Climber & Explorer

Great Wall of China

2012-01-06T22:27:00.001-08:00

At the beginning of Year 2012 while coming back from a trip from Canada I stopped in Beijing (also known as Peking) to go and see the Great Wall of China which is one of the Greatest Wonders of the World. A literal meaning of the Great Wall in Chinese is - Long Fortress.

The Great Wall is a series of stone and earth fortifications built in the Northern China from as early as 5th Century BC to 16th Century AD as a protection against intrusions. The Great Wall measures an astounding 8852 km.

I went to see the Juyong Pass (or Juyongguan) section of the Great Wall which is about 50 kms from Beijing in the Changping county. It is one of the three greatest passes on the Wall.

The Great Wall of China

This particular section was completed in 1368 during the reign of the Ming Dynasty. I have taken the photo of the details displayed there about this section of the Wall and have pasted below for further information.

Description about the Great Wall - Juyong Pass Section

Some of the sections of the Wall are very wide and some narrow. Some sections have a ramp whereas others have staircases (some are very steep). In fact at the narrow section there was almost a traffic jam as can be seen in the photo below.

Traffic Jam on the Great Wall

After every 50 to 100 meters (on this section of the Great Wall) there are structures that are meant for defense and shelter purposes.

Myself with the Backdrop of the Great Wall for Posterity!

The central portion of this section also has guns as a further deterrent against the invaders. In fact on the flatter portions of the Great Wall automobiles can ply! This section is in the mountainous region therefore vehicles cannot ply as there are stairs also in some portions.

Guns on the Great Wall

The place gets really cold in the winters as can be seen in the photo below where the water body is completely frozen on both sides of the wall. The cold is further intensified by the strong winds which increases the chill factor.The current temperature in Beijing during my stay was around Minus 8 degree Celsius!

Frozen water near the Great Wall

I am thankful to my driver and my guide for showing me this greatest man made wonder in the world in the short time that I had in China along with showing some other places in the Beijing City.

My Driver, Myself and My Guide

Wish You a Happy 2012

2011-12-31T09:57:00.000-08:00

May the dawn of 2012 bring you what you aspire and strive for. Year 2011 has been good for me in most respects - be it work, travel or in various other things.

A Dawn in the Beautiful British Columbia

I do hope that 2012 would brings to me as well as to those of you who like traveling new and more avenues of travel.

This is my last post of 2011 writing from Canada. I fly on the very first day of 2012 to Beijing and hope to see the Great Wall of China there.

I would blog about the visit to Canada and China as soon as I get the chance to write these posts.

Happy traveling!

Boxing Day in Canada

2011-12-26T17:15:00.000-08:00

I went to the Oakridge Mall in Vancouver today for seeing what happens on a Boxing Day. Well it was dissappointing as neither did I see huge ques nor fabulous discounts. Most discounts were in the order of 40 to 50% - but these discounts were already in place even before Christmas! Such discounts are common now round the year in India!

Boxing Day Shopping

As far as crowds were concerned - it was no different from the previous week. Except for one store where I saw some que outside, all other stores had normal rush - or the lack of it - in this mall.

Compared to this the 'Apple' Store had ques outside the store even before the Boxing Week.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T19:11:00.000-08:00

I wish all the readers of my blog and friends across the globe a Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas

I am writing this small post from the beautiful British Columbia in Canada. All places here- be it houses, streets, markets or malls - are lit for the Christmas festivities!

Accommodation at Renuka

2011-12-10T00:20:00.000-08:00

This post is subsequent to my earlier post wherein I had stated that I would write about the accommodation scenario in Renuka.

Renuka in itself has only one hotel and that is 'The Renuka' managed by the HPTDC which is a Himachal Government enterprise. The closest private hotels to Renuka lake are at least three kilometers away and therefore at least in location no hotel can beat The Renuka.

The Renuka hotel has two wings - One is the newer wing as can be seen in the photo below. It has good looks from outside and the bath and toilet facilities are modern. This wing also has the dining hall and the kitchen. But then the good points about this wing stop here. No mediocre architect also would have aligned the wing in such a position that the rooms do not face the lake! That is the travesty of the modern India. People do not know how to make rooms!

Newer wing of Hotel Renuka

Compared to this the older wing was built nearly 60 years back (that is where I stayed) which gives you the best view from all rooms (as well as if you sit outside the rooms) of the lake. I would give 10 out of 10 for the positioning of the rooms.

Older wing of Hotel Renuka

You can see the lake (see the photo below) right from where you are sitting throughput the day. The older wing actually was a Forest Rest House earlier and only later became Hotel Renuka.

View of the Renuka from my Room

The rooms in the older wing have very high ceilings compared to the new wing and have 'roshandaans' or high windows for light as well as cross ventilation of air so that even in summers one may not require an air-conditioner despite the fact that Renuka's altitude is not very high.

High ceiling Rooms

I would definitely recommend the old wing for staying because of all the reasons cited above. The only problematic thing in the old wing is that the toilets are 'Indian' in all rooms except one. Also in the hotel rooms though the TV with satellite facility is there but it hardly works (though this was a boon for me as I prefer not to watch the idiot box when I go out of Delhi).

Boat as flower pot at Renuka

An interesting use of the boats that have now been discarded is that they have been turned into huge flower pots as can be seen in the photo above as well as below. The boat shaped flower pots in the photo below are not boats but are side attachments of a boat. These were diesel boats that used to pollute the lake.

Side attachments of boat as flowerpots at Renuka

Boating facility (only pedal boats - which is good for the lake) is available here though I feel it is expensive (Rs 300 to 500 for half an hour).

The food at the hotel is decent and not very spicy. The best bet for breakfast is 'Aloo Parantha'. I stayed there for six days (normally people stay either less than 24 hours!) as I wanted a leisurely holiday. Therefore, I found the menu 'limited'. The 'Sabudana Kheer' was prepared well.

Renuka - the Reclining Woman

2011-12-03T22:44:00.000-08:00

In beginning of October this year as there were several holidays I decided to hit the mountains and as usual I decided not to go to too touristy a place. I went to Renuka lake located in Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh. One has to take National Highway 72 from Ambala till Nahan. This distance is about 85 kilometers. The road condition is good and one enters Himachal at Kala Amb. After this one has to take a Major District Road till Renuka. Nahan to Renuka is about 40 kilometers. Some stretches of the road is not good but overall it is not bad.

It took me about eight hours of normal driving to reach Renuka from Delhi. At Renuka I stayed at hotel Renuka which is run by Himachal Tourism Development Corporation. The advantage of this hotel is its location as this is the only hotel located right next to the Renuka lake as one can see from the picture below taken from my room.

