The Arashiyama bamboo forest is one of the popular destinations in Kyoto . A grove of Sagano bamboos on either side of a walking trail creates a serene and mystic atmosphere.
It was raining when we visited the bamboo forest and it was very crowded too. At a quieter time, the place would be a peaceful and meditative place. The sound of the wind blowing through the grove can be very mystic. It is a symbol of connection between nature and Japanese aesthetics. It is a kind of spiritual escape for the locals particularly with the associated temple.
Bamboo is a symbol of resilience and strength and was a favoured spot of the aristocrats in ancient times.
Several private and public grave yards were seen in the vicinity of the bamboo groves.
Some pictures…
The passage between the bamboo groves
The sun tries to peep through the trees…Public and private family graves were seen in the park and along the walking track
From the bamboo grove, we proceeded to the Kiyomizu-dera temple, another Kyoto landmark…
The Kiyomizu-dera temple
Kiyomizu-dera (Pure Water Temple) is an ancient Japanese temple located in Mount Otowa in Kyoto and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Legend
It’s founding is shrouded in legend and says that a monk Kenshin had a dream that led him to the site of the temple where he discovered a golden stream and and tracing its source reached an ascetic Gyoei Koji who was practicing under a waterfall. Kenshin made a wooden statue of Kannon the God and enshrined it there marking the beginning of this temple. The waterfall known as Otowa falls is still part of the complex.
The Temple
As we entered the temple, a flight of stairs with a decorative gate welcomed us.
The entrance
A decorated bell fry adorned the landing
Bell fry
A wooden walkway with beautiful lanterns lead us to the main hall of the temple.
The walkway with beautiful lanterns
The temple is best known for its main hall which has a large veranda supported by tall pillars that juts out over the hillside offering beautiful views. The cherry and maple trees below on the hillside breaks into colour in autumn offering amazing views . The peculiarity is that no nails have been used in the construction. The pieces are wedged together like in a lego set.
The verandah jutting out over the hillside with the trees bursting with colours in autumn
A view of the trees on the hillside from the verandah
It houses the temple’s primary object of worship, that of Kannon (Avalokiteswara) with eleven faces and a thousand arms.
Avalokiteswara (Kannon) God of compassion
Behind the main hall is the Jizo shrine dedicated to the well being of children
The Jizo shrine
The three storied Koyasu pagoda stands among the trees and is believed to bring easy and safe childbirth.
Koyasu Pagoda
Beneath the main hall is the Otowa falls with three channels of water falling into a pond. visitors can drink this water which has wish granting powers.
The Ottowa falls
Like in other temples in Japan, a vibrant shopping area awaited us outside. Largely consisting of eateries, the shops looked very attractive and colourful. We spent some time here before proceeding to the bus on our way back to our hotel.
Some pictures…
The vibrant shopping area
Hope you all enjoyed the sightseeing destinations in Kyoto. Kyoto has a lot to offer in terms of cultural experiences which will be a different episode.
See you next week at Owakudani, the volcanic zone we visited enroute Kyoto…
Located in the beautiful city of Kyoto in Japan is this majestic temple called Kinkaku-ji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion in Japanese) also known as the Rukuonji temple. The top two floors of the temple are coated in 0.5 um gold leaf. The gold incorporated into the building is believed to negate any negative thoughts and feelings towards death. The aesthetic construction with the golden building reflecting on the pond below is amazing indeed! It is a World Heritage Site since 1994.
History
The origin of Kinkaku-ji dates back to the 14th century . In 1397, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu took over the retirement villa that stood here. He built the Kitayama palace centering the golden stupa. This was the centre of politics and culture and was used to welcome the Emperors of Japan and trading partners from China. After Yoshimitsu passed away, it was converted into a temple as per his will.
The temple has a rather sad history when a young mentally unstable monk set it on fire before attempting suicide in 1950. The monk survived but passed away in 1955 of tuberculosis. A book “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion “by Yukio Mishima refers to these events.
The statue of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was destroyed in the fire and later restored. The present pavilion was built in 1955 and is three storeys high. In 1984, it was noticed that the gold leaf was peeling off and then it was restored with thicker gold leaf.
A silver pavilion temple has also been built on its model in Kyoto called Ginkaku-ji by Yoshimitsu’s grandson on the other side of Kyoto city.
Architecture
The three floors are built in distinctly different styles and serves as a shariden housing Buddha’s ashes. It reflects the wealthy aristocratic style prevalent in Kyoto during Yoshimitsu’s time.
The entrance
The landscaped garden with walking path
The building itself is located in a garden landscaped in muromachi style, a classical japanese strolling garden style. Located in a pond, the structure provides a stunning reflection of itself in the water. The pond has 10 smaller islands.
The temple and the pond
The temple adds to the beauty of the surroundings…
As we look closely we see details of the amazing architecture….
The first floor called Chamber of Dharma is designed as an open space with verandahs and uses natural unpainted wood and plaster. Statues of Shaka Buddha and Yoshimitsu are present here . Though you cannot enter the temple, these can be seen through the sliding doors which are often open.
The second floor is the Tower of Sound Waves built in style of warrior aristocrats and has a hall and Buddha shrine .The statues here are not shown to visitors.
