For Full Log, please click on the link below....
http://www.bcmtouring.com/forum/travelogues-north-india-f61/leh-diary-family-pets-t19139/
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Monday, December 27, 2010
December......it has been a case of being hi and dry. on night 22/23 Oct 2010, we had some flakes falling from the sky. By morning, the snowfall had stopped and by mid day, everything was dry and brown again. Similar thing happened on 24 Dec morning but at a lesser scale. It was dry and wet snow with crystals falling hard on tin sheets. However, first few rays of the sun and all gone again. Unlike the previous year, it has been dry till now and except for the temperature (touching minus 20 now), winters look pretty different this time.
Now, no snow means drier throats and some extra coughing but on a brighter side, locals expect better water supply if the snow gets delayed. SO, it is a mix and we are enjoying every bit of it!
Now, no snow means drier throats and some extra coughing but on a brighter side, locals expect better water supply if the snow gets delayed. SO, it is a mix and we are enjoying every bit of it!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Shringtsark
The wooden bunting referred above is called Shringtsark......Shring is wood and Tsark would roughly translate into 'something that has been stacked above'.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
construction technique
Guys, it is turning out to be a different winter. Cold has, of course, set in but there are no signs of snow yet. It is bright and sunny outside.
Coming on to another subject.....Construction Methodology....
Traditionally, houses are made of stone or mud bricks or a combination of both till ceiling height. Roof is generally made from the stems (of poplar trees) that support branches of same trees or Juniper, that in turn, get covered with thick layers of mud. Such a construction has been in vogue for centuries in this dry, arid land. However, with increased plantation and changing rain pattern, such a technique may need a re-look soon. A typical house, would then, look like this...
or like this, if you are slightly more better off, financially.....
Mud bricks, with high sand content, are handmade and are used unbaked. Most of this work is done by Nepalis but village folks keep making these bricks as a part of daily routine. Interestingly, rate per brick has gone up from Rs 1.50-2.0 of last year to Rs 7-8-9 this year (even before flash floods. Now, bricks are in short supply because of floods and activities post floods). Demand and supply equation (and inflation????) is responsible for such a change. This is how these bricks look...
Boundary walls are made either of mud bricks or unshaved stones (baked bricks and shaved stones are rare). See both in the following pic...
Now, the times are changing. The basic issue with baked bricks is shortage of wood that would be required to bake such slabs. Cement bricks are now the 'in thing'. So, the new trend includes building of structure with RCC Pillars/beams and then filling up the voids with mud bricks or cement bricks or shaped/shaved stones or combination of all three....
(See combination of cement bricks on ground floor and mud bricks on the first floor. RCC pillars/beams are clearly visible too)
(Here we see no pillars but walls made of shaped stones)
(This structure is a finished product of a technique that involved RCC pillars-beams and mud bricks that have all been plastered in the end.I know it for sure because it was constructed from scratch and I have been seeing it all since then)[/CENTER]
One interesting thing is the fact that Municipality will give you permission to construct a new building only if you incorporate wooden buntings (so very much local tradition) in the design. A subtle bid to keep the tradition alive...
I have already mentioned about narrow lanes and by-lanes. It is also not uncommon to come across an arrangement with a public lane passing through and beneath a house....
And a modern version of the ancient system...
Coming on to another subject.....Construction Methodology....
Traditionally, houses are made of stone or mud bricks or a combination of both till ceiling height. Roof is generally made from the stems (of poplar trees) that support branches of same trees or Juniper, that in turn, get covered with thick layers of mud. Such a construction has been in vogue for centuries in this dry, arid land. However, with increased plantation and changing rain pattern, such a technique may need a re-look soon. A typical house, would then, look like this...
Now, the times are changing. The basic issue with baked bricks is shortage of wood that would be required to bake such slabs. Cement bricks are now the 'in thing'. So, the new trend includes building of structure with RCC Pillars/beams and then filling up the voids with mud bricks or cement bricks or shaped/shaved stones or combination of all three....
