Well with Ladakh, once is not enough, twice is not enough, an entire lifetime is not enough. Ladakh is the stuff dreams are made of. Road trips can never be the same again, after a tryst with this gorgeous piece of land set in high heavens!

Most of us who have been fortunate enough to travel to Ladakh would've visited the dream like yet totally real Pangong Lake. We would've crossed the almost always snow clad mighty Chang La and would've relished that hot cup of tea and the warm welcome from the Indian Army atop. We would've gradually descended into the Changthang only to have our heart skip a beat at the first sight of an electric blue strip and would've said a silent prayer hoping Pagal Nallah wouldn't turn crazy by the end of the day.

Those were the days of yore it appears. Pangong today is a different story altogether. After dear Aamir Khan showed the world what a heavenly lake could mean, the repercussions were kind of disappointing to say the least. Hordes of tourists, a million tents/rooms and a gazillion vehicles all along the 7km stretch from Lukung to Spangmik is what awaits today at the tranquil location. The first time, save for a few visiting vehicles along the shore, there wasn't a single piece of evidence suggesting human presence in the area. No tents, no resorts, no roads, just the awesome lake and the mountains. Today I see some sort of sheds by the shore too. Why don't we build a bridge on top and then maybe an underwater resort too!

Whining apart, Pangong still remains a work of art, beautiful and wonderful by all means. I just need to find new ground and new perspective, which is why I took the road less traveled to rediscover the magic of the azure waters.

As of today there are two approaches to Pangong, one from Lukung, which is one end of the lake. The other one is through the other end, via Chushul leading to Khaktse, Merak, Man and finally to Lukung. This route skirts dangerously close to international border making the journey all the more exciting. This way we'd also be able to see the entire 40kms of Pangong that lies with India. 

Route - Tso Moriri - Mahe - Nyoma - Loma - Tsaga - Rezang La - Chushul - Khaktse (Pangong Start)  - Merak - Man - Spangmik - Lukung (Pangong End)

How to reach - Retrace the route from Tso Moriri to Mahe bridge. At this checkpost after crossing the bridge, take right. Left goes to Karu and then Leh. Right goes towards Pangong. Proceed on this route till you cross Noma and reach Loma, where you find another checkpost and a bridge. If you cross the bridge, you'd go towards Hanle. Keep left, you'll reach Chushul.

How many days - The journey can be comfortably finished in a day. Be sure to have an early start at Tso Moriri so that you can enjoy the route without hurry. 

Things to note - Although the route if now officially opened for domestic tourists, it still doesn't have a lot of takers except for some crazy travelers. Chances are you might not see any vehicle the entire stretch. If you are lucky you'd cross an army vehicle or two. Be prepared for any emergency. Carry extra fuel and food as well. Chushul will be the only major settlement you'd come across over the entire day till you reach Pangong.

Inner Line Permit - ILP is available at the DC office in Leh. Either you can get it yourself or your travel agent can arrange it for you. Only your names will be required. Be sure to include all these names in the ILP to avoid any problems - Mahe, Nyoma, Tsaga, Rezang La, Chushul, Merak and Man. Since this route goes along the Indo-Sino border, Border Police can reject permission anytime. 

Who can go - As of today(2010) only domestic visitors can get the ILP for this route. If you are planning this route, make sure all are Indian Nationals and carry valid ID. Foreigners are not permitted on this route.
*Update* - Please check with the concerned officials on this rule, might have changed since.

Condition of the route - Although this is the shortest way to reach Pangong from Tso - Moriri, it will take a long time due to the road conditions. There is well laid tarmac until Loma but after that the road condition slowly deteriorates and becomes almost invisible by the end of it. As the tarmac disappears, you can see tracks ahead and follow them. There are stacks of stones all along the route to let you know the direction. Follow them as well. An hour or two after you cross Chushul, you will be treated to the first glimpses of the mighty Pangong Lake, tracks might disappear around here but you be sure to take a left here at this junction.  You would see a road going to right but don't be tempted to follow that, that will lead you to China!

Now I'll let the photos speak!

We all have fears, many reasonable and so many unreasonable. We all want to face our fears too but it is easier said than done. Never in my life had I to face three of my biggest fears in a span of 24 hours. At the end of it, I am still scared of those. Old habits die hard is all I can say!

