830 hrs and the evening light was fading as we continued our descent towards Rumtse , soon we were crossing villages of Gya , rumtse in the gathering darkenss and Karu came in view which was the turn off for the route to Pangong Tso.

#47. Night had fallen and there was absolutely no traffic lights nor any sort of a light as we continued our journey onwards.In the darkness concentrating on the road I was unable to keep a trace of the places that went by .Eventually reached Chogmalsar by 2000 hrs and Leh by 2030 hrs.Our stay was booked at Asia GH and it took some time trying to get the bearings right and find the road to Changspa where the hotel was located. Eventually was able to find the hotel and thus ended our day, with us reaching the city of Leh nestled deep within the high passes and mountains.