From Biryani to Thukpa and everything in between: Travelogue of an obsessive foodie – III

20Jun08

Day 5

Decided to have a bath early in the morning but the ice cold water forced me to ditch the plans I went to explore Leh city. It was only day 2 in Leh and we were not fully acclimatized. Hence I kept ambling around and didn’t indulge in any uphill climbs. The mellifluous voice of Md. Rafi was floating in the air from the shops which open very early as against Hyderabad where the lazy bums open shops at a princely 11:00 am. ‘Hum tumse juda hoke’ made my day. After making some mandatory phone calls to parents (I hadn’t had a word with them since we left Srinagar) I went to the Polo ground where they were playing cricket.

They were practicing for the Kargil War Heroes tournament to be played later in the day. I watched them from sidelines and was impressed by one particular fast bowler. He was bowling really fast leg cutters and making them rear. I almost went to ask them to allow me to bat against him – my pride at my batting skills clearly tempting me. But then I realized I am yet to acclimatize and might become breathless. I decided to fuck pride and went on further to take some photographs.

The majestic Leh palace was the sign of more magnificent things to be viewed later in the day. After some photography I returned back to the guest house and had a geyser induced take-a-long-and-nice-bath syndrome.

At 8:30 am we had breakfast. We were invited into the dining room which was brilliant what with the colorful carpets and dewans and the methodical arrangement of utensils in the shelf. There was a place reserved for the head of the family. We were served the very thick but tasty local bread which looked like a gigantic panipuri to me. Jam, an omelet, coffee and butter. Aarrgh. Butter! %$#@ I swear to God I won’t touch butter again till I reach Hyderabad.

At 10:30 our driver arrived and we were headed towards the District Commissioners office for the inner line permits for Nubra valley and Pangong lake. The officials were very co-operative and gave the permits without any fuss unlike in Bhubaneswar where they would make your life miserable by telling you to run around some gazillion offices.

The Kargil Heroes tournament was in full swing and in about 15 minutes we had all the permits ready.

We started for Hemis monastery where an elderly couple was engaged in some corny PDA. It was damn funny and all the local people there had a field day.

It was saddening to see some dumb people turning the prayer wheels randomly despite the instructions. I was kind of bored here.

I was mesmerised by the colours here. We then went to Thiksey, Shey palace, Stok palace and the Shanti Stupa at the end.

Something interesting happened in Shanti Stupa. While we were in the sanctum sanctorum and silent some very eclectic music was floating in the air. Intrigued I wanted to go inside into the source and ask the people there what music was playing. Mind you it was a monastery and the music was definitely any Buddhist chant but some fantastic psychedelic electric-rock and trance fusion. When I entered the room what I saw was the last thing I ever expected to see there. A room full of musical instruments – A Fender Stratocaster, a synthesizer and above all a monk playing live.

To say I was zonked would be an understatement. And hold your horses he played some amazing covers of “Sunshine of your Love” and “Tears in Heaven” and some of his own compositions. The monk goes by the name Gyomyo Nakamura who stays 3 months in India in the Shanti Stupa and loves his music. I did record some of his music but unfortunately I can’t share that as he is coming up with a live album in July. All the very best to him. After spending about an hour with him we half-heartedly returned home.

After taking a warm bath we were treated to a simple yet sumptuous dinner – Plain rice, Mutton curry, salad and curd. The mutton curry had a clear Persian influence and was yum.

The dinner was heavy and I was tired. I put n the TV to listen to some music while sleeping. They were showing zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…

Day 6

Morning 6:30 we had to start for Pangong. Again getting inevitably delayed (aaaaaaargh) by an hour we were on the way to the Piece-de-resistance of the complete trip.

We had breakfast at Karu – Sabji Puri, chole bhature and curd. It was filling. Enough to carry us the complete day. So we think.

We were again off to a terrain which I don’t know how to describe – confusing and treacherous would be the words – snowfall, hot desert, rain and what not. The road at a place was narrow and slippery due to ice that there was a probability of us returning back and I was very angry – our driver didn’t have the chain to be put on the tyres to cut the ice. Seriously how much effort it would have taken? Our driver was anything but perturbed. He said we will go and we needn’t be worried. He became my hero. Plus the choice of songs today was great (Bollywood gold ) along with the kick ass Sony Xplod music system.