The third floor is built in Chinese style and called Cupola of the Ultimate.
The roof is a thatched pyramid with a bronze phoenix on top.
Close up showing the three floors and phoenix clearly
The Fudo Hall with the image of the wise man and protector of Buddhism lies along the path. A thick rope which helps in sounding a gong ( to awaken the Gods to your prayer) is another unique feature.
Fudo Hall with the gong and rope
The garden with bonsai trees adds beauty and in fall, the colours add another level of ethereal beauty to the temple.
The beautiful garden
As we walk along the path, there is a spring and a waterfall…
The spring and the waterfall
The garden has few other points of interest including a pond that never dries up and statues where people throw coins to fulfill their wishes.
Drop coins for good luck
A Sekkatei teahouse …a traditional Japanese tea house can be seen just before one exits the temple.
The Sekkatei Tea House
Leaving Kinkaku-ji, we headed to another of Kyoto’s iconic temples…The temple of tori gates…Fushimi Inari.
Fushimi Inari
Famous for its tori gates, this temple too is very attractive and sacred to the locals.
The shrine rests on the mountain called Inariyama and aims at promoting the harmonious coexistence of deities, humans and nature. Inari Okami, is the presiding deity of the temple founded in 711 AD. People gather here to pray for bountiful harvest, business prosperity , safety of home and family and fulfillment of wishes.
Tori gates are traditional Japanese gates to Shinto shrines. They are composed of two vertical posts topped by two cross beams and painted red. The Japanese believe that passing through a Tori gate is a transition into a holy space.
Fushimi Inari has almost ten thousands tori gates which straddle the walking path that leads to the wooded forest of sacred mount Inari. Inari is the short form of “Ine Nari” meaning reaping of rice in Japanese. There are more than thirty thousand Inari shrines from all over Japan that are affiliated to Fushimi reflecting the importance of this temple to the locals. Foxes are believed to be messengers of Inari and many statues of foxes are seen across the shrine.
Our visit
As you enter the complex, the main Tori gate is called the Romon Gate.
Our group below the Romon gate (a tori gate) with the Fushimi Inari shrinebehind
The main shrine with the sacred fox images on either sideThe side view of the main shrine with the steps leading to the Tori gates
As one walks up the stairs one comes across a board explaining the location of various shrines at the temple.
Our guide shows us the tori gates on a board and explains the location
A wishing horse is another speciality here. Though the temple was primarily meant for praying for good harvest, people believe that praying to the horse for progress in business ventures is helpful. Many people put their visiting cards inside.
The wishing horse….note the cards inside the shrine
Just behind the main shrine is the entrance to the tori gate covered hiking trail which has parallel rows of gates called Senbon Torii creating an impression of a tunnel. There are believed to be ten thousand such gates that lead to the top. These gates are donations by individuals whose names are inscribed on the back of each gate.
The gates with names of donors and giving a feel of walking through a tunnel
Click on video to walk through the Tori tunnel
After the first set of parallel gates are over, you reach an open area with multiple shrines.
Shinto shrine with a display of fox amulets
The decorated fox statues seen all around this temple
Lot of locals were trying their hand at lifting a heavy stone known as the Omokaru stone. Making a wish and lifting it is believed to grant the wish if the stone feels lighter after you make the wish.
Lifting the Omokaru stone
The gates continue from behind this upwards to the mountain and lead to several smaller shrines covering a distance of four kilometers and takes around two hours to walk.
We had limited time and so walked back to our bus after visiting the temple. Like most temples in Japan, the paths leading to the temples are lined with plenty of shops selling food items and souvenirs.
Tempting display of food items along the walking path to the temple
Enjoying some of the treats on offer, we walked to our bus after a great day of sightseeing at Kyoto.
Hope you enjoyed these unique Japanese temples.
See you next week with more from Kyoto, the beautiful Japanese city
Mt. Fuji ( Fujisan ) , Japan’s iconic, sacred active volcano is the nation’s tallest peak at 3776 mts. Mt Fuji lies around 100 kms from Tokyo, close to Yamanashi where we stayed overnight for our tour up this mountain. From Tokyo, the peak is visible on clear days . The day we visited the Tokyo Skytree was not exactly a clear day. However, we did get a glimpse of this iconic peak for a short time when the clouds decided to grace us!!!
Our first views of Mt Fuji from Tokyo Skytree when the clouds decided to bless us!!
Though the exceptionally symmetrical cone covered with snow is what makes it so attractive, there is a huge crater on the top . The snow here lasts for about five months in a year.
Japan has a long history of mountain worship and Mt. Fuji remains revered and respected as a site of spiritual importance for the locals. It is one of Japan’s “Three Holy Mountains”. Today women can climb Mt. Fuji ; but there was a time when they were forbidden to do so for religious reasons. Besides this, it is a cultural icon in Japan, frequently depicted in their art, literature and the subject of many poems.
Visiting Mt Fuji is a spiritual journey for the Japanese
Mt. Fuji and its surroundings are a popular recreational destination for hiking, camping and relaxation. The mountain is divided into ten stations from bottom upwards and the fifth station can be reached by vehicle. From the fifth station, one has to hike up to the peak using one of the four trail routes. The most popular months to climb Mt. Fuji is July to October when the weather is warmer and buses to the trail heads are available. Huts above the fifth station are also open during this period providing food and other supplies for the climbers.
