The Himalayas

If you are an Indian and you haven’t experienced the view from the top, well really… try it at least once in your life. In high school I was a big geography geek, I was obsessed with mountain formation and movement of tectonic plates that lead to the formation of the Himalayas.

Perpetually snow-covered peaks (even in May-the hottest month for northern India), the peaks are higher than the clouds. You can’t drive after 3:30 pm there’s too much fog. There are plenty of natural lakes and waterfalls up the way. There’s a lake that looks like India (geographically), and there’s one that looks like an elephant. There are plenty of Yaks along the way too. These Yaks are colourfully dressed and don’t go by their appearance, they’re pretty timid and shy animals, though they resemble bulls.

We went to Nathu-la, (Indo-China border) 14,000 feet above mean sea level.  We reached there and amidst one of the mountains where the words “Mera Bharat Mahaan” – I loved it. Upon reaching the border outposts of the Indian side, the Chinese flags were visible. Even the Chinese soldier was talking to the Indian soldier – there was a fence between them, nothing very solid.

The border for India was higher (like upwards/north), but apparently a few years back they shifted south cause of the following incident. So the story goes that a Madrassi soldier was on duty. He left his spot to go south to go drinking. He spent 24 hours away without informing. By the time the Indian soldiers found out and came back, the outpost was occupied by the Chinese, they had already built there stations there. And that is how we lost a piece of the Himalayas to Lhasa province of china.

So I interacted with an Indian soldier and he spoke some Chinese and told the Chinese soldier to click pictures with me, haha and he did!

The snow, the mountains, the cold air, the streams- India.The most beautiful, diverse country ever.


the Yaks

The lake that looks like the 'map of india' - I couldn't capture from a higher altitude, though I should have cause this picture cuts the lake in half!

The mountain that has 'Mera Bharat Mahan" written on it : )