Ali bahai- My host at Panikhar
Irrigation at Panikhar
4hrs a day, electricity source is one generator like most of the Ladakh villages.
Bungee cord- another use
Ali and father to see me off
Tangole
River disappears here and flows underground for around 200m
This bridge is tied to one side with steel cable
One of the weakest on the way
Here in the middle of nowhere? that too with a beer glass?
Suru valley. cloudy and slightly drizzling.
Parkachik village
A gentle contribution of a glacier to Suru river
Heavily loaded, but never tired.
Suru valley. One good stretch.
Rangdum Gompa- A distant view.
Rangdum Gompa
An "Old Monk" at Rangdum Gompa
Sacred books at Rangdum Gompa
A very unique visitor at Rangdum Gompa
Monk kids at the Rangdum Gompa school
Sign board Zanskar style
Suru river
A Nomadic settlement on Suru river bed. See those kids running up to meet me.
They shared the last piece of chocolate I had.
Seeing this board was one very pleasant feeling.
Penzi La
Drang-Drung Glacier- the second largest glacier in Ladakh after Siachen.
Beginning of Zanskar valley
Place is Abrang. Managed to get some biscuits from his small shop. That was the lunch.
Ating police check post. That convoy is the life line of Padum. Almost everything has to come from the outside world
Ating hanging bridge- shotcut to Ating village and Zonkhul Gompa
Protested with a violent swing.
En route Zonkhul
Zonkhul Gompa- a distant view
Zonkhul cave Gompa
Rock faces seen in almost all the rooms
No one knows the age of this warriors helmet and mask.
Another ages vessel on display.
Zonkhul hardly gets visitors because of the roughest of the all the roads and its remote location.
Guy at left is a cop on duty. (There is a walkway from East side of infamous doda district to Zonkhul. mishaps have happened in the past)
Distant view of Stongde villeage and Gompa too is seen on the hill top on right side.
Stongde Gompa- Its in the heaven
That herbal mix is to be smoked in the prayer hall
View of Stongde village from the Gompa
I was offered salt tea here at their prayer hall.
Stongde Gompa
Tarmac in Zanskar! Zangla route is tarred for few kms. bumpy though
Zangla
Zangla river bed
Zangla villagers.
That glacier is the drinking water source of Padum.
Karsha Gompa
View from Karsha Gompa
My guide and host Lobzang
A gompa under construction at Padum
They take years to complete the paintings
The guy at right is from Japan who's been staying at this gompa for few months.
Burden Gompa
A very different prayer wheel at Burden Gompa. No colors at all.
Roof top of Burden Gompa
Paintings at Burden Gompa
Calling the fellow monks for lunch.
My guide Lobzang and driver Chottu!
Karsha villagers
Karsha village
Threshing by having cows and baby yaks walked over the harvest
And here is the person who controls the pack of animals... looks hardly 10yrs old
A typical Karsha villager.
Karsha Gompa- a distant view. extreme left in the shade is a nunnery.
Karsha bridge over Zanskar river
Stupa at Karsha
Zanskar Axis
The future. Not good in a travelers perspective.
Sunset at Padum
My host family at Padum.
They have been good company for 2 days
Sani gompa- Finally one gompa on ground.
Sani gompa
Sani gompa terrace
Prayer wheel in front of Sani gompa
The Drang-Drung glacier at bright sunlight on my way back.
