India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [528]
BEST CLIFF-EDGE FORTRESS: Dhankar Monastery Overlooking the confluence of three valleys, Dhankar means “fort” or “palace on the rock,” and one glimpse of Dhankar Tashi Choling Monastery tells you what a brilliant protective stronghold it must have been. Precariously perched on a hill jutting out from a sharp mountainside, this was once the castle of the Nono, the ruler of Spiti, and the architecture reflects a keen defensive strategy. Entry to the temple is nerve-wracking; access steps and uppermost rooftops drop away to perilously steep rocky slopes, and if you climb higher, beyond the temple, you discover an entire community that has chosen to live on what feels like the edge of the world. Legend has it that Ladhaki invaders posing a threat to the monastery were invited for a feast. As was customary, a strong local brew was served, and once inebriated, the guests were rolled down the steep precipice by the hosts—no need, however, to regard the butter tea offered by the monks with suspicion! Today, Dhankar is a repository of Bhoti-scripted Buddhist scriptures, and there’s a small museum of unusual artifacts in the room next to the entrance. Precarious as it looks, built on what look like massive stalactites carved by wind and glacial erosion, Dhankar has survived for 1,300 years. Which is kind of good to know as you wonder around its rather spooky, gravity-defying ledges.
HIGHEST-ALTITUDE VILLAGES: Kibber & Comic Just north of Kaza, a road veers off the main highway and zigzags its way up a steep mountainside. At the end of this stretch is Kibber, perched on a rocky spur at an altitude of 4,205m (13,792 ft.). Surrounded by limestone rocks and cliffs, the remote and isolated village offers stunning views of the barren valley below. There’s even a handful of very basic guesthouses should you require accommodations. Until just a few years back, Kibber enjoyed a reputation as the highest permanent settlement with electricity and accessibility by motor road, but then Comic (4,600m/15,088 ft.) was connected and the record books changed; you can hike from Kaza to Comic (where you can visit the interesting Tenggyu Komic Monastery overlooking the peaceful village) in around 31⁄2 hours, passing through some phenomenal scenery, and the views changing constantly as you quickly ascend to high altitudes fairly. Incidentally, as roadworks continue, there may soon be another village or two that usurp Comic’s title.
BIGGEST: Ki Gompa Between Kibber and Kaza is Spiti’s largest monastery, Ki Gompa, which is about 700 years old. Home to a large community of lamas (of the Gelugpa sect), Ki Gompa is well accustomed to receiving visitors; the monk on duty will brew you a welcoming cup of tea and show you around the different prayer rooms and assembly halls filled with holy relics. The most exciting time to visit is late June or early July, when a festival involving chaam dancing and the ceremonial burning of butter sculptures draws large numbers of pilgrims.
MOST HOLY: Tabo Gompa The sanctity of this World Heritage Site is topped only by Tholing monastery in Tibet. Don’t arrive expecting some cathedral-like masterpiece; the monastery ( 01906/22-333 or -3315; www.tabomonastery.com) is a rustic center that is more spiritually than architecturally engaging. A high mud wall surrounds the compound, and the pale mud-covered low-rise monastery buildings suggest nothing of the exquisite wall paintings and stucco statues within. You’ll need a flashlight to properly appreciate many of the frescoes and other artworks that adorn the various dark, ancient spaces; only narrow shafts of natural light from small skylights illuminate the frescoed walls, saturated with rich colors and an incongruous variety of scenes. There’s a distinctly