Himalayan Faces

 Watching from the ruins of her home - Kaule Village - Nepal after the earthquake April 2015

On my treks over many years in the Himalaya, I have been fortunate enough to photograph the people living in these remote locations and villages. Some of the interesting faces of the Himalaya are in this post.

At Tashiding monastery Sikkim - March 1987 

Porter in the Solu Khumbu April 2011

Boys from Photoksur village - Zanskar September 2007

Leh Ladakh September 2008

Samagaon - Manaslu region April 2017

Watching masked dances at Tabo, Spiti October 2011

For more photographs from the Himalaya please do visit www.sujoydas.com

Nicholas Roerich and his love affair with Kangchenjunga

Nicholas Roerich (1874-1947) is best known as a painter but he was also a prolific writer. He produced five books the most famous being Altai Himalaya and Shambala.

Roerich was also predominantly a "mountain artist" and I have been quite surprised to see the number of paintings he did of Kangchejunga and the Himalayan ranges from Darjeeling and also Kalimpong. After a long expedition in Asia from 1923 to 1928, the Roerich family settled in Darjeeling and it was during this time that most of these paintings were done. Roerich later moved to Naggar near Manali in Himachal Pradesh and passed away there in 1947.

Some of his most outstanding works on Kangchenjunga are below:

Many of these works are available as prints on the internet. Do visit http://www.roerich.org/gifts-prints.php

Ten Great Treks of the Indian Himalaya

This is a list of my personal ten great treks in the Indian Himalaya not in any specific order!

Green Lakes - the base camp of Kangchendzonga in North Sikkim  

Off limit to trekkers for many years and rigidly controlled by a permit system, few have made it to the north east base camp of Kangchendzonga. In the summer of 1987, supported by an Assam Rifles team who were climbing the peak, I reached the Green Lakes Base Camp in the Zemu Valley. The trek is around 8/9 days from Lachen (up and down) and has some stupendous views, rhododendrons and blue poppies, bharal grazing on the Green Lake plain and Siniolchu, that perfect mountain, visible from the Zemu glacier. The trek needs full support with tents, porters and food to be carried. It is on my agenda to take a South Col team to Green Lakes soon!

  

Dzongri and the Goeche La - the approach to Kangchendzonga from the south 
Much more accessible than the northern approach, Dzongri is an alpine meadow around 4000 metres near the glaciers of Kabru and Ratong commanding some superb views of the Sikkim Himalaya. The trek from Yuksam to the alp of Dzongri takes two days though some do it in three to aid acclimatisation. From Dzongri you can go both to the Goecha La pass following the Prek Chu river or make a rewarding detour to the HMI base camp at Chauringkhang below the peaks of Kabru and Ratong. The view of Kangchendzonga from the plain of Onglakthang before Samiti lake is stupendous especially if seen on a moonlit night!

Across Zanskar - Lamayuru to Padum and onto Darcha 
This could be the "ultimate trek" in Ladakh crossing seven passes in seven days from Lamayuru to Padum and then again  crossing Shingo-la  from Padum to Darcha. The trek traverses heights upto 5400 metres and drops to the valleys around 3500 metres. Sadly, the trek will soon be no more thanks to a road which is relentlessly being carved out along the banks of the Zanskar River from Nimu to Padum. So while the going is good I would advise to do this trek. Great views, fabulous country, the real "last Shangri-la" . Please visit  www.sujoydas.com/ladakh-zanskar for photographs of this trek.

The Nanda Devi Sanctuary 
This trek had been closed for many years in order to conserve the environment of the inner sanctuary. It is now open against a permit upto Dibrugheta - the inner sanctuary is still closed. The views of Nanda Devi from Dharansi Pass and Saini Kharak are indeed spectacular and Dunagiri dominates most of the trail from Suraithonta to Jhandidhar. Water is a problem on this route and you need a guide who is familiar with the terrain and water sources. The round trip Suraithonta-Dharansi Pass-Lata Kharak-Lata would take around 5-6 days. Full arrangements need to be made for tents, food, cook and porters on this route which can be done by several trekking agencies in Joshimath. 

