the
Tibetan Lho-yul 'southern country' or of Lhahi-yul 'country of the gods'.
Its attractions include the Buddhist monasteries, passes, glaciers,
lakes and rivers. Places to see in Lahaul
Patch of Green:
Leave early for Keylong, district headquarters of Lahaul Spiti. This is over a rugged road past the
Kunzam pass (4,551m). A chunk of green
in an arid area, Keylong has willow lined watercourses, fields and a
market. En route, sights include a frontal view of Shigri peak from
Kunzam pass, while a trek route brancehs off to Chandra Tal (4,270m),
a lake almost a kilometre long and between a low ridge and the main
Kunzam range.
Gramphoo (51km short of Keylong) is where the roads to Kaza,Keylong
and Manali meet, and Khoksar (5km ahead) has a major festival every
january. Sissu (3,120m , 28 km short of Keylong) has marshy plains
that are a stopover for migratory birds and its monastery houses an
image of Lahaul's patron deity, Geyphang.
Gondhla 3,160 m 16 km short of Keylong, has an eightstoreyed timber
and stone tower and every July the village hosts a large fair and masked
dances commemorating victory over the Tibetan King Langdarma, an enemy
of Buddhism. Here a sheer cliff rises over 1,500 m from the riverbed
and forms a spectacular sight. Keylong has hotels and rest houses.
Oldest
Gompha:
Based at Keylong, visit Buddhist gompas and savour nature's spectacular
sights. Some suggestions are Guru Ghantal (8km) regarded the oldest
gompa in Lahaul and said to have been founded by the religious leader
Padmasambhava in the 8th century.
Kardang (5km) has a library of Buddhist scriptures and houses exquisite
thangka paintings, Shashur (3km) is surrounded by a rare patch of woodland
and its 17th century gompa hosts Shashur Tseshe festival in June.
Tayul (6km) means the 'place that is chosen' and has a huge statue of
Padmasambhave. Baralacha La (4,890 m 75 km) is an 8-km long pass where
the paths from Zanskar, Ladakh, Spiti and Lahaul meet; Suraj Tal (4,800m)
is a lake just below the summit of the pass and is the source of the
river Bhaga. Sarchu, on the route to Leh, is the last point in Himachal
and has a tented colony for tourists.
Trilokinath (53 km) has fine stone carvings and Udeypur (53 km) has
an ancient temple.
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