View of Renuka Lake from my hotel room

I will blog about the accommodation in another post. This is the biggest lake in Himachal situated at 672 meters above sea level and is named after goddess Renuka. According to the mythology this is the birth place of Lord Parshuram son of Renuka.

Reflections in the Lake

One can take a walk of the whole circumference of the lake, which would be a little over three kilometers. All around there is dense flora and a wild life sanctuary. Additionally boating facilities are available.

Two suns - sunset at Renuka Lake

The sunrise and sunsets, cloud permitting, could be beautiful.

The Renuka lake is supposedly having a shape of a reclining woman. As the shape is not visible at ground level I first drove several kilometers gaining altitude and then even trekked to get a glimpse of this reclining posture. With little bit of imagination mixed with reality (see the photo below) one can see that the shape of the lake is that of a woman reclining.


The Reclining Woman - Renuka

Unfortunately, the size of the lake is shrinking due to silting and weeds especially on the eastern side of the lake. The local authorities must take steps of rectify this else a beautiful place like this would one day cease to exist.

Death of a Town - Confirmed

2011-11-12T02:00:00.000-08:00

Recently I had gone to visit a friend in Chirawa again. Chirawa is in The Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan. The last time (three years back) I had gone there I had seen several beautiful old buildings constructed in the old style with drawings on its outer walls. I had that time itself predicted in my blog Death of a Town that these bautiful buildings will soon vanish.

I got this confirmation this time as I saw that most the the old buildings that I had seen just three years back were no longer there. Very few old buildings remained and these were also on the verge of being demolished as can be seen from the photo below. In this photo you can see an old house but in front of that house what you see as a vacant plot was also an old building with paintings that has been demolished.

An Old Painted House in Chirawa

What replaces these beautiful buildings is the ugly so called modern glass buildings as can be seen in the photo below.

The New Glass Buildings Replacing the Old Beautiful Houses

Probably the photos above as well as in the earlier post would serve posterity purpose only. What a sad state.

Beautiful Sunset

2011-10-30T06:02:00.000-07:00

Sunset at my Farmhouse

This beautiful sunset photo was taken recently when I was vacationing at my farmhouse so that I could be away from the Diwali madness of Delhi. One can never expect such beautiful sunsets in Delhi.

The skies were absolutely clear and unlike Delhi no haze or smog was there. Of course, I would have loved it even better if there were some clouds during sunset as then one can watch the changing colour of the clouds!

Pray Without Effort?

2011-10-28T06:50:00.000-07:00

You see the waterfall in the photo below that I have also mentioned in one of my earlier posts (Nature) and a temple complex can also be seen in the foreground. The stoutly devoted ones make the effort to get out of their cars or any other means of transport and walk the very short distance to pay their obeisance and also to donate some money.

Waterfall with a temple in the foreground

What I also noticed was that the pujari (temple priest) of this complex has put a contraption right on the railing of the bridge so that those who do not have the energy, time or inclination to stop and walk to the temple can at least donate the money right on the road! Notice the metal box next to the temple flag. The metal box has a slit for the money to be inserted and also has a canopy so that the money is safe from the elements specifically rain. The priests seems to be a real innovative person ensuring a steady income!

Innovative Donation Box Next to the flag

The temple and the waterfall are approximately nine kilometers before Renuka on the Nahan-Renuka Major District Road in the district of Sirmour in Himachal Pradesh..

Festival of Lights

2011-10-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

Diwali Lamps at Home

Well the festival of lights, Diwali or as some call Deepawali, is here and I have gone away from Delhi to be at my farmhouse away from the noise, pollution and traffic jams that is synonymous with Diwali in Delhi. Yes the lighting is fine as I have at my home.

To all those who celebrate - Happy Diwali!!!

Nature...

2011-10-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

Recently I had gone to the Sirmour district in Himachal on vacation. I crossed this beautiful, clear as ice, waterfall. The waterfall is between Nahan and Renuka, approximately nine kilometers from Renuka.

A Waterfall

And then I encountered heavy rainfall and within minutes a dry rock bed became a furious water channel containing lots of silt. It was a reminder as to what kind of havoc nature can bestow on us if we destroy the vegetation wantonly.

Immediately after Rainfall

Puran Singh Da Dhaba - Revisited

2011-10-09T00:04:00.000-07:00

In the last week I had to cross Ambala twice and what better food, if you are a non-vegetarian, than that of Puran Singh Da Dhaba which of course I had both the times!

The food was as delicious as it was during my first experience. See my earlier post on the Dhaba for greater details.

Keema Kaleji, Mutton & Chicken Curry and at Puran Singh

The slight difference is that the mutton curry prices have gone up slightly but that is to be expected what with the general inflation.

The eatery is open only from seven in the morning till four in the evening.

What the Dhaba needs to do on an urgent basis is to renovate its outer and interiors as it seems that it has not even done white-washing for quite some time.

As it is the nearby dhabas which also claim to be the authentic ones are now advertising that they have been visited and recommended by the famous duo of Rocky and Mayur of the 'Highway on My Plate' fame.

A Painting or a Photo?

2011-09-18T04:30:00.000-07:00

This is a photo that I had clicked when I was travelling in a double Decker bus from Aylesbury in the Buckinghamshire to Oxford on route A418. It was a rainy day (it had snowed earlier in the morning in some parts near Aylesbury) and I had clicked this photo just for the heck of it. It was taken from the front window pane and since the pane had rain water blurring the vision it was much later did I realise that it gives the impression of a painting. The photo was clicked most likely when I was passing Thames town.

On a rainy day in UK

Importance of Time

2011-09-10T03:42:00.000-07:00

It's hopeless what I am asking for:
Time can't be put back to an hour
At which it has been once before;
That's something no earthly power
Has ever managed, to be sure.

Time runs along and flies away
And won't come back until doomsday,
And I well know it isn't right
To ask if Time could halt its flight
Or else if Time could speed its way.

- Cervantes

Kharapathar and Giri Ganga

2011-08-21T05:25:00.000-07:00

I try and visit locations which are normally not frequented too much by the tourists and so I went to Kharapathar and Giri Ganga. Kharapathar is a small village about 85 kms from Shimla in the Pabbar valley and has scenic snow capped views, green dense forests, orchards and wild flowers.

Giri Ganga Resort, Kharapathar

I stayed at the Giri Ganga Resort run by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) - a state government enterprise. The rooms are decent and give good views of the valley and the peaks.