Rupkund - The Mystery Lake 
The bugyals of the Garhwal are nowhere more beautiful than on the trail to Rupkund. Bedni Bugyal with its dress circle view of the Garhwal peaks is an idyllic campsite with lush meadows in the summer and monsoon. The trek would take around 7-8 days and there are some huts which could be used for shelter. We never had a tent and stayed in the huts and the rock caves of Baguabasa. It is possible to continue on from Rupkund and cross Juiragali and return to the valley via Kanol and Sutol. Porters and food would be a necessity on this route. For details please visit  http://www.roopkund.com/complete-trek-details.html

The Kuari Pass and Curzon's Trail 
It is now possible to reach the Kuari Pass from Joshimath in two/three days via the ski resort of  Auli, but, it is still rewarding to walk the Curzon trail from the village of Ghat across theKauri Pass and then descend to Joshimath. The pass made popular by the early British explorers to the Garhwal like Frank Smythe, Bill Tilman etc. commands an extensive view across the mountains of the Garhwal Himalaya. The full route would take around -5-6 days and post monsoon would be an ideal time to do this trek. The meadows between Kuari and Auli are home to the shepherds who graze their sheep and goats on the lush vegetation during the monsoon months. For details please visit  http://sadanandsafar.blogspot.in/2010/07/twin-treks-to-kuari-pass-and-nanda-devi.html

The Singalila Ridge of Sandakphu and Phalut

Though it is possible to drive a landrover from Darjeeling all the way to Sandakphu in a bone jarring ten hour journey, the walk from Manebhanjan to Sandakphu and then along the ridge to Phalut is highly recommended. The trek can be done without porters or guides as there are lodges to stay and food is available. It is possible to return from Phalut via Gorkhey and Rimbick. The Singalila ridge is one of the few locations where four of the five highest mountains in the world are visible - Everest, Kangchendzonga, Lhotse and Makalu. It is possible to trek this route in winter as the altitude never crosses 3600 metres. 

The Lakes of Ladakh - Tso Kar and Tso Moriri 

The trek from Rumtse to Tso Kar and then onto Tso Moriri  which would take around 8-9 days is one of the great walks in Ladakh.The trek needs to be done with full support-  tent, ponies, cook and food. The trail passes through the high altitude plateau of Rupshu with a lot of wildlife en route - kiang (Tibetan wild ass), marmots, ladakh pika, red wolf, ducks and geese.  We attempted the trek in late September 2008 after heavy snowfall had covered  the Ladakh and Himachal mountains. Unfortunately we managed to reach only Tso Kar after which the snow conditions which were steadily getting worse put paid to our plans. August would be a good month for this trek before the onset of winter. It is necessary to have transport at Tso Moriri arranged as the bus to Leh is only twice a month!  For photographs please do visit http://www.sujoydas.com/Ladakh-and-Zanskar/Ladakh

The Source of the Ganga - Goumukh and Tapoban 

The trek from Gangotri to the source of the Ganga at Goumukh and then onto the high meadows of Tapoban and Nandanvan is one of the finest walks in the Garhwal. The views of Shivling, Bhagirathi peaks, Kedardome, Meru are outstanding from the Tapoban meadows. On a good day bharal (blue sheep) can be seen at very close distance. It is advisable to camp one night at Tapoban and another at Nandanvan before returning to Gangotri. The trek would take around seven to eight days return. Crossing the Gangotri glacier can be difficult if it has snowed recently so a guide could be useful.

The Pin Parvati Pass

The journey from Kulu valley into Spiti across the Pin Parvati Pass is not for the faint hearted. The pass is often snow bound even as late as June/July and snow flurries and storms in bad weather makes the crossing extremely difficult. Having said this, it is a very rewarding trek for a well equipped group with guide, porters, food, tent and proper equipment. The trek from the Kulu side starting at Pulga  should take around seven/eight days. For a trek diary please do visit http://runturn.blogspot.in/2006/12/pin-parvati-trek.html

For more details of treks in the Himalaya do visit www.southcol.com or www.facebook.com/southcolexpeditions

The Himalayan Seasons II: Lahaul & Spiti

On the trail between Komic and Demul  in Spiti  at an altitude around 4500 metres

This is the second part of an eight part essay on the seasons in the Himalayas one part every week. This part covers Lahaul and Spiti.

