April 2, 2009

Himalayan Saga

Enjoy views and skies from all around the world at SkyWatchFriday. Here are some of my pictures of skies from different parts of India:

Auli

The Himalayan range is home to the world’s highest peaks, and that includes over 100 mountains exceeding 7,200 meters (23,622 feet) in height.

Mt. Neelkanth from Badrinath

The main Himalayan range runs from the Indus river valley to the Brahmaputra river valley forming an arc 2,400 km long.

Ladakh Landscape

Some of the world’s major rivers (Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra) originate from the Himalayas. Around these river basins live more than a billion people, and so the Himalayas have profoundly shaped the culture of South Asia. Some of the peaks are sacred in Hinduism and Buddhism.

Descending from Dzongri-La

I’ve seen a part of the Himalayan range from different states of India: Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand. That includes:
  • from the distant hills of Kalimpong and Darjeeling;
  • from the hill stations of Shimla and from Manali to the heights of Rohtang-La pass that connects the Kulu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti valley, to the Keylong Valley towards Darcha, Zingzingbar passing through the Baralacha Pass;
  • to continue towards Sarchu, Pang, Upshi while passing through the high altitude passes of Lachalung-La and Tanglang-La enroute Leh, Ladakh;
  • from the high altitude pass of Chang-La on the way to Pangong Lake near the borders of China;
Khardung-La
  • from the so-called highest motorable road at Khardung-La on the way to Nubra Valley, Sumur, Panamik, Diskit and Hundar of the Ladakh region;
  • from the mountain towns of Jorethang and Yuksom, towards the base of Mt. Kanchenjunga;
  • from the trans-Himalayan hill stations of Nainital, Noukuchiatal, Sattal and Bhimtal of the Kumaon region;
  • from the Garhwali regions of Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts and additionally, up and close and personal from Badrinath and Mana.
Sumur, Nubra Valley

Every trip has been sublime. Each bit of the travel has been stimulating. Travelling to the Himalayan region is something that I look forward to.

Valley of Flowers

The region’s topography, biodiversity, culture, scenic beauty and especially the mountains, valleys, lakes, glaciers, rivers fill me with admiration and awe for the majestic Himalayas.

Mana Village

What part of the region have you been to and what effect does the Himalayas have on you?

63 comments:

Final_Transit said...

SWF already? I just opened my eyes on a Thursday morning!

I've been to the Himalayas only thrice, and the latest time was in Bhutan. Himalayas make me feel humble and insignificant. And an urge to see more :)

indicaspecies said...

Priyank,

As long as it's not April 1st there, I guess it's fine.
Hey, my weekend is almost round the corner..Thursday evening is SWF time!

On a serious note: Yes, the majestic mountains do instill a feeling of humility.

Siddharth Mistry said...

Hi
How r u …
Nice blog…
Like yr profile …
u have taken wonderful pics of himalays... i like nature very much... yr poems are also... gr8..
do u like poems that inspire life..
thoughts can create mirecles...
Our interests r same …
so inviting u to read me on my blog...
Visit my blog .. siddharthmistry.blogspot.com
U will like it…

indicaspecies said...

Hi Siddharth,

Welcome. I'll be dropping by your blog soon and yes, I do like inspirational poetry.

Thanks for dropping by and leaving behind nice words.

Shalini Gowrisankar said...

WOW! beautiful!

Cheffie-Mom said...

Breathtaking photos! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog.

indicaspecies said...

Shalini,

Thank you.:)

indicaspecies said...

CM,

Thanks.
I reached your blog from David's and congrats on the well-deserved POTD.:)

Elisabeth's bright side said...

Your pictures are wild and beautiful, just grandious. Thank you and have a nice week!

indicaspecies said...

Elisabeth,

Thanks for dropping by and leaving behind those nice words. You have a nice week too!

SandyCarlson said...

Purely stunning. What a vast and varied and beautiful landscape.

indicaspecies said...

Sandy,

A compliment from you means much to me. Thank you.

Photo Cache said...

simply beautiful, what else can i say?

thanks for showing them to us.

Steffi said...

Wonderful photos!Thank you for sharing!

indicaspecies said...

Photo Cache,

Thank you. I like the vastness of your SW #38 shot.

indicaspecies said...

Steffi,

My pleasure. Thank you for dropping by.

EG CameraGirl said...

Beautiful photos of a part of the world I may never get to visit in person. Thank you for letting me see it through your camera lens!

indicaspecies said...

EG TG,

Truly my pleasure. How much of beauty you share through your excellent photographs! Thank you.

Louise said...

For me, seeing this is only a dream. But one I really hope comes true. I've read about them in books and seen pictures (YOURS are fantastic),and everything just makes me want to see them more.

