The Ladkah Series: Leh- Destination One

Our long journey of 3 days finally ceased with our destination Leh. Tired but excited we seeped in the Army accommodation guest house. The next 6 days, gave me an opportunity to get a feel of Leh, which in fact was quite unlike the picture I had in mind.

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The city of Leh is the capital of the Ladakh province and situated at the banks of Indus. Leh is located about 475 kms from Srinagar and 450kms from Manali, the two most preferred cities to travel to the destination. The travel to Leh has been as wonderful journey and as good as the destination. For benefit of all, I would like to reiterate the fact that ladakh is a province and Leh is the capital city. I often missed this point and would use the term Leh ladakh quite naively. The Ladakh province in itself is a part of the J&K state and in fact in the Himalayan region often addressed as Jammu, Kashmir and ladakh state. A point, we in the rest of India often miss out. People often wonder how Ladakh, a predominantly Buddhist habitat would be a part of Jammu (Hindu base) and Kashmir (Muslim base) state. The history goes that the Namgyal, the rulers of Ladakh were defeated by Ranjit Singh, the king of Kashmir and as a part of an agreement; Ladakh became an integral part of J&K. The people of ladakh have still not come in terms with this fact and internally still within crave for their own identity.

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Coming back to Leh, I often visualized when detailing our trip, how the city of leh would be. Pictures of a very sparsely populated city with not much accommodation and food facilities would often come to my mind. But I guess globalization has caught us everywhere and Leh isn’t spared either. Leh, like any other tourist centers has what you ask for- the Hotels, the restaurants and the shopping Centers (malls may soon come up). So folks who plan to do a Leh trip without a package tour can do so with any hesitation and can get accommodations ranging from Homestay (Rs 200/- onwards) to luxury hotels.

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An important question, that arises out when planning for a Leh trip is - what do we visit in Leh. Being the capital city of the erstwhile ruler, makes Leh quite an accessible place, with most of Palaces and Monasteries build around the city. One can visit all the 3 palaces- Shey, Leh and Stok along with monasteries – Thiksey (15 km), Spituk (7 kms), Leh and Shanti Stupa, in a single day tour. One can go shopping specifically around the Tibetan market for precious stone, dry fruits and clothes. Mind you, the cost of goods is slightly higher in Leh due to transportation cost that is involved. Adventure sports needs a mention with Rafting, rock climbing and cycling being conducted in packages. We had the opportunity of rafting (Grade 3) in the Zanskar River and it was a wonderful experience. The package included transportation sans lunch for Rs.800/-. One can do a mix of cycling and rafting for a day’s package of Rs.1500/- that would include lunch.

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When in Leh eat what the ladhaki’s eat, ie the rice, dal, sabji and roti. Yes, this indeed is the staple food of the people which being a contradiction to them being having a close food habit with the Chinese and Tibetan counterparts. However the famous restaurants in Leh serve predominantly Chinese food. A few to mention are - Tibetan Kitchen (My take), Summer Harvest, and Chopstick and Dreamland. I would also suggest that one visits the German Bakery (Nothing to do with the Pune branch) for some nice coffee and cakes. The shopping center and the restaurants are all situated in a market place and at walkable distance to one another.

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Finally, a point of advice - when you touch base Leh, you may find it nice and warm, but as the day progresses to nights, you may experience headache and weakness. A two days rest is highly recommended with a constant need to sip plenty of water. Start your day early and rest well into the night and you shall enjoy every moment of this Ladakhi expedition. Amen.

The Ladakh Series: To Leh Via Zozilla

I was Pondering how i would wind up the Photoselection process this week and as well as write atleast an article on the ladakh series. I had soon identified my solution in Murali-my colleague, roomie and good buddy who also accompanied me to ladakh. I convinced him that writing an article for my blog would make him famous. It worked.lol.