The mountain is surrounded by five lakes and the entire area is known as the five lakes area from where one gets great views of the mountain . Staying in the five lakes area overnight is a good option to enjoy the ambience and prepare for the climb up. Hotels here offer good hiking, fishing and camping opportunities .
Hot springs with Onsen facilities are another attraction here. The spring water loaded with mineral salts gives a refreshed feeling. Lake Kawaguchi at Yamanashi is one of the five lakes that surround this mountain.
Our Trip
We drove from Tokyo to Yamanashi and stayed overnight near Lake Kawaguchi. Next morning we went up to the fifth station. Since describing the beauty in words can never match the views; I shall let my pictures talk to you from now on…
Driving from Tokyo to Yamanashi, the first views of this majestic peak were exhilarating …
The first views of Mt Fuji from our bus as we were heading to Yamanashi
Our Hotel at Yamanashi overlooking Lake Kawaguchi
Fall colours at Lake Kawaguchi
Mt Fuji from across Kawaguchi lake
Mt Fuji at night ….view from our room
Mt. Fuji as the first rays of the sun kiss the revered mountain top…..
And after the sun washes it with its rays….
The views as we climbed up to the fifth station
Our group at Mt Fuji fifth station
View of Mt Fuji from fifth station
The shopping and recreational area at fifth station
Another view from fifth station….to the right of Mt Fuji
Overwhelmed with the beauty of the place, our guide literally had to pull us all away to get on to our bus heading to our next destination
Hope you have enjoyed this virtual visit to Mt. Fuji. But no virtual visit can match a real life experience and this is one that you should not miss. So head on….
Meanwhile do remember to subscribe, like and comment below.
Till we meet at our next destination, its sayonara from me…
Our second day at Tokyo saw us visiting the Rikugien garden also called the Zen Garden.
Rikugien Garden
One of Tokyo’s most beautiful strolling gardens, it is a tranquil garden with a central pond, walking paths and iconic bridges representing scenes from Japanese poems. It is an ancient garden created in 1700 and offers visitors a feast of colours in all seasons. During spring, the cherry blossoms are all in bloom giving the entire garden a pinkish hue. In autumn, there is a myriad of colours leaving you mesmerised.
Night views with illumination are also organised during special occasions.
Some pictures…
The autumn colours were just starting at…Rikugien
The central pond with the reflection of the trees
The bright colours of autumn
More colours….
The grooming of a tree
An antique bridge adds to the beauty
After those amazing autumn colours at the garden, we proceeded to the Meiji-jingu shrine
The Meiji Jingu shrine
This shrine is peculiar in that it is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken ; the first Emperor and Empress of modern Japan. However, the Emperor’s grave is not located here but in Kyoto. It was built between 1920 and 1926 and lies in a man made tranquil forested area with gardens and long walking tracks in the midst of the Tokyo hustle.
Shinto is the original Japanese religion with no founder, no holy book but values harmony with nature and a true sincere heart. They believe anything divine is Kami (spirit).
The tranquil surroundings of the forest were really appealing in spite of the crowds.
In less crowded times; it would be a very meditative experience…..my thoughts as I walked along…
A traditional bridge in tranquil surroundings
Chrysanthemum is the national flower of the Japan and the symbol of the Imperial family . A beautiful display of Chrysanthemum flowers and bonsai trees greeted us to the shrine.
The Chrysanthemum and bonsai display
One of the unique features of this shrine are the barrels of wine and Sake displayed decoratively.
Along the pathway on one side are displayed wine barrels. Emperor Meiji loved French wine and encouraged the adoption of western cultures in the Meiji period when Japan started getting modern. Barrels of French wine were donated and is still offered at the temple.
Wine barrels with the donor’s name
On the opposite side , parallel to this are displayed decorated Sake barrels.ake plays a very important role in Shinto . Emperor Meiji encouraged technological advancements in all areas including sake production. The barrels displayed here are empty and are offered along with sake in bottles as a token of gratitude by brewers.
The juxtaposition of traditional Sake with modern Wine is symbolic of the adoption of modern while retaining the traditional; an approach adopted by Japan in the Meiji period
Sake barrels
Walking along the gardens one reaches the Tori gate that mark the entrance to the sacred area of the temple. The Tori gate has Chrysanthemum crests which signify the connection of the royal family with Meiji-Jingu.
Tori gate with chrysanthemum crest
An open courtyard lies ahead of the gate
A group picture in at courtyard leading to the main shrine
A Temizusha or purification area where one can wash one’s hands and mouth to purify oneself before visiting the shrine greets us here.
The Temizusha
Next is the Minami Shinmon or the main gate which is a grand, traditional wooden gate of impressive size, featuring ornate details, a teal roof, and marking the main entrance to the inner shrine area.
Minami Shinmon
Two large camphor trees…the husband and wife trees stand in the foreground of the main shrine. linked by a rope symbolising happy marriage.
The husband and wife camphor trees bound by a rope
Ema or wooden plaques where one can write one’s wishes or feelings of gratitude are available and many locals tie it around the tree.
Ema or wish amulets
That led us to the ornate main shrine. The intricate designs and architecture of this structure is strikingly similar to many Hindu temples of Kerala.
