India : Himalaya, the valley of Spiti

Himalaya, the valley of Spiti

Š Jean-Baptiste RABOUAN / hemis.fr

Feature

India :

In winter, the Spiti valley is cut off the rest of the world. Under the snow, this former Tibetan kingdom still lives with its ancient traditions. Stuck between India and Tibet, the upper Spiti valley was long forbidden to foreigners. To reach in winter this mysterious land, jewel of the genuine Tibetan culture, one has to cross the Himalayan range following the mythic Indo-Tibetan Highway : a vertiginous track-road that explorers and caravans used to take.

HEMIS_171549 : India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, monk and his mala at Kee Buddhist Monastery

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Kiber village one of the highest of the world, alt 4200m, archery during Tibetan New Year time

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Kiber village, young ladies in traditional dress at Tibetan new-year festivities

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, man wearing his traditional costume for main occasions

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Buddhist monks practising masked dances for the Kee Monastery festival

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Buddhist monks practising masked dances for the Kee Monastery festival

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, young men in traditional dress (wedding)

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, young lady in traditional dress

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, traditional headdress worn for celebrations and ceremonies

HEMIS_178373 : India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Lhalung village, Buchan people belong to the oldest Buddhist sect Nygma, they show to villagers performance and theatre

HEMIS_178399 India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, on Lhalung village road

HEMIS_171545 India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Lhalung village, Buchan blows a shell for prayer

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Buchan people belong to the oldest Buddhist sect Nygma, they show to villagers performance and theatre

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Lhalung village, Buchan people belong to the oldest Buddhist sect Nygma, they show to villagers performance and theatre, Buchan in ritual trance

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Buchan people belong to the oldest Buddhist sect Nygma, they show to villagers performance and theatre

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Buchan people belong to the oldest Buddhist sect Nygma, they show to villagers performance and theatre

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Buchan people belong to the oldest Buddhist sect Nygma, they show to villagers performance and theatre

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Buchan people belong to the oldest Buddhist sect Nygma, they show to villagers performance and theatre

HEMIS_178384 : India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Buchan people belong to the oldest Buddhist sect Nygma, they show to villagers performance and theatre

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Buchan people belong to the oldest Buddhist sect Nygma, they show to villagers performance and theatre

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Buchan people belong to the oldest Buddhist sect Nygma, they show to villagers performance and theatre

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Buchan people belong to the oldest Buddhist sect Nygma, they show to villagers performance and theatre

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, old painting at Lhalung monastery

HEMIS_178387 India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Lhalung village, local house

HEMIS_178396 India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, woman and her baby

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, monk at Tabo Buddhist Monastery gate

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, man wearing his traditional costume for main occasions

HEMIS_178410 : India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Morang village

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Kiber village, shaman in trance during Dachang ceremony at Tibetan New Year time

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Kiber village, shaman in trance during Dachang ceremony at Tibetan New Year time

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Dachang party at Kiber village, Lama praying

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Kiber village one of the highest of the world, alt 4200m

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Kiber village one of the highest of the world, alt 4200m

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, woman carrying ice, Kiber village

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India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, Kee Buddhist Monastery built on a mountain peak

India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, difficulties on snow-covered road

HEMIS_178444 : India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, snow-covered road to Kee Buddhist Monastery

HEMIS_178445 India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, the driver has to warm up every time the frozen windscreen

HEMIS_178459 India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, check post to control innerline permit to go to Spiti Valley

HEMIS_178449 India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Himalaya, Spiti Valley, on Dankar road