Dhankar the barren beauty !!
Image by Pranali Wadaskar
Image by Pranali Wadaskar
Dhankar was a part of the proposed itinerary on my Spiti
trip. As I googled on the place, it came across as stark rare kinds, and hence,
I looked forward to being there, amongst the other places. I was but cautioned
by my guide on the trip; but a little too late, of what I should not be expecting of
Dhankar.
Prayer flags at old Dhankar Gompa
And here's the Dhankar that came as a startling experience. As
I reached the circumference of Dhankar, the murky Spiti River kept constant
company. Soon as my vehicle reached higher ground, leaving the Spiti River
behind, I was surprised to see a helipad. Now I was wondering, "Dude, this
place has a helipad; and then why did my guide caution me so??"
With my doubts, I entered the dusty village of Dhankar in no
time. Crossing the new Dhankar Monastery, my vehicle came and stopped at a
strategic point which gave me a whole view of this horse-shoe shaped high
altitude village (12,774 feet). The village was truly dominated by these mud
spires, the stalagmites that stood bold and high as the protectors of this
village. These natural formations were a never before experience, and truly
inviting and captivating. The sparse white houses were neatly stacked in the
alcove of the horse-shoe.
The stalagmites at Dhankar
This place was a crumbling story of mud, scree and stones,supposed to be razed to the ground any moment. But, have been standing the test of seasons and centuries. Barren and rugged, seems to be holding no inch of soil which could produce, yet the lush green patches remained critically noticed.
Dhankar Village
I was allotted a home-stay
and, I proceeded towards it breathing the thin air. The home-stay was spic-n-span,
and unusually quiet. I was shown to my room, which was a humble and cosy abode
for the next one day. The view from the window further kept me gripped for a
long time unlike my city window which just offered me wire meshes and other balconies to
see. My home-stay window gave me a frontal view of the Dhankar Gompa sitting
silently against the cerulean sky, which in no time became dramatically blazing as the twilight wore in. The quiet village of
Dhankar underneath the Gompa and the mighty snow-clad mountains behind the rugged mountains stood still under the faint chants.
View from my window showing the old Dhankar Gompa at the top
The Home-stay
I was but avoiding the fact which kept me nagging. Is it, or
is it not??
It was at last time to use the toilet after a back-breaking
travel all day. I was hopeful that the guide was exaggerating, and its going to
be a comfortable affair. Clean toilets and beds have been my priority for any
travel, and I was to witness something unusual. Dhankar, my guide said, ‘Has
dry toilets. They are eco toilets and usage of water is not allowed. These
toilets are built over two floors and the waste gets deposited on the floor
below. This waste is further mixed with animal dung and used as fertilisers for
the crops.’
The dreaded dungeon - Dry Toilet
And yet, I expected a miracle in this Dung Palace. The cell
was one torture chamber and stank hell. To add to the misery, there were no
lights and it actually gave a feel of some dungeon. The paper tissues were
allowed, yet no water. The first experience was somehow dreadfully over, and
yet there were many to come. Yet, I brushed aside the thought, Dhankar was a
beautiful village; and could not be overlooked for its organic ways.
Hone-stay Terrace - Image by Pranali Wadaskar
Welcomed by an amazing spiced cinnamon tea, I was refreshed
to accept this place as it is, un-adultered, untouched. This place has a
helipad and internet connection, yet people use the age-old methods at farming.
There must be a reason. The major crops are pea, barley and potatoes. My home-stay
owner told me he makes the best peas in the village, which find market in
Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. The woman in me also went to the extent of asking
him the per kg price he gets, and it well tallied with the Mumbai price for pea.
He certainly was doing good!! so I thought. I am not a raw pea lover, but during my
entire trip in Spiti, I have been plucking peas from the farms and eating to my
heart's content. Sweet, rounded and juicy. But, the secret to these juicy peas,
left me contemplating now. Only for a while though, as the dinner was
Pea-potato (Muttor-Aloo) and Kidney beans ( Rajma). The irony was, I could not
skip dinner, as I was famished.
Aloo-Muttor, Rajma and Cinnamon Tea
Arak, the local Barley Whiskey
Aloo-Muttor, Rajma and baked Indian bread were a culinary
delight and so was Arak, the locally blended whisky (barley alcohol). The night
was a beautiful affair, lying down on the terrace and watching the star-studded
sky. The sense of being able to watch the beautiful sky, the milky way and the
trailing stars is unmatched, and brought back the memories of trekking days in
Sahyadris. The temperature was dropping, and the winds made it unbearable to
stay put any further, and I called off for the day.
Star Trails - Milky Way -Image by Pranali Wadaskar
As I remained in bed thinking about the events of the day,
the dry toilet did cross my mind and I had accepted it by now. Some places
deserve to be as they are, and change would disturb the very element of their
existence. Though, the visit to the toilet remained a self-induced penance. The thin air did not allow me a deep sleep, yet a relaxing one.
The new day brought a new beginning. Waking as early as 6 am, the day was bright
and sun up above the head already. The dawn is as early as 4 am here and the
dusk by 5 pm.
A shepherd with his flock against the mesmerising formations
Life is not easy here
The sun was blazing hot at 8 am and hence, I avoided trekking uphill to the Dhankar Lake and instead
opted to go around the village. The Dhankar Gompa visible from my room was
overpowering me, and justified a visit. The facade of snow clad mountains
overpowering the dusted mountains and valleys, cerulean skies dramatic in their
own way, and the plethora of spires which have been around since eons, brought
a rugged yet charismatic feel to this place. Dhankar - Dhan means cliff and Kar
meaning fort in local language. The Dhankar Gompa is thus situated on a
strategic location overlooking the confluence of Pin-Spiti River. The Gompa is
more than 1000 years old and once remained the traditional capital to Spiti
Valley. The old Gompa lies in ruins now, yet, ethereally beautiful and
magnetic.
The old Dhankar Gompa
New Dhankar Monastery
The new monastery is built in the heart of the village. The old Gompa yet has some hardcore followers, and while I sat there, overlooking the confluence of Pin-Spiti Rivers for more than an hour, I was greeted by many a Juley!! from some tourists from Leh (Juley!! means Hello!! in Leh). While wandering around the village, a traveller from London shared some insights of his journey.
A pilgrim with the background of Pin-Spiti River confluence as seen from Old Dhankar Gompa
Mud, scree and stones, this place was all about it. Yet, the Oasis
it is from the organic life the villagers lead - organic at practices, organic
lifestyle and organic ways, it all culminates to make Dhankar a barren beauty, which endures. So while you are in Spiti, make it a point to visit Dhankar,
breath in its organic air, live its organic ways and relish in its organic
food, whether you like its dry toilets or not.
The lush pea fields - Image by Pranali Wadaskar
Photos & Text by - Jyoti Rane
FB Link - https://www.facebook.com/jyotirraut
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