The main sanctuary with beautiful architecture
After this cultural treat, we headed to a Japanese restaurant for lunch. More on that later….
Post lunch we headed to the Skytree, the towering icon of Tokyo
Tokyo Skytree
This is a broadcasting and observation tower located in Tokyo. At 634 mts., it is the tallest tower in the world. The older Tokyo tower no longer gives digital broadcasting coverage as it is surrounded by high rise buildings.
The base of the tower is shaped like a tripod but from a height of 350 mts, the structure is cylindrical and gives panoramic views of the city and the Sumida river. There are two observatories at 350 mts and 450 mts height. There is a glass skywalk that gives a direct view of the streets below.
A view of Mt Fuji from this tower is a coveted sight on clear days.
Some pictures…
The Sky tree
Entrance to the Skytree
Sky tree and the old Tokyo tower as seen from our hotel
Four ultra speed elevators takes us to the Tembo deck which is the observatory . These lift decorations feature the four seasons and operate at 600mt/minute speed. It reaches the deck in about 50 seconds.
The lift reaching the deck as shown on a video inside the elevator.(click on video)
The Tembo deck or observatory is circular and has large glass panes around providing views all round. A part of the deck has glass floor which gives views of the steel framework and the street below. At various points along the circumference are signboards guiding us to the important landmarks visible from that direction.
The Tembo Deck
Glass floor
Views of Tokyo city and the Sumida river from the deck
Sky tree provides views of Mt Fuji on clear days. Unfortunately it was hazy when we were at the sky tree. However we got a fleeting sight as the clouds decided to grace us!!
Blessed with a fleeting view of Mt Fuji as the clouds cleared.
A cafe and souvenir shop also function here.
Evenings see the Sky tree illuminated in various hues. …Iki, Miyabi and Nobori themes. The Iki theme is the water theme in tribute to the sumida river and has the central tower in faint blue.
The sky tree illuminated in Iki theme
From here we headed back to our hotel for dinner and rest . Next day we were to head for Yamanashi for Mt Fuji views.
It must be amply clear by now how Tokyo truly amalgamates the ancient and the modern.
See you next week from Mt. Fuji. Till then, do subscribe, like and comment.
Tokyo is Japan’s bustling capital that provides the visitor a taste of diverse experiences ranging from the ultra modern to the traditional. With its towering skyscrapers, neon lights and flyovers crisscrossing the Sumida river on one side and traditional temples like the Senso-ji and Meiji Jinku on the other ; it is truly an amalgam of modern and traditional Japan. It is exceptionally clean and so difficult to find a public dustbin ; that we wonder if it really is the world’s most populous metropolitan area ?
It is the main economic centre of the country and the seat of the government and the Emperor of Japan. Originally known as Edo, it has evolved from a small fishing village to what it is today. And one has to remember that all this has been achieved in spite of numerous earthquakes and the World wars that plundered it.
Landing at Narita airport, these were the signs that greeted us…
First glimpses of Japan
Driving from Narita airport to town, we did see the towering skyscrapers, flyovers and sparkling billboards of modern Tokyo.
A beautifully lit bridge on the Sumida river with skyscrapers in the background
The busy locals and the colourful billboards
The disciplined movement of traffic is something that is striking!!!! (click on video)
We checked into the beautiful Tokyo Dome Hotel and the views from there were wonderful.
The Hotel and a bird’s eye view of Tokyo city
This Hotel is part of an entertainment arena called Tokyo Dome. It has various fun activities and shopping areas in the complex.
The illuminated Tokyo Dome arena and entertainment area (click on video)
The brightly lit ferris wheel in the shopping area.
Next morning, looking down from our hotel room, the organised movement of people at the signal amused us as they resembled small black ants….click on the video below for some fun…
Bird’s eye view of the start to a day at Tokyo…(click on video)
Soon we were on our way looking around and we first visited the Imperial Palace and garden.
Imperial Palace and Garden
The primary residence of Japan’s Emperor, this palace is located on the grounds of the former Edo Castle. It features Japanese style gardens with historic castle ruins, moats, walls and the Nijubashi Bridge. The outer gardens are accessible to the public but the inner gardens are not.
Some pictures…
A bronze statue of Kusunoki Masashige a famous 14th century samurai adorns the pathway of the garden near the palace. He was very loyal to the Emperor and is seen here awaiting his return from exile. It is regarded as one of Tokyo’s important bronze statues.
The garden
The bronze samurai
The Japanese style garden with bonsai trees
The Nijubashi bridge across the moat is famous for its two arches like two eyes. Behind it is the original bridge and to the left is the main entrance to the palace
Nijubashi bridge with the palace watchtower behind
The palace gates
Our group at the outer gardens
The entrance to the inner gardens
Some of the buildings in the palace complex with stone walls and moats around
From here we proceeded to the Asakusa temple also called the Senso-ji temple.
Senso-ji Temple (Asakusa Temple)
Dedicated to Kannon, the Bodhisattva of compassion it is believed to be one of the most widely visited religious sites in the world.
The senso-ji legend
In 628 AD, two brothers discovered the statue of Kannon while fishing in the Sumida river. The statue was 5.5 cms in height and made of pure gold. This idol is housed in this temple which was completed in 650 AD making it Tokyo’s oldest temple.