View of the Snow Capped Peaks

Wild Flowers

Next day after a hearty breakfast I decided to take the trail leading to the source of Giri Ganga. The trail is approximately six to seven kms from the hotel one way. I packed a knapsack with water, snacks, chocolates etc and started at Nine in the morning. The view on the trail is very good and you get a panoramic view of the snow capped peaks. If one wants one can drive right up to the top but if you are interested to do so make sure that you have a 4x4 with a high clearance vehicle.

Deodar Forests

The last one-third of the journey not only have denser forest but also the rocks are huge (some several hundred feet long). The path is along the pines first and later deodars and full of wild flowers.

A Water Snout on the trail

Flowers

The Giri Ganga temple complex has five-six small temples of Durga, Shiva etc.

Giri Ganga Temple Complex

Durga Temple at Giri Ganga

The point where the Giri Ganga reemerges (presumably it originates at Kuppar peak and then vanishes and reemerges here. Also known as Giri, it later on merges with the river Yamuna. The actual point is quite hidden and most people presume the larger concrete pond to be the place instead of the actual one (photo given below)

The Source where the Giri Ganga Reemerges (presumably)

The temple complex does not have even a tea stall leave aside any place to eat so it was just as well that I had carried some stuff with me. During pilgrim season I believe several pilgrims do visit the place so it is important that either a private enterprise or the state government comes up with a place to stay and as well as some eateries.

Dhosi Hills

2011-08-07T03:18:00.000-07:00

Dhosi Hills or Dhosi ki Pahadi as they are called locally are situated about eight kilometers from Narnaul, a small town in Haryana on the Delhi - Singhana - Jhunjhunu route. Narnaul would be approximately 150 kms from Delhi. After crossing Narnaul (towards Singhana) one takes a minor road on the left approximately five kilometers after crossing the town and go further 3 kms to the base of the hills.

Interesting Rock Formation to Climb

I decided to climb the hills for the fun of it one winter morning as in summers the rocks would be too hot to touch. I reached the foot of the hills by car at around 7 AM and parked the car and started to climb on the path initially and later on as it became too boring to stick to the path I started randomly to climb and find my own route including some interesting rock climbing as well.

View of the Dhosi Hills as you approach from below

Sunrise as seen after climbing some distance on the Dhosi Hills

As per some sources (I am not vouching for the authenticity of the same) Manu Smriti, Vedas and Upnishads were written in and around this hill. The famous Chavan Rishi Ashram is located here. The ashram gives the looks of a fort.

Chavan Rishi Ashram

The area around the Ashram and the temple is in a depression with the hill walls all around and there is a pond where the water therefore gets accumulated from the whole area.

Remnants of a 500 year old fort built by Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya are still visible at several points.

Fort Walls

The view that I got from the top of the Dhosi hills of the villages down below as well as the nearby areas was worth the climb.

A village seen from atop the Dhosi Hills

Would you like to go there?

Rock Climbing anyone?

Sunset at Mandi

2011-07-30T03:58:00.000-07:00

This beautiful red sky sunset was at a place called Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, India.

Sunset from the balcony of my hotel

Mandi is a small town with a population of just about 60,000 persons. It is located at a height of about 2461 feet above sea level. It can be quite hot during day time even in early winters but nights are cool to cold in winters. From my hotel not only could I view the mountains all around but look down upon the river Beas as the hotel is located almost at the heighest location in Mandi.

Tarna Devi Temple, Mandi

The temple of Tarna Devi situated atop the Tarna hills is quite famous here but when I went there to see this ancient temple there was not much ancient looks to it as the people who manage it has painted it in gory colours and it did not appeal to me at all. Of course the only good thing reaching the temple site was to get views of the town and nearby areas from another angle.

Meeting the Legend - Sir Chris Bonington

2011-06-04T03:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I met the legendary mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington. I got to know that he is coming to our campus couple of months back and since then I was eagerly waiting to meet him. When he arrived on the campus he pleasantly surprised me by saying – so you are the mountaineer here.

With Sir Chris Bonington

Later in the evening he gave a public lecture at Taj Ambassador on “Everest – Peak of Achievement”. The lecture was based on Sir Chris’s experiences as a member of the Norwegian Everest Expedition’s successful ascent of Everest in 1985 to illustrate leadership, teamwork and motivation.

Sir Chris Bonington's lecture on Everest A Peak of Achievement

After the lecture over drinks we discussed some other climbers also like Jon Krakauer, Anatoli Boukreev and others. Another bonus was meeting his co-climber friend Dr Charles Clarke who is an accomplished mountaineer and has written several books on medicine – more specifically on high altitude medicines. He was the medical officer in two of Bonington’s Everest expeditions - 1975 Everest SW Face and 1982 Everest, NE Ridge, Tibet.

With Sir Chris Bonington and Dr Charles Clarke

Britain's best known mountaineer, Sir Chris Bonington has led and been on 19 Himalayan expeditions, including 4 to Everest which he climbed in 1985 at the age of fifty, and has made many first ascents in the Alps and greater ranges of the world.

His most important climbs are:

1st ascent Annapurna II (26,041 ft) 1960
1st ascent Nuptse (25,850 ft) 1961
1st ascent Central Pillar of Freney 1961
1st ascent Central Tower of Paine (8760 ft), Patagonia 1963
1st ascent Old Man of Hoy 1966
Leader of successful Annapurna South Face Expedition 1970
1st ascent Brammah (21,030 ft) 1973
1st ascent Changabang (22,520 ft) 1974
Leader of successful Everest South West Face Expedition 1975
1st ascent, the Ogre (23,900 ft)1977
1st ascent Mount Kongur, Western Xinjiang, China (25,325 ft) 1981
1st ascent Shivling West (21,250 ft) 1983
1st ascent West Ridge, Panch Chuli II, Kumaon Himalaya, India, 1992
1st ascent The Needle, Greenland 1993
1st ascent Rangrik Rang (21,499 ft), in the Kinnaur Himalaya, India 1994
1st ascent Drangnag Ri (22,312 ft) in the Rolwaling Himal, Nepal 1995
1996 Reconnaissance Expedition to Sepu Kangri (6956m) in Tibet
Leader of 1997 British Expedition to make the first attempt on Sepu Kangri
Leader of 1998 British Expedition to Sepu Kangri
1st ascent Danga (24,776 ft) in Nepal in 2000

He has got several awards: Knighthood, CVO,CBE, Hon. DSc, Sheffield, Hon. MA, Salford, Hon. DSc., Lancaster, Hon,. Fellow, Lancashire Polytechnic, Hon. DCL University of Northumbria, Founders Medal Royal Geographical Society, Lawrence of Arabia Medal of the Royal Asian Society, Livingstone medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society

Sir Bonington has authored of 15 books; he has presented and appeared in many television programmes. His books are: I Chose to Climb (autobiography, 1966), Annapurna South Face (1971), The Next Horizon (autobiography, 1973), Everest South West Face (1973), Changabang, Everest the Hard Way (1976), Quest for Adventure (1981), Kongur - China's Elusive Summit (1982), Everest - The Unclimbed Ridge (with Dr Charles Clarke, 1983), The Everest Years (1986), Mountaineer - Thirty Years of Climbing on the World's Great Peaks (1989), The Climbers (1992), Sea, Ice and Rock (1992), Great Climbs (1994), Tibet's Secret Mountain (with Dr Charles Clarke, 1999), Boundless Horizons ( 2000), Chris Bonington's Everest (2002), Everest Expeditions (2003).