Gill - That British Woman said...

that second shot is just so stunning....

Gill in Canada

Jim said...

That second shot with the snow capped mountain peak, peeking through the clouds is my favourite.

ninja said...

You certainly can't get any closer to the sky on ground then there.

Merisi said...

Oh Celine,
I have not been anywhere close enough to see any peek of the Himalayas, but thanks to you I feel as if I had! :-)
Gorgeous photography,
as always.

Winnie the poohi said...

breath taking!

I am so envious! I wanna live there!!!

Redzlan aka Tabib said...

I like the 2nd picture, peek view of mountain thro' the clouds.
Thanks for sharing.

Jane Hards Photography said...

Absolutley magnificent

Bryan said...

Beautiful photos of what I imagine is a beautiful area. I have never been here before, but it has been on my list of places to go for some time now.

Indrani said...

Beautiful tour, Celine.I always love the glimpses you show.

Martha Z said...

I love mountains, I spend my summer at 9600feet in the Sierra of California. Never been to the Himalyas, beautiful photos, love the last one.

A New Beginning said...

we are just unaware of the amount of beauty our country possesses. It through blogs like yours that one comes to terms with it. Thanks and happy blogging:)

Loran said...

I love the Himalayas too and would like to see more of them. My husband and I went to Nepal and Bhutan a year ago and admired them from afar. We will most likely return someday. Beautiful pictures.

Light and Voices said...

The Himalayas make me feel insignificant. I will never be able to see these in person. I so enjoyed your tour.
Joyce

Naturegirl said...

I really enjoyed viewing mountains and skies from your part of the world! thank you for sharing!!

Arlene said...

Hi Celine, i've never been to Himalayas ever but with detailed description here of some place plus these wonderful photos -- i am wishing to see any of those places in the future.

Great shots!

sandeep said...

excellent landscapes!

i'd not been to himalayas yet. but going by how awed i am with western ghats, it can only get better! in a way i am scared to go there. couple of treks in western ghats hooked me to its mysteries ... and the scale is much bigger with himalayas :) so, just biding my time!

Mridula said...

Neelkanth from Badrinath, amazing picture!

Arija said...

Your photos are so beautiful with spectacular scenery and flora.
The mountaintop peeking through the clouds is just magical.

Vamsee Modugula said...

Beautiful Photos. Love the picture of the Neelkanth.
Am so envious of you! I have not seen the Himalayas yet....although I went to Corbett last week. Am writing about that now.

indicaspecies said...

Louise,
I hope your dream comes true. Thanks for your encouraging words.

Gill – TBW,
I like that shot too. Thanks for dropping by.

J Bar,
That shot seems to be a favorite of many.

Koala,
You are absolutely right..haha! One can’t get any closer to the sky than from that height.

Merisi,
Your kind and generous words is a great compliment. Thank you very much.

Winnie the Poohi,
It is indeed. Come on, let’s go live there..haha!

Tabib,
Thanks for dropping by. Yes, that shot is a favourite of many.

Babooshka,
Thank you very much.

Bryan,
It is indeed beautiful at those heights. I do hope you get an opportunity to reach there sometime.

Indrani,
Thank you for your kind words.

Martha,
Thank you for dropping by and leaving behind a comment. I’m glad we share common interest in the mountains. The last picture is one of my favourites too.

A New Beginning,
Thank you for dropping by and leaving behind such nice words. I’ve just become aware of the beauty surrounding region, and it’s a pleasure.

Mountain Mama,
When am done with a bit of exploring within India, I intend to then explore the other parts of Himalayas from Bhutan and Nepal too. Thanks for your lovely comment.

Light and Voices,
I do agree about the feeling of being insignificance before the mighty mountains. Thank you for passing by Joyce, and you are welcome always.

Naturegirl,
You are welcome, and thank you for stopping by.

Arlene,
Thanks for dropping by, and I’m glad you liked these shots. I hope you get an oopportunity to see some of those places sometime.

Sandeep,
As long as we respect the mightiness of the mountains, I believe there is no need to fear. Thank you for your kind comment. I do agree that the Western Ghats are very impressive.

Mridula,
Glad you liked that picture.

Arija,
Thank you Arija. Your visit to my blog is truly appreciated/

Vamsee,
Thanks Vamsee. The Neelkanth seems to be a favourite of many.
Hey, Corbett is at the foothills of the Himalayas, I’ve been there. I’m sure you liked the place and the wildlife there.

floreta said...

these are amazing pictures! looks like you had an equally amazing time. nice blog.

indicaspecies said...

Floreta,

Thank you very much.