Asakusa was at that time, a small fishing village in the Tokyo bay. Visitors flocking to worship Kannon increased the popularity of not only the temple but Asakusa too. Gradually the placed developed and by the 18th century, it became a very busy part of the city. Destroyed during an air raid in WW II, it was rebuilt in 1950.
The Temple
The entrance to the temple is dominated by a Thunder Gate with a massive lantern painted in red and black suggesting thunder clouds and lightning.
The Thunder gate
This gate leads to the Nakamise-dori the shopping street that has shops selling food items, souvenirs, Buddhist scrolls, kimonos, traditional fans and curios.This shopping street was established after the locals were given permission to run the businesses in exchange for keeping the street clean.
Nakamise -dori (The shopping street)
The shopping street ends at the inner gate or the Treasure house gate which is a two storey gate with Senso-ji’s treasures in the upper floor.
Treasure house gate
The temple grounds house the main hall, and a five storey pagoda. The main hall houses Kannon. A large beautiful shrine lies inside the main hall but the statue of Kannon is never shown to the public. The entrance to the main hall also has a huge red lantern.
Just outside the main hall is also an incense burner and purification fountain found in most Japanese temples.
The incense burner and purification fountain
The main hall of the temple (side view)
Entrance to the main hallwith the huge red lantern
The main shrine
The beautiful five floor pagoda
Shinjuku
Another interesting destination at Tokyo was the Shinjuku shopping area full of billboards and malls. Some pictures from Shinjuku.
Some pictures from Shinjuku shopping area
That brings us to the end of this episode. Next week we uncover more of Tokyo.
I hope you enjoyed this tour to Tokyo. Await more from this great city…
This episode is particularly dear to me as it highlights the Army museum in Leh . Known as the Hall of Fame, it stands as a memorial to the soldiers who laid down their lives for our country. A walk through this museum and its environs makes one’s hair stand on edge.
Take a look…
Exhibits of tanks and heavy artillery adorn the area around the entrance to the museum.
One of the exhibits displayed near the entrance to the museum
Hall of Fame
Our group salutes the real heroes of our country
A feeling of patriotism grips one as we enter this divine place with exhibits divided into various sections.
The tricolor with some of the regimental flags
One of the soldiers described his experiences during war and the difficulties of daily life in high altitudes like the Siachen glacier. His power packed narrative left most people teary eyed and made us all feel proud of our soldiers and our country.
A proud moment with the valiant Siachen hero
Photographic depictions of the Kargil war with particular focus on strategic victories that led to a win are also displayed here.
Proud moments from Kargil
One section displaying various kinds of arms, ammunition, artillery, clothing , high altitude combat equipment , life saving devices and various important artefacts, acts as an eye opener to the common man.
Climbing equipment used in high altitudes like the Siachen glacier
A section aptly names “Lest We Forget” has the pictures of valiant soldiers who laid down their lives fighting the enemy along with a short description of the circumstances of their supreme sacrifice.
Lest We Forget
A particularly touching exhibit is “The Last Post”; a letter written by Capt Vijayant Thapar to his father a few days before his martyrdom. As we read the letter, tears will well up unknowingly in our eyes. It is so touching that we start feeling so small in front of the brave soldiers.
Ladakh Gallery
In addition to this is a gallery where traditional Ladakhi life is depicted.
Some exhibits from the Ladakh gallery
After visiting the museum, we had more insight into the difficulties of our defence personnel and we all felt indebted to them for the service they do to keep us all safe.
It was with a feeling of respect and patriotism that we left from the museum.
Throughout our stay at Ladakh, there were innumerable examples of the great, tireless and dedicated work done by our defence services.
Both at Khardungla and Changla passes, the strict and vigilant presence of defence personnel gave us a sense of safety and protection in the border areas.
A satirical comment with a deep meaning
The tagline says it all
Rescue and Disaster management
Though fortunately during our stay we did not have to witness this aspect of their work, we are well aware of the tremendous work they do when natural calamities strike. Ladakh with its unique landscape and ecosystem is particularly prone to these situations.
Other Services
Apart from the three main services, various ancillary services also do a difficult job at these difficult locations.
The BRO (Border Roads Organisation) does untiring work to keep the roads on these mountains in usable condition. Laying of roads connecting various remote locations and maintaining them under difficult climatic conditions is a challenging job indeed. By doing this, they ensure unhindered movement of troops and supply of essential materials besides making tourist access easier. All over Ladakh we find heavy duty equipment constantly working on the difficult terrain.
The temporary accommodation for the workers
Heavy equipment at work in difficult terrain
A short video on the difficult terrain that they work on. (click to open video)
A view of the tortuous roads in the area….
Do we think of the hands behind this difficult work as we ride here??
And all this work is done at high altitudes where we people cannot stand for more than a few minutes due to low oxygen !!!
Sitting in the comfort of our homes miles away from these border areas it does not occur to us that these men in uniform do such challenging jobs. When we visit places like Ladakh, we become aware of this .
It was with a patriotic spiritandtremendous respect for these valiant men that we left Ladakh.
On this high note, the series on Ladakh comes to an end. See you next week at…Japan. The series on Japan starts with an episode on Tokyo….