Oxford or Cambridge

2011-05-30T21:43:00.000-07:00

Recently when I was reading the ratings of the universities in UK I noticed that Cambridge has taken over Oxford this year.

Personally, if asked where I would like to go again between the two cities Oxford wins hands down. I have already visited Oxford thrice though I have gone only once till now to Cambridge.

Though both the cities are beautuful in their own sense, Oxford is more lively what with more student population and nearly forty colleges - all having majestic building architecture. The residential areas of Oxford are also more bautiful than Cambridge.

Radcliffe Square, Oxford

The night-life and the city centre in Oxford is much more livelier than that of Cambridge. Oxford is more known for Arts whereas Cambridge is more known for Sciences.

King's College, Cambridge

Indian Pond Heron

2011-04-21T02:53:00.000-07:00

Today for the first time I sighted the Indian Pond Herons at my work place. Normally, there are several birds that I see on the campus but this was was the first time that I noticed these ones.

Pond Heron

Pond Heron - a closer look

There are several migratory birds also that do visit the area especially in winters.

Tehri for Posterity

2011-04-08T04:29:00.000-07:00

Tehri town as some of you now know is the New Tehri. The original Tehri town was in a valley whereas the New Tehri is at a much greater altitude.The town is/was part of the Uttrakhand state. In place of the town now there is a huge lake that is the largest man-made reservoir in Asia supplying water to the Tehri hydel power plant.

When I had gone to the Tehri region in 1989 the town was still very much there though the work on the Tehri dam was in progress for the past several years. I even saw Sunderlal Bahugana protesting against the dam.

The picture below will remain etched forever in my mind and I put it here for posterity as the town is no more as it has been submerged by the Bhagirathi and Bhilangna rivers.

Tehri Town in the Year 1989

When I revisited the area again in the year 2005 most of the town was already under several feet of water. The part that was still visible of the town was the 'Ghanta Ghar' (clock tower). In the picture below the top of the clock tower is visible in the centre.

Tehri Town in Year 2005

Of course, now even that as well as any other structure remaining has also gone under water.

That is the price the locals had to pay for the so called development. The locals were given land for agriculture and housing several hundred feet above the level at which they were earlier residing leading to a complete (and devastating) change in their living/working conditions as from a moderate climate they were forced to stay in a cold climate.

Majestic birds for company for an evening walk

2011-03-31T00:35:00.000-07:00

I go for evening walks to the park close to my home. It is a huge park full of trees, birds, water bodies etc. and one can get a company of the majestic peacocks for a walk.

A Peacock strolls among flowers

Normally by the time I go for a walk it is already dusk time and the birds go up on the tress for rest and safety during night or the light is too less for any photograph so this time I went a bit early to capture them in my camera.

Another Peacock goes for a walk

The park probably has 50 or more of these birds and I am happy to see their population growing over the years.

Four Peacock & Peahens

Once it is dusk they fly up on a tree for the final rest of the evening and to also to remain safe from any predators.

Time for a Rest

Ameya Live Performance

2011-02-27T08:35:00.000-08:00

Today I watched the AMEYA group giving live performance at Dilli Haat in Delhi. Ameya is a new and upcoming group which has a great potential.

Ameya Rock Group

Ameya means boundless and this rock group's music is refreshing. This is a five member team and each alphabet also denotes a particular member of the band. The group comprises of Abhishek the vocalist, Vikram the guitarist, Arsh the keybaord guy, Shiva the drummer and Kabir the guitarist. I am sure they will do well and attain great heights in popularity in the very near future. I wish them all the very best!

They All Came Calling Me in Delhi - Picasso, Rodin, Chagall, Dalí

2011-01-24T01:15:00.000-08:00

The wonder of wonders - Picasso, Rodin, Chagall, Dali and others came calling me in Delhi recently! Normally Delhiites are starved of artist shows but I was completely taken by surprise when I read somewhere that such great artists' works would be on display. The works were on display only for four days from 20 to 23 January 2011 at Hall 18 of Pragati Maidan.

Picasso Portrait de Francoise a la resille

The above portrait was made by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) in the year 1953.

Rodin Eternal Spring

Among the greatest sculptors Auguste Rodin's (1840-1917) name would always be counted. Conceived in 1884 this model was cast in 1910. There was one more sculpture made in Rodin at the exhibition - The Thinker which is also considered a masterpiece.

Chagall

I could locate only one art work made in 1980 by Marc Chagall (1887-1985) at the India Art Summit in Delhi.

Dalí Le Yunk et les Yank

The above work is from the great Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) which he made in 1974-75

It would be a good idea to have such works of art displayed at more regular intervals as I remember the last time Picasso's works were displayed in Delhi almost a decade back.

Puran Singh Da Dhaba

2011-01-02T08:46:00.000-08:00

Recently while driving back from Chandigarh to Delhi I decided to halt at Ambala for lunch and I thought what better place to stop than the Puran Singh Da Dhaba (Puran Singh's restaurant). I knew the location to be near the Ambala Cantonement Bus Stand but when I reached there I saw at least more than ten restaurants claiming to be Puran Singh Da Dhaba. And they all beckoned to come to their place but I ignored them as they looked too swanky.

Puran Singh Da Dhaba

I was aware that the original one that is very famous does not have a great external appearance. Also I started looking for the lady whose son now runs the place (as I had recently seen her on a news channel). I finally found her in the back lane. She was chatting with me and told me that everyone wants to use her (husband's) restaurant's name to make a quick buck. This dhaba is located on the back side of the main road and has a rustic look. The dhaba was established in the late nineteen forties by a Punjabi refugee family from the erstwhile west Punjab (now in Pakistan).

VIshal Khatri with Mother (Wife of Puran Singh)

The Dhaba serves only three non-vegetarian dishes - keema kaleji (minced meat with liver), mutton curry and chicken curry. I ordered the first two with tandoori rotis (Indian bread). I found the two dishes absolutely delicious and good in quantity. It was a better fare than any restaurant food that I have eaten in Delhi and the price was may be one-third of what one has to pay in Delhi. In fact the waiter came and served another round of gravy without any further charge!