At about 1:00 pm we could see the first streaks of blue and we knew we had reached Pangong. And how breathtaking it was?

For the first time in Ladakh I was breathless not for the lack of oxygen. Oh. I forgot the complete pain of the acclimatization and everything that had transpired the previous days. I had seen what I wanted to.

After spending an hour there we had lunch – Chole Bhature again.

We returned and while returning one of the tyres got punctured some 25 kms before the next repairing shop and we were still at an incredible height. The stepney was without air.

I was again pissed with our driver. Our driver suggested we need to sit only on one side of the car and we obliged. We traveled 25 kms without a tyre. That he actually made us do that and brought safely to Karu made him a Superhero now. Respect! wouldn’t bother If tomorrow he says we don’t have air in any of the tyres and there is a hail storm. He will take us to anywhere we want. But still the precaution had to be taken and we told him to keep everything okay for tomorrow.

We went to Friend’s Corner again for dinner. The chef forgot my order and I had to share the dinner with a friend. I was too tired and too blissful to complain. We came back home and put on the TV. Some arbit movie was being shown and I din’t even bother to follow it although people around me felt it was good. I was too tired and slept.

Day 7

We will today start on a two day trip to Nubra valley crossing Khardun La, the highest motorable pass in the world. We reached Khardung La when it was snowing. The sun was very bright and blinding, it was very difficult to breathe, I was unable to see clearly and one of us almost died – okay, I lied on the last part.

We bought some souvenirs from there and went ahead along the terrain and reached Diskit monastery. There were these monks who were lived in the monastery and studied there. I so badly wanted to chuck everything else and enroll.

After spending some time there we started for Panamik where saw the hot water springs. The water there was incredibly hot and I was disgusted and yet amused to find a lot of Maggi covers littered across. I hope the high sulphur content in the water would have done its duty.

We decided to stay in the village of Hundar at night. What we came across was truly unbelievable. As if we were in Rajasthan. The vast stretches of sand and the dunes! Incredible India indeed. We stayed in the Snow Leopard guest house. Very reasonably priced the guest house is surrounded by greenery and mountain peaks. Apricot, Eucalyptus, Bamboo, Apple trees – beautiful. We had a word with the owner and he said the unbelievably large tract of estate was his. We also told him to make dinner for us and fix a table by 9:00 pm.

We had a divine dinner. Contrary to what my friends thought I found the dinner extra-ordinary. We had plain rice, chapati, gobhi alu curry and a dal makhani variant (Someone suggested its called maaki dal – Seriously?).

One thing was certain. I will get up early morning and indulge in some serious photography. No way I am leaving Hundar without capturing the beauty of this place.

Post dinner we ordered for and got – The Godfather. Not the movie but a local beer. It was fruity and real smooth. Niice.

I remembered an old poem:

The woods are dark and deep and as I have thulped and gulped, I will sleep. Hic!

Day 8

I got up real early. 4:30 am to be precise. By 5:00 am I was ready to shoot. I came out without waking up anyone. Fuck. The first chill of an early morning Hundar blew me away. I wanted to turn around, run towards the room and get under the blanket. I restrained myself and went ahead to the garden and started snapping like a mad man. After an hour or so the only thought that came to my mind was “Resistance is futile” but the beauty around me kept me going and I clicked till 8:15 am when our breakfast was served.

Nice toasted bread-butter, omelet and coffee. We thanked the owner and went to the desert to see the camels. I was disappointed with the commercial aspect of it. I had expected unchained free camels roaming across the sands with gay abandon.

Anyways some friends were taken for a ride – pun intended.

We then indulged in some mindless sport – getting down a dune and climbing up. That I finished last is a statement to my reservoirs of steely resolve.

After that we straightaway started for Leh as we wanted to spend some in the Leh market, buy some trinkets and then sleep as we have an early morning flight back to Delhi.

The thought of going back to Delhi gave me shivers. I wanted this stay to be delayed somehow. Back to office and work. Nooooooo…The same boring cubicle and familiar faces.

Post dinner we saw the IPL match where the Deccan Chargers were thulped again if I remember correctly. Anyways once the defeat was ensured I slept.

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