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**sajalsheth** · 04-14-2020, 10:17 PM

Re: Ride To KISS

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But reaching at this place will give you great amazing view for sure.It is a must visit place to see Key Monastery and Spiti Valley from a totally different perspective.
This was last click there & yes it is NOT a drone shot.

It was 3.40pm and I was ready to leave.

At 4.20 pm, I reached the welcome gate of Key Monastery.

This view has Key Monastery, Gette Chortens, Key Village, Spiti River and Rangrik Village.

And this is Key Monastery, which is the biggest and oldest Monastery and a religious training center for Lamas.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-15-2020, 12:59 PM

Re: Ride To KISS

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This is the view of Gette Chortens from there. Now imagine how dangerously it is located.

This monastery is also called KEE or KEY or KI.

There are multi floors constructions and the top one is the main Monastery.

There is parking area there. I requested person in charge there to allow me to take my bike till top, as I was having luggage on my bike. He kindly allowed and I took my bike till the place till the end of road near main Monastery Entrance.
I removed my shoes and entered Monastery. This Lama showed me full Monastery and explained some fact about it.

This Monastery is at least a thousand years old and is believed to be of 11th century.
This Monastery was attacked by Mongols. There was devastating fire in 1840. In 1975 it was damaged by violent earthquake.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-15-2020, 10:12 PM

Re: Ride To KISS

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This Monastery looks like a defensive fort rather than a Monastery.

The monastery is a wonderful example of the monastic architecture that came into prominence during the 14th century because of the Chinese influence. Regular invasions have led to temples built on top of one another. There are low rooms and narrow corridors. Dimly lit passages, difficult staircases and small doors lead to prayer rooms which themselves do not conform to a single design.

Colorful Key Monastery.

The walls of the monastery are decorated with beautiful paintings and murals, thangkas (a painted or embroidered Tibetan banner), valuable manuscripts, stucco images and unique wind instruments.

There is also a collection of weapons that were probably used to defend the monastery from the attackers. The wind instruments are still put to use when Chham is enacted in summers.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-16-2020, 02:39 PM

Re: Ride To KISS

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Repeated attacks on the monastery resulted in frequent renovation and reconstruction work, which in turn has given rise to irregular box like structure.

I donated some amount at Monastery.

This is view of Key Village with Key Monastery.

And this is mandatory picture of Key Monastery, angle from which, generally all tourists click.

While riding towards Kaza, I saw a waterfall near Rangrik side.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-16-2020, 10:03 PM

Re: Ride To KISS

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This was my first view of Kaza Village at 5.20PM.

And this is famous “I LOVE SPITI” art made by a lady using used plastic water bottles.
Her name is Ishita, the founder of Ecosphere. This group has also provided free RO water refill facility LIFESTRAW at Key Monastery, Komic, Taste of Spiti Sol Café of Kaza, Dhankar Monastery.

The story about the idea of LIFESTRAW can be read at
"I Love Spiti" - How Travellers Must Help Save India's Surreal Himalayan Desert.

After reaching Kaza, I searched for hotel for my 2 day stay. I finalized Ri-Dzong Residency Hotel for Rs. 900. Usually they charge Rs.1500, but they gave discount to me as I was solo rider. This hotel has good view of Spiti River.

All the bike repairs shops were closed then; hence I decided to repair my puncture tomorrow morning.
After that I moved around Kaza town and enjoyed
I found Taste of Spiti Sol Café near main market and decided to have dinner there. I also saw that lady, Ishita who is behind LIFESTRAW and I LOVE SPITI art, at the café. Owner was helpful and guided me about Kaza town.
This was my dinner.

The Himalayan Café nearby also serves good food.
I had desert at Cream Team Bakery nearby.

This was my ride map for the day.

Coming up…. Next… Langza Buddha Statue, World’s Highest Post Office at Hikkim, World’s Highest Restaurant at Komic, World’s Highest Petrol pump at Kaza & Bike repairs.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-17-2020, 12:39 PM

Re: Ride To KISS

14.9.2019

Day 12 = Langza Buddha Statue, World’s Highest Post Office at Hikkim,
World’s Highest Restaurant at Komic, World’s Highest Petrol pump at Kaza & Bike repairs.

Total 50 Kms

Ride time 9.40 AM to 2.30 PM.

Today was the lowest kms ride for this trip. I got up at 8.30AM and this was the view from my room’s balcony.

Something was written on the mountain. It was written “NAVODAYA”.

This was my breakfast.

I was ready to leave at 9.40 AM. My first work was to get my puncture repaired. It was only one small nail which was culprit. The tubeless tyre is very helpful thing in a solo ride. I could manage two days with punctured rear tyre.

I took the road to Langza. This is fully off dirt road.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-17-2020, 11:46 PM

Re: Ride To KISS

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It was ascend completely. I reached a point where I could see road to Rangrik.This point is called Dhar Lung Wooh point.

The road below was straight one and it looked as if a drone shot.

This road was not good but scenery was.

After riding few kms, I stopped after seeing few houses and green harvest on my left.
This was lower Langza. Langza is divided into two sections; Langza Yongma (Lower) and Langza Gongma (Upper). The main occupation of the villagers in the olden days was mud craft. This art prevails in the village to this day. Vessels of all shapes and sizes are produced and sold all across the country. Agriculture is another major occupation in this village. Crops such as rice and potatoes are cultivated here.

