There are some incidents that are life changing, and the extent of their magnitude may not be known at the moment when you are actually in the midst of it. But the memories keep surfacing long after the deed is done. And the Darcha to Padum trek (Lahaul to Zanskar) has been a monumental journey…
Category: Zanskar
A Day at Karsha Gompa, Zanskar Valley
After relaxing for two full days in a cheap guest house in Padum, I was mentally and physically ready to explore Zanskar’s tourist attractions! Karsha Gompa is the biggest monastery in entire Zanskar valley. Karsha Village is located 7 km away from Padum and the monastery is set on a hillock on top of the village. Karsha…
Lamas at Phuktal (Phugtal) Monastery
Last year in Keylong, on a whim I had decided to trek all by myself to Zanskar. Upon reaching Purne, my tattered state was realised and I decided to take it slow and explore the remote cave monastery of Phugtal (also sometimes spelt as Phuktal). The path was treacherous and a swaying bridge had almost…
Doing the unthinkable – Solo Trekking to Zanskar
My Lahauli friends chide me for being too upbeat about trekking to Zanskar, all by myself. ‘Even we locals don’t go alone’, they say. The trek path begins from Darcha on the Manali-Leh route, just an hour’s drive away from the district headquarters of Keylong. Cloudy weather has caused the atm machine to not work for…
Trekking from Purne to Phugtal Monastery, in Pictures
Read : Stunning experiences from the most remote monastery in the world Read : Leh-Ladakh : Amalgamation of Cultures Read : Wanderings in Lahaul – Tayul Monastery Read : Wanderings in Lahaul : Kardang Monastery Read : Lamas at Phuktal Monastery Chortens, monks, a monastery guesthouse and the greatest…
Stunning Experiences from the Most Remote Monastery in the World – Phuktal
Everything felt like a mistake. My mind was numb, blood oozed out of the fingers of my right hand courtesy of the hanging mesh wires on the dangling bridge. It was an indigenous structure made with a combination of stones, branches and twigs with ropes balanced by the weight of a few large stones. The Tsarap Chu…