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The Jammu- Leh travel thru Murali Rajan

The Aii Jat Express dropped us at Jammu 2 hours late... fresh though from a luxurious second AC travel, we searched out for options to reach Leh. Finally one sardar approached us and bellowed “where to...?” a few minutes later, we were in a innova careening through the streets of Jammu, under the guidance of Tiger aka D S... tiger was to drop us at Leh in couple of days time. Once out of Jammu, the beauty of this place began to reveal itself...on the climbs to Srinagar, the landscape changed dramatically and just as we wanted, all in gorgeous green (news of argentina’s destruction of Korea added to the glee)...but the most terrific moment of the day came after we crossed the 2.5 km Jawahar Tunnel. The first sight of the magnificent snow capped Himalayas caught us all in awe... just mind numbing experience... we sat all the way to Srinagar grinning in quiet satisfaction...

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At first light, we set out again... breakfast by the Jhelum river, feasting on some sumptuous aloo parathas and puri bhaji, we were luving it...

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“Gar firdaus zamin hasto, Hami asto, Hami asto, Hami asto ...”

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Kashmir is truly a land of extraordinary beauty... lush green meadows, snow capped mountains, frothing rivers... truly a spectacle to behold... we hit the first pass of the many to cross at Zozilla pass...the route also held the war memorial for the war of ’99... the war was fought on the mountains of Tiger Hill, Kargil and the Tololing Range... we stopped for lunch at Drass which is the second coldest inhabited region in the world (Siberia hold the record), and set forth for Kargil, where we initially planned to stay... a tiny little town with a bustling market awaited us... had the first taste of namkeen tea from Kargil which Dilip loved... however since we had reached very early, we decided to leave for Mulbekh... the local tourist office confirmed that a guest house was available... we hit the roads immediately to reach Mulbekh before sundown. The beautiful village with the guest house bordering the farmland... it was deadly cold that night, lit up a campfire though... and thanks to ali bhais hospitality, we slept like logs...

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We left mulbekh at half past seven in the morning; hit some bad road patches before we reached Fotu La, the highest point on the Srinagar Leh Route. We had our first sight of a monastery at Lamayaru... the Alchi monastery was also on the way, but since both required detour from the main road, we decided to skip them both... Lunch at Basgo was our last stop and we eagerly looked forward to reaching Leh... well into the third day in innova, a nice warm room with a good bed beckoned us... MES accommodation, thanks to mahima, Chang La was just what the doctor prescribed..

The Ladhak Series :Day Zero- The Deadly Run…..

We (Murali and Self) were excited and looking forward for our trip to ladakh. We were scheduled to fly at 6.45 pm from Pune airport to Delhi and then catch a train to Jammu from the Delhi old station. We had a gap of 1.45 hrs to cover up the distance between airport and station, which seems quite reasonable with the help of the Delhi Metro.

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Abhi dropped us at 5.30 pm at the Pune airport and we were pleased to see the Indian Airline flight on schedule. We comfortably checked in and boarded the flight at 6.40 pm. All seems on track.

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But surprise, surprise. The flight scheduled to depart at 6.45 only departs at 7.25 pm, i.e. a loss of 40 min and we could touch base Delhi airport only by 10 pm. No way, can we now reach on time at Delhi station by 10.30pm to catch the scheduled train. We still rushed out (thank god, we hadn’t checked in our luggage), caught a cab and let him know that we needed to zoom off. We did not realize that we had jumped into “a sheep in wolf’s clothing” The cab was a CNG vehicle and was not capable of zooming past the 50 Kmph mark even on the empty eight lane super highways of the capital. Holy shit we screamed and seeing even bikes overtaking us, helplessly said to our self “Allz is well”.

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Dilip & Mahima had been waiting for long at the station and they informed us that the train was running behind the schedule. The Hope brightened. But our CNG cabwala was convinced that no way we could get to the station in 30 mins. Infact he wasn’t even making an effort. He even stopped for a Gas fill. But Dilip kept calling us, keeping our hopes alive and kicking.

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At 11 pm we touchbased the Delhi Old station. As we stepped in the train blew its horn and arrived elegantly at the station as if she was just waiting our arrival. It was a scene just like the Hindi Filmi movie, but unbelievingly true. Maybe somebody somewhere was praying for us. However we didn’t have to run and hop to the compartment, as the sweet train decided it would halt for another hour at the Delhi Station.