For all the traveling that I do, it’d be easier to travel solo. It is terribly impossible to put together a team at the whims of a dreamy wanderer. But the only reason I never dared to go solo was because of these fears. 

It can come as a surprise to you that these are my fears considering all the crazy adventures I had so far and yet the truth remains that I never had to actually face these situations on my own. But the universe decided it was time for me to face my fears when I was in Sikkim this July. I felt the quest was incomplete at the end of a week spent in North and South Sikkim which is why I decided to explore West Sikkim as well. But the catch was I had to do it alone. 

I was just as much anxious as I was excited about the journey ahead. While everything else about traveling solo had me excited, the fact that I might exactly be in one of these situations was worrying me. But with great passion comes great courage. ;) 

The first two days spent in RavangLa were brilliant. I enjoyed freaking people out when they learned I came all alone during off season. There wasn’t another traveler in the town and most of the hotels were closed down while a few stayed open because the owners had little else to do. I stayed at a hotel run by an old man who assured me there was nothing to be scared of and his assurance worked well also because the top floor was actually a family residence. I was dreading the night but I managed just fine and was still alive the next day morning. Phew, I was glad to have survived the first day and night as a solo traveler. 

Two days later I was on my way to Pelling and I was expecting something similar there as well. But the fact that Pelling was much more famous than RavangLa meant there were lot more hotels and lodgings in this place. Pelling is situated at a height of 2150m in West Sikkim and offers a splendid view of Mt. Kanchenjunga. It also forms a base for many who proceed towards Yuksom for treks further up. It was so popular with the tourists that the village wasn’t any quaint settlement but the exact opposite. The entire mountain side was Pelling – Lower Pelling, Middle Pelling and Upper Pelling! 

Knowing I would be traveling to Pelling the next day, the elderly gentleman at RavangLa offered to arrange accommodation with his friend in Pelling and I obliged. As it turns out it was a good hotel located in Upper Pelling high up the mountain right next to the forest. I took a morning taxi from Ravangla to Geyzing village and from there took another shared taxi to reach Pelling by afternoon. The entire village had worn a deserted look with the roads empty and the tall hotels closed. There weren't any tourists as well, except for four foreigners I came across.

I still had the whole afternoon to myself, so I thought let’s walk to the nearby places, meaning Pemayangste Monastery and Rabdentse ruins, both 4 and 5 kms respectively from Pelling. It was a lovely afternoon to walk around and so I set out to Pemayangste first. The subtropical forests of Sikkim are very dense with thick undergrowth as well. In monsoons, you can only imagine the plushness of the foliage. This forest also supports a variety of fauna.  The road to the monastery goes along such forest and I had to deal with inch sized some sort flying beetles or some insects but I carefully managed to reach the monastery. Had a good time exploring and talking to the monks there. My first excursion as a solo traveler went well I thought, with a good feeling I was walking down the road when my heart skipped a beat! I saw a dog sitting in the middle of the road. Good thing was it was a friendly dog. The sad thing was it was a friendly dog. As soon as I came near it, it started wagging its tail and was all over me. I couldn’t shout and couldn’t move either. I tried talking to the dog, asking it to sit down and calm down.  Before you think I am a freak, you should know I never liked pets and have never had any animals around me. With great difficulty I managed to calm the dog and walked away. It felt like forever and my heart was pounding for few minutes after that. Can’t imagine the situation if the dog would’ve chased me, heart attack? ;)

Okay, so that was the dog scare, I thought I felt half more brave than earlier and ventured into the broken entrance that led to Rabdentse ruins. The visitors block at the entrance was deserted and there was broken glass everywhere, the furniture broken and the building abandoned. There was just vehicle standing at the entrance and no one knows I came here in case something happens. The ruins are at a distance of a kilometer or so from the gate and there is paved trail leading to it. The ruins are supposedly spread all across inside the dense foliage and on top of the hill are the ruins maintained by the Govt. As I started walking along the forest trail, I was kind of dreading the eerie feeling that was creeping into my mind. For someone who has spent so much time in forests, you must be wondering why I was so scared. Well all the times I was in forest, I was never alone. Always in a group! Being alone in a forest is really scary, I tell you. Sound of forest is like the creepy background score of a movie if you are all alone. There was absolutely no one along the trail and the forest was really dense with very little light entering, not to mention the looming dark clouds which were about to burst any moment. After the scary walk, there was light all of a sudden. I had reached the ruins and it was in a clearing on the hill top. As much I was relieved I was still dreading the fact that there could be an unfriendly dog around or maybe thieves. Luckily there was the caretaker family cleaning the lawn. While returning I took another hiking trail through forest which was a bit open, I reached the road head and breathed a sigh of relief. Barely escaped another heart attack!

