Ladakh- a homestay away from home

…the breathtaking beauty of high passes, raw, snowy landscapes, serene monasteries, and unfortunately, the Great Indian Tourist.

Woodgrain
even the most mundane had a beauty
about it. Because of it?

I went to Ladakh and I spent 8 days in a homestay and a week on a Snow Leopard expedition. This photoblog tells the story of the homestay part of the trip. I stayed in a village called Hemis Sukhpachan, I would love to call it quaint, but quaint it isn’t, every other house is a homestay of sorts. From the lowest cost, bathroom outside; to a fancy hotel and everything in between. I stayed at Zinglo Residency, as I wanted an attached bathroom and three meals a day.

Winter's breath
a stone blocks the cold wind from getting in 
through a window

It had snowed for about two days and all was covered in white. It was white everywhere till the snow melted, became ice and disappeared.... till the next snowfall.

White and snow chains

Snowflakes crystallise against
a window pane

On the way my driver and I passed Sangam, this is where the Indus and Zanskar rivers meet. The Great Indian Tourist has been here (in summer of course). There are many “adventure” activities here, zip-lining being amongst the most prominent. Thereafter we turned and drove the remaining 8 kms to Hemis Sukhpachan.

Sangam: from the top of the picture flows the Zanskar,
from left to right is the Indus

Ground Zero in Hemis Sukhpachan

On the first day my host and I went to a huge Buddha statue, the stairs were slippery as they were polished granite. For such a small village such a large statue was an anomaly, and huge it was. On the way up and down my host showed me where his mother used to live.

The Buddha looks out over the valley...

...And blesses all who seek his blessings

On subsequent days I walked for about four-five hours, there were three roads leading into/out of Hemis Sukhpachan and I walked them all.  Preferring to do an uphill climb at the beginning and downhill at the end of the walk. On one of these roads the downhill came first, getting back was difficult.  

Another Brick in the Wall

I carried my camera whenever I went out, trying to take arty-*arty pics whenever I could. Though I did sneak in the normal image now and again, mainly as a record.

A more effective window block

Magpies soak up the morning sun

The mountains are calling, and I must go… 

Ganeshgudi - A Land Of Birds

 

Malabar Pied Hornbill

Someone sent me a bird call of a tiny bird that is supposed to reduce BP, lower cholesterol, release endorphins… and do everything that is good for humans.  Be that as it may, it also prompted me to write this blog about a birding trip I had recently been on with a friend.

Brahminy Kite

We had gone to Ganeshgudi, and before you ask where that is, if you don’t know you don’t need to know. A twelve-hour car ride from here, coz we got stuck in traffic jams, and a ten-hour drive back coz we didn’t. We spent two days there, doing serious birding the first from about 7 am till about 9 pm.

Black Drongo

Though we were invited to go birding on the second day, we decided to go on our own. After a half a**** attempt at bird-watching we just chilled, sleeping our way through the day and a large part of the night, remember that we had to get up early the next morning and drive back.

Green Bee-eater with a moth

On Day One we started birding at the Timber Depot, under an able guide called Rajni Rao. She seemed to have all the available species buttoned down, “look, there is a Blue-bottomed Bunting” she would say and there it would be, just where she indicated.

A brace of Imperial Pigeon

 In the Timber Depot a family, two kids, the elder all of about four, the younger, an infant, would begin crying on cue just when we saw that Blue… the mama and papa; and husband and wife joined us.  The only cameras were with the husband and wife. After a while they were shooed off by Rajni saying that the kids frightened the birds.

Hill Myna

And so we went from place to place, including a water-body where the waders, and birds staying close to water were. Then we went to a mud embankment where we saw a Tarantula spider, as big as my hand with fingers; a pair of Scops Owls a little further on and so it went, a full circle.

Malabar Pied Hornbill

We went to river (being the Christmas week) where the Great Indian Tourist was out at his destructive best and the resultant traffic jams.

Malabar Grey Hornbill

One couldn’t get in edge-wise into the homestay where we were staying, the car-park was full of cars, and many people were in a hurry to go somewhere, the cars and buses were fast.

Tarantula spider

In fact, there were many who stayed one day in Ganeshgudi, one day elsewhere, and so on. We met a couple with a little kid who having arrived that evening said that they’d go rafting in the morning and drive on the to the next place in the afternoon, and the next place wasn’t close.

Ashy Drongo

The birding with Rajni as guide was, of course, the highlight of the trip; the chilling came next!

