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Pangong Tso

The document provides details about the author's trip to Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh. Some key points: 1) The author describes the stark, barren landscape around Leh and acclimating to the high altitude with warm tea and vegan clothing. 2) They undertake several short treks and find the trip around Pangong Tso Lake to be the most impactful, with its azure waters and stunning scenery. 3) The nearly 7 hour jeep ride takes them past Changla Pass to the shores of the lake, where the changing colors and tranquil waters provide a spiritual experience.

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41 views

Pangong Tso

The document provides details about the author's trip to Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh. Some key points: 1) The author describes the stark, barren landscape around Leh and acclimating to the high altitude with warm tea and vegan clothing. 2) They undertake several short treks and find the trip around Pangong Tso Lake to be the most impactful, with its azure waters and stunning scenery. 3) The nearly 7 hour jeep ride takes them past Changla Pass to the shores of the lake, where the changing colors and tranquil waters provide a spiritual experience.

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Market Research
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Pangong Tso - nature's hidden jewel

The experience of landing at Moonland tourist bungalow - my home at Leh for three
weeks, sums up the landscape. The experience of landing at Leh airport and walking
down to this traditional Ladakhi guest house, a kilometre away, was similar to what the
first astronauts to the moon may have experienced. Large tracts of barren land, craggy
rocks and mountains streching from one end of the horizon to the other. The chilly
September morning greeted us and the endless warm cups of black tea, prepared by
Mohammed Rasool, the caretaker of the JKTDC tourist bungalow, where I stayed, was
the nectar, I needed throughout my stay in Ladakh.

My objectives at Leh, were to address co-ordinators and teachers of the "Sarva Siksha
Abhiyan" on "Learning can be fun" and "High altitude stress management through
ZeNLP ( a combination of zen meditation and Neuro Linguistic Programming ). Being a
strict vegan (no animal products including wool, leather, meat, milk, milk products or
eggs), I planned to face the biting cold with sambhalpuri kurtas, khadi jackets and cotton
earplugs. I also planned some high altitude solo treks, armed with apricots, walnuts and
assorted dry fruits. I also carried herbal tea-bags. Only biodegradable stuff would
accompany me on this eco-tourism trek. My meditation tapes, walkman and camera were
neatly packed into my rugsack.

I did several short and long treks all over Ladakh but the trek around Pangong Tso lake
made me experience the power of nature. This long and narrow lake is near the Chushul
mountains on the Indo-Tibet border. Pangong in Ladakhi means concave. The azure blue
waters of this huge lake is cold, clear and salty. There are lots of minerals at the basin of
this lake. The bottom of this lake can be seen as the water is crystal clear. Pangong Tso is
150 km. in length and 4 km. wide. Nearly half of this lake lies in Tibet and is situated 160
km. away from Leh.

We rose early and started our jeep safari at 7:00 a.m. The journey was as pleasurable as
the destnation. The 160 km. drive took us through the villages of Karu, Tangste and
Lukung. We crossed the world's third highest pass Changla (17,250 feet) enroute to
Pangong (14,350 feet). Every photograph we clicked enroute resembled a picture
postcard. The only animals we encountered were yaks. We played soothing ZeNLP music
for relaxation throughout this seven hour drive over rugged terrain. The first glimpse of
Pangong Tso, from miles away was a very divine and spiritual experience. A speck of
deep blue amidst sandunes, rocks and stone. It resembled a blue diamond nestling in the
palm of Nature's hand. The closer we got to the lake, the more beautiful it looked. We
finally arrived at the shores of this mini-ocean and it was our moment of enlightenment at
the end of a pilgrimage.

A drop of the ocean was encompassed between natural pyramids of sandstone. The long
trek along the shores of this lake is a geologists dream. Shiny stones, natural gems,
crystals, smooth pebbles, rocks, slates and amethysts decorated the banks of this water
goddess. I collected as many of these treasures as possible as souveneirs. But the most
fascinating phenomenon that awaited us was the changing colours of the lake during the
day. From azure to aquamarine to greenish blue to green to purple and violet, the colours
of this majestic water body changed with every passing hour. The long boat ride on the
placid waters of this ocean of tranquility calmed my body, mind and soul.

The return journey took only five hours but a visit to Pangong lake is a once in a lifetime
experience and the investment in the journey was worthwhile, considering that every
moment spent was meditation in the truest sense. Ladakh is an ideal destination for my
next stress management workshop.

How to get there:


Indian Airlines operates daily flights to Leh from New Delhi, Srinagar and Jammu.
The to and fro drive from Leh to Pangong Lake costs approximately Rs.4000/- by jeep.

Where to stay:
JKTDC Moonland Tourist Bungalow at Leh, adjacent to the airport, is a comfortable
place to stay. Contact Mr. Urgain Lundup, Deputy Director-Tourism, JK Tourism, Leh or
Mr. G. M. Kakpori at JKTDC, New Delhi  for bookings

 
________________________________________________________________________
Murli Menon is a stress management consultant based at Ahmedabad and author of
ZeNLP-the power to succeed. He can be contacted over email at [email protected]

by (pls send payment to:)


Murli Menon
E/503, Borsali Apt;
Khanpur,
Ahmedabad-380001

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