Although the episode on Leh is at the fag end of the series on Ladakh, we actually started our journey through Ladakh from here. After the mandatory acclimatization at Leh, we set out to discover Ladakh by visiting some of the interesting locations near Leh.
Magnetic Hill
This is an enigmatic hill around 25 kms from Leh on the Srinagar Leh highway. It is believed that the magnetic forces in the area can pull a stationary vehicle uphill. However, it is the peculiar topography of the layout that creates an optical illusion of an uphill road and hence stationary vehicles may appear to roll uphill when in fact they are rolling downhill.
Approaching magnetic hill
Our group at magnetic hill
Shanti Stupa
Shanti Stupa is a Buddhist Stupa located on a hillock in Leh.
It was built in 1991 by a Japanese monk to promote world peace and to commemorate 2500 years of Buddhism . Signifying the close relationship of the Japanese people ; it is a two level structure.
Entrance to the Stupa
Shanthi Stupa
The first level features a golden Buddha image sitting on a wheel or Dharma chakra.
Buddha sitting on the Dharmachakra
The second level has reliefs depicting the birth, nirvana and other landmarks of Buddha’s life enshrined by the Dalai Lama himself.
;
Reliefs showing birth of Buddha and defeat of devils
Mahanirvana
One of the beautiful paintings at the Stupa
View of the Himalayas and Leh city from the hillock
Since our hotel overlooked the Stupa, we had a good view of the lit up stupa from our room..
The lit up Stupa
Leh Palace
This palace ; overlooking the city of Leh ; was once the residence of the royal family but is more of a museum and tourist destination now. This partially dilapidated palace under the Archaeological Survey of India, is being restored while retaining some of its ancient architecture.
The palace was built by Sangge Namgyal in 1600 AD and was the royal residence till the Dogras attacked Ladakh in mid 19th century forcing the royal family to relocate to Stok Palace .
The palace is nine storeys high with the upper floors being the royal residences and the lower ones being used as stables and stores. Built of mud, wood, sand and stone in Tibetan style, a visit there gives us an insight of ancient Ladakh.
The Leh Palace
A climb up a fairly steep series of steps brings one to the entrance of the palace.
The steps leading to the entrance. Note the elaborately decorated windows
The main entrance with typical local decoration
After a flight of stairs, we reach the hall with exhibits along all four sides. These exhibits describe the various aspects of the palace.
The main hall with exhibits all around
The bamboo and wood ceiling and an exhibit describing the palace
The Palace has open terraces at many levels offering panoramic views of the city and surrounds. These terraces were venues of performances by artists with the royals watching from the balconies above.
One of the terraces
The balconies from where the royals watched the performanceson the terraces
Apart from this, the palace has a wide collection of traditional arts and treasures.
The Palace museum is a storehouse of traditional Ladakhi jewellery, ceremonial dresses, crowns and other artistic treasures. Thanka paintings , in as yet preserved vibrant colours adorn the walls of the upper floors.
The paintings in various stages of decay and repair
The palace also houses some shrines of Maitreya Buddha and Siddarth Patra with thousand hands.
Some of the shrines in the palace
A short film that details the history and passage of the palace through different eras is also continuously screened in one of the upper floors.
The view of the Himalayas and Leh city from the upper floors is amazing indeed!!
Gurudwara Pathar Sahib
Our next destination was the Pathar Sahib Gurudwara on the Srinagar Leh highway about 25 kms from Leh. This Sikh temple was built in 1517 to commemorate the visit of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder guru of the Sikh faith .
A boulder with a hollow impression of the back, head and shoulders of Guru Nanak Dev is worshipped here. Legend has it that a wicked demon who wanted to kill Guru Nanak pushed a boulder down on him but the boulder (pathar in hindi) melted like wax and left the imprint of the sage and hence the name.
The shrine was an abode of peace and tranquility and calmed down our minds after the long day outdoors.
Some pictures…
The shrine
A plaque explaining the legend of the shrine
During the visit we saw lot of Army personnel sitting and reading religious books here. It must surely be a haven of peace for the wonderful souls how stay away from family and friends to protect our country!!
With a feeling of deep gratitude, we returned to our hotel looking forward to another exciting day at Leh..
Next episode will bring more from Leh. Till then, do subscribe, comment and like the posts…
The Nubra valley lies to the north of Leh between the Ladakh and Zanskar ranges of the Himalayas. In contrast to the rest of Ladakh ; it is more green with lots of wild flowers and shrubs .The word Nubra is derived from the Ladakhi word Ldumra meaning an orchard or garden.
The villages that make up Nubra lie on the banks of the Shyok river that originates in the Karakoram ranges and merges into the Indus. The other important river is the Nubra river (Siachen). These rivers make the valley a fertile region where wheat, barley, peas, mustard, apples, walnuts and apricots are grown. This makes the general ecosystem of Nubra more green unlike the rest of Ladakh which is primarily a cold desert
The Shyok river
Apart from the natural beauty of the lush green valley against the backdrop of the snow clad Himalayas, Nubra has a lot to offer the tourists.
While driving from Leh to Nubra, one crosses the Khardungla Pass at a height of 5359 mts and is the second highest motorable road in the world. Khardungla has already been covered in detail earlier in an episode on the Himalayan passes.