I thought I was done with the scares for the day but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The biggest and worst scare was yet to happen. Like I said earlier, I was put up in a hotel in the far corner. The hotel was a huge five storey building and I was on second floor and the only occupant of the hotel apart from few hotel staff put up in the basement. The hotels next to this were closed and there was no other tourist staying in Upper Pelling. Safe to say, there were not more than half a dozen travelers in Pelling. By evening it was raining heavily and by nightfall, it was still pouring outside. Initially I had planned on keeping the television and lights on the whole night while I tried catching a wink. Unfortunately by midnight, there was a short power cut and after that the cable network conked. There was this eerie silence of the night with the rain still lashing outside, the insects screeching and the occasional creaking of wood. I was freaked out beyond measures, remembering scenes from all horror movies I had seen and imagination played a major part! I was painfully aware of the deafening silence inside the room. The phones were out of order and even if I screamed the voice wouldn’t reach the basement. I was up all night playing the same four songs on my mobile and was so so so glad to see the first rays enter the room. This has to be the scariest night ever! Next night, it was still raining, the phone was still not working, I was still alone but the tv was working. Got past somehow and live to tell the story! ;)

Too many scares for a day, don't you think? I was traveling solo in Sikkim for a week during offseason and this was the freakiest day of all! At the end of it, having faced my fears, I think I still am scared of all these things. :)
Have you had any such scary experiences during your travel? 

Well, having a smooth trip where everything goes according to the plan can be nice and all that but the human psyche sure does enjoy a misadventure or two! I mean, what are you gonna tell back home? I had the most amazing perfect trip ever and that's it? For me, (mis)adventures define travel. I take the road less taken, do the crazy, if I come out with flying colors I do have a great story to tell and if I fail, I still have a great story to tell!

While there are many ways to get yourself into trouble like giving into masochism and entering the forests in the absolute wrong time just for the pleasure of it, which I am sure most of my trekker friends in Western Ghats understand. I wasn't a traveler earlier. I was a trekker which meant I had little to do with the over crowded over sold tourist destinations and the noisy tourists. I was happy wandering in the valleys and mountains with little or no human presence apart from us trekkers. Then I started to travel and reality hit me hard. Even though India holds an abundance of natural scenery, the all pervasive tourist crowd and bad planning only makes it hard for me to enjoy the scenic beauty. In a bid to avoid this, I started traveling slightly ahead of season of just after season. It worked, well to an extent it did. Although, lately I have been traveling off season to places and I have to tell you, it is an awesome experience! I'll tell you why.

1. You get to see what few have seen before.

I went to Chhattisgarh in summer when everyone said it was a bad idea. I went to Sikkim in monsoons when everyone said it was a bad idea again. But both the visits have been extremely fruitful. I got to shoot the fishermen on Indravati River with the falls in the backdrop which I still consider to be my best shot. During the peak season, the waterfalls are in full flow and flooded totally. In Sikkim, I saw much more than that. The monsoon beauty of the place and its wonders were indescribable. There were wild flowers and green grass all around Gurudongmar for one. I haven't seen any such photos of the place so far and I think I might be one of those few travelers to have seen that. Last year in Goa, we discovered the so-called monsoon pilots of Colem who will take you on a ride of your lifetime to Dudhsagar falls.

This would interest you more if you are looking for experiences rather than ticking boxes on your to-see places list. I know Sikkim is famous for grand views of Kanchendzonga, Goa for its beaches and Chhattisgarh isn't on the tourist circuit at all. But who set in stone so and so are the only things to do and places to see and the best time to go? I personally don't understand the concept of Off Season. Well to me if the locals are able to survive, so can you. You'll see something different than the usual. If you market that, off season will also become the best season. Just put up with few discomforts and you are good to go. Explore!

