Stopover in Lahaul - Keylong

It was thrilling to peer down at the panorama below – the green canopy dotted with tiny houses, the fields and the winding roads on the mountain slopes -a somewhat familiar yet satisfying experience, especially since I wasn’t looking at river fed plains from just another hill station – this was the Kullu valley, already at over 1,500 mts! We are taking the last few curves in the road before we cross Rohtang la (3998 mts) into Lahaul. (This time with a colleague of mine, SP)

You follow the Chandra river (above) till Tandi, from then on it's the Bhaga

The Rohtang pass is often visited by tourists in Manali – It is a sure way to touch and feel snow, which for largely tropical dwelling Indians is a fantasy in itself. But, today I want to cross over to the other side of the pass. A quick glance towards the end of the road before it turns left and down into Lahaul, reveals snow capped ranges with mountain sides barren and bereft of life. We were now moving into the famous cold desert of North India, which stretches from Himachal Pradesh to Ladakh.

After stopping briefly at the pass to watch the setting sun turn the mountain tops orange, we hasten in the descent – the roads aren’t the best and we need to make the best of whatever light we have. We arrive at 8pm in a half-shut Keylong and make a beeline for Tashi Deleg, one of the better hotels near our drop off point and the marketplace.

Desert capital

Keylong, at over 3,000 mts is the capital of the Lahaul-Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh. She sits timidly on the banks of the Bhaga waiting to be discovered by travelers. The truth is many travelers do stop here. Given that it is a district capital, you will get mobile connectivity, a hospital if required, plenty of shops and hotels. It therefore becomes a convenient night halt for those going from Manali to Leh. But unfortunately, that’s how it remains – a night halt. That shouldn’t take anything away from the fact that it is a really picturesque little village. But before we explore Keylong and her people, we head out for a rendezvous with one of the highest lakes in India – Suraj Tal

Barren Lahauli landscape

 Water on high

When you are travelling through the hills, you inevitably end up following a river which is natural considering the landscape that it creates. Today, we travel along the Bhaga, still on the Manali-Leh highway. We soon leave the fields of Keylong, there isn’t any green to be seen anymore, only shades of brown with fine blue lines of the Bhaga creating a vein-like pattern over the land. After crossing the check post at Darcha, the climb gets steeper and the terrain still harsher. Landslides are more common and we are halted several times. This lifeless spectacle will continue for the rest of the journey. 

Landslides are common (Darcha down below)

For an urbanite, brought up in the one of the most populous cities in the world, the isolation is absolutely exciting.  It makes we wonder how much of a risk we are taking, traversing these parts in a Maruti van.

You can get some great reflections at Deepak Tal

Our first stop is at Deepak Tal near Patseo. It is just large enough to not be called a pond, but is definitely worth the visit. It’s crystal clear and the still waters are a photographer’s delight.  It’s also a nice place to stop before you ascend towards Baralacha La.

Baralacha La is one the higher passes on this route and the ascent can be taxing on your lungs, but it’s worth the effort. The scenery now starts to turn white – frost covers the sides of the road and the snow covered peaks that complete the horizon of the lower villages now seem closer than ever. We never really reached the pass – Suraj Tal, our real destination is just short. The L-shaped lake springs up on you without warning – not that you need one to appreciate its pristine settings. But the lifeless nature of the surroundings continues- we are the only ones here and it doesn’t seem like a much frequented spot anyway.

Suraj Tal

Khardung monastery

There are a few treks around Keylong - to her monasteries that sit atop her high mountains. We find ourselves heading towards the east bank to the Khardung monastery that overlooks the town. You pass the hospital, cross the prayer flag strewn metal bridge and begin climbing towards the monastery. The route takes you through Lahaul at its best. Away from the hotels, the bus stand and the main market on the west bank, Khardung village is a picture postcard of Lahauli village life with potato fields, cubical houses with flat roofs storing hay for the harsh winters, narrow dusty roads devoid of tire marks and the scampering of children and sheep alike in between. The people are friendly and will gladly engage you in conversation. Even the women are fairly bold – we had a bunch that stopped us to ask us for some chocolate!

Potato fields in Khardung village

This man claimed that the original Khardung monastery was down in the village and that he  was  its keeper. 

Got any chocolate?

1.5 hrs of climbing and we are finally there. Khardung monastery is a dainty white building with the front façade decorated with images of animals and men. The courtyard is lined with flower pots, a statue of the Buddha and prayer flags. Apart from that, it was quite the expected - monks solemnly moving around, prayer wheels, prayer flags and pin drop silence. One of the monks comes out to give us a tour of the monastery. The monastery belongs to the Drukpa Kargyud sect and is adorned with paintings on all sides. It also houses some ancient artifacts. But this isn’t the original building – the monastery has been destroyed and rebuilt several times before.

Khardung monastery

The highlight though, is the eagle-eye view of Keylong, right across the river where she lies nestled on the banks,  waiting for the next traveller to Leh to stop by– a perfect fusion of human life, marketplaces, quaint houses, terraced fields and a lifeless desert in the background with God himself standing guard over her!

Keylong from the monastery

Pointers

• If you are taking your own vehicle, tank up at the Petrol pump at Tandi. It is the last one until Leh.
• The roads are often washed away due to rains, melting snow etc and inspite of frequent repair remain in bad shape – account for plenty of time for travel (Manali to Keylong took 6 hrs for a distance of 120kms)
• There are plenty of hotels in Keylong of which the Chandrabaga is probably the best. However, it is not the closest to the market place. You can also choose to stay at the hotel Ibex at Jispa.