Samatva

The perspective of Buddha, Langza

Langza. Temples of Himachal ….12

The river Spiti is the spine of the region and Kaza, the largest town. It is about 3800 meters altitude. The river valley is somewhat narrow and hardly has any vegetation along it. A number of villages rise up the valley at different heights. Each has a patch of land, some large, some small, that surprisingly is cultivable.

Langza is one such village. It has less than 150 people. It is at 4250 meters. It is a sharp climb from the valley on barren mountain face. The road snakes through gaps in the mountains and then it suddenly opens up to the vista. You can see tiny specks of the village and houses at a distance.

The centrepiece of the village is the Buddha statue, giant, maybe 40 or 50 feet high. He overlooks the vast plains and it is difficult to get a sense of proportion with all that space. Right behind the Buddha is the 21000 feet Chau Chau mountain. With snow all around the year, it looks like a ice cream cone.

There are a couple of houses that host guests. When I reached early afternoon there was no one around at the place I was planning to stay. A toddler asked me to settle down and said his dad will come in a while. Time kind of doesn’t make sense here and he eventually came, hosted, guided and cooked for me. The womenfolk are totally engrossed in the farm work and don’t waste a minute of sunshine in late summer. Langza is also known for fossils which I didn’t buy from the two women bent on selling to me. I should have. I had plans for Annapurna in the autumn and thought I’d buy them there. I should have bought some in Langza.

Langza also leads up to Hikkim which the world’s highest post office; and further on to Komic which has a road at 4600 meters.

Langza and the Buddha, at 4250 meters, more than take the breath away. It is a different perspective.

Sun Temple of Sutlej Valley, Nirath

Sun Temple of Nirath. Temples of Himachal …3.

Depending on the source you rely on, there are 2 or 4 or 12 Sun temples in India. Konark takes most of the mind space, deservedly. Nirath along the banks of Sutlej in Himachal hosts one of the small and quaint Sun Temples. I was biking back from Chitkul, which is marketed as the last village in Indian territory. I know a 80 year old lady who has incredible travel spirit and she suggested stopping by Nirath. So, I went.

The town is a sliver of settlements between the Hindustan-Tibet (yes) highway and the Sutlej river. The temple is tucked away and you would miss it if you just stick to the highway. It has its own Goshala and a tiny grazing ground and in fact, a calf was lounging by the dining area when I paid a visit.

It was almost noon and there was no one around. The temple was locked, but there was a way to jump in. By the time I was ready to leave, someone came and opened the gate, and pointed out a mobile number scratched on the wall — a contact for the Pandit.

Nirath is small but the journey has its own rewards. Two hours from Shimla and the road drops by 7000 feet to reach the Sutlej valley, a spectacular drive by itself. In and around Nirath, you can see the magic that the Sutlej weaves, especially in monsoons. The drive is also along the apple country that eventually leads to Kinnaur.

Sun temple, Sutlej and apples… Nirath.

Land’s end at Bharmour

Chaurasi temple of Bharmour. Temples of Himachal ….9.

Bharmour is as far as you will go. It is surrounded by 16000 feet high mountains on three sides, the  hill equivalent of a peninsula. It is at the dead end of a sliver of a valley.  Squeezed between the Dauladhar range and the Pir Panjal range, you can enter the valley by road, but can’t exit anywhere further and have to retrace.

Bharmour contributes to the Ravi river, though it is not the source. Ravi is one of the most secretive rivers of India, hardly flowing through any large city before it snakes along and forms a length of the Indo-Pak border.

The Chaurasi temple at Bharmour is an experience. It is, as far as I can recollect, one of the largest temple complexes of Himachal. It is at a remarkable setting, overlooking hills on all sides. It is open and is not a walled temple and a collection of temples, 84, though many of them are tiny and share a common space.

The central temple is breathtaking. Alongside the temple stands a Deodhar tree, almost double its height. The most delightful part of the complex is the schools in the square. There are several and you can hear the sweet cacophony all around; and then suddenly it was lunch break. Kids poured out of the various schools, jumping into the temple. A cricket match, and a bunch of girls just giggling away. Far away from almost anywhere, there is unspoilt innocence.

Then the farm produce, the Bharmour Rajma, the walnuts, and chukh, the famous red chilly pickle.

Bharmour and the rest of the Chamba district will overawe you, totally bereft of the commercialisation you will see in Manali and Shimla. It is an effort to reach there, but next time you plan Amritsar, take the effort to go up to Chamba, and then Bharmour.

Land’s end. Chaurasi temple, Bharmour, deep inside Chamba district, deep inside Himachal Pradesh.