Palkhi: A walk with the warkaris (Jun 08)

We walked on sunday with the warkaris from Pune to Saswad (around 25 kms) and it was a full fun experience! The sound of manjeere, dhol, tanpura, the sweet bhakti sangeet and the "josh" of the warkaris was a constant pleasure never to be forgotten.

Some photos put up at:

http://picasaweb.google.co.in/asmitaj/PalkhiAndTheWarkaris

Valley of Flowers: The closest to heaven that I've ever been...

Frank Smythe - an english mountaineer & botanist - while returning from his expedition to Mt Kamet in 1931, lost his way and found himself amongst thousands of beautiful flowers which is today known as the Valley of Flowers. Part of the Nandadevi Biosphere Reserve in the Garhwal region of Himalayas, the Valley of Flowers (altitude 12,181 ft) has 550+ varieties of flowers blooming every year from June to September.

Here are some pictures shot (mostly by Shash) during our visit to the Valley of Flowers..

Flowers, Birds & Butterflies at Valley of Flowers 

Along with being an excellent destination for flora & fauna, visit to the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund is a great Himalayan trek for beginners. The trek route starts from Govindghat (6,251 ft) to the base village of Ghangariya (10,427 ft). From Ghangariya, one treks to Valley of Flowers (12,181 ft) and back. Similarly, to Hemkund (14,842 ft) and back. Total distance covered is approx 50kms.

Here are some pictures shot (mostly by me) during our trek to the Valley of Flowers & Hemkund..

Valley of Flowers - Landscapes & People

Ladakh: The Himalayan Desert (Oct 07)

The drive to Leh, the capital of Ladakh, started from Manali. The transition from the lush green Himalayas, covered with dense coniferous forests to the drier Himalayas, with its breath-taking landscapes and painted mountains was striking. Ladakh, the largest district in India, shares a border with Tibet. Buddist culture dominates here and it is rightly known as the Land of Lama and Gompa. Indus and Zanskar are the main rivers of the plateau.

The world's highest motorable road, the Khardung La Pass (Altitude 18380 feet), is one of the many passes in Ladakh. The bird & animal life that dwells at this altitude and such harsh climatic conditions is simply awe-inspiring!

Catch the glimpse of our trip @ http://picasaweb.google.com/asmitaj/LadakhTheHimalayanDesert