Mutton Curry and Keema Kaelji at Puran Singh

You can watch the full video of the show of the famous food critic and Indian film actor and director Kunal Vijaykar on how to cook Keema Kaleji at Puran Singh Da Dhaba.

According to Mrs Puran Singh several celebrities are regular visitors to her Dhaba.

All non vegetarian eaters must visit this place if they cross Ambala on the way.

Happy New Year 2011

2010-12-30T22:04:00.000-08:00

I wish you all a very happy and peaceful 2011.

May you have fun and frolic as these ice skaters throughout 2011.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T01:48:00.000-08:00

Wish you all a Merry Christmas

(The above video was taken during a Christmas Fair in London)

Rural Life in Chakrata

2010-12-11T04:01:00.000-08:00

Rural life in the hills has always enchanted me. Here are a few shots of the area in Uttarakhand near the town of Chakrata


A Village Beauty

While walking on a trek met this woman who was sitting outside her home and who invited me to sit and rest and chat with her for a while. She must have been in her fifties or even sixties but still retained the beauty of her earlier years. Look at her tattooed hand. Most women, and even men, in rural areas earlier had parts of their bodies tattooed. Only in the urban areas this is a new trend and that also once it caught their fancy because the western civilization was doing it.

Multi-tasking Hearth

The concept of multi-burner gas ovens is a recent phenomenon, at least in India. But five things can be cooked at the same time on the hearth in the picture above!

A local dish

The dish above is made after drying and grinding of 'khurmani' a dry fruit from the peach family which is then dried in the sun for several days. And it is grounded in this stone grinder lying out in the open.

A Stone Grinder

A Traditional Tile Roofed House

Most houses in this area have slate tiled roofs and are normally at least two storied and sometimes more than two storied as well. The ground floor, normally, houses the animals like cows, goats, sheep and other such domestic animals and the first floor is used by the family for cooking, living and sleeping purposes. This serves two purposes. First the animals can be given good shelters as well as place for the fodder. Secondly, the heat generated by the animals also keeps the floor above warm in winters.


A Natural Storage Space

I noticed that several villagers keep the hay on the trees. This keeps the hay from getting spoilt if lying on the ground and also keeps it safe from stray animals eating it.

Diwali - Love it or Hate it but you Can't Ignore it (contd...)

2010-11-08T23:18:00.000-08:00

Continuing with my previous blog post here is a small video of the fireworks - sometimes it looks and sounds like a war.

And just after a couple of hours it leads to pollution levels rising to an unbearable proportions.

Diwali - Love it or Hate it but you Can't Ignore it

2010-11-07T01:19:00.000-07:00

Houses Lit during Diwali

What I like during Diwali is the lighting done in residential and commercial areas. What specifically I don't like during Diwali time is the traffic chaos on all roads starting a few days before Diwali, and the chaos building up closer to this festival.

Another View of the lighting during Diwali

There are other festivals around Diwali time like Dhanteras and Bhaiya Duj which lead to more festivities and more chaos!

Lakhamandal- An Architectural Delight

2010-10-16T08:11:00.000-07:00

Lakhamandal is a small place in Uttrakhand where a temple of Nagara style was built in the 12th -13th Century AD and is devoted to the Indian god Shiva.

The Shiva Temple at Lakhamandal

A large number of sculptures and architectural remains are also spread in the nearby area though only this temple has survived.

Another view of the same temple

The Archeological Survey of India has unearthed several lingams (phallus) of various sizes indicating that this was an important site about 800 years back.


A sculpture at Lakhamandal

The place also has mythological importance and it is believed by many that a palace was built of 'Lakh' (shellac) to kill the Pandavas.


The Village of Lakhamandal with the temple in the background

The place also houses a museum which has recently been opened but is not very well maintained.There are for example no details mentioned about the period of the sculpture or any other detail. It was also not very well lit inside.

A typical house in the Village of Lakhamandal

Little windows in the houses!

Lakhamandal is approximately 45 kms if you are coming from Chakrata side. Incidentally, once I had crossed Chakrata town I did not see another vehicle till I reached this place. So one has to be sure that your vehicle is in good shape and the petrol tank is full. The road, though metalled, is not in very good shape. And though there are several villages enroute, surprisingly, there is no bus service in this part of Uttarakhand. Compared to this one can get a state road transport corporation bus in almost all remote areas of Himachal.

This Can Happen Only in India

2010-09-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

Recently I was travelling from Chakrata in Uttrakhand towards Kharapathar in Himachal and I stopped for tea at a small tea shop in a small village Kwasi, in the Mandi Parishad of Uttrakhand (also known as Uttranchal).

What I saw there was a foundation stone inaugrated by the Agriculture Minster of the Uttrakhand State about the ropeway from Kwasi to Banyana and Khatua villages.

Foundation Stone of a Ropeway

Next to it I saw the ropeway but it was being used by the locals as a clothesline to hang their clothes to dry. I went near it and found that there was no machinery inside.

The Ropeway without the Machinery!

On making further enquires I was told that though a few years back the machinery was installed and the ropeway was functional but only for two months after which the machinery got stolen! How can this happen without the connivance of the local government officials and a few locals as the machinery is huge and one cannot be just put in one's pocket and walk away.

A 'Green' Snake

2010-09-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

A 'Snake'

I saw this lovely plant which almost looked, at the first glance, like a snake about to strike at something. This was while I was trekking from Kharapathar towards Giri Ganga (a place which is supposedly the source of the river by the same name originating near Kuppar peak. Later on the river merges in the Yamuna river.

Cliff Swallow at Chakrata

2010-07-22T01:29:00.000-07:00

Recently when I was trekking from Chakrata town (Chakrata is in Uttrakhand state of India) to the Tiger Falls, a distance of approximately 12 kms (to and fro) I stopped at a tea stall (the only one on the route) I saw this mud structure hanging from the walls of the shop and I thought that may be it is a termite nest.

The Nest which looked like a termite nest from far

To my surprise I saw a bird going and vanishing in this structure -

The Cliff Swallow

When I went closer I saw that it is not a termite nest but a mud nest which had a opening where the bird had disappeared. Then I realised that it is a mud nest made of thousands of mud pellets and the bird is probably called the Cliff Swallow. For building their habitat they need a nearby mud source. The food is insects which they capture in flight.

The Nest of the Cliff Swallow

Sunrise at Chakrata

2010-06-18T00:30:00.000-07:00

Recently I went on a holiday to Chakrata in Uttrakhand. The weather was nice. I got up at 4:30 in the morning to look at the sunrise (which was beautiful). Unfortunately, in the mountains almost immediately after sunrise the sun becomes very bright and harsh.

