Ladakh - Western Tibet. Trip-report

Hello!

As I have already noted, the majority on Yap is not very fan of India. The dirt there, they say, the lack of civilization ... Let's say that in India there are a lot of things. Where I've been, but India - and sample the eclectic combination of incongruous. I happened to go there twice, and I would like to tell you about that in India, you especially can not imagine when someone says, "India."
It's about the Western Himalayas.

Ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir) is sometimes called the "Small Tibet". And this is true comparison - India it is not similar, there is still remnants of Buddhist culture of Tibet to reach, as it is purely legally the territory of India, which is also claimed by Pakistan and China.

I was fortunate to be in a "moon valley" Ladakh twice, in 2006 and in 2008. What I have felt and seen in the Himalayas, I dream so far, and to find any precise definition in human terms it is difficult ... The meeting with the mountains is changing the inner world. Maybe it's just I'm so sensitive, but in the mountains everything is perceived differently.

Here's my short story with pictures.
Do not break, pliz selection. I unsubscribe when the story ends About seventy gallery is about.
A and fotkal on tsifromylnitsu, do not blame me.



Help out Pedivikii:

Ladakh - a historical and geographical region, now part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Literally, "La" means the pass, "dakh" - country. It is located between the Kunlun mountain ranges in the north and the Himalayas in the south. Ladakh is inhabited by Indo-European peoples as well as of Tibetan origin and is one of the least populated areas of Central Asia. Historically a part of Ladakh were Baltistan, Indus Valley, Zanskar, Lahul-Spiti to the south, Aksai Chin and Ngari in the east, and the Nubra Valley in the north. Currently Ladakh borders Tibet to the east, Lahul and Spiti (Himachal Pradesh) in the south, the valley of Kashmir, Jammu and Baltistan in the west, and is bounded by the Kunlun mountain range, beyond which begins East Turkestan in the north. On the territory of Ladahka are some of the highest mountains in the world.

Ladakh is sometimes called the "Small Tibet" because of the similarity with the culture and nature of Tibet. In the past he has often played an important strategic role due to its position at the crossroads of trade routes. There was once passed the Great Silk Road, and Buddhist pilgrims founded monasteries on its way from India to Tibet. After the closure of the western borders of China's international trade is declined. A significant factor of income is tourism. Until 1974, Ladakh was closed to tourists, but the Indian government is now actively developing tourism in the region.
The most important and the largest city in Ladakh - Leh. Most of the inhabitants of Ladakh - the Buddhists, the majority of the remaining Shiite Muslims. [2] In recent years, repeatedly put forward the slogan of a separate allocation of Ladakh Union Territory of predominantly Muslim state of Jammu and Kashmir. Due to the fact that Tibet, once in the 50s under the expansion of China and survived along with him a cultural revolution, has lost most of the unique monuments of Buddhist culture, today it is Ladakh became the second homeland of Tibetan Buddhism.

 - We fly. The direct flight from Delhi to Leh, capital of Ladakh. Fly half hour. From zero meters above sea level, you find yourself immediately at an altitude of 3500 meters. Go out ... and you feel like an astronaut because of low oxygen levels. Baska spinning, breathe deeply can not.

Airport Le has one of the shortest runways. And it is the second, if I'm not mistaken, the tallest in the world. Planting is very complicated ... and very beautiful.



Le - tourist center, the largest city in the region. There are going to pilgrims, mountaineers and trackers. It is believed that through Le once passed Sakyamuni Buddha, when he went to the north of India to preach. It is also believed that Christ passed through this city (wanting to refer to the subject of Christ's stay in India).

The city is situated at an altitude of 3524 meters above sea level. At Le lives about 27 thousand people. It is the largest town in the region.



The city once better not to get out and to go from the airport to the hotel and "soak" there day. If these measures can grab mountain sickness and move the horses on the ground of the Buddha Maitreya.



This former royal palace. Now it is guarded by some fund (not specified) cultural monument. It towers over the city. In the palace - museum. Local input is 10 rupees. Tourists - 500. But I understand why so - local poor, and the restoration and preservation of monuments need the money.



Sorry slowly spread - writing comments and reduces pictures simultaneously live

It is on a street of Le.
To be honest, I have not seen anywhere else so smiling and friendly people. The harsh life so they tempered that they simply have no time to think about any Huet, as we do, the Western. Another important role played by Buddhism. They are very friendly, never complain about life. And yet the winter there to minus forty. Heating - yak dung. Water freezes. Windows thin ... So the whole family sleeping under a blanket.