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I couldn’t have asked for a better and exciting start to this journey. Just before a dozed off in the comfortable two tier Ac compartment of the train, my heart beat fast and politely said to me “Kahani abhi katm nahi huan hain dost”…………..The Journey had just began.

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P.S: With the Manali Leh highway blocked, we were not left with any option but to take the Srinagar-Leh highway on both the counts.

Off for a While....

I have a dream. All of us have a dream. People dream of wealth, joy, happiness and Offcourse vacations. The Couples dream of Paris, the Vacationers dream of Europe, the Oldies dream of the State's and the Singles dream of Bangkok. I dream too. I have always dreamt of Ladakh.

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I had promised myself last year, when i had just returned from my bagpacking stint in Uttaranchal, that same time next year, i gonna land myself in the Mountains of Ladakh. I see myself fulfiling my dream. The 16th of June 2010, along with Murs, Baba and Mahima, I start my 11 days trip to " The land of numerous Passes". And off course accompanying us will be my camera kit ( Canon 1000D, 18-55,55-250) and a new babe, the gorgeous, the beautiful and the elegant (did I fgrt to mention the " Expensive"?) Canon 10-22mm wide angle lens.

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The Journey starts from Pune- Delhi-Manali-Sarchu-leh-Nubra-leh-Pangong-Leh-Kargil-Srinagar and Back. Sound exciting isnt it. But there is a catch to the plan. The Manali Leh highways isnt open yet and BRO isnt sure of it too. But then whats life without a sense of mystery. So folks pray for me. Pray for my dreams. Luv.S.
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“Dreams are illustrations... from the book your soul is writing about you.”

Shitty Bored.....

I havent been doing much these days. I aint reading a book, nor playing tennis, nor doing Photography, or anything interesting. And the suprising part being that my Office isnt keeping me busy too....

So what am i doing i ask myself?

I am reading a little, flirting a little, playing a little and enjoying a little. Isn't that enough i ask me? Isn't a bit by bit making up for the whole. No i guess!!!

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M Bored to death. Why do i of death so much these dayz.

The 100th Post

Life they say is a drama, where every protagonist has a script custom designed for him. A script; you are completely unaware of and written by someone up there. Some scenes require you to meet specific people every day, who never influence you and sometimes some people only once, who infact change the course of your life. I say, isn’t this an Irony…….

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I have been influenced, loved, hated and been dismissed by many. At each stage of my life, with each scene I deliver, I have been confident of predicting the next one. But gosh, every time I am convinced of the script, Bang Bang - a new twist with vivid turns is embedded in my script. I say, Aint I lost yet again…..

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Such is the uncertainty of life that if people now ask me what I plan for the future, I stare back at them with convincingly blank look. Yes, I am best being blank. Blank against planning, blank against being prepared for my next scene and just blank against my future.

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I say, let me live life as it comes. Let me extempore my journey as it comes……

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“Life is a culmination of Happiness, Sadness, Awe, Anger and Peace. All packed in a single drama, whose show begins at the birth and ends only with your existence”

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P.S: Thank You all for sticking here for the last 3 years. Its been a pleasant journey so far and i am sure, the future holds lotsa more suprises. So stick On....

Cant be Transparent......

Ask anyone who knows me and all of them will tell you just one thing- that I am extremely a cute fella. However they also say that i look cute and simple only on the first impression. And once people know me, they loudly proclaim that i am a Devil In Disguise.

Is this the reason, this fellas are staring at me? But this was the first time we met. Could they have seen me in and Out. Could they have done that?

Food for Thought...

Our reason for sheer hardwork and slough is mere Food. But over a period the factor has taken a backseat and other luxuries in life have just popped out. But anyways notthing is as good as good food. And Nothing can beat Moms food.

Mom- I luv you and ofcourse your delicious food.

The Suspicious Creature

Once upon a time, there lived an weird cock called Mr. Suspicious. He was a pleasant looking man, but with a susupicious eye. He looked at his wife with Suspicion and so, his boss and peers. His relatives and close friends werent spared at All. All their good effort in helping him resolve this grave behaviour would backfire and they would meet their dead ends.

