Hilly, sparsely populated and severely lacking in infrastructure the villages on the banks of the Lemro river ,Chin province , Myanmar could well be stuck in their own time warp. These villages are only reachable by boat , which takes a few hours from Mrauk U, once one of the richest cities in Asia . But that was hundreds of years ago when Mrauk U , from 1354 to 1700 served as a free port trading with Europe & was likened to Venice by traders [...]
Nestled between two mountain ranges Inle Lake in Myanmar features a unique ecosystem & rich traditions that have changed little from generation to generation. This vast body of water ( 22km x 11km) is home to 17 villages, all on stilts. There are no main streets or cars as the lake does not actually have a continuous shoreline; and as a result an individual cannot walk around the lake directly. ... ... ... .... .... Residents [...]
The British Industrial revolution in the 1700’s radically changed international consumption and trade patterns. Sometimes for the worst.. Cheap manufactured goods (first cloth, then weapons other mass produced goods) became staple exports from Britain while raw materials, foods and luxury items were imported from her colonies and China. As a result,two important ‘triangles’ of trade developed, one between Britain , Africa and the Americas; the other between Britain, India and China. From the mid 1700’s into the 1800’s every aspect of trade favoured [...]
Right on the edge of India and Myanmar lies Nagaland, often refered to as the wild west of India where until recently 16 odd headhunting tribes valiantly fought off any intruders. Nagaland is home to many tribes .... ..... .... Long feared for their ferocity in war and fierce independence , Naga tribes considered head hunting a sign of strength and machismo. Every inter-village war saw the victors [...]
Every afternoon just before sunset members of the Indian and Pakistan military meet at the border post between Attari & Wagah to engage in a display of military showmanship. Officially the purpose of the ceremony is to lower the national flag and close the borders but what really happens is a mix of formal marching, chest beating, foot stomping and high stepping as the two sides try to out do each other. Oiled moustaches and over the top dress uniforms only add to [...]
En-route to Dharamshala ... Mad Max type taxis and goods carriers Splutter along at walking pace under single cylinder diesel power Another ingenious goods carrier sends its loads to settlements high up Dharamshala is home to the Government of Tibet , in Exile as a result of Chinese occupation The Tibetan national flag , banned in its homeland The narrow streets [...]
Kaza is one of only 2 villages in the Spiti valley and sits on the eroded flood plain of the Spiti river. It is also a spring board to the Ki Gompa. Perched on a hillock at 4116m , it is one of the highest Buddhist monasteries in the world. In Spiti there is a tradition of ‘donating’ the youngest son to a monastery , a custom that still prevails today. The young man remains celibate, learns the scriptures and is allowed to visit [...]
Tabo, hemmed in by scree slopes is one of only two villages in the Spiti valley. It is a windblown place riddled with caves once used by local hermits as meditation cells. The Tabo Gompa, a world heritage site was established in AD 996. Behind its mud walls are said to be some of the finest Indo –Tibetan art in the world , blending western Tibetan, Indian & Kashmiri styles. Beyond this is also a much newer Gompa which dominates the town. As [...]
As we travel west we enter the Spiti valley, one of the most sparsely populated regions in the world. The landscape is one of rugged interlocking river valleys and high altitude deserts ,hidden in the shadow of the Himalyas, a stark contrast to the Kinnaur valley from where we have come. A chunk of Tibet marooned in India . Here are a few pictures of our journey through this region to Tabu, one of the few villages in this serrated moonscape [...]
Nako (at an alitiude of 3600mm) is a small remote village in the Kinnaur valley, Himachal Pradesh. It lies in the sensitive restricted zone along the border with Tibet and is said to date back to the 8th century, when Buddhism was first introduced here. The extraordinary difficulties travelling to Nako were already reported by Captain Alexander Gerard, surveyor for the East India Company in the early 19th century. Sections of this ancient route continue to be used today, forming part of our [...]
