Niti, Mana and Darma Valley - photos and info

friends,
here are some of the scanned photos of my trip to Niti, Mana and Darma valleys in this summer of 2005).
Raj

Nice pix Rajkumar!!!! thanks for sharing
waiting for the next lot.

Very nice , waiting for next lot.

Awesome !

You mean this is some place in India? unbelievable!!

Fantastic!

hello Indogingai,
Yes, these are the places in the greater Himalyan Range bordering Tibet. Mana, Niti and Sipu are the last villages in three different valleys. beyond these villages are the passes to Tibet. Before Indo-China war in 1962, the people crosssed these passes to trade with tibet. And tibetans also came here to sell wool, borax, precious stones and salt. Even now the upper reaches of these valleys are inhabited only in summer season( May to October). The people( called Bhotiyas) have one house in this region and another down in the 'foothills'. For 5 moths they cutivate high altitude strains of barley, buckwheat, and medicinal plants. And tend cattle and sheep. There is no electricity in these region. In winter season the valleys are covered with snow. Only army and police stay there. The people come back to their 2 nd house and engage in wool work weaving carpets, sweaters and rugs.
The landscape is dramatic and overwhelming. When I came back here, for a few weeks I get depressed to see the montonous plains and the milling crowds. In those villages 30 to 40 people stay there.
You can imagine my angst when I see the crowds, pollution and ugliness of the urban environment.

Try visiting these places when you are in India. You will know for yourself what they are all about.
Raj

Stunning !!

Beauitful pics.Seems virgin beauty&unexplored.

Cheers
Radz

nice pics man !!

thanx for the details !

We're talking Ladakh then, or where?

Beautiful pictures, rajkumar.

hi,
All these places( Mana, Niti, Sipu) are all in Uttaranchal state bordering Tibet. Infact they are the last villages on the India- Tibet Trade routes in 3 different valleys. They are also the routes used by the pilgrims to reach Kailash Mansarovar(k.M). But these days only Lipulekh pass is being used officially to visit K.M. The people of Niti valley are hoping that the pass will be opened as it is the easiest of all the passes in Uttaranchal to cross over to Tibet.
Raj

Thanks Rajkumar, duly noted & will probably interest some other prospective travellers, hence my asking.

Very nice pics!

aweeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzoooooooooo oooooooooomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Can you also share ur travel-log, it would help Im'ers getting there...

thanks