December to March
It is peak winter and temperatures in Kaza can be down to -20C on some nights!  The road from Simla to Kaza along the Sutlej is kept open despite snowfall which can block the road from time to time. Some hotels and guest houses in Tabo, Nako and Kaza continue to function. For winter photography this is the time! Be prepared for delays due to snowfall and road closure.

April and May
In the valleys spring would begin in April. The apple blossoms would come into bloom especially near Tabo and o along the drive between Nako to Kaza.  From Mid April the weather is suitable for jeep safaris as the warmer days would melt some of the snow and make the passes feasible. The weather would still be cold and expect freak snow storms even in May!  

June to September
These four months are the peak season in Lahaul and Spiti. The days can be hot and sunny and temperatures can rise to 25-28C! The Kunzum la pass would be probably open in mid June and remain open until mid October depending on snowfall. It is possible at this time to make a full circuit route starting from Simla going upto to Tabo and Kaza in Spiti then across the Kunzum la into Lahaul and then down to Manali. The more intrepid can continue the circuit by following the road from Manali to Leh (two days) and finally exiting Leh either by flight or carrying on down to Srinagar making it a trip of a lifetime but you need a lot of time for this! The valleys are green in June-Aug becoming brown with the approaching autumn in Sept. Late Aug to mid Sept is  a wonderful trekking  time and good for the high pass crossings  like Kibber to  Tso Moriri across Parang La.

October and November
 There are not many tourists at this time. The tourist traffic remains until Kunzum la pass is open. Once it closes the traffic also dwindles. The first two weeks of October can be interesting as the autumn colours are quite spectacular! The road from Simla remains open and it is possible to do a journey into Spiti and return the same way.

Photography Locations
Here are some of the good photography locations:

• The monastery complex of Tabo in the early morning
• Old Dhangkar monastery and fort
• Chandratal Lake
• The village of Komic located at 4500 metres
• The drive from Kaza to Kibber via Ki

For an overview of the region please do visit my photo galleries.

Spiti Images

This is my second instalment of Spiti images in black and white. For more photographs of Spiti please do visit my web site www.sujoydas.com/spiti.

Komic village

High pass between Langza and Komic - peak of Chau Chau Kang Nilda 

Lhalung village

Monk at Kye monastery

Dhangkar - the new monstery complex

Spiti Photographs

This is a small collection of black and white photographs from Spiti. For more photos please do visit my web site www.sujoydas.com/spiti.

Komic village

Rooftop at Tabo

Ki monastery

From the Dhangkar monastery looking at the Spiti river

Spiti valley below Ki monastery

The Spars Lodge at Simla

On my recent visit to the Spiti valley I stayed for two days in Simla at the very comfortable Spars Lodge, located near the Museum and above the Hotel Oberoi Cecil. The lodge was built by Arindam Joshi in 1996 and has eight  bright and sunny rooms with a  beautiful view of the Simla hills and the valley below. The lodge is extremely quiet but yet not far from the heart of Simla. The very pleasant walk from the lodge to the Simla Mall would take around twenty minutes.

The dining and sitting area of the lodge 

Arindam is a gourmet cook himself and his menu has all sorts of delicacies which are usually not available at a hill station. We had poached trout for dinner, deliciously cooked with apple pie and ice cream for dessert!

Arindam Joshi who runs the Spars Lodge in Simla

Rooms start at Rs 700 for singles and go upto Rs 2200 for large suites.
For a stay at Spars please do contact Arindam Joshi at joshiarindam@yahoo.com or 0177-2657908 /98163-72323.
Highly recommended folks!