2. Accommodation comes for dirt cheap prices.

This possibly can be the best thing about traveling in Off Season. The accommodation comes so cheap, a backpacker can live in luxury during this time. All the hotels and resorts slash their prices to almost peanuts compared to the peak season charges and if you are good at bargaining , you have an added advantage.Off season is the best time to try out hotels normally I wouldn't prefer or can afford. We stayed in luxury in Goa and accommodation in the usually sky high charging places of Sikkim was dirt cheap, so was in Chhattisgarh and Ladakh too.

3. Business out of their minds, the locals are much more laid back!

This is definitely an advantage to the travelers who are looking to connect with the community and learn about the locals in the places they visit. When I was in Sikkim, during peak monsoons, with no tourist traffic, all the vehicles were used as public transport for locals. Without the crazy demand for vehicles to go for the sightseeing tours, the drivers were taking a break. One such driver, whom I had hired to take me to few waterfalls was Sonam. He had no rush to go back, and he patiently waited while I took out my tripod and shot long exposures. I asked him many questions of his village life and he asked me so many of our city life. In the end, we concurred the grass is always greener on the side. With all this interaction I came to know of one thing, that the boys give dowry to get a bride here in Sikkim.

5. Have a few adventures here and there!

Well, let's face it, it is called off-season for a reason! The heat is too much, or the cold or the rain. With excess, there is almost always going to be some problem. And then, considering the traveler that you are, you will somehow manage to get across the problem. Then it surfaces, the pride that you have managed to survive another (mis)adventure. Like, when I went to Mannavanur Lake in offseason, it was raining like hell, we had no shelter or tents, only a tarpaulin sheet to save our lives. But the sheet wouldn't hold against the lashing rain, so one of the villagers suggested we take shelter in the school for the night and get lost early next morning. We were drenched to the core, had the lake all to ourselves, had lovely conversations with an old couple who were serving hot dosas in the night! Well, you know things like this don't happen when there are a horde of tourists all around. It is rare that you get these kind of experiences when you pay for it, because you can't really be sure if people are being nice to you because it is their business to be nice or are they genuinely being nice.

6. Well people, there are no people around!

This has to be the biggest advantage for me! I know not many feel this compulsive need to be alone in places, but I, for one, hate the crowd. I know it makes me sound like a unsocial being, but it is the truth. I can't stand the ubiquitous crowd, the screaming children, the screeching vehicles, the loud conversations and many more such things that come with a crowd at a serene place. The reason travel is so special to me is because it makes me feel special. Being in places where few have been to, seeing things few have seen. When a million others are seeing what you are seeing, it isn't special anymore. But when I travel offseason, I get to have the entire place to myself. There are no people getting in way of my camera either (very selfish, I know!). It is just absolutely wonderful to see nature with no distractions, just plain nature.

Not just these, but another reason why traveling in offseason is good for the traveler who intends to gather experiences rather than few postcard pictures is the fact that you get to see the problems faced by the locals and the ways they get around it. Like for instance, how do the people of Pin Valley manage to stay disconnected to the world for six months when it snows or how the people of Sikkim manage the incessant rains on the mountains and the really really bad roads. When we understand their problems, we do have a better respect for them.

What do you think? Is it worth it, traveling in off season? Share your views and off season travel stories!

P.S - Point 4 is missing! I didn't realize it until a reader pointed it out. You didn't realize it too, did you? ;) Well, why don't one of you give me another reason, we'll add it! :))

Date of Journey – Oct 5-6th 2011

Kaas, Ghaas aur Bakwaas was how one of my friends described our recent trip to Kaas - Kaas because we went to Kaas, Ghaas because there was a lot of it around and Bakwaas not because it was Bakwaas but because we had so many PJs that kept us cracking even after a tiring day.  I cannot think of a more succinct yet appropriate way to describe my short photography trip to the plateau of flowers. For the uninitiated, Kaas Plateau is a table land in Sahyadris that plays host to a stunning variety of flora during the months of September and October. The entire plateau is covered in a spread of colorful flowerbed. 