(Here we see no pillars but walls made of shaped stones)
(This structure is a finished product of a technique that involved RCC pillars-beams and mud bricks that have all been plastered in the end.I know it for sure because it was constructed from scratch and I have been seeing it all since then)[/CENTER]
One interesting thing is the fact that Municipality will give you permission to construct a new building only if you incorporate wooden buntings (so very much local tradition) in the design. A subtle bid to keep the tradition alive...
I have already mentioned about narrow lanes and by-lanes. It is also not uncommon to come across an arrangement with a public lane passing through and beneath a house....
And a modern version of the ancient system...
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
Polo Ground Area.......
Well, this is actually the third and last area of Leh as we knew it a couple of decades back. Other areas of Lower Leh and Skara are recent additions except a few scattered landmarks, like Zorawar Fort and Airstrip (now Airport) that have been in existence for quite some time now. So, when we say Polo Ground Area, we are referring to the areas around and basically below Tsemo Hill and Leh Palace, Polo Ground and DC office complex, Indoor Stadium area, Leh Gate and areas astride the road that leads to K’La and Nubra. It is the highest portion of the town and is actually the area that saw first developments after official capital of Ladakh was shifted to Leh from Shey because of purely commercial reasons.
We all, those who have been here, have been to Leh Palace and most of us have been to Tsemo Castle-cum-gompa-cum fortification complex at Tsemo Hill. And again, most of us have been to these places by road that passes along District HQ complex and then climbs into the Tsemo Hill. Here are, however, glimpses of the foot track, the original track that is a lane now, that takes off from a point around 75m from Jama Masjid and goes all the way to Leh Palace through thick settlements and a few gompas, both big and small.....
...To start with, there is muck, a lot of it, especially in the areas close to main market. As we climb up, the lane gets narrower and narrower. As the gradient increases almost suddenly, filth reduces a bit but a dug up job to lay a water pipe in the middle of a narrow, steep lane spoils the fun of walking on a track that has been traversed by millions, right from the initial days of a settlement called, Leh......
As we approach the mid-way point, we come to a bifurcation. Take any of two and you will land up at the same point. The only thing is that the left of the fork is a bit shorter than the one on the right. While we get transported to ancient times while walking through probably the oldest part of the town, it is really wonder-some to see that the area remains densely populated despite primitive living conditions. There are no drains, as elsewhere, hardly any maintenance of the lanes and buildings, no street lights, no amenities and an erratic power supply, as elsewhere. There is one restaurant to enable walkers to take a breather but it lacks ambience. While mud brick walls and old, traditional woodworks keep up withhold world charm, litter of present age does screw up the scene.
Some views from top....
Walking down, through another lane (Old Ladakh Guest House lane), one comes across, yet again, this innovation. While, I have already shared the pics of houses built over lanes, here is something a bit different. This is the short-cut to seek blessings while taking a walk....
Here is the only cinema talkie of the town and it is located very close to the biggest Mane of the town (same one that is between Polo Ground and Nowshera).......
Due to ever increasing traffic load, Polo Ground is slowly and steadily getting used as a kind of parking space......
This is early morning and as the time passes, number of vehicles would grow up. Administration is working towards addressing this issue. A few old establishments will eventually give way to multi-level parking slots. But as of now, this is what it is!
The area above Polo Ground and beyond DC office, is not very clean. It is dusty and bears a down-trodden look. While cleaning of lanes and streets is done regularly, the hygiene habits of the settlers appears to be twisted a bit.
Water woes continue (...why?) and just 10m from the tap, and across the street is this.....
(Note the warning painted in red)
This area, called Mane Sermo (last locality on the road to Leh Palace), also houses most of the offices, to include police, judiciary, administration and so on. But, somehow, something is lacking somewhere. Streets near office complex are pretty wide and smooth but even then, the area lacks class. For example, see the condition of cables and wires, right in front of the main gate of an office that is responsible for the development of infrastructure of the district.....
Anyways, it is better to look at the brighter aspects....like this conference hall next to DC's office...
...Or this group has chortens of many ages, though roughly of same sizes. Situated in the middle of an intersection, they look beautiful nevertheless....
This is the indoor stadium of the town (in this part of the country where weather gets harsh beyond limits, such a facility is a boon....
