Pictures : Snowfall in the Himalayan town of Shimla – Part II

After sharing the first batch of photographs taken in the beautiful snow-covered city of Shimla, I’m back with more!

Snowfall in the Himalayan town of Shimla - Part I

Today, Im sharing pictures from January 2013, when Shimla received massive snowfall. These are from the first day when, unfortunately, the winter wind destroyed my most colourful umbrella. My friend, Asheesh Mehta, came to my rescue and accompanied me with his umbrella while I clicked these pictures.

Despite receiving stark criticisms and threats for sharing a few wintery photographs from my friends living in the plains – the temperature is touching 45 degrees celsius in some places – I bring you these pictures from the freezing winters to the boiling summers!

Hope you like them.

"Amidst the night, cold and dark; hid an old tree with wrinkled bark" - Quote by a wise mountain man.
Kids playing in the snow at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

Kids playing in the snow at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

A couple under an umbrella, enjoying the snowfall at The Ridge, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

A couple under an umbrella, enjoying the snowfall at The Ridge, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh State Library covered in a thick sheet of snow at The Ridge, Shimla

Himachal Pradesh State Library covered in a thick sheet of snow at The Ridge, Shimla

People standing at the Scandal Point of Shimla during a snow storm.

People standing at the Scandal Point of Shimla during a snow storm.

People walking during a heavy snowfall in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

People walking during a heavy snowfall in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

People walking through the snowfall at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

People walking through the snowfall at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

People clicking pictures of the snow through the window of Wake and Bake Cafe in Shimla

People clicking pictures of the snow through the window of Wake and Bake Cafe in Shimla

People walking through the snowfall at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

People walking through the snowfall at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

People walking through the snowfall at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

People walking through the snowfall at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

People walking through the snowfall at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

People walking through the snowfall at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

A couple walking walking through the scandal point at Shimla

A couple walking walking through the scandal point at Shimla

People walking on the mall road of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

People walking on the mall road of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

People walking on the mall road of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

People walking on the mall road of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

A couple walking walking through the scandal point at Shimla

A couple walking walking through the scandal point at Shimla

For More Pictures and to buy publishing rights. Please click on the following link.
http://www.photoshelter.com/gallery/India-Snowfall-in-Shimla-2013/G0000MfH9xEmUYeg

Story behind the Rewalsar cover shot for Spice Route Magazine

Cover Shot of Spice Route Magazine featuring Rewalsar by Himanshu Khagta

Cover Shot of Spice Route Magazine featuring Rewalsar

Spice Route, the inflight magazine of SpiceJet published a landscape I took at Rewalsar, a small town in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh.

Ending this post with just one line would be a little boring, so I should add how I clicked this picture. It started when I was trying to read a book in Chandigarh.

Introduction

It was back in those days, when I was doing my graduation in Political Science from DAV College, Chandigarh. Like many students studying away from their hometowns, I used to live in a small room in sector 18 of ‘the city beautiful’ . The temperature was around 45 Degree Celsius and the room had no Air Conditioning. I was trying to read a book  but the sound of the fan was a bit too disturbing. It was 5 am. I thought of an amazing idea. I packed my book and my camera in a small bag-pack. Locked the room, Unlocked the door of my blue maruti 800 and drove up the hills. The idea was to read the book in the mountains. I was thinking of  place between Dharampur and Solan, where I would be sitting under a fir tree, with the book in my hand, cold breeze flowing through my hair (I had comparatively long hair back then). So when I reached Dharampur, I kept looking for a decent place to read. While searching, I reached Shimla. Quickly I decided, not to enter the city and travel somewhere else. The first place that came in my mind was rewalsar. The place I recently heard about while in a conversation with someone. I refuelled the petrol tank and started driving towards my new destination. In just a few hours I was at rewalsar. The tank was almost empty and I only had Rs. 200 in cash. I was hoping for an ATM but there was none. Nevertheless, I had a nice brunch of Coffee and Choco Banana Cake at Emaho Cafe and drove further up to the caves. There are a number of natural caves that were used by Guru Padmasambhava to hide from the king of Mandi who later burned him alive. Every year the buddhist pilgrims visit this place and curse the King of Mandi with folk songs.