So what do you do when there are no flowers at Kaas? First, you sulk, then sulk some more, then gear up and scout for locations around. I am pretty sure you will find something to suit your liking too, just like I did! ;)

I came to know of Kaas’ existence two years ago and being the landscape photographer that I am, it fared quite high on my must visit list. The catch being there was only a small window of a month when the flowers bloom and it so happened I couldn’t visit the plateau during the past two years. This year, however I was quite adamant on making the trip happen and at the right time. So much so that I kept a tab on all forums, asked people who had been there this year, made and cancelled multiple plans waiting for sunshine, pink bloom , rains, mist and what not. But as always with travel, you can be sure of nothing until you get there. 

One fine day it occurred to me, I have waited too long and it was time I made the visit. It has been observed that mid-September to mid-October is the time when the flowers arrive in full bloom spreading all across the plateau. I was in luck I thought, called up a few friends and reached Satara after a rather long journey during the Dussera holiday.

If you can’t outdo something then you could do the same thing different to set yourself apart. Now most of you would’ve seen these extremely awesome photos of Kaas by Nature Lyrics dude. Landscape photography is half talent and the other half luck, being at the right place at the right time. For me to take at least half as awesome photos as his, I really had to have some crazy super luck, which I obviously didn’t have, which is why the flowers were gone, there was no sunshine, there was rain and the few of flowers left were white in color and almost inconspicuous.  

So I had undertaken one of the longest bus journeys of my life to come to a plateau with no flowers which is famous only for its flowers. The first day when we all reached Kaas, my disappointment was quite visible. I wasn’t even photographing that evening. So much for a photography trip! Luck hadn’t abandoned me completely though, I was fortunate to be in company of other shutterbugs who thought it would be good to visit Kaas again early next morning. 

My thoughts on the way to Kaas the next morning were “Kaas betrayed me”! Then I thought “Challenge Accepted!”

The good thing that came out of our unsuccessful visit the day before was the knowledge that flowers weren’t there. While many other vehicles whizzed past the other table lands before the main plateau, we spent our time looking for locations around Kaas, there were many. The grass was green with few wild flowers scattered here and there. The morning light was lovely, sunshine brilliant with blue skies and scattered clouds. 

Often, with our minds set on something we ignore everything else around it. Unless forced we don’t see the beauty around. This trip taught me a valuable lesson that sun shines after it rains and you just have to wait for it. And to succeed as a Landscape photographer I need to keep looking for new perspectives of the same old. If there were flowers I wouldn’t have captured the photos that I now have and would’ve done something that has been done to death so far! I, for one, am quite happy with the photos that I managed to capture of Kaas and its surroundings. 

Location – Kaas Plateau, Maharashtra

Nearest Town – Satara, buses stop here and accommodation is also available

Distance – 25kms from Satara.

Suggested Time of Visit – The flowers bloom right at the end of monsoons. The spectacle lasts not more than a month. So far, it has been observed mid-September to mid-October is when the flowers are in full bloom.

Precautions – The heavy influx of tourists seems to have already taken its toll, the bloom retreated much early this season. Please refrain from trampling the flowers, plucking or littering the natural wonder that Kaas is.

If you have been following my facebook page, you'd already know my craze for rainbows. If not, I tell you now that I have an extreme liking for the colorful rainbows appearing out of the blues. There are few times where I really get ecstatic and spotting a rainbow is one such time. Ask anyone who has been with me on such trips and you'll know. I will be literally jumping out of excitement when I see the colors arch across the sky.

There is something magical about seeing the pretty colors in the sky or maybe it is just the rains that have just stopped and the sunshine trying to sneak in through the dark clouds. Whatever it may be, it presents such a pretty picture it is hard for me to stay calm in such moments. All the times I have seen a rainbow, I have been spotted going hysteric, be it Roopkund trek where we saw a rainbow below us in the valley or be it Dudhsagar where the rainbow was an almost 360 degree arch going around the bridge. So here they are, a few of the rainbow pictures I have managed to capture in the last year. Hope to see many many more in the coming years.

Date of Journey : 22-23 April  2011

The unknown is always an enigma. When the best laid plans go down the drain, it is merely an opportunity to embrace the uncertainty in all its glory. That weekend was yet another testament to the fact that universe has its way with things and if you are patient enough, you will almost always know the purpose of everything that has gone wrong.

The outside scenes were a hazy blur as I barely opened my eyes. It was a lovely morning and I was expectant about the three days that were to be spent in the realms of mountains and greenery. The morning haze was just lifting as we started climbing on the ghat section to reach Kodaikanal. Given the crazy biking muse of late, we couldn’t help but discuss the idea of returning back on bikes here on a later date. The 36kms long ghat section was a lovely drive albeit full of traffic.