Ambassador - a great car, which would be considered retro here and there - the most chic

By the way. About wheelbarrows. In Ladakh, you can either get on a plane, or overcome two very high pass on the very bumpy mountain road. The passes are closed five or six months a year. The first time we drove 40 hours in Manali, one such road. Height fluctuated between 5,000 and 4,000 meters. Bumpiness + anoxia = 75% probability of puke pervosti.



This prayer wheel. It contains a large number of written mantra Om Mani Peme Hung uttered for the benefit of all beings. The drum is rotated clockwise. It makes sense (read by torsion fields, if you have time).

In Tibetan Buddhist Ladakh. I hasten to dispel the doubts of those who do not know about Buddhism:
 - Buddhism is not quite right to call religion
 - Buddhists and Hare Krishnas - different people
 - Buddhism does not work with the idea of ​​God
 - Not every Monk - Lama



The entrance to the city.

Transport in Ladakh: small cars, scooters, vans and SUVs worn. Annoying pedicabs - is to the Hindus.



The roof of the main gompa city.

Gompa - a temple where Buddhists gather.
Actually, to be honest, the term "Buddhist" is not entirely correct. This is a Western invention. They themselves would rather call themselves "following the Dharma (the teachings)».

Here's a krasoten (I mean the mountain) demolished me away every time I am out on the roof (involuntary tautology) of their guesthouses.



Prayer flags ("Lung-ta") on one of the nearby mountains

Prayer flags inscribed with mantras.



Without psevdohudozhestvennosti not done)))

Me and my soap dish in the mirror another motorcycle. By the way, Olympus contrary - Sup Mylo))))



On the outskirts of the city - a hill with a stupa. What is a stupa? ... More ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ступа_(архитектура), and then I will finish the post early in the morning to write, if I explain myself.

There is cut the dead. It is cut, leaving the birds and wild animals. To some Christians this may seem blasphemous, but let's not forget that:

1. The body - only a mortal shell
2. Himalayas batter to bury a man - a long and ungrateful
3. Trees in Ladakh is small, they are very much appreciated - oxygen, all the things



... The more that could be more romantic (then threw stones at me ...) than to pay tribute to nature, the death benefit, feed the animals, and it does not pollute the earth and is not to take place! and even such beauty around.



Almost forgot! Sometimes burn, sure! Here's just such a piece.



The view from one of the monasteries.
In fact, it was impossible to take a picture. Military base. Nearly a million Indian soldiers in the disputed region ...



Actually, the monastery Spithub (Indian accent Spituk).



Surroundings ...

Sucks that no photo is not transmitting its entirety.



This monastery - one of the most restored. Tourists lot.



All greens, all the trees - all planted by settlers. Once Ladakh was lysee nowhere.



The monks built the Kalachakra mandala. It is made of colored sand. A kind of religious practice, symbolizing the impermanence of this world. Even the most beautiful thing (phenomenon, people, etc.) once disappear.



If you were there, it seems to me, you would have fallen in love with this land.



Mnoooogo prayer flags on the roof of the monastery.



...



By the way, altitude sickness, for some reason, young men suffer more complicated. But the night lie down quietly - and everything is OK. Only here even a week to climb the stairs hard.



Shanti Stupa (Peace Pagoda).

Built by the Japanese Buddhist who lives next to the church, referring to the mortar.

Stupa large, visible from afar, even when you go down from the pass.



And this is a monastery of Hemis. Roerich wrote about him. Rumor has it that the manuscripts are stored there - evidence on the presence of Christ in India. A Russian researcher even seen them. On this theme, in fact, there are a lot of books. I recommend Holger Kersten, "Jesus lived in India", if you're interested.

Hemis - one of the best preserved monasteries, as Muslims did not notice him because of the favorable location.



The courtyard of the monastery.



Before Hemis is best reached by car.
The bus to the nearby village runs every day.



Entrance to one of the rooms for pujas (uh ... something like a ministry, if the analogy). Everywhere murals on the walls. It is worth remembering that the Tantric Tibetan Buddhism, basically. No, it's not what you think. We Westerners fundamentally wrong concept of what tantra.

ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Тантра_(буддизм)



Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava). He brought Buddhism from India to Tibet.



Before Hemis go somewhere hour on a winding road, where every now and then popping up to meet the beeping machines. And these types of window.



In the Himalayas, you best know how petty and idiotic your "problems". As, however, and your ridiculous ego.



