The bridge near Akpa was welcoming as ever. The check-post, as mentioned earlier, lies just across the bridge. The reason for shifting it backwards (earlier position meant surveillance over a smaller stretch and , thus, more efficient) was given as issues with communication from earlier point to their HQ at Rekong Peo. They would know better than commentators like me!
Rolling pebbles (no one really minds such happenstances), ugly looking chunks of rocks sitting in the middle or on an edge of the road (better to ignore and not think too much about hows, whys and what next) and mud clouds around the next turn (lump in the throat; fingers crossed and hoping for the best!)....well, nothing has changed on the road that greets you once you are across Moorang turn off and a bit beyond. Surface has been done up but that is actually inconsequential since past experiences in the area force you to keep looking upwards rather than down and front. I have had two instances- of rocks missing my bike narrowly and another one when a chunk actually fell on my luggage and tore the cover of my tent - during past passages through the stretch. Looking upwards, of course, also throws up new things, like Igloo shelters that were not there in the Army camp earlier...
FRG Igloos
Igloo with its Jung Bahadur!
Khab
Welcome to the wilderness....base of Ka Zing
Ka Zings
Together with Hangroo Loops and Gatta Loops, Ka Zings make a trio zig-zags in the land of thousand passes. During earlier times, Lahaul and Spiti area was part of the Ladakh. Once Mughals took over Kashmir and imposed a lop-sided rule on Ladakh whereby Pashmina could only be collected within Ladakh but could only be processed in Kashmir, Tibetans hit this part of Eastern Spiti to smuggle their Pashmina produce into Rampur Bushair township that became an important trading/barter point during those days. Village of Ka belongs to that legacy.
Half way
Honestly speaking, leaving the valley floor to reach out to plateau of Spiti doesn't really awe you, especially if you have had a long association with Ladakh. In a way, such a feeling is good since one gets submerged in the magic slowly and gradually. By the end of the day, one realises that while this area may be a poorer cousin of present day Ladakh, it is distinct and has a charm of its own. Laterals leading to the valleys on either side of the main road open up vistas that are unique and fascinating. This time, however, we had no time for ventures beyond the visible; we were, after all, just zipping through!
Nako is more or less a natural stop after a climb of more than an hour from Khab. The approach road into the settlement, however, is a bit narrow for two biggish vehicles to cross. Traffic, however, is minimal and while an ongoing repair work of a house did create a bottleneck, forcing us to reverse a few hundred metres to give pass to a tractor trolley coming from opposite direction, the village per se also has parking issues except a couple of points. Monastery has adequate parking as also a few guest houses next to the lake.
Post its renovation, the Monastery looks bigger; new buildings in the complex have added to the impression of the erstwhile prayer hole
Prayers ride the Wind Horses
The Holy Smoke....grows in plenty, esp close to water bodies like nallahs and rivers
For the records!
Once you have grown up in Ladakh, this ritual comes naturally to you
At the face of it, Nako has upgraded itself from a sleepy village to a business savvy one. New guest houses are coming up and there are many already up and running. Compare this with previous decade and a lot has changed. We decided to take left from the 'crossing' in the middle of the village and drove on a narrow pavement that led to the govt guesthouse to the North of the lake. There is a small parking for three or four cars outside the gate of the building and one has to climb down a bit to see the lake in its entirety and yet it is uncrowded, peaceful and gives a better view of the lake. On the opposite side, ie if you come from Monastery's side, you are at level with the lake but here, you look at the lake from a higher vantage and the overall vista becomes beautiful with snow clad peaks in the background.
Nako done, we were now on our way to say Mr Maling and possibly ask him why had he played villains to so many of us on so many occasions, ie, before it was tamed (a bit) through re-alignment of the road.
Compliments to BRO for giving us a thing of beauty in such a terrain
Nako onwards, road remained good for quite a while. The old alignment of Maling is now out for the travellers. As we spiral up, road gets narrow and unpaved, esp around the temple that stands watching Maling. Army convoy met us head-on but Mandir bend gave us adequate space to stand and wait. On top, Maling is seen as a dry nallah in the present dry season, a far cry from its monstrous form when snow melt and rains create dangerous cocktail on its bed. At the top-most part, the road is actually very narrow and soldiers control the crossing since the width is good enough for one single vehicle only. Some pebbles were hitting the road in the wake of convoy but as said to the fore, such happenstances are best ignored.
Descent from Maling to Valley floor
A bit of moonscape
Vista
The stretch from Nako to Sumdo is landslide prone at many places but weather had been good and rains had not caught up with us yet. Once you start driving along the river, going becomes easy for a few Kms before unstable patches give you company right till Sumdo bridge where you register once again. The data between this check post and the one at Akpa is tallied at the end of the day to ensure that all is well. But actually, anyone halting at Nako without informing either of the checkposts (depending on direction of travel) can cause undue alarms. It would be better to let them know what you have in mind for the stretch ahead.
Sumdo had been hit by hit by cloud bursts some 10 odd years back but the place has regained its shape and size. But that portion is with Army and is on top of the check post. There is a small canteen run by BRO at Sumdo Check post. In addition to functional washrooms (a big thing for many), the small kitchen offers hot jalebis and well-filled samosas (and both yummy!). Wind blows strong and hard through out the day and it would be better to sit inside the unkempt room where some chairs and a couple of tables have been placed for convenience sans glamour and style. After a long, lonely drive, it was a welcome break to relieve, to refill and to stretch a bit.
Sumdo Wet Canteen
The run (and the fun) continues!
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