169. HIMACHAL PRADESH - THE FAR NORTH - MY 18th FORAY

Amritsar in the Punjab is a short drive to India's border with Pakistan. Every evening there's a Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Wagah border as they close the gates and lower their flags. They are well supported by locals who cheer and hoot with the help of an MC on his loud mike. It's a show for tourists actually.

The comical part is the performance by the guards. They march up to the border gates strongly, stomp their boots loudly, stand tall, big and erect, raise their shoulders, chest out, stomach in as Indian and Pakistani guards face one another, staring fiercely, arms akimbo at times. Looking more like alpha males during mating season, they demonstrate their strength and vigor as they prance and strut...entertaining! 

Flying into Amritsar, the Golden Temple is a 'must' see. It's about the best known Sikh temple and a pilgrimage site of sorts for the Sikh diaspora

Some pics from friends were much sharper, showing day and night shots...

This Durgiana Mandir is quite nicely kept despite its old age. It provides free medical to all. The Sikh temples in Singapore as with those in India provide free veggie meals everyday. At Sathya Sai Baba's ashram, there's free hospitalisation and surgical services in its hospital and free education up to university level...no conditions attached...

Glass ceiling - it's mirrorwork is fabulous

As I begin my ascent to Dharamshala, I take in this very ancient land - like something from prehistoric times when a glacier cut through this land mass.

Pinnacles from erosion in different hues from its minerals - forming sculptures...

There were several military barracks in the hills

The Dalai Lama and his followers have created another Tibet in Dharamshala, their home away from home. The Tibetans are a displaced people but I see they are better off in India than if they had stayed on. India has been generous in taking in large numbers and they've formed communities in many hillside locations.

At the Gyuto Tantric University and within the large Norbulingka Institute, they preserve their culture, language, arts and crafts...

I liked the infinity knots on the railings...

..with a turban and moustache too...keep it real...!

This local bazaar was clean, neat and quiet - was nice to escape from the busy, noisy, sooty streets

As observed numerous times, their people make the most of their situations. Highly adaptable, flexible tribe with creative, out of the box thinking...given opportunities, their people will soar - that day is not too far off. A large number of their population is below 30 with an English education...as it is now, the Indian diaspora is the largest in the world and hugely successful...

The hotels provided cool respite, cold at night when the heater was necessary

This hotel in Dharamshala seems to be a favourite of young American yoga enthusiasts. They travelled this far for yoga sessions but how much of this town did they take in? My guess is just the Tibetan Center. Perhaps the Taj Mahal when they came via Delhi. The Dalai Lama spews gems of wisdom which the Americans adore but the Chinese Government find hypocritical...

They didn't miss much skipping Dalhousie, a good day's drive from Dharamshala - we were the only foreign faces...

Poppies grow well here - the Indians have never been known as a people who cultivate plants for drugs. Roots, seeds, bark are used for ayurvedic medicine and spices for food...

Its thorns were soft to the touch but gave me a nasty prick...deceived me

'Don't be annoyed scowling Pansies - I'm sorry to intrude into your private space...
for a closer look at your mustachioed face'

Church of St John in the Wilderness is aptly named. This one's in Dharamshala. It's beautifully medieval, sufficiently spooky...

In church compounds it's common to see bird houses put up for the benefit of our feathered friends. When life is so idyllic and quiet, one communes with Nature all around and become more aware that we share this living space with Mother's other creatures. The churches have just one service a week, most times they are deserted, the door is left open for whoever...

The other St John's church is in Dalhousie with a beautiful stain glass altar. The Indians have one of the best stain glass restorers in the world...and they still have a handful of crafts people who make them.

A pile of rocks is used for good decorative effect in this resort. Himachal Pradesh is one place I've come across so far that has abundant supply of slate. It's literally spewing out of their mountain sides...Mother provides. The people have used it to good effect and I see it on roofs, walls, pillars, seats...it's rustic, low maintenance lasts practically forever.

Creative ways with slate...
Unusual tree trunk...

Khajiar and Chamba are the 2 main towns of Dalhousie. It's where the action is. It's pretty and has huge potential once they fix the infrastructure of roads, toilet facilities, decent class hotels, drainage - management of the environment.
For those venturing into Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala may have more things to offer and for now, there's no real need to go to Dalhousie.
The most frightening thing I saw was how dry the rivers are, not even a pond...and this is in the highlands...I hope this is because it's the dry season...

more slate walls

At this dhaba this wood fire was most welcome. As we approached this pitstop, 2 men seated there got up so we may enjoy the warmth...such decent men and I've met many on my numerous trips...

At this picturesque tea estate, tea came from the back of this van. It was millet tea but tasted like a good blend. He had veg momos steaming hot and it was so fresh and yummy we polished off 30 pieces - S$1.00 for 10 momos! Satiated, at every stop after this, we looked for momos!

Tea and momo break in the shade

A Shiva temple in the hills - Shiva is revered in North and South India. He was the 1st yogi who came down from the Himalayas to teach and is referred to as the Adi Yogi. His abode is believed to be Mt Kailash and in very recent times, satellite images revealed fascinating gigantic images, believed to be carved, on the walls of Kailash. He's also the Teacher of choice of Osho and Sadhguru...Osho has a thick tome on what Shiva is about - The Book of Secrets...in certain circles Mt Kailash is believed to be a pyramid. Esoterically speaking, Kailash is the Crown Chakra of Mother Earth's body...

Whilst waiting for my transport this was a good place to chit chat with locals from out of town who were friendly enough - this was like a pick-up spot for private vehicles as everyone seems there for the same reason...

Doors have become photos of interest ever since some pics won awards and yes, they're special, I've taken a shine to them...

Anywhere is a good place for an afternoon after lunch siesta. When the weather is so dry it's quite comfortable to do this. In the above pic, devotees from out of town, who visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar, camp out along the temple's corridors..

Lovely shades of red and pink...a meditation center...

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In this dhaba - a hillside roadside pitstop, we stopped for hot tea. The proprietor kinda explained that his Singapuri Omelette is a fried egg between 2 slices of bread with sauces, like a sandwich! In North and South India, everywhere I've gone into, there's a Singapore noodles, the looks and taste I've never encountered in SG. It's like a brand name here. I've not come across China nor Malaysia nor Thai noodles (Hakka noodles yes, but that's not a country). The minority Chinese in India are chiefly Hakkas...

This small group of intrepid fellow travellers did very well in the food, drink and toilet departments during the long ride up and down winding bendy roads. Toilets in such areas are never good, they are modern sanitation but are so wet, latch and lights don't work, North India's hills still has some way to go. This wasn't the case in my recent Ooty and Coonor escapade in South India...

The Sikh Route - our charioteer who took really good care of us with his skillful driving up awful rough hillside roads with 90 degree bends. I believe we left a really good impression on him with our daily punctuality and how we could eat and drink at truckers' pitstops, how we could use their toilets along the way that were wet and broken with little or no light within...
All my forays, I've had drivers who were beyond reproach, be it in the North or South. Shukriya Captain...

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