Kodaikanal at an altitude of 2030 meters is invariably cool most of the year and I fell in love with this place already as you’ve read before. Today was no different and I already had a good feeling being back here. Kodaikanal is no different and hasn’t been spared from the ubiquitous tourist crowd.  But why was I to care, I was headed to the lovely woods after all.

The reverie came to a shattering end when we found out our permission to trek was cancelled. We had three days and nothing to do. I made no effort to restrain the disappointment. I swore, I cursed and I thought of a wasted weekend. But today I was to know that attitudes are contagious. Arvindh and Nitin were hell bent on making the best of the situation and soon I was laughing along with others about the situation. What followed for the next two days can only be described as LEGENDARY!

After considering many options, we decided we would go with Kodai Mani to camp near lake called Mannavannur Lake and trek from there to Kookal Lake the next day. It was costing us extra but what the hell, we might as well have some fun if that’s all we were getting. We chilled out the whole afternoon watching the mist come and go. The weather did everything it could to keep my spirits high, it was cool and misty and a brilliant day to do nothing. If you know me, you’d know that I am not a person who is in favor of doing nothing on a vacation. Not that there is anything wrong with chilling out, just that I’d like to utilize every single minute to explore the awesomeness that is around. But today I was forced to do nothing and I was actually enjoying the joblessness.

It was 4PM and we were still waiting for Kodai Mani to take us to the lake. While we waited we took a tour of Kodaikanal Lake and watched the mist come down from the mountains and chase the boats on the lake. Soon enough I could hear loud noise suggesting some commotion on the lake surface but couldn’t make out what it was until huge raindrops fell on my cheeks. I was in a fit of frenzy because I had my camera with me without any cover to protect. I ran to a vegetable stall nearby when they were also busy covering the vegetables and a sweet lady offered me a plastic cover as she smiled. I smiled back and that smile lasted till I reached Bangalore. Officially the adventure had started! :)

It was summer and I expected Kodai to be cool but certainly didn’t expect such rain. The first rains of the season brought all that was expected of it - the fresh scent of earth, dew drops in the air, mist through the forests and unrivaled greenery. We were headed to Mannavannur Lake, 40 kms from Kodaikanal and the route that leads to it was exquisite. The forests around this hill station are thick and verdant and rains can only make it better. We were passing by high terraced villages with green fields spread on mountain slopes. We hardly saw any traffic and it was absolute pleasure watching the forest go by through the tinted window.

It was almost late evening and I knew I wasn’t going to see the sun set given the cloud cover. But who knew I would see something even better! Consider a vast ground of rolling grasslands all surrounded by high mountains in the distance and right in the middle of all this lies something sparkling. The first sight sparked such enthusiasm I cannot describe in words. That is where we would camp for the day, right by the Mannavannur Lake side. Normally this lake wouldn’t be as spectacular, but today the whole mood was perfectly set by the rains and low lying dark clouds, cool winds and not a soul in sight. We went hysteric watching such beauty and then it rained. Then it rained more. Then it rained more and more. It was dark and we were drenched to the core and then lightning struck! A loud thunder and a second of light in the dark night and then more lightning while we wandered in the open grounds! We rushed back to the nearby village to take shelter at the village school.

We walked in the rain along the dirty road to reach a small place where an old couple seemed to be preparing something hot to eat. We were proved right and minutes later four of us found ourselves fighting for a piece of smoking hot delicious omlette dosas that were being served by the sweet old day. Sitting in the hut, on wooden benches eating hot dosas served on banana leaf over some conversations was a perfect end to the day. Later in the night, the rain stopped but I was woken up many times by scary neighs of horses, the thumping footsteps of running horses, barking of dogs and some other noises that I didn’t recognize. All this, while we were sleeping outside, well I was glad to see the morning light and boy! It was lovely.

The mist seemed to be moving in a gracious curve over the hill top and I couldn’t wait to run back to the lake. And run we did, only to find more awesomeness. The mist was lying low while sun had come up above the mountains. We spent another two hours by the lake and then we returned back to the old couple’s place for more tasty food along with some funny conversations. You would’ve read about that stranger, if not read it here.