A pair of Scops Owls

Japan - Land of Opposites

 Many inspirational quotes in Japan stem from ancient China 儒教 (Jukyō), or "Confucianism", this one is possibly the most famous: 「七転び八起き」(Nanakorobi yaoki), which means “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” The origin is perhaps lost in the mists of time. 

Mount Fuji
Seen from the beach, wreathed in clouds.  Mt Fuji is, arguably, one
of the most visited sights in Japan 

Geisha
It must be taking a long time to tie the silk exactly so

Elegance is a virtue in Japan, elegance in writing, in poetry, in architecture, in behavior, in so many aspects of Japanese life.

Rocks are a feature of Shimizu Sunpo Castle Park

Many of the old gardens and parks have rocks as their central theme. Rocks are generally in irregular numbers (3,5,7), and possibly represent permanence and peacefulness.

  

Torii Gate of the Meiji Jingu Shinto Shrine

A Shinto shrine Torii Gate is another photographed site, how many of us have seen a photograph of a Torii Gate in the water?

Senso-ji Temple

The guide told us that the difference between a Shrine and a Temple was that generally the former was Shinto and the later was Buddhist. The Senso-ji Temple was one of the oldest Buddhist temples standing in Japan.

Kinkaku-ji Temple

Though we went on the tourist "off-season", there were tourists everywhere, understandably the Japanese are fed up of tourists, but many make their living off travelers, it is a difficult choice.

Nijo Castle wood carving

Wood carving is precise and timeless, using techniques like nail-less joinery, relief carving and durable woods, the ancient Japanese  carved natural scenes and deities into panels and beams.

Intricate work at Nijo Castle

Despite the gentleness and respect Japan lies in the middle of the happiness scale, maybe frustration at avoiding confrontation and waves?

Fall Colours in Kobe

We were early for the fall colours and so we saw them sporadically. 木漏れ日" (Komorebi)

"Sunlight filtering through leaves." another Japanese quote.

an intricate manhole cover in Tokyo

TeamLabs Borderless

Japan is unique in that it is a mix ancient traditions and modern culture and the youngsters are increasingly breaking away from ancient ways. A country known for cherry blossoms and rock concerts, intricately made manholes and robotics, for its elegance, culture and respect, is at a crossroads of the the old and new. 

and the cruise comes to an end

We stayed on a cruise ship, being cheaper than a hotel, and got to see much more. 

I must end with another Japanese quote: 

"Tomorrow's wind will blow tomorrow."

 

 



 

Jawai - Land of the Leopard

A wildlife lovers delight, primarily one can see leopards as kings and queens of the land without tigers troubling them. We went with Sashank Birla as our guide, he picked us up and dropped us back to Udaipur. (search his handles on Instagram, his website and his Facebook page). He specialises in safaris in game sanctuaries. We stayed at Jawai Greens, a cosy little resort in the middle of the Leopard Conservancy.

A leopard in silhouette

There is then the anecdote of a Bishnoi (or Rabari) who considers it a privilege for a leopard to take his goat (apart from the compensation paid by the government). There is a single case of a leopard attacking a human and that was when he tried to drag away the leopard’s prey.

A Rabadri
Distinguished by their red turbans

Jawai is located about 3-4 hours from Udaipur in Pali District. This is a rock-strewn area with hillocks, mainly of stone and sometimes of mud all over. With the rains recently abating the lakes and streams are full as are just about any potholes. 

Reflection of a tree

It is mainly about leopards. Each of them has a name and we saw and identified Padma and her two cubs and another one (F2?). Though a census of these cats has not been done, it is said there are about 60 in about 60 square kilometres. 

Padma and her two cubs

Leopards are intelligent, very strong, and blazing fast. The spots are actually called rosettes which make a fine and intricate pattern against the pale fur.

Another pic of Padma and her two cubs

As luck would have it, the leopards got progressively closer, till the last one and her cubs was at a few meters distance. 

F2 is closer

Padma's cub is closest

But it is not all about leopards, one saw many other birds and animals, Indian fox, Rusty spotted cat, langurs, nilgai, white-breasted kingfisher, Eurasian roller, sirkeer malkoha, and much more.

Sirkeer Malkoha

Indian Fox

Rusty Spotted cat (possibly the smallest cat in the world)

Dragonfly

Indian Eagle Owl

Off-roading is at a very different and high level here, the cars are all Gypsies, the driver (and all are trained in off-roading) took us over the steepest rocks, water bodies and the thorns which were common. No video or still does credit to the drivers of Jawai. 

Gypsy and driver

Jawai Bandh is the place to go if one loves unspoiled (so far) nature.