Padam - Zanskar Valley II

11th October 2022 at Hotel Potala in Padam, Zanskar Valley

Decided to work my diary backward till I catch up with where I left of.

Network is a bit wobbly around Ladakh.

Today and tomorrow are take it easy days. This place is surrounded by snow clad mountains. It is cold, that goes as a given. 

But, when the sun is behind the clouds and the winds from the mountains whip down at you, it gets a bit more than cold. A head cover is a necessity. The heavy wind stopping jacket being a constant.

Woke up easy after a heavy night. That story will come in yesterday's diary.

Caught up with getting my clothes clean. That is a tremendous advantage. The combination of wind with the extremely strong sun rays dry clothes fast.

Was offered the services of the cook as a guide to some local spots.

Reason is simple. The guys were free. The hotel is empty of guests except for me.  The staff were supposed to leave today, but the Shingo La that takes them in to Manali from the Zanskar side was closed due to heavy snowfall.

Left around 1000 towards Seni Lake, that is in the direction of Kargil. 

The last picture shows the Karsah Gompa in the distance. That was my second stop, after Seni lake.

 

A closer look at the Gompa.

The lake did not have too much water. The best time to visit the lake if water is the focus, would be in July/August. That is when the melting snow would do the filling. This is the time winter is just setting. Snow is falling on the higher peaks, and should get down to the valley in the next week or so.

As an alternate to the lake, got a picture of this.

 

Left the lake behind and headed towards the Gompa. This required us to cross the River Zanskar and turn back in the direction we had come.

Took about half an hour to get the first glimpse of the Gompa.

The plan was to drive up to the gate and walk the little necessary steps.

Obviously Buddha had his own plans. The road up was being given a fresh tar topping and was closed.

This Gompa is over a 1000 years old. One of the major attractions, apart from the obvious, was that there was a well preserved mummified monk kept in the Gompa. This was of a monk who had taken samadhi in the year 1400. The name of the Gompa is Karsah Gompa.

Parked the vehicle and started our climb.

The phone counting my steps later told me that I had climbed an equivalent of 22 floors, 3000 steps.

Reached the main Gompa after much huffing and puffing. There was an old man who had the keys to the main prayer hall. The mummy was also kept in the same hall.

This is a picture of the mummified monk, taken by the Gompa monks and displayed for visitors.

All that is visible of the mummy is the face, and it looks just like the picture.

Started down.

 

By the time we got to the parking, it was getting a bit late. the cook was withe me and lunch had to get done.

Headed back to the Hotel Potala.

Did nothing for the rest of the day.