After taking few pictures, I moved towards main Langza village. This was my first view of Langza.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-18-2020, 10:12 AM

Re: Ride To KISS

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Nestled between the mountains in a bowl shaped area, it is situated at 14500 feet. You can see Chau Chau Kang Nilda Mountain in the background. This snow capped mountain peak is of 20679 feet.

At the first glance of the village, one will instantly notice a huge Golden colored Buddha statue which is believed to be around 1000 years old. All the houses in the village are built below this statue. The houses are made of mud. As the tourism in this region has increased in the past few years, more and more houses have turned into home stays providing the travelers with accommodation and food options.

My bike with snow capped Chau Chau Kang Nilda Mountain peak.

And the road towards Langza Village.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-18-2020, 03:05 PM

Re: Ride To KISS

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At 10.50AM, I reached at most important landmark of Langza Village….the Buddha Statue.The statue of meditating Buddha, sitting cross-legged, on a mound above the village overlooking the Zanskar and Great Himalayan Range. As per the Bhaisajyaguru Sutra, this posture, also referred to as Medicine Buddha symbolizes the Buddha’s meditation to ward-off any disease inner as well as outer.

I was alone there. This Buddha Statue is of 35 feet height.

Selfie time at 14300 feet.

The main attraction at Langza is Buddha Statue, Fossils and Snow Leopards.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-18-2020, 09:37 PM

Re: Ride To KISS

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This is Langza Monastery. I crossed this to reach at Buddha Statue.

Langza Buddha Video

Many past travelers have found fossils around the village. And some lucky ones have spotted Snow Leopards also. Night sky is very clear here and some travelers have clicked night sky with Buddha Statue also. But this time, only day sky for me and my bike.

Langza and surrounding village were submerged under the ancient geological Tethys Sea, more than 200 million years ago. It inhabited many varieties of Mesozoic marine animals. It is difficult to imagine that this land could have been a huge ocean. Fossils of marine animals living under Tethys Sea are found today in Langza and neighboring villages.

At 11.10 AM, I started riding towards Komic.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-19-2020, 08:15 AM

Re: Ride To KISS

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There is a diversion towards Hikkim Village on the way. I could see full Hikkim Village from there.

I reached Komic at 11.35AM.

Komic is highest village of the world at 15000 feet, connected with motorable road.

And while I reached at this sign board, one gentleman was there on bike. He asked me that are you SAJAL SHETH? I have read your MahendraGiri travelogue in 2016 in bcmtouring site and I have also asked you about road etc about this place in 2016 via fb messenger.
I was pleasantly surprised. It feels so good if someone recognizes you, after reading your travelogue.

This Gentleman is Mr. Gourab Ghosh Dastidar ji. He is from West Bengal.

This is the monastery of Komic. In fact there are two. This is the first one and bigger one.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-19-2020, 12:41 PM

Re: Ride To KISS

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This is Komic Village.

This is second Monastery called Tangyud Monastery. It is 800 years old. It is the highest motorable monastery in the world.

View of snow capped mountain range from the Tangyud Monastery.

And the entrance of Tangyud Monastery has a stuffed skin of snow leopard.

At least, I can now say that I saw snow leopard at Komic, though stuffed effigy.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-19-2020, 08:56 PM

Re: Ride To KISS

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Some pictures inside monastery.Locals believe that this monastery houses some hidden treasures which are made to the public only once in 60 years due to security concerns. This hidden treasure includes an egg of a dragon, the horn of a unicorn, the upper tooth of a sheep, the ribcage of a giant demon, and the tail of a prehistoric man.

Some instruments.

A colorful gate.

Near this Monastery there is a restaurant. They call it as World’s Highest Restaurant. . Can you see that LIVESTRAW, Free RO drinking water refill. It was also there in Key Monastery and Taste of Spiri Sol Café at Kaza. Ecosphere group has installed here also.

I had cold coffee in this restaurant.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-20-2020, 12:13 PM

Re: Ride To KISS

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Then I started for Hikkim Village.One needs to be careful about this sign board. Otherwise you may reach Langza.

This is far view of Hikkim Village.

This is Mr. Gourab Ghosh Dastidar Da riding with his friend.

Hikkim Village is famous for its post office.
According to Limca Book of Records, Hikkim also has the highest polling booth in India, along with Tashigang village.
I parked my bike on road and trekked down to reach Post Office of Hikkim.
At 12.30 PM, I saw that famous landmark of Spiti Valley.

Village children were having fun there.

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**sajalsheth** · 04-20-2020, 10:40 PM

Re: Ride To KISS

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How can anyone miss posing there?

It is World’s Highest Post Office at 14567 feet.

One important point is the working hours of this post office. It opens at 10AM to 1 PM, then from 2PM to 4 PM. This is mentioned at one sign board near gate. Where as, another sign board near Post box mentioned 7.00AM to 7.30AM, then from 1.30PM to 4.00PM.

This is this post office looks from inside.

I purchased post cards from post master inside post office, and wrote 6 post cards to my friends and dear ones. But the most important post card written to my daughter never reached her. Whereas rest 5 reached destination.

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