Maitreya Buddha. Next, who will be the world after Sakyamuni Buddha (which, incidentally, was the fourth of the Buddha). In total, this is the era of the Earth's 1000 Buddhas ... then this era is over, and with it we will.

This statue stands in the monastery Tiksi. Ten meters in it precisely is.



Prayer drums and friend



I climbed on a rock near the former royal residence (Shey Monastery).



This image has about a thousand years.
By the way, a halo, as an idea, was taken by the Christian painters with images of Hindu and Buddhist saints. This graphical representation of energy fields.



New stupa at the monastery of the Karma Kagyu lineage. It was the only monastery of the lineage that I saw. In Ladakh, mainly distributed Gelugpa school.



Actually, the monastery itself. When we went there, the children monks rubbed floors. One ride on this rag, but wish there was more, he had to give.



Protector of the Doctrine and all living beings under the name Dukar (white umbrella). She polugnevny appearance, a thousand hands, feet and heads to help more sentient beings in distress.



So we arrived at the monastery of Lamayuru. He is higher than most of the monasteries in Ladakh. For a while he treated Yungdrun Beaune (new Bon, the original religion of Tibet).

Distance trucks is something driven to Kashmir through the second pass.



About Lamayuru Roerich also wrote himself Lamayuru he wrote. Although, frankly, Roerich good storyteller and artist. But they are so many esoteric naplel top that people are more or less familiar with Buddhism, I will be very surprised when I read his writings.

But the beauty of it is wonderful. It is believed that once there was a mountain lake.

At night, turn off the electricity (a common practice for those places), it was a full moon. And I, a city resident, was in ohuevatore long time - in the light of the moon, it turns out, you can even read!

Be patient, yet less than a third left



The Lamayuru are all very old. These stupas so all looked the same as the picture Roerich (something I often mention it became).



Unearthly appearance.



Empyrean.
I can not believe myself that I was there.



Young monks ordinary day ...



We decided to go to the next valley - Nubra Valley. It is a little "lower", 3000 m. It's warm, apricots and even a sandy desert. Get there we must pass through. There is the highest road in the world, which is visited by car.



Leave the summer ...
And then - this is.



The ride is not as dreary as in Manali. And if you chew something and drink cognac, then do not feel sick and not swayed



We are almost on the other side.



In the car, we were listening to Steppenwolf - Born to be Wild and Metallica. One surprise came.



The Valley is really more green. But there are few settlements, eating only gestahauzah, which is more expensive than on the other side of the pass. However, there are so immersed in the contemplation of nature, not before eating.



Here it is, Nubra Valley, in all its glory.



From there, by the way, is not far from the border with Pakistan. Therefore, travel to the valley of the permits required - special permission from the authorities in the region. Permit issued in travel agencies, issued for a specified period of time. We have the permit and useful side - if you have someone steal, they will know that you - it is you. And tried to rescue from the clutches of bad people



The Nubra Valley has a camel on which to ride.



We returned to Le ... I took the bike out, went to torment / develop lungs. He tried to climb up the hill. Drivers passing by, honking and smiling. Gorka mastered half. I'm not a mountaineer without knotweed.



It looks like some houses in Le top.

We stayed for the first time in a real family, the second time - in guesthouses. On average for a room with a good bed, cupboards, rugs on the floor and European toilets I paid 250 rupees. On the day the food took even less. Sometimes prepared themselves, went on the market.



The gates to the city, the view from the back of the ...

After a month of living in Le raids and other towns and villages, it is time to leave this land, where I felt at home.



Finally - nine pictures of Delhi.
Delhi bustling, busy city and the country. There are beautiful places there. As the Birla Mandir temple.
After modest and tactful ladakhtsev encounter with the Indians it was ... not very fun.



In the temple it was impossible to take a picture. Only in the vicinity.



Wikipedia reports% yuzerneym% that the Red Fort - a historic citadel of Mughal era.



This Delhi, baby. Aynane-Nane.



Die Delische Motoziklen.



India Gate. Near this gate we had to remove about Boys oh boys just locals. It is related to the "white", what to do. Unpleasant kind of attention, to be honest. But tolerable.



Young directly into the bathing pond.
It is not surprising. It was July. The heat of hell, forty exactly. Flowed from all holes. Sweating even nails.



Baha'i temple of all religions, built in the form of a lotus flower.
This here is a farewell to Delhi ...



Now I close the topic and say thank you for your attention! Ladakh is worth a visit at least once, if you do not clear stereotypes about India, and if you are able to adapt to any conditions and survive a long time without many of the "benefits of civilization».

PS: photo with a visit in 2006



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