Of all the things being planned the trip to Ladakh has been on the list for a very very long time. Ironically though, the decision to go was taken just 3 days prior to departure and nearly everything done last minute. But then isn't being spontaneous (read. lazy) half the fun?
People have written and talked about Leh and the amazing landscapes that it has to offer and they were all spot on. The gorgeous views on the Leh-Manali route, the shocking sand dunes in the Numbra valley, the abrupt and non seasonal snowfall at Kardungla, the precariously perched gompas at every visible horizon... everything was spot on.
But then they missed one very special thing. The heavenly views of the night skies from Pangong Lake. That I guess was the one hidden secret that was discovered during the trip there and what a well kept secret it is. For most people head out to Pangong Tso as a day trip with very few willing to bear the sub-zero (debatable :)) temperatures of the high altitude lake post sunset, which amazingly is around 7-8pm. Or maybe its simply because most people can't stomach a night in minimal accomodations available here. Sissies.
Luckily the low temperatures are never a deterrent for this thick skinned Mangy. Standing out near the lake, when you raise your head to the sky, you are greeted with the most amazing array of stars that you could ever imagine. Think of the Nehru planetarium on steroids. A 180*360 degree hemispherical view of the skies with nothing blocking your sight in any direction. The stars so bright that we could neither call out the north star nor Orion's belt, which is ever so prominent from the subcontinent. The number of stars and their intensity was something that could not be believed. While the fact that most of them twinkled like gorgeous diamonds was a spectacle in itself, you could also find trails of white clouds beyond those stars which could be star clouds or nebulae. Who knows what they were, who cares.. it was stunning!
And if that didnt satisfy your appetite for wonder - the patient few caught more than one strikingly clear shooting stars. Oh yeah, wishes were definitely made#!
Call it godly, heavenly, spiritual or just plain romantic... this is one sight that will be etched in the sanctum sanatorum of my soul and retinae for a long long time.
In fact I was told that I must apologize to everyone for not having a suitable camera on me to capture the sight. I am deeply sorry for that. And extremely ecstatic that I saw it and you didn't :P For regardless of how well one may be able to express themselves through words there are some things that just need to be experienced!
What a night!
For rest of the experience in pictures.. see these
