Is Spiti Valley Dangerous

The Ghost in the Tree

The Initiation of the Jaguar, Graffiti Bridge, and Tibetan Madness - three episodes in the life of a rebellious teenager, who breaks out from the strict regime of his parent's home in a quest for freedom and independence. Nicky’s face plunged back into its hiding place between his knees rendering his answer inaudible to the ghost, whose ectoplasmic body stretches a tad too much, causing it to fall off the overhanging branch, a super-sized blob hitting the boys underneath like a cold gush of sticky musky mist and covering them—from head to toe— in ghost.

The Himalayan Districts of Kooloo, Lahoul, and Spiti

Wander Often, Wonder Always

In the pitch dark of an African night, the Land Rover gets stuck and as we disembark, the touristy demonstrations of native rituals we saw an hour earlier, to appease forest gods for safe passage, became a reality. Henry, the driver, was quite nonchalant about the whole situation and instructed us in clear terms that we need to follow the defined protocol and instructions; one, we will walk in a single file with Henry in the front and Amen at the rear; two, whatever happens, no one will break the file and run, and three; stay close together, and whatever else you do, do not run! For the love of God, don’t anyone run. Cats love a running mouse, you see. It was then that Henry performed the ritual that he had demonstrated to us just an hour earlier. He picked up some grass, knotted it, broke it, and threw it over his head, muttering some prayers in his native tongue. It gave me goosebumps then. With a shout of ‘let’s go’, he just started walking. And so, the march began. Wander through all this and more. Across continents. Different habitats. On exotic travel destinations. When life is on the edge.