Few months turned into year and years into decade. Alas nothing could change this man. One fine day, his wife brought in a servant called as Mr. Good. Suprisingly things became better that year and the family ties improved. Now this lead to a good news in the family and a baby boy born. The mother named him Mr. Happy. And believe it or not the the Mr. Suspicious suddenly changed and became neutral. Abh Bolo Kyun??

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Kyun ki , Suspicious ko good and Happy ne balance kiyain na baba. Arey yeh maine nahi newton ne Bola. I was trying my scriptwriting skills. Ok fine, no more stories from now on. Happy? Who says we have freedom in this Country?

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Enjoy the pic now:)

Another Big North Indian Wedding

What do i say of about these North Indian wedding. They are big, infact Grand. Right from the clothes, Food and the Music, everything is planned and given utmost importance. The good food flows and there is so much of energy around. And then how can i miss the crowd. Folks the gurls are Hot and there is hariyali everywhere, just Everywhere. A sight for Sour eyes i say.

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Was wondering when my friends drop down for my wedding ( many many yrs later)in Goa. The poor folks will be thoroughly dissapointed. Forget the food, there will be no hot babes too. The only gurantee i give is the Booze, Unlimited booze. So cheer, Lifes isnt that bad!

My Heartiest congratulations to the new couple on the block, Mr. & Mrs Jigyesh Mehta. Cheers.

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"To keep your marriage brimming, with love in the wedding cup, whenever you're wrong, admit it; whenever you're right, shut up."

Catching Time....

I wish time never passes by. But neverthless, i know its passing. And at a quite steady pace. How can i stop it?

Can SomeOne help me please???

"Oh! Do not attack me with your watch. A watch is always too fast or too slow. I cannot be dictated to by a watch."

Touch and Run: Rajasthan

Another short trip to Rajasthan and this time again it's for a friends wedding. The best part of north indian weddings is the 2B's and 1K. Matlab Babes and Booze accompanied my mast khana. Wat can one ask for in life?

The trip though short was rather pleasant one. The only curse remained the sleeper compartment of my train. I need a bloody Ac one. And with india economy back on track, the AC tickets get sold out like hot cakes.

Ok fine, I know i am spoilt.

Random Sunday and Random Scribling

Why?

I say, why are we expected to do something in this journey called life. Do something that makes us proud, makes your parents happy and makes people to remember you after you are long gone. Born arent we with expectations. lol.

I dont want to achieve anything or overachieve nor Underachive. Let me be in peace.

" Watt the Fuck. I am good doing Nothing. Thank you."

A Slow death...

My past is crystal clear and the future is blur. The present is just stuck.

Am i dying a slow death??

" Tears are words the heart cant express"

FC- Faces that count

When i started my photography journey, I was asked " Dude, whats ur focus area". I had laughed then. How could one have a focus area in photography. You click things that you liked. How could one restrict themself to Potrait, Architecture, Landscape and All. However suprising, i am today into Potraits. Faces charm me and b\w photos induce me.

I have taken the liberty of posting photos of my workshop mates without seeeking prior permission. Kajari, Atul, Radhika -I just couldnt help posting this. Spare me.

Peace, Love and happy Click.

Fergusson College

Gods has been good to me these day. Lifes been better in terms of money, friends, health. Quit things that i would have loved too. Few things fallen in place, few more to settle.

As the Saying goes " Harr Kutte ka din Atha hain. Today is Mine"

PhotoGraphy Workshop @ British Library

Attended a Workshop at British Library. The idea behind my attendence were two things. Point A, that there would some fundamental technical learnings, that i could take out from the sessions. And B - Meet like minded people who have or wish to develop a passion for photography.

Point A proved to be decently good. However i have realised that i am more inclined towards what i exactly require in my frame, rather than keenly being involved in the technicalities like shutter speed and aperature. Point B - We have did a Photosession at Fergusson college which was a good start. Lets See how far the folks keep this passion alive.

The bottom line is that such activities keeps, One going. And sometimes, this is all That Matters.