Today is Republic Day, commemorating India's first constitution from 1950. Traditionally it's celebrated with a parade on Rajpath, around the government area. We originally planned to go there but changed our mind after we read about the testing of security arrangements in the newspapers. Everything had to be left behind with security guards, who were searching every visitor entering the "security zone", from which only it is possible to watch the proceedings properly. One visitor brought his new expensive shiny pen, which he had to leave behind. On his way back he wanted to pick it up only to find a cardboard box containing hundreds of pens - but not his. Another visitor had just bought a flask of perfume; one of the security guards looked at it, opened it, sniffed at it and poured half of the content over his head saying to the visitor "Please leave this with me, you are not allowed to take it into the security zone."

30/01/04 too much snow for the bus

We take the HP tourism bus from Delhi to Manali. It's raining all the way from Chandigarh, but just a few kilometres after Kullu the rain turns first into sleet then pukka snow. Bus passengers including us are exuberant: winter, snow, yipeeahhh! We are less happy when the bus stops at the HP tourism bus depot about 6 km from New Manali; the bus driver refuses to go any further with the snow on the road, maybe something to do with lack of winter tyres and absence of tread on them? Passengers are left in the snow to fend for themselves; but as usual all turns out well, cold footed tourists (including us) are easily persuaded to pay extortionate rates to taxi-jeep drivers for the short drive to New Manali.

01/02/04 Fagari festival in Manali

About a week ago Fagari started in Old Manali, a festival which lasts here for 11 days and a time to worship Manu Rishi and rakshas or demons. This is also the time of the year to have a look at the "elusive" god Dhak devta, whose statue is taken out of the storeroom only three times a year. It's a small statue with a few silver masks, decorated with brocade and flowers and tied around somebody’s waist instead of being carried on a palanquin as is usual for most god idols here. Villagers crowd around the storehouse to watch the prayer ceremonies with drums and trumpets, and to listen what the gods have to say through the Gur (the medium).

04/02/04 record snow fall

The snow and avalanche research institute in Bahang had forecast 72 hours of snowfall for end of January (when we arrived). It wasn't quite that long, but nonetheless it was a record year: within little more than 2 days of constant snowing 120 cm of snow was recorded in Manali and 200 cm in Solang. The surrounds are beautiful now, clear blue sky, white orchards and glistening mountains. The day after our arrival the roads were blocked till Patlikuhl (about 20 km from here), but everything is open again now. Even a big chunk of the road up to Old Manali has been cleared. It's a slippery business at night though: hideously difficult to walk up even on the tiniest of inclines on the icy road surfaces. Good exercise for us: 2 steps up, slide 1/2 step back.

11/02/04 Prini village

It might have been a record snow fall this year but the snow seems to be disappearing with a record speed as well. We head for Prini village, just 3 km from Manali, to drop some long promised photos I took here a few months ago. We stumble around on some snow and mud covered village paths, following conflicting directions, which turn out to be either wrong, badly explained or badly understood by us. After ending up at several dead ends, we eventually make it to Mani's house, one of the women I took a picture of with her massive basket of pine needles. She's sitting in her courtyard in the sun, weaving a new pattu. Around her a few friends and relatives drink chai, make jokes and laugh (maybe at our expense?). We join the crowd, have the obligatory chai and enjoy the view towards sparkling white Rohtang Pass.

20/02/04 ski jumping in Solang Nallah

We take the 8 am bus to Palchan, from there we walk up to the "Ski Resort" of Solang. Since both of us are basically quite inert people we rather watch the winter sports enthusiasts than doing all this wobbling around on or with sticks and falling over ourselves. A small makeshift ski jump had been built on the piste for more advanced skiers. We want to take a few pictures of Himanchu from Manali, as he jumps over it. Unfortunately there are too many people in the way, sitting, drinking chai, taking holiday snaps. I try to convince a honeymoon couple sitting on the ski jump to go somewhere else, first in English, but it doesn't bear any results. So I continue in an awful mix of Hindi, English with a bit of German for emphasis (everybody understands orders given in German!) chucked in and some vigorous sign language. Both newly weds stare at me goggle-eyed as if I was a rare species of a 15 legged giant spider (or something). But after several attempts on my part they reluctantly move away, giggling and giving me funny looks. I put myself in photo position for Himanchu the ski jumper, when suddenly the honeymoon-man comes stumbling back towards the ski jump, throws himself head over first over it, gets stuck with his knee and rolls down the slope for a few metres. The he expectantly looks up at me as if to ask whether I took a fine picture of his elegant jump. Maybe just another failure in communication? [See also picture in photo diary]

25/02/04 Fagari festival in Goshal

Fagari is not celebrated in all villages around here, it is not celebrated at the same time, it doesn't last for the same duration and there might be different rituals for different villages. So for example in Goshal; about a month ago the stone statue in the old Naag devta temple was covered in clay. During this month, Goshal is supposed to be a "quiet village"; radio, television, loud parties are not allowed so as not to disturb the deity. Today at Fagari, after lots of drumming, trumpet blowing, flower offerings and prayers, the clay is peeled off. Villagers squeeze through the crowds to have a look at this clay and to see signs on it for the near future. People who are brought up here, know, what little pebbles or nuts in the clay mean. Will there be many marriages in the village? Or many deaths? Will there be a good apple harvest ? [See another picture in the photo diary]

Kirsten mar 2004	<< previous next >>
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