One of the most interesting thing about the Himalayas is how the Rivers interact with the Range and how the River Basins work. Since none of us is taught this in school in the Geography class the way one can study this fascinating aspect is to study Maps. Not the Maps of the new but the old Maps made by the Geological Surveys and the Royal Geographic Society Maps. The kind of detailing in these Maps is amazing when we keep in mind the fact that it was all done by boots on the Ground. No Aerial or Satellite Cartography.
The Dhankar Buddha of Spiti
The Dhankar Gompa in Spiti as among st its posessions a metal Statue of the Buddha which was off limits to outsiders. A few people had ever seen and it was first photographed for open sources only in 2010. This is the story of the Buddha which came all the way from Gilgit
Kintup and the Everest of Rivers
The unsung Story of one of the Indian Explorers and Surveyors, popularly called as the Pandits, who went onto Chart the course of the Zarlung Tsangbo as it Journeys through the Tibetan highlands and enters Assam through one of the most unexplored Regions of the Himalayas.
A Place Called Chushul
On the desolate Changthang region of the Tibetan Plateau lies the Village of Chushul. It lies close to the Border with China. And it was here that a Treaty was signed and Ladakh became a part of the Sikh Empire.
The Tibetan Mastiffs Business
A Tibetan Mastiff in Tibet (Pic from Wikipedia)
The Story of one of the largest Dog Breeds in the World, the Tibetan Mastiffs who have protected people and live stock for centuries on the Tibetan Plateau.
The Kashmiri Spy in Tibet
The painting from the Qing Era shows the Induction of the 9th Dalai Lama, Lungtok Gyatso, in 1808 as its watched by the Ambans and Qing officials on one side and by Tibetan Clergy and other Tibetans on the other side.
The Story of a Kashmiri Spy in Tibet during the time of the British Empire. This Gentlemen was the first person to spy for the British in what latter became a routine affair with “Pandits” like Nain Singh Rawat doing their bidding.
The Brave Shen - Pa
The last stand of General Zorawar Singh, the Dogra General who conquered Ladakh and Baltistan at the behest of Raja Gulab Singh and Maharaja Ranjit Singh. An outstanding General who wrote new annals in the history of Mountain Warfare who went down fighting in his last Battle on the frozen Plateau of Tibet.
Humans of Himalayas : The Khampa
The Khampa as the people of Kham are called were the most warlike of all the Tibetan people. The Khampa Horsemen were greatly feared and their horses were in great demand. Infact some Khampas kept on fighting the Chinese well into the 70s. They were called the Buddha's warriors. They were aremed by the CIA and gave resistance to the Chinese in Tibet through their bases based in the Mustang region in Nepal.
Kashmir and Tibet : The Forgotten Past
Kashmir has over the ages has had a great influence on Tibet in the area of Religion and allied Religious Iconry. Infact Mahayana Buddhism traveled to Tibet from Kashmir via Central Asia after the Fourth Buddhist Council in Kashmir. A large number of artisans and craftsmen were taken from Kashmir to Tibet to decorate the Monasteries as well.
Lijiang Instant Noodles Hotel
when you land up at an Indian owned Hotel on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau.
Travelling to Tibet
Your Guide to Travelling in Tibet as it used to be. Besides the present Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) it also included parts of Sichaun, Qinghai and Yunnan. Travelling to TAR involves a lot of Permits and a lot of restrictions. However in the Tibetan areas of Sichuan, Qinghai and Yunnan you can move around in the Tibetan areas with out any restrictions.