Zooming in, right from the gregarious green of Kinnaur to the brown barrens of Spiti, here’s a photo essay on Kinnaur and Spiti. Taking you from right across world’s most treacherous road, hollering rivers, sparkling waterfalls and rolling meadows to the lofty Himalayan cold deserts and hidden lakes. It’s as close as you can be to the paradise that is Kinnaur and Spiti. For an itinerary and route map for a trip to Kinnaur and Spiti, read our other story on the same.
Hand-painted, carved gateways to even the tiniest of villages, trademark Spiti.
En route Tabo, Spiti
Spiti, a desert that’s often paid visits by colours though…
A Speck Of Pink In The Barrens Of Tabo, Spiti
no place can be as colourful as Kalpa in Kinnaur…
Kinner Kailash Guarding the Kalpa Monastery, Kalpa, Kinnaur
Or, as magical as the Kinner Kailash range that guard the ancient temples there
Evening Lights Coming Alive at Kalpa Temple, Kalpa, Kinnaur
There would be days of just cobalt blue and muddy brown
Army Bunkers Standing In Contrast To The Blue Skies, En route Tabo
But then, you would have astoundingly green lakes and cotton clouds coming in!
Clouds Hovering Over the Nako Lake, Nako Village, Spiti
there would be days when you will have nobody else, for miles
You’ll Run Into People Lost In Such Reveries, Solitary Roaming The Spitian Himalaya
Only to have the loneliness broken by such sudden and grand company!
A Masked Dancer Entering The Monastery Courtyard At Ki Monastery, Spiti
For one moment, you’ll chuck your religion and worship nothing but nature
Kinnar Kailash Range Indulging In Some Cloud-Play, Kalpa, Kinnaur
And the very next, you’ll be putting your faith in prayer flags!
Buddhist Prayer Flags Guarding A Mantra On Mountainside at Tabo, Spiti
Though brown would take over every other colour for days…
The Dusty, Barren Road Towards Komic, Spiti
It’ll be waved off with starkly surprising green soon enough!
Rolling Meadows At Chitkul, Kinnaur
While you would be listening to Buddhist mantras in the front lane…
The Buddhist Monastery At Kalpa, Kinnaur
there would be ancient Hindu symbolism waiting in the back lanes
A Part Of Kalpa’s Ancient Temple And Fort Complex, Kalpa, Kinnaur
For hours, you would be driving on “World’s Most Treacherous Road”
The Gorgeous Kinnaur-Spiti Highway Is Riddled With More Than Just Shooting Stones!
Only to be comforted by the sight of another tiny monastery and prayer flags guarding your way!
Chorten And Prayers Flags Riding the Wind Near Kunzum Pass
Though I could go on and on, writing more about Kinnaur-Spiti and uploading some hundreds of photographs that might be the next wallpaper for your computer’s screen, you must be yearning to hit the roads for yourself. Do so now, or maybe in winters when the region turns stark white, everything going for a camouflage under thickly falling snow. Whatever the weather, Kinnaur-Spiti wouldn’t disappoint you ever.
Text and photos by
Shikha Gautam, she loves to play with steering wheels, roads, words, flute and guitar among other things. Not necessarily in that order! You can contact her on twitter @ShikhaGautam
All the photos and text are copyright reserved.