The road to Khardungla Pass
Khardungla Pass
The Diskit Monastery (often called Diksit)
Diskit village is the most important village of the valley and it hosts the Diskit monastery that sits on top of a hill providing magnificent views of the valley and the Shyok river.
A giant Maitreya Buddha ( Buddha of compassion) statue standing 32 mts high looking towards Turtuk, the last village on the Indian side close to Baltistan in Pakistan. This statue was consecrated by the Dalai Lama and it is believed to bring lasting peace to the region which has seen turbulent times.
Diskit Monastery
The giant Maitreya Buddha
The Hunder sand dunes
The sand dunes located at Hunder village stretching over a few kilometers were formed after a historical flood in 1927. They provide a desert landscape with the snow capped mountains in the backdrop and highlights the diverse ecology of Ladakh.
The sand dunes
A small stream was flowing along and we relaxed by soaking our legs in the icy waters…
Relaxing in the icy stream
Double humped Camels( Bactrian Camels)
These camels are a tell tale sign of the trade that took place hundreds of years ago on the Silk Route. The caravans travelling between central Asia and Kashmir used to stay in the villages at Nubra . After the closure of the silk route, these hapless animals found themselves left behind here. Their descendants entertain tourists in the Nubra valley with camel rides which sustain them.
The double humped camels
Camel rides at Nubra
Nubra valley also has ATV rides and zip lining as entertainment activities for tourists.
ATV Rides
Enroute, we had lunch at a local restaurant where we were served the local Seabuckthorn juice. The unique Seabuckthorn berry also called the Leh berry is widely found here all along the way among the shrubs.
Seabuckthorn berries and the juice.
After a long day on the road we reached our resort at Nubra where we were put up in Swiss tents. Some pictures from the resort.
Our resort at Nubra and a typical Swiss tent
That night we had a bonfire and cultural show with local ladies entertaining us with graceful dances. Some pictures and videos..
Bonfire
The dancers in vibrant costumes
Click on the video to enjoy the dance
And finally we posed with the dancers…
The night of rejoicing came to an end after sometime as temperatures dropped and we hastily retreated to our tents to catch some sleep.
Next morning we bid goodbye to Nubra and started our journey towards Pangong .
Hope you enjoyed this journey through the Nubra valley. See you next week with more from Ladakh.
Ladakh with its unique ecosystem provides ample opportunities for adventure sport which are highlighted here.
The Indus River (Sindhu)
The Indus river literally flowed in and out of our lives during our stay at Ladakh. Our visit to Ladakh was just a month after the deadly terror attacks at Pahalgam. The military, political and diplomatic developments following this had caused the Indus river to come into focus and there was a certain connect that we felt with this mighty river that is the lifeline of Ladakh.
We first saw the river on our way from the Hemis monastery and we did have a photo session .
The Indus river with a monastery perched on a hill in the backdrop
Close to this point we had an opportunity to zipline across the Indus river. Some pictures from that wonderful experience…
Geared up to zipline…
Ziplining across the Indus river (click on video)
SangamPoint
This is the point of confluence of the Indus (Sindhu) and Zanskar rivers at Nimmu ; 35 kms from Leh on the Srinagar Leh highway. It is visible from a height from the road and after a short walk down some steps, we can reach the Sangam point.
The confluence looks stunning with the two rivers of different colors merging together. Both these rivers hold religious significance to the locals and a dip here is believed to rid one of his sins!!
The muddy Zanskar meets the clear Indus at the Sangam point (view from top)
At close quarters also, the two colors can be seen
A bridge across the river is seen from Sangam point…
The bridge across the Indus and the roads going parallel to iton either side
At the Sangam, we did river rafting on the Zanskar river. We were eight people in a raft with a guide . He instructed us initially and then guided us as we tried to manoeuvre the raft.
Few pictures from the rafting experience…
All set to go
The rafting expeience on the Zanskar
After the rafting experience, we had lunch where we got to savour some local Ladakhi dishes.
Ladakhi restaurant and our group at lunch
Thenthuk is a noodle soup where the noodles are flat and made of wheat flour . Mixed with vegetables or meat, it is a thick soup that is often a complete meal for the locals.
Thenthuk with momos, rice and dal
Post lunch we set off to the moon….yes ; our next destination was Lamayuru, where the landscape resembles the surface of the moon.
Lamayuruand the moonland
Known as the moonland of Ladakh, the rugged landscape and unique geographical formations make it an interesting spot. The views here reminded me of Bryce Canyon national park in the US but to a much smaller scale . The views during sunrise and sunset must be quiet captivating with changing angles of light.
How moonland was formed
This area was a lake some forty thousand years ago caused by damming of the Lamayuru river by a tectonic shift causing a landslide. Over the years the lake dried up leaving the sedimentary deposits which have been eroded by wind and water resulting in these gullies , ridges and hoodoos.This has given it the appearance of the moon surface.
The drive to Lamayuru itself was beautiful with cliffs overhanging the road on one side and the Indus river flowing down below on the other side.
The drive to Lamayuru ( click on video)
The general landscapeat Lamayuru
The rugged landscape and unique geographical formations
Lamayuru is also home to a famous monastery.