Area astride Nubra road is probably the most dusty, least developed and totally unmaintained. The population profile has something to do with it........
One gets amazed looking at such constructions and cannot help but wonder how do these guys manage their lives. And BTW, this is area that was so close to epicentre of the cloud burst.
This is the main Krishna Temple of the town....
,,,and though the lane outside the temple is not very neat, this house across the street has this beautiful sight.....
Leh has its issues with population. One does come across terms like non-Lehite nowadays (non-Ladakhis are referred to as ‘Down’ people, even for Ladakhis from elsewhere. While it may be an unfortunate development but there is no real hatred, just jealousy...may be. But there is a bit of humour in this too....they have Shias and they have Muslims!! (former being Balti Shias who are treated as original Ladakhis while latter refer to Sunnis from Valley). But despite all these loose terms, there is no animosity and there is a complete freedom of religious practices here. You may smile and think....so what? But there is a lot. In a state that is torn by fundamentalist violence for over two decades now, it means a lot. I suppose you will understand.
Now that we have been through three main area of the town, it is time to re-affirm my belief that if you have time and inclination, go for morning walks in Changspa area. It is cleaner, more beautiful, more charming and extra glamorous at all times of the day. In fact, walking on the outskirts of Changspa area, ie, on Sankar-Thissuru-Shashtang Bridge-Lower Gompa-Circuit House circuit is really an amazing and a refreshing experience. Fast flowing Changspa (or Leh) nullah, its sound and view, adds beauty to the whole experience. So, next time in Leh, WALK!!
Well, this is actually the third and last area of Leh as we knew it a couple of decades back. Other areas of Lower Leh and Skara are recent additions except a few scattered landmarks, like Zorawar Fort and Airstrip (now Airport) that have been in existence for quite some time now. So, when we say Polo Ground Area, we are referring to the areas around and basically below Tsemo Hill and Leh Palace, Polo Ground and DC office complex, Indoor Stadium area, Leh Gate and areas astride the road that leads to K’La and Nubra. It is the highest portion of the town and is actually the area that saw first developments after official capital of Ladakh was shifted to Leh from Shey because of purely commercial reasons.
We all, those who have been here, have been to Leh Palace and most of us have been to Tsemo Castle-cum-gompa-cum fortification complex at Tsemo Hill. And again, most of us have been to these places by road that passes along District HQ complex and then climbs into the Tsemo Hill. Here are, however, glimpses of the foot track, the original track that is a lane now, that takes off from a point around 75m from Jama Masjid and goes all the way to Leh Palace through thick settlements and a few gompas, both big and small.....
...To start with, there is muck, a lot of it, especially in the areas close to main market. As we climb up, the lane gets narrower and narrower. As the gradient increases almost suddenly, filth reduces a bit but a dug up job to lay a water pipe in the middle of a narrow, steep lane spoils the fun of walking on a track that has been traversed by millions, right from the initial days of a settlement called, Leh......
As we approach the mid-way point, we come to a bifurcation. Take any of two and you will land up at the same point. The only thing is that the left of the fork is a bit shorter than the one on the right. While we get transported to ancient times while walking through probably the oldest part of the town, it is really wonder-some to see that the area remains densely populated despite primitive living conditions. There are no drains, as elsewhere, hardly any maintenance of the lanes and buildings, no street lights, no amenities and an erratic power supply, as elsewhere. There is one restaurant to enable walkers to take a breather but it lacks ambience. While mud brick walls and old, traditional woodworks keep up withhold world charm, litter of present age does screw up the scene.
Some views from top....
Walking down, through another lane (Old Ladakh Guest House lane), one comes across, yet again, this innovation. While, I have already shared the pics of houses built over lanes, here is something a bit different. This is the short-cut to seek blessings while taking a walk....
Here is the only cinema talkie of the town and it is located very close to the biggest Mane of the town (same one that is between Polo Ground and Nowshera).......
Due to ever increasing traffic load, Polo Ground is slowly and steadily getting used as a kind of parking space......