As I said, "Every trip has been sublime. Each bit of the travel has been stimulating."

rainboy said...

as always i am so jealous of you.

just waiting to get a nice job...
i want to go to so many places...

ahhhh

take care

Mana said...

lovely pics.. Wondering how much do I need to save to visit them!

GMG said...

Hi Celine! Never been there... :(
But I must confess that I prefer the sea to the mountains... ;))
Anyhow your pictures are stunning! At which altitude were you when you took them?

India 2008 has come to an end at Blogtrotter, but there is lots to see there, still in the BRIC countries… ;). Enjoy and have a great Sunday!

Girl Tornado said...

What awe inspiring photos you have captured here of the Himalayas. Stunning and striking, my jaw dropped. I have not had the pleasure to visit this part of the world, but perhaps, someday...

Thanks so much for sharing these marvelous photos with us!

AJEYA RAO said...

Another trip?

Rajesh said...

Very nice snaps and well written. You are right place at the right time.

Unseen India Tours said...

You are so lucky to be there..Nice shots captured..feel like we are there..:) BTW I am also an ardent traveler.
I have started a new blog that shows my passion for traveling—unseenrajasthan

Lakshmi said...

Lovely skies and breathtaking pics ..my favourites are the second and last..

GMG said...

Hi Celine! Back just to tell you that Blogtrotter is now showing Brasilia. Enjoy and have a great long Easter weekend, if you manage to... ;)

Anonymous said...

There is something about mountains...lovely pics, especially the last one in Mana village (great composition).

indicaspecies said...

Vicky Bond 007,
All the best for a good job and happy travelling. Tc.:)


Manasa,
Thanks. This is a brief of some of my trips. You can start your travels from one region at a time. Moreover, travelling to these remote areas is not all that expensive if planned properly.


Gil,
I’d strongly encourage you to make a trip someday at least to one of the 5-6 states of India from where you could behold the beauty of the Himalayas.

To your query, I’ve shot these pictures from different states, from different points, and from different altitudes - fom a height of 10,000 feet to more than 18,000 feet from main sea level. So you can imagine the height!!
For example: The shot of Khardung-La was from a height of 18,380 feet (as shown in one of the photographs above marked Khardung-La. You might wish to click on it for a better view).


Oz Girl,
Your words are highly encouraging and I am delighted that you liked the photos. Pleasure is mine and hope you get a chance to be in the Himalayas someday!


Ajeya,
These shots are from my various past trips to the Himalayas. Just about back from Egypt, so sadly no trips for a few months.


Rajesh,
Thank you very much.


Unseen Rajasthan,
Thank you.
Welcome to my blog and congratulations on starting your new blog. I hope to visit you regularly.


Lakshmi,
Thank you for your kind words. The last is my favorite too.


Gil,
Thank you for passing by again, and I will pass through Brasilia soon. I wish you a great Easter.


Shantanu,
Thank you, glad you like one of my fav pics. Oh yes, I am perpetually in admiration and awe of the majestic mountains.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Incredible and beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing.

And thank you for visiting my blog.

Diane AZ said...

I've never been to the Himalayas. Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures. My favorites are Mt. Neelkanth framed by the opening in the clouds and Mana Village with the daisies.

Saibal Barman said...

An adorable documentation on the Himalayas....enjoyable reading all through...Sorry to be here late, Celine, for reasons you may well guess.
Best wishes,

indicaspecies said...

Yogi,
Welcome aboard, and thank you for your kind words.


Diane C,
Sharing these pictures is a real pleasure. The daisies picture is one of my favorites too. Thank you for your visit and leaving behind a comment.


Saibal,
Hey, no apologies needed. Thank you for your visit and kind words.

prkl said...

absolutely stunning scenery and skies! bottom pic with flowers is my fav. happy SWF!

ViennaDaily said...

I like the last photo a lot!!! What a view and great composition! Postcard perfect! (http://postcardperfect.blogspot.com/)

Happy weekend!

bendtherulz said...

All of them gr8 shots. My fav was 2nd and last !!!

I am -Tuned in :-)....albeit late ha ha ha

The Explorer said...

At last I found this entry of yours. You are very lucky and you were able to visit the Himalayan. I wish someday I will be able to visit that place. I love mountains and not just seeing them but to experience them. Thanks for this one.

Deepak Iyer said...

Wow .. you seem to be on a world tour or something.

But great post, revived back all my memories of Ladakh. Truly a wonderful place.

Bon voyage.

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Unseen India Tours said...

Hi !! Few Days Back I Dropped On Your Blog And Commented on The Photgraphs Of Himalayas And See On 1st Of June I Am Going To Kailash Mansarover For Worshipping Lord Shiva..It Means Your Blog Is Lucky For Me..:).When I Saw The Pictures i Wished To Go To Himalays Once And My Dream Is Coming True...