Sunrise as seen from my hotel room in Chakrata

Suru Valley, Ladakh

2010-05-28T23:22:00.000-07:00

Among the most beautiful places that I have visited, Suru valley definitely ranks amongst the top few. The Suru valley is in Ladakh province and more specifically in the Kargil district. The valley gets its name by the Suru river. The valley is full of wild flowers, poplars and willows and giving them a stark contrast are the snow capped peaks and massive glaciers. This area also has the two highest peaks of Jammu and Kashmir (the Indian part) - Nun and Kun.

The current of the Suru river is very fast and the water is icy cold. I was chilled to the bone after crossing it!

Bon Monastery in Himachal

2010-05-13T22:33:00.001-07:00

Bon Monastery, or Yung Drung Ling, is about 18 kms from Solan in Solan District of Himachal Pradesh. One needs to take a minor road at Ochhaghat that is Narag-Sarahan road. This is the second oldest monastery in the world for the Bon religion. Bon religion is different from Buddhism and is much older that the latter.

The Bon Monastery Complex

The Main Temple

An interesting variation from the Buddhist tradition is that in Buddhism you always go clockwise when you circle a temple while praying whereas in the Bon religion you go anticlockwise.

Painting

Inside the Main Temple

Huge Conch used during prayers

An interesting motif!

Made of Butter!

Decoration on the wall

A Tankha Painting

Another Temple Complex of Bon

Another Building at the complex

The complex houses a well built library having scriptures of Bon religion. It also has a school where the students study the Bon religion.

Decorated roof with Bon motifs

The whole complex is quite beautiful is is definitely worth visiting. However, there is no place to stay here and one has to probably go and stay in Solan. There are no eateries also that I could see.

Wildlife in Rajgarh

2010-03-05T22:33:00.001-08:00

Rajgarh is a small town located in the Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh in India. I spotted some wild life there and some of the pictures I am sharing here.

Vultures in their majestic flight

A Scorpion

A Snake

A beetle on a wild flower

Around Rajgarh in Himachal Pradesh

2010-01-24T23:50:00.000-08:00

I had gone to Rajgarh in Himachal on a vacation in October 2009 and here are some interesting photos of that trip.

Photo: River Giri, a tributary of Yamuna

The point in the photo above and below this text is about 20 kms before Rajgarh on the Solan-Rajgarh road. There is a small temple also near the bridge here.

The water of river Giri was quite clear in October

A traditional House in a village the Rajgarh area

One can see corn (and sometimes chillies) being dried on the roofs of several houses which give them a colourful look to the houses.

Pine Trees with creepers

Forests above the Rajgarh Town

Overloaded Bus

I saw that majority of the buses on the Rajgarh route were overloaded and people were commuting on top of the buses.

Wild Flowers of Rajgarh

2010-01-10T06:35:00.000-08:00

had gone to Rajgarh in Himachal in October of 2009 and came across several wild flowers when I went around Rajgarh for day treks. I don't know most of the names of these wild flowers. They looked lovely in the wild.

Flower 1

Flower 2

Flower 3

Flower 4

Flower 5

Flower 6

Flower 7

Flower 8

Wild Fruit

Flower 9

Rajgarh: Pretty as a Peach?

2009-12-19T05:42:00.000-08:00

In October this year I decided to spend Diwali time away from the noise and pollution that accompanies this Indian festival in Delhi. So I decided to head to Rajgarh, an unknown town as far as the tourists circuits go.

Rajgarh Town from Higher Up

Rajgarh is a small town in Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh at an average elevation of 1555 meters (5102 feet ). Rajgarh is about 250 kms from Delhi, 100 kms from Chandigarh and 39 kms from Solan. One has to leave the Chandigarh - Shimla national highway 22 at Solan and take a State Highway road for Rajgarh via Ochhghat and Giripul.

A really old house (abandoned) in Rajgarh

Peach Cultivation

The main income sources for the people here are the sale of peaches, other stone fruits and vegetables and wood and wood byproduct like turpentine oil etc.

Resin being extracted from Pine

Dish Dish Everywhere

Himachal, including Sirmour, is comparatively a more affluent state and one can find homes even away from the towns having access to modern means of communication and entertainment

Trekkers Hotel, Rajgarh

The board in the above photo though says Rest House (pointing to the right) as the PWD rest house is next to the Trekkers Hostel.

Initially when I went to Rajgarh I had pre-booked to stay in the Himachal Tourism's accommodation called the Trekkers Hostel. The accommodation is fine but I was in a for a shock as when I reached there they told me that they have no cooks (and therefore no meals) as this is Diwali time and the cook has gone on leave. Rajgarh does not have much to boast of as far as eating joints are concerned. How can you do this to a customer who has paid in advance for your services. Nowhere on the site of Himachal Tourism is it mentioned that this facility is not available. So after two days of staying there I checked out and stayed in a local hotel which had a good cook who served excellent food.

Sky Ablaze at Sunset

2009-11-15T23:08:00.000-08:00

These are the photos that I took at Sunset at a place near Sohna on the 11th November 2009 and the sky was absolutely stunning -

Sunset Photo 1

Sunset Photo 2

Sunset Photo 3

The third photo above is also of the same place but taken approximately couple of weeks prior to the first two photos.

Rewalsar- An Important Buddhist Centre

2009-10-03T06:06:00.000-07:00

A Monastry at Rewalsar

Rewalsar is a very small town near Mandi is Himachal Pradesh but still has three Buddhist Monasteries. One can see lot of very young Buddhist students/scholars who stay in the hostels run by these monasteries here in Rewalsar. After Mcleodganj this probably is the second most important Buddhist centre in Himachal.

View of Rewalsar Lake

When I had gone there I could see very few 'Indian' tourist. Most of the tourist were either Tibetan Buddhist or foreigners from America and Europe.

Another Monastery at Rewalsar

The colours used for painting the monasteries are always bright and cheerful as is evident from the two monasteries above.

Rewalsar Lake, Himachal Pradesh, India

2009-09-19T06:21:00.000-07:00

I had gone to two lake sites in winters, Prashar and Rewalsar, both in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh in India. Prashar was snow bound as it is located at a higher altitude but Rewalsar is comparatively only at 1360 m above the sea level. Rewalsar is a very small town located about 24 km from the Mandi town.

View of Rewalsar Lake from High Up

The town is considered sacred by Buddhists, Sikhs and Hindus alike.

