As I reached Kasol I realized that it’s no more a dreamy small town where mornings start with mushroom thukpas and evenings extend to accommodate endless rounds of ginger tea with lavish displays of cakes from the German bakery. It has turned into a busy, touristy town, but still holding onto that quintessential Himalayan village…
Category: The Himalayan life
The trinity of love and charm: Kalga, Pulga, and Tulga
One of the most amazing things about traveling to Himachal is the small villages that dot the valleys. And each village is packed with its customs and stories. I was in Parvati Valley which has steel for such stories. Nestled in the Kullu valley, cut by the enchanting Parvati river, the area follows some old…
Manikaran Sahib: A confluence of faith and ideas
Everyone has a reason to come to Manikaran Sahib. Often it depends on what religion one follows. For me, it was about finding a town by the river, in the lap of the mighty Himalayas, and a confluence of faiths, customs, and ideas. The history of Manikaran dictates that the town was touched by both…
Oh my gosh!! Tosh
I feel I am getting more immersed and intense at my ‘do nothing’ philosophy of holidaying. I have started to hate too much activity in my holidays, and settle in someplace where I can lounge in the tranquility, soak myself with the local lifestyle, and breathe in the moments. The holidaying period would only include…
Spiti: The untouched land
Five days on and Spiti had been a promised traveler’s delight. These had been days full of explorations, welcoming smiles, giggles, and developing a bond with Spiti. The hospitality of Kaza had taken me over. All you need to do is to break the ice with a smile, say ‘Juley’ (greetings and respect), and engage…
Spiti: The hill of temples
This was my fourth day in Spiti valley, and with every turn, I was getting more acclimatized and acquainted with this middle land. I didn’t have to spend hours to learn that this cold desert, a heady mix of barren mountains, unexpected bursts of green fields, and deep gorges formed by the fierce Spiti River,…
Dhankar: Somewhere perched high
The 1000-year-old Dhankar, perched precariously on jutting rocks on a mountaintop. The Dhankar monastery is listed among the 100 most endangered monuments in the world by the World Monuments Fund. The old monastery is on a constant fight with the elements of nature. While it’s still in good terms with snow, and an unimaginable amount of it, it is losing battle against increasing and disturbing patterns of rainfall, a fall-out of global reality of climate change.
Tabo: About a life untouched
An eight hour journey, on the world’s most dangerous roads, can be both tiring and exhilarating. But the views of the craggy peaks whooshing past the window, the spectacle of a turquoise ribbon of river cutting through the valley, hundreds of falls and streams merging into the river, and the bends taking you from one…
Kalpa: A cultural osmosis
Below flows the roaring Satluj river, snaking its way through the valley, above stands the mighty Kinnaur Kailash as a royal guard, and tucked between these two forces of nature, is the small hamlet of Kalpa. No sooner the bus brakes mooned, wheels screeched, and I got down and framed the first frame of this…
Hand of Colors 