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Upper Karzo Road, Leh, Jammu and Kashmir, 194101, India
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NEILHALLIDYA
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The Hotel Lotus is meant to be one of the better hotels in Leh. While it offers clean rooms, TV, fairly reliable electricity, and hot water in season. It was cold and lots of our team got sick while staying there. We suspected that this might be the food.
Unique Quality: Excellent views of Leh palace and the Stok Kangri range.
Friendly staff.
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The Hotel Lotus is meant to be one of the better hotels in Leh. While it offers clean rooms, TV, fairly reliable electricity, and hot water in season. It was cold and lots of our team got sick while staying there. We suspected that this might be the food. Excellent views of Leh palace and the Stok Kangri range.
Friendly staff.
Lemon, honey and ginger tea
Block A
Day 7 (Martha Valley to Hanker)
Indus River (Day 1 - Spituk to Zinchen
Hallo again :-),
Does anyone know if there is any functional and reliable ATM in Leh?
Thanks.
Jan
ATM's are now all over India- especially in the cities. Only rural areas may not have ATM's. It is a good idea to always carry some rupees, just in case.Carry rupees in a money belt.
There are 2 ATMs in Leh and most often than not they are functioning properly.
But be ready to wait in queue for atleast 15 min to 45 mins.
HTH
Angchuk
sbi atm.long cues.can remove only 10000rs at a time
SBI and J&K Bank have ATMs there. J&K Bank ATM is almost always down. SBI is very slow and expect long queues. If you are reaching there late night, head straight for the ATM; or try your luck early morning. If you have an account with SBI, take a few multi-city cheque leaves . Best is to carry cash.
Nomad Russ is an American photographer who speaks Ladakhi and lives year round in Ladakh. Before you visit Leh or Ladakh you must visit Nomad Russ's web site. You will see the top Ladakhi photographs. You will find his postcards in the Leh gift shop.
If you have the time, money and love of experiencing the wilderness, Zanskar is not be missed. For photographers , both amateurs and experts, Zanskar region is a dream come true. Take a bus or share a jeep to Kargil and halt at night. I stayed at Hotel D'Jila .Rooms are available for 500-800 INR.
Leave very early the next day for Rangdum. There are many buses that ply from Kargil to Padum.The other option is to hire a jeep by yourself. Not only does it become more comfortable, you can also stop at places and take in your fill of the beauty around you.
The road to Padum (administrative headquarter of Zanskar) was metalled in 1970s. It remains closed between October/ November to April/May, i.e, during the winters due to snow. This route therefore opens in May after the snow on the passes melt. Its is quite bumpy- since most of this route travels over 15000 ft asl, and the snow-melt and landslides play havoc. Rangdum is ONLY 110 kms away from Kargil, but it takes nearly 6-7 hours to reach ! Another advice- CARRY FOOD and WATER.
Rangdum is a huge valley surrounded by small and large glaciers. At night you can be sure of a -4C ! Carrying a good quality sleeping bag is the only survival tool that works since the chilled winds howl away the whole night! You can stay at the J.K.Tourist Home, or the Alpine Hut (for trekkers), and it costs 100 INR for a room. The caretaker can be requested for dinner and hot water (chargeable at 15 INR per bucket) . The Tourist House is powered by Solar energy. However there are no sockets that charge batteries. I used film rolls and carried lots of batteries, and used the digital camera sparingly. There is a beautiful Gompa which shot into spotlight for a very sad reason. 3 Lamas were shot dead by terrorists. But thats is the past. Dont forget your tripod- the views are amazing, but dont trust your fingers , its too cold and windy ! More in Part- II.
TSE-CHU
(THE HEMIS FESTIVAL)
The 10th day (Tse-Chu) of the Tibetan lunar month is celebrated as the birthday of Padmasambhava (Guru Rimpoche), the founder of Tibetan Buddhism.
The Hemis Monastery celebrates this event in the form of a 2-day festival. Its resident Lamas perform sacred masked dances leading to the destruction of the sacrificial offerings. Masks worn by the lamas represent various guardian divinities of the Dugpa order, of which Hemis is the leading establishment in Ladakh.
This 200 year-old tradition was introduced by a member of Ladakh’s ruling family who was reincarnated in the 18th century as the monastery’s Head Lama, “Sras Rimpoche”. The Hemis dances are a re-enactment of the magical feasts of Padmasambhava, in his services to the cause of Buddhism in his eight different manifestations.
The festival takes an auspicious turn every 12 years in the Tibetan Year of the Monkey, when the two-storey high Thanka’ depicting Padmasambhava is displayed. This famous Thanka, richly embroidered with pearls and semi-precious stones, is due to be displayed nest in AD 2004.
As the Hemis festival is held during the peak summer season, it attracts the largest number of people from within and outside Ladakh.
DOSMOCHE
Masked dances in the royal courtyard
An ancient tradition started by the Kings of Ladakh. Dosmoche is still celebrated every year in February with great pomp and fervour. The courtyard of the chapel below the gates of the Leh Palace comes alive with the music of drums and the thumping steps of the masked Lamas from different monasteries performing the sacred dance-drama.
The Lamas prepare, consecrate and eventually destroy the sacrificial offerings as the climax.
The tantra of “DO”
The Lamas from the Takthok Monastery, the only Nyingmapa foundation of Ladakh, who are experts in tantric practice and astrology, prepare the elaborate “DO or Thread Crosses-the main objects of offering, which ensnare all the evil spirits, hungry ghosts and demonic forces when the prescribed mantras are recited and requisite rites observed by the Lamas.
The festive procession
Ten other kinds of offerings, of different shapes and sizes, complement the main offering. These are brought down from the main venue and carried through the main bazaar.
Black Hat dancers, followed by the lamas in their religious costumes and the local people in their resplendent best, make this a spectacular procession.
Musicians and the monastic orchestra lead the way. Outside the town, the offerings are burnt and destroyed with great fanfare to whish away all evil spirits and guard against natural calamities and disasters in the coming year.
Dosmoche celebrations are also held in the Liker (Indus valley) and Deskit (Nubra valley) monasteries. In Deskit, a number of folk dances are performed as interludes to the “Chhams”
Excellent views of Leh palace and the Stok Kangri range.
Friendly staff.
6 members live in Leh
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Address: Upper Karzo Road, Leh, Jammu and Kashmir, 194101, India