Now, we had a vehicle with us, two more days to spare and no plan. I had been to Kookal Lake earlier and I suggested we all go to that lake today. After a hearty breakfast we proceeded along yet another exquisite leaf strewn forest route to the lake. It was much different from what I had seen last time, of course the difference being the magic that the monsoons lent to the place. Everything was green, I mean green green! The shola forest beyond the lake was lush and in its prime. On the other side of the shola forest was high mountains and grasslands. I knew this because I was here before. The weather was so perfect for just lazing around. Armed with my camera we wandered along the green pastures, we walked upto the village for a friendly banter with the kids there. We told them we had no place to stay for the night and they came up with a brilliant plan. They said each one of them would take two of us and we could stay with them in the village for the night. Sweet kids!

The greenery, the intermittent rain, the mist, the mountains and the joblessness were proving to be therapeutic. It felt great to be there that moment. It felt as if time could stand still, that was where I wanted it to freeze. By afternoon it started to rain again and I was in no mood to go back yet. I suggested we go trek to the temple on the peak behind those forests in the rain. After much persuasion everyone got to their feet and we entered the forest as thick as the dark tresses of the lady. It was pouring and as soon we entered the forest, the slimy black creatures got to work with an intensity that left only five out of the sixteen trekkers on the trail within the first 10 minutes. The leeches there were blood thirsty as if they were starving for ages and they attacked us with a rigor that could only be matched by the fiercest warrior! Blood was shed, I tell no lies.

The ordeal lasted a good 45 minutes before we reached the grasslands. Wet wood worked like a charm to scrape the leeches away. I removed my shoes and walked up the mountain in the rain barefoot. Since I had seen the view from top already, I wasn’t in any hurry to reach the top. I walked slowly enjoying the mountains and the rain. We reached the temple on top and as it rained more we started to gorge on what little food we managed to carry. Winds blowing on mountains at an altitude of above 2000meters in the rain was cold but we spent a good two hours on the top shivering to the core and yet reluctant to leave the magical mountains, yet.

When we left, we did so with a heavy heart for the trip had almost come to an end. We dreaded the thought of going back to the leech territory but it would be relatively easier now that we can run faster downhill. With Nitin at the lead, he started running. And so we all had a small trail running exercise in the woods and we crossed the leech territory in a record 10 minutes. It rained and rained as we deleeched our shoes and body by the Kookal Lake. After changing into dry clothes, we set out to reach Bangalore.

I would find myself at these lakes again in two months. I took my family this time and the lakes were lovely as ever. An almost ruined vacation turned into a beautiful exploration. A simple choice of not letting our spirits down led to having a ball of time enjoying the rains, during summer! In such rains I don’t know if we would’ve managed to do the trek anyway. Everything happens for a reason, don’t you think? :)

Route : Kodaikanal - Poomburai - Mannavanur - Kukkal(Kookal) - Kodaikanal

Three years ago, when I held my first camera all I would care to do was click. There is a mountain, click! There is a river, click! There flies a bird, click! Click! Click! Click! Now, almost three years later I wait before I click, I wait. I wait for the light, I wait for the angle, I wait for the idea. Years from now I'd expect only to think and not wait. A real artist would make the best out of any given situation, of course such days are long ahead of me. But today, I would wait at Dhankar Lake. I am almost always in a hurry in all my journeys. I never waited around a place to think, compose, wait and click. But today for the first time I would have the opportunity to do so. Light changes everything.

Dhankar is a small hamlet resting on one of the mountain tops in Spiti. Dhankar has an old monastery sitting dangerously on a cliff and also 5 kms from here, on the other side of the same mountain lies a small lake, called Dhankar Lake. If you are feeling quite adventurous, you could just climb up the mountain above Dhankar and get down the other side. This is the steeper trail used by the sure-footed sheep and goats while normal people can trek for about an hour or so by taking the trail that goes above the new monastery. The trail is well marked till the lake.

Well, so to speak I was waiting for the golden hour but reached the lake much earlier than that. There's some dirty left over water that I see but I kept walking anyway hoping to find more water. As I walked further, I saw more water. There is a lake indeed and is reasonably well fed. Now as I walked here and there, climbed up and down over the course of the evening the lake showed it various colors or rather the light brought out the various colors of the lake. See the photos below to see the transition over a period of 3 hours.