By now we were quite tired and headed back to our hotel with memories of an adventurous day…
Do subscribe, like and comment till I come back with the next episode.
Think Ladakh and the picture that arises in your mind is of a landscape of snowclad Himalayan peaks dotted by those quaint architectural buildings ; many of them on hills with winding roads and steps leading to them. Well , these are the Buddhist monasteries of Ladakh which add unique charm to the Himalayan landscape.
These monasteries of Ladakh have an old world charm about them and are remnants of Tibetan culture that has been retained here. Most monasteries are complexes that comprise of prayer halls, temples, courtyards, stupas and the living quarters of the monks.
They have typical architectural features with white exteriors , windows lined by delicately carved woodwork and painted in red, black and yellow colours , stupas in the courtyard, and multi colour prayer flags fluttering all over. Prayer wheels of different sizes adorn both the exterior and interior and the soothing chants of Buddhist hymns calms our minds as we explore them. Monasteries are store houses of ancient manuscripts, thangka paintings and house beautiful statues.
In most monasteries , bowls filled with water are seen offered at the altars in addition food, flowers and incense.
Let us walk through some of these monasteries…
Hemis Monastery
Hemis monastery is one of the largest and wealthiest of the monasteries and is located about 40 kms from Leh. One needs to climb a flight of stairs to reach the monastery and there are beautiful arches and prayer wheels along the passage.
The stairs with decorated arches leading to the monastery.
The stairs lead us to an open courtyard with the monastery building right ahead. The balconies and windows have delicate wooden carvings on them painted in attractive colours.
The courtyard and monastery building
The Hemis monastery is most famous for the Hemis festival held in this courtyard in the month of July. The famous Cham dances are enacted here with the dancers wearing colourful masks.
File picture of Hemis festival
We had a wonderful experience when we reached the monastery. It suddenly started snowing and we enjoyed the experience along with views of the monastery.
This also acquainted us with how fickle the weather in Ladakh can be as it had been bright and sunny earlier on
Snowing at Hemis….click on video to enjoy the experience!!
Thiksey Monastery
This largest monastery of Ladakh is built identical to the Potala Palace in Lhasa in the 15th century overlooking the Indus Valley and is often called mini Potala.
This monastery has 12 floors and houses 10 temples with precious and rare statues and stupas .
Thiksey Monastery
Thiksey Monastery
Our group in front of Thiksey monastery
Here too, there stairs adorned with colourful arches that lead to the main monastery building.
A huge prayer wheel
The main monastery building
One of the main attractions here is the beautifully decorated and adorned Maithreya Buddha statue that is 40 feet tall. He is known as the future Buddha or Buddha of Compassionand was consecrated by the Dalai Lama.
Maitreya Buddha statue
Photography restrictions were minimal here and hence here are some pictures from inside the monastery…..
Some pictures from inside the monastery.
Tara devi who is believed to be the mother of Buddhas has a temple dedicated to her here.
There are beautiful murals on the walls of the monastery
Beautiful murals
Views of the Indus River and valley and the Himalayan peaks from the top of the monastery are beautiful…
Beautiful view of the Himalayas, Indus river and valley from Thiksey
This monastery is home to about 80 monks.
Some of the monks in traditional attire
Alchi Monasteryor Alchi Choskor
Alchi monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Ladakh built in the 11th century by Lama Rinchen Zangpo on the banks of the Indus river. He is believed to have travelled from Kashmir across the Zojila pass and translated many texts from Sanskrit to the Bodhi language. Due to this, this monastery has a mix of Indian and Tibetan cultures.
Built on level ground and surrounded by brick walls, this simple structure, escaped attention of invaders and survives till date.
A walking stick belonging to the lama from which a tree has grown is preserved at the complex. It is decorated with the traditional Ladakhi white scarf .
This monastery is unique in that it is a conglomerate of small buildings and wooden structures . There are three main buildings here : the Assembly hall, the Sum-tsek and the Manjushri temple. The Sum-tsek is a three storey structure with the statues of Bodhisattva, Avalokiteshwara and Manjushri.
It is well known for the beautiful paintings and frescoes that adorn its walls. They depict Buddhist teachings, celestial beings and Mandala art in great detail. Many of the murals have faded and restoration work is on at the monastery. The beautiful murals and vivid Mandala art in the monastery cannot be brought to you as photography is prohibited in those areas.
Here are some pictures from the exteriors which will clearly show the difference between Alchi and the pomp and splendor of the other monasteries. Take a look…
The walking stick of Rinchen Zangpo from which a tree has grown
The exterior of the buildings at Alchi monastery
The prayer wheels
The Indus river which flows right behind the monastery
Dikshit Monastery
This monastery is located in the Nubra Valley on a hill and houses the giant Maithreya Buddha statue. The views of Nubra valley from atop the monastery are beautiful.
Dikshit Monastery
The giant Maithreya Buddha statue is placed facing the direction of Baltistan in Pakistan and it is believed that the Buddha will bring peace to the region.
The giant Maithreya Buddha statue
View of Nubra valley from Dikshit monastery
These are some of the monasteries that we visited in Ladakh. There are many more and each one has a legend of it’s own.
I hope you enjoyed the ambience and culture of these monasteries.
Travel-along.in 