You may have made your way through treacherous mountain passes, somehow survived rough weather and hair raising paths that were barely enough for your vehicle to pass through. All this while avoiding a peep out of your window as the sheer drops were so deep, and of course gasping for breath every now and then, as high altitude played games with you body. But here you are -- happy, alive and victorious at having set foot in #Shangri-la. In #Spiti. The euphoria lasts a short while and then you wonder what to do with your time. Everyone wants to get to Shangri-La but does anyone think about what they'll do there?
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During my stays in Spiti, I have often encountered baffled tourists asking me if there really is anything to "do"? What they usually mean to ask is if there is anything to "do" apart from visit monasteries. Was there no other "sight seeing"? Or shopping? Unfortunately for many a package-tour-addict and serial-monument-visitor, the wondrous landscape, the marvelous hues of the mountains, the other-wordly feel of the villages, the peace and the warmth of the people really don't qualify as items to that can fill their "must see" or "to do" list. Their kids look cranky, bored and restless, and the parents can barely figure out to how fill their own hours, let alone those of the kids. Is this really Shangri-la? Certainly not for them.
For starters, although #Shangri-la as a vague concept or euphemism could mean many things to many people, but the its literal definition, according to the #OxfordDictionary is, “A place regarded as an earthly paradise, especially when involving a retreat from the pressures of modern civilization.” Now, if you use that as your starting point, you’ll be able to enjoy Shangri-la for what it is. Let #SoulSherpa show you how…
Spiti must be enjoyed for everything that it offers, and that can’t be found elsewhere.
1.Slow down
Don’t try and fill in every hour of the day or make a rigid timetable. Slow down and shift to a low gear. Start by taking in the scenery. When you find a spot or a view nice, sit down and enjoy it. Don’t just drive past it in a hurry.
Prayer Flags in Spiti
2. Visit Monasteries
Spiti has some of the most beautiful #monasteries, many of which are centuries old. Visit them irrespective of you religious beliefs and see them from a historic, architectural, and cultural perspective. Enjoy each of them for their uniqueness and the blissfully peaceful environment they provide.
Ke Monastery
3. Attend a morning prayer session
Although not all prayer sessions are open to the public, if you request a senior monk the previous day, they will make an exception for you. The prayer sessions and the sound vibrations from chants work on a very deep level in increasing your own vibrational frequency. You will feel blessed after attending one such session. Do go with an open mind though. You don’t need to become a Buddhist to benefit from these amazing sound healing and vibrational cleansing methods. Just sit there, immersed and experience the magic of the moment.
Prayers at Komik Monastery
4. Meet The Locals
I once met a lady photographer from Delhi. She was from the family of a well
known wildlife film veteran. Her idea of meeting with the locals was whizzing
around in her SUV, and stopping for a few seconds every time she saw some
cheap biscuits, take a few hurried snaps, grab the jar right out of their hands
and “interesting looking” village folk. She would them hop out, offer them a jar
of drive off. It was a very rude and offensive method of functioning. And the
folks felt quite hurt although they were too simple and polite to say anything.
I hope you will not be anything like this lady. On the contrary, if you just show
some courtesy, respect and genuine interest, Spitians will be happy to sit and
chat with you. And no matter how poor, they’ll generously share their tea and
snacks with you.
Spitians enroute to a faraway village
5. Eat local food & Drink Butter Tea
The local food is simple but very tasty, but be warned that #ButterTea does not appeal to everyone’s palate. It’s best to try a tiny bit first, instead of wasting a cup of what #Spitians consider very special concoction. Wasting the butter tea could also lead to some socially awkward moments. Also, on some special occasions you may be serve dried #YakMeat, which is considered a very special treat. I certainly can’t eat it and once had to go through a elaborate ritual of hiding it as the #HeadMonk or #Lama of the #KomikMonastery had offered it to me with great fondness, and there was no way I could say no. But if you don’t want to try it, it may be a good idea to say you are vegetarian!
Bindiya Murgai, Raj K Gopalakrishnan & Karzan in Langza village
Photograph by Bal Nanda
6. Visit the local bazaar
The only real #LocalBazaar is in #Kaza. The rest of the places have small little
village “haats” or open-air flea markets of sorts, where one can usually buy
produce and basic utilities. For any major purchase, people come to Kaza. But
don’t get too excited and think that you’ll walk home with bags of goodies. This is
not Kathmandu or Manali. But it is quaint cluster of shops that stack vegetables,
groceries, woolens, and utility goods.
In the summer some stalls with jewelry and bric-a-bac pop up around the place.
They are a lot more expensive than other places in India, but that’s because they
need to haul the stuff a long way. The semi precious stones they sell are of pretty
dubious quality, but sometimes it’s just worth picking these things up for the sheer
romance and memories the piece will represent in the years to come. My favorite
things in the bazaar are the teacups with lids. I just love them and they are so
very useful, especially in the winters. And lastly, I have bought the warmest ever
thermals from this very market. No fancy brand, but just sheer, delightful warmth!
Local Bazaar
7. Work at a farm
If you are visiting in the summer, which is when Spiti is accessible, then you’ll find yourself in the midst of sowing, growing and harvesting season. The locals only have a short window to grow food that is mostly stored for the winter. Give them a hand at their farms. Gather some #GoodKarma and participate in the most rudimentary type of high altitude farming.
Farmers harvesting peas... Spitian peas are the sweetest & most delicious ones
8. Visit a school
Spitians attach a lot of value to educating their young and it’s always delightful to visit some of the #LocalSchools and watch the students go about the schooling without the technology and distractions of urban life. If you have more time, you can always offer to volunteer at a school.
Students revising their syllabus
9. Camp by the river, stargaze & count shooting stars
No matter where you stay in Spiti, the river will always be close by. Spend one night #camping by the #riverside and sleep under the thickest blanket of stars that you have ever seen. These twinklers simply cast their spell by seeming immensely huge, close and attainable. And the most amazing part is the number of #ShootingStars one sees on each and every clear night. So don’t shy away from making a list of your wishes, and there’ll always be enough shooting stars to make each of them.
Star spangled sky
10. Meditate
Finally, but most importantly, spend some time to meditate. There are few places on earth that are as conducive to #meditation as Spiti. There is a calmness in the place that naturally encourages stillness in a restless mind. There is a sublime quality in the air that is most conducive to guiding your awareness to a single place or thought. There is a sense of #love and #compassion that will expand your consciousness and your mind through meditation. You could either choose to do it alone, or participate in one of the individual or group #retreats that I conduct in the summer. These are meditation & inner work retreats that span from 5-7 days. For more details, you can mail me at bindiya.murgai@gmail.com
Bindiya Murgai during a meditation retreat
Photograph by Raj K Gopalakrishnan
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