The area above Polo Ground and beyond DC office, is not very clean. It is dusty and bears a down-trodden look. While cleaning of lanes and streets is done regularly, the hygiene habits of the settlers appears to be twisted a bit.
Water woes continue (...why?) and just 10m from the tap, and across the street is this.....
This area, called Mane Sermo (last locality on the road to Leh Palace), also houses most of the offices, to include police, judiciary, administration and so on. But, somehow, something is lacking somewhere. Streets near office complex are pretty wide and smooth but even then, the area lacks class. For example, see the condition of cables and wires, right in front of the main gate of an office that is responsible for the development of infrastructure of the district.....
Anyways, it is better to look at the brighter aspects....like this conference hall next to DC's office...
...Or this group has chortens of many ages, though roughly of same sizes. Situated in the middle of an intersection, they look beautiful nevertheless....
This is the indoor stadium of the town (in this part of the country where weather gets harsh beyond limits, such a facility is a boon....
Area astride Nubra road is probably the most dusty, least developed and totally unmaintained. The population profile has something to do with it........
This is the main Krishna Temple of the town....
,,,and though the lane outside the temple is not very neat, this house across the street has this beautiful sight.....
Leh has its issues with population. One does come across terms like non-Lehite nowadays (non-Ladakhis are referred to as ‘Down’ people, even for Ladakhis from elsewhere. While it may be an unfortunate development but there is no real hatred, just jealousy...may be. But there is a bit of humour in this too....they have Shias and they have Muslims!! (former being Balti Shias who are treated as original Ladakhis while latter refer to Sunnis from Valley). But despite all these loose terms, there is no animosity and there is a complete freedom of religious practices here. You may smile and think....so what? But there is a lot. In a state that is torn by fundamentalist violence for over two decades now, it means a lot. I suppose you will understand.
Now that we have been through three main area of the town, it is time to re-affirm my belief that if you have time and inclination, go for morning walks in Changspa area. It is cleaner, more beautiful, more charming and extra glamorous at all times of the day. In fact, walking on the outskirts of Changspa area, ie, on Sankar-Thissuru-Shashtang Bridge-Lower Gompa-Circuit House circuit is really an amazing and a refreshing experience. Fast flowing Changspa (or Leh) nullah, its sound and view, adds beauty to the whole experience. So, next time in Leh, WALK!!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
NOVEMBER 2010 – We completed one year of stay in Leh a few days back, 22 Oct 10, to be precise. Unfortunately, the unforeseen accident in the middle of this year meant my absence from Ladakh for almost two months though Deepika and Czia had a shorter spell of absence. Having visited Ladakh in summers in the past, we have not missed much as far as weather and changing landscape are concerned. But yes, we did miss out some planned exploration for sure. With one full year ahead of us before we get our marching orders, Insha’Allah, we have time to cover up.
This October was more and less like the one of 2009. Shops started to shut down. However, there was a delay of week or so in closure. When we had landed here last year, only Gesmo was open while all other eating places of some significance had shut down. This year, however, well into last week, Chopsticks and Summer Harvest were also open. There was a snowfall overnight 23-24 October but a bright sun a day later melted the whole thing. While some snow kept on getting deposited on mountain ranges around the town, the slopes closing on to Leh soon became naked. But for a couple of days since then, weather has been clear and sunny. Mercury does dip below zero in the night and as a result, water freezes inside pipes (if not drained at night) and on roads and open spaces where depth is minimal. However, this temperature profile of minus 5 to minus 8 in the night means that water tanks that are partially filled, do not see the contents frozen during night. So, there is water available in the morning and by 1100h or so, taps start to run. Now, this is very different from last year. Water taps had run dry due to frozen pipes and water connections had been cut by end October 2009. I write these lines on 14 Nov and things are not as bad till now. In fact, it was on night 13/14 Nov 2009 that a spell of snowfall had started and it went on snowing for a few days on a trot. In fact, it was supposed to be one of the biggest snowfalls in many years. At the end of that spell, we had around 18-24 inches of snow inside the town.....and that was pretty unusual. Indian Met Department, during July-Aug when Monsoons had really gone overboard, had predicted delayed winters this year. Now, while Delhi has had its