The Statue of Bodhisatva at Rewalsar

The first view of the town is the huge statue of Bodhisatva (it was still partly under construction when I had gone there). Rewalsar has three Buddhist monasteries and has several Buddhist scholars and students studying here. Besides these there is one Sikh Gurudwara as well as three Hindu temples as well.

One of the three Buddhist Monasteries at Rewalsar

If one is fond of Tibetan food then there is no dearth of restaurants offering the same at Rewalsar at very reasonable prices.

Another View of the Rewalsar Lake

The Rewalsar Lake amidst flowers & flags

I had stayed in the Himachal Tourism Rest House though there are other options also available for staying here.

Fish in the Rewalsar Lake

Since the Buddhist consider the place and the lake sacred they take the circle of the lake chanting slogans and also feed the fish in the lake.

Sunset on Waterbody, Himachal, India

2009-09-05T05:50:00.001-07:00

The two images are of the same river but with contrasting results. Both are around sunset time. In the first one it seems as if the river (and the sky) is on fire whereas the second one gives the impression as if it is a frozen river

Sunset on river

See the small boat in the picture above. Of course the view was even more magnificent to the naked eye.

The sunset view of the river as if frozen

Both the pictures were taken in 2008 on the way to Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. I had gone to Mcleodganj via Una. The river is somewhere between Una and Dharamshala.

Suraj Tal Lake, Himachal

2009-08-22T01:13:00.000-07:00

Suraj Tal Lake in Lahaul, Himachal, India

Amongst some of the most beautiful lakes that I have visited in India the Suraj Tal High Altitude Lake is one that I have visited/trekked several times.

Suraj Tal lies just 3 km short of Bara-Lacha-La pass (4890m) and 65 km from Keylong in the Lahaul valley of Himachal Pradesh. The lake is the source of river Bhaga which merges with river Chandra at Tandi to form Chandrabhaga River (also known as Chenab River).

Prashar Lake in December, Himachal, India

2009-08-01T03:13:00.000-07:00

Prashar Lake on Fire!

Among one of the most beautiful lakes I was fortunate to visit Prashar Lake in December of 2007 and what a memorable visit it was. I drove in my car from Delhi in the morning and halted at the town of Mandi and stayed in the Himachal Tourism Guest House there. The next morning I started for the lake and halted in the Mandi Forest Office to check on my status of reservation of the Guest House at Prashar Lake. They told me it is all done but I still took their phone numbers.

I checked on the status of the road till Prashar and I got various conflicting responses from ones that it is all motorable till the very end to one saying that I will not be able to reach even Bagi (the point till where there is a regular local bus service). I thought of trying my luck out. At Bagi had some light snacks at one of the Dhaba’s and re-enquired about the status of the road and still there was confusion so I moved on.

Beyond Bagi one could hardly call it a road or even a kutcha (unmettled) road. I was somehow about to go 12 km beyond Bagi when I encountered ice as well as huge piles of snow on the road and my Suzuki car could not go any further that that. Also I got a flat tyre due to the bad road. So I decided to dump my car at that point (Shogi), took out all important stuff and trekked all the way till Prashar (at places in deep snow). We reached in the evening and the caretaker at the Guest House had no information and therefore first refused to give accommodation and after lot of persuasion and making him talk to the forest officials at Mandi via my mobile phone he reluctantly gave a room. The Rest House had no water as the taps had frozen and the caretaker told as that for all purposes we have to go out in the open for the call of nature. There was no tea for food available except for the one dhaba which is close to the lake (half a km from the Rest House).

After dumping our stuff in the room we walked towards the lake and the first view we got of the lake wiped away all these small irritants as the sight was beautiful to behold.

After staying there by the lake we filled the water canteens and went to the dhaba and had dinner and returned back to the Rest House.

The Forest Rest House at Prashar

The whole of next day we loitered around the lake area and circled it several times and it was the best photography session that I have had in some years. Though the water is ice cold (half the lake was frozen early in the mornings) but in the sun even in December I felt quite warm and comfortable. Nights of course were chilly but then I love the cold weather.

View of Prashar Lake and and Temple from High Up

Another Long Shot View of the Prashar Lake and the Temple

On way to Prashar Lake from Shogi

Another Rest House (PWD) coming up near the Forest Rest House

The trip came to an end too soon for me as the third day we had to return back. I started the trek early so that I can reach the car and change the tyre and reached another lake town Rewalsar late in the evening. I will write about Rewalsar in another post!

Brahamaputra Magic

2009-07-25T01:58:00.001-07:00

The Brahamaputra river is so wide that it gives the impression of being at sea instead of a river. This video is of Guwahati in Assam, India.

Bristol, UK in December 2008

2008-12-31T00:39:00.000-08:00

I visited Bristol on the 10th of December in 2008. This city is located in the West England and is a mix of ancient and modern. It was the old part of the city that I liked. Photos of some of the interesting sites in Bristol that I visited:

A Cathedral

The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity (a)

The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity (b)

The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity (c)

The Old and the New Together

The above photo is of a dilapidated church building where a Christmas Market along with the fun wheel etc were there and presented a nice view of the old and the new together

A Panoramic View of Bristol (a)

A Panoramic View of Bristol (b)

A Panoramic View of Bristol (c)

Bristol Waterway

Another Cathedral In Bristol

An Interesting Wall Painting Outside a Building!

Bristol University

A Street in Bristol with Bristol University Tower in the Background

Chepstow in Wales, UK

2008-12-29T21:01:00.000-08:00

Recently I had an opportunity to go to Chepstow, a small town in the Wales in UK in December 2008 where I stayed for two days. It is a very small town by the river Avon. Just sitting by the river and looking at the nature can make your day. Here are some photos of this town that I would like to share with you.

River Avon near Chepstow

Hotel Marriott St Pierre Majestic Entrance Where I Stayed

Flowers at the Hotel

A Lake View

A Majestic Tree

Partially Frozen Lake

A Fort in Chepstow

Unfortunately by the time I got an oppurtunuity to visit this site it was already dark (it gets dark by 4 PM in winters) and there was no lighting arrangement at the Fort. Probably this is something to be taken care of by the Chepstow and Wales Tourism departments to atleast light up the outer walls!

A Church In Chepstow

Morning Frost in Chepstow

Frost in Chepstow

The frost was a feature in December in Chepstow and all grass use to look white in the mornings. The frost used to be there till at least noon and then again used to come back later in the evening

Cambridge in December 2008

2008-12-25T22:39:00.000-08:00

Recently in December 2008 I had gone to Cambridge in UK for some official work. I reached Cambridge on the afternoon of a cold, cloudy and rainy 13th of December. My meeting were to start at 5 PM so I had couple of hours which I utilized in visiting this beautiful University town. The main area of attraction are the five or so colleges of the University all located in the City Center. Cambridge though is smaller than the other University town of Oxford but the city center is equally beautiful. Most attractive is the King's college. Below are some photos of this town.

