The Big Chill

- Abhishek Chaliha

An absolute sense of calm engulfs us, as silence is broken only by prayer flags fluttering in the wind, while monks chant blessings on us. Just close your eyes a moment and imagine this scene. Welcome to Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh, perhaps one of the few places in the country that is still untouched for the most part – barren mountains that are covered in snow for the better part of the year and no real roads, as tarmac is scarce in this part of the country. In fact, you could say that time stands still in this part of the world, where the primary source of livelihood for the local population is agriculture. The concept of poor isn’t really valid here, as everyone seems to have the same sort of houses, wear the same sort of clothes and eat the same sort of food. As for beggars, well there weren’t any in the Lahaul and Spiti region. And that says a lot about a place I think.

Because of its high altitude and heavy snowfall, the Spiti Valley is cut off from the rest of the world for about eight months of the year. This isolation could very well be one of the reasons for the parity in this region, since it’s literally its own little world. So it’s not just the solitude and sanctity of nature that absolutely spoil you in the Lahaul and Spiti region, it’s also the peaceful nature of the people that makes your journey a very special one.

As you drive past the majestic Karcham Wangtoo hydroelectric plant on the Sutlej River, you suddenly feel as though you’re entering another world as the tarmac roads come to an end, traffic is non-existent and the intense green surroundings of Himachal Pradesh almost disappear completely.