Buddhist Nuns praying with a monk in the cave of Guru Padmasambhava in Rewalsar, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India (Himanshu Khagta)

Buddhist Nuns praying with a monk in the cave of Guru Padmasambhava in Rewalsar, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India (Himanshu Khagta)

 

How I clicked the picture ?

After my cave visit I was strolling around the caves when I noticed a biker enjoying the beautiful view of the Great Himalayan Range. It was a picture perfect moment, but to get the right shot I had to be right behind the biker. I also didn’t want him to notice me as that might change the way he was sitting and would ruin the picture. I kept clicking as I silently moved towards him and when I got the shot I wanted, I greeted him. He was Tsering Dorje, a 54 year old resident of McLeodganj. After a long socio-political conversation he invited me to Dharamshala and I humbly accepted it.

A biker from Dharamshala enjoying the serene landscape from Rewalsar. (Himanshu Khagta)

- Link to the May 2013 Issue of Spice Route Magazine

Hope you like it!

Cheers!

Pictures – From my first trip to Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh

Back in the year 2009, I drove through one of the most dangerous roads  (History Channel says so) to reach Kinnaur. To be honest, it is not that dangerous. It was back in the old days, but now its wider then many other roads in Himachal. The district Kinnaur was opened for the outsiders in the year 1989. The inaccessibly, preserved its natural beauty for many decades. Then development knocked its door. Roads were carved out of the mountain cliffs to make way for the motorised transport.

The climatic condition was found perfect for the cultivation of Apples, so people started cultivating this delicious cash crop. In just few years,  prosperity entered the region. People were happy, but the government was not. Nor where the big industrialists. They saw a great opportunity lying unexploited. They could use the rivers to make money and the government can use them for employment and power. So the government gave a green signal to many hydro power projects in the region. Dams were built, roads were widened and rivers were controlled . The locals also generated huge amount of income by selling their land to the hydo power projects. All the while, the development kept sustainability away from it.

As you enter the valley, you are welcomed by the ugly sight of the hydro power projects, but as you drive deeper into the valley, the will experience the true untouched beauty of the Great Himalayan landscapes and its people.

I took these pictures four years ago when I had bought a new full frame camera. Hope you like them.

Cheers!

A beautiful mountain road to Chitkul village of Kinnaur

A beautiful mountain road to Chitkul village of Kinnaur

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3623kms in Ladakh on a Farm Tractor

So last year we went on a rather unusual journey. We took a farm tractor 3623 kms across Ladakh through the most dangerous roads, highest passes and random rivers. In the end it also got two of my team members a Limca World Record (not me as I didn’t have a tractors license) after we completed the journey in just fourteen days. Unfortunately, the journey could not be documented properly as I had an accident at Drass were my right shoulder got dislocated while climbing the tractor. I used my phone to take most of the pictures.

The Vehical

65hp 3065DI tractor by Indo Farm

65hp 3065DI tractor by Indo Farm

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Snowfall in the Himalayan town of Shimla – Part I

17th January, 2013
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

After a month of clear sunny days, it was raining when I got up. I trusted the weather gods and the Norwegian Meteorological Institute for a day long snowfall. They were right and it was beautiful. So, here are some pictures for those who missed it.

I would also like to thank my friend, Aasheesh Mehta who saved me and my camera with his umbrella while I was shooting in the blizzard, during the first day of snowfall.

I am posting the first batch of images as I am leaving for the Allahabad in the morning for the Maha Kumbh Mela. More pictures will follow.

Hope you like them.

Cheers!

Kids stop to pose while playing at the ridge, Shimla as it starts to snow.

Kids stop to pose while playing at the ridge, Shimla as it starts to snow.


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