King's College, Cambridge

Canal near City Center, Cambridge

The Cambridge University

McLeodganj, Dharamshala, Himachal

2008-09-11T23:47:00.000-07:00

Recently I went on vacation to McLeodganj also known as Upper Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh in the month of August 2008. McLeodganj is the town also known for the headquarters of the Tibetan Government in exile. Though most of the time it rained a lot but still the trip was good and the Tibetan food fantastic. Here are a few photographs of the trip that I would like to share.

Entry into Himachal near Una

I drove to McLeodganj from Delhi on 14th August 2008 and it took me 14 hours to reach as for the first 9 hours there was heavy downpour till I was in the plains. There is a bad stretch of road between Una and Amb so one has to go very slow. Also lost more than half an hour on the way as at one stretch a big Eucalyptus tree was being cut by the villagers and therefore the road was blocked. While coming back it took me 12 hours to reach back to Delhi.

View on the Way

Sunset by the River

Namgyaima Stupa in McLeodganj

Tibetans Marching in Protest Against the Chinese occupation & Olympics

While the Olympics were on at Beijing each day at McLeodganj there was a candle light protest march against the Olympics, Tibetan occupation by the Chinese and the Tibetan genocide.

Protest Against the Chinese Occupation at the Tsug-Lha-Khang Complex

Dal Lake, McLeodganj

The walk to the Dal lake from McLeodganj is about three kms one way and is enjoyable as it is pretty green on the way.

Dal Lake, McLeodganj

The Church of St John-in-the-Wilderness

This church was built by the the British in 1852 and is surrounded by big deodar trees and is surrounded by marble gravestones. This again is an interesting area to go to by walking.

Henna Trade on the Path

Wild Flowers

Wild Flowers

Trek to the Falls near Bhagsunag

Bhagsunag is again about 2-3 km walk from the town. This has become almost a mini-town in itself and is quite commercialized. The Bhagsunag temple, though supposedly very old (more than 10,000 years as the local put it) but there is not much to see from the architecture point of view as most of the complex has been remade with bathroom tiles!

The Waterfall

The walk to the falls and the fall itself, which is massive, is worth it.

The Natural Way to Chill Cold Drinks in Remote Places

Even Goats Need Shelter from Rains

Kinnaur & Spiti

2008-07-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

Had the opportunity to travel to Kinnaur and Spiti few years back. The photos that I had taken that time were from an ordinary non-digital click-and-shoot type camera. As I was revisiting the photos I thought of posting some of them and therefore scanned them to upload.

Ki Monastery in Spiti

Ki is the largest gompa (monastery) in Spiti located on a scenic conical hill about 14 km from Kaza town which is the administrative headquarters of the Spiti province. More than 300 lamas of the Gelugpa sect reside here. The gompa is located at more than 13500 feet from sea level.

Due to lack of land resources even now in most families only the eldest son retains the land and the younger sons are sent to various gompas to lead a monastic life. In the case of daughters also the eldest daughter is married and gets all her mothers jewelery as part of the wedding gifts. Most of the younger daughters are also sent to the gompas as nuns.

Spiti has some of the highest villages in the world

Kibber (13700 feet approximately) and Gette at about 14000 feet are considered highest villages in the world. The famous Ladarcha festival is held near Kibber every year in summers.

A typical kitchen-cum-living room

The temperatures in winters can dip to below minus thirties (centigrade). Therefore all homes have a constant fire burning and has their living rooms and kitchens as one unit only.

Even now some families in Lahaul as well as Spiti follow the polyandry system wherein only the eldest sons gets married and the wife is considered to be a wife of all the brothers in the family. The system has its origin in the scarcity of arable land in the area (it being a cold desert). To avoid any fragmentation of land holdings this system prevailed though recently the system is on the decline. All rights in this system go to the eldest son and the off springs of the wife are considered as children from the eldest son.

Spiti valley and river

Spiti is the main river of this area. It has its origin in the Kunzam range. A major tributary, Pin river, also joins Spiti river on its right bank besides several other smaller tributaries. . The Spiti river finally merges in the mighty Sutlej river at Khab in the Kinnaur district.

Mud Towers in Spiti

Huge mud-tower formations could be seen at various locations in Spiti. These are a result of natural erosion process taking place.

Spiti River with Mud-Towers

Spiti Valley

There is scarcity of arable land in Spiti. Wherever there is some soil formation which is suitable for agriculture Spitians make use of that area for cultivation whatever be its height

Lahaul in Himachal

2008-06-14T21:51:00.000-07:00

The traditional dress of Lahauli women consist of tight fitting Pyzama and a Dugpo or ladies gown. A sash is worn round the waist over the Dugpo.

Two Lahauli belles in the traditional attires

A Himachali dance during a festival in the Lahaul region

The confluence of two rivers Chandra and Bhaga at Tandi in Lahaul which join at this point to flow as Chandrabhaga river. Also called Chenab river from this point onwards by some. Both the rivers originate around the Baralacha La (pass) which at 15486 feet is the gateway between Lahaul and Ladakh regions. The chenab river is approximately 1200 km long though in Lahaul it flows only for about 120 kms and then flows into Kashmir and Pakistan and ends its journey into the Arabian Sea.

Confluence of Chandra and Bhaga rivers at Tandi

Landscape in Lahaul which falls in the Trans-Himalayan rain shadow region. Also called the cold desert.

A Lahaul Landscape

Another view of Lahaul

Lahaul & Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India

2008-06-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

This is a photo that I took near Batal (3960 meters) which is at the foot of Kunzam pass that links Lahaul with Spiti in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India.

Photo: An overloaded vehicle!

The majestic Chandratal lake (4270 meters) in Lahaul. These photos were taken when there was no road to Chandratal though I believe now one can take a vehicle very close to it. What a pity.

Photo: Chandratal Lake

Photo: Chandratal again

A traditional thrasher at work in a village in Pin Valley in the Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India

Sun and shadow together: a view of Tabo in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India

Death of a Town

2008-03-03T22:33:00.000-08:00

As a blogger this is my first post.

Recently I had gone to a small town called Chirawa in the Juhunjhunu district in the state of Rajasthan and I was amazed to see the impending death of this small but important town of Rajasthan. Nearly most of the old buildings constructed in the old style and with beautiful drawings on the outside are being demolished and being replaced by ugly so-called modern structures.

In fact the beauty of the drawings is that though several of them have been painted nearly 80 to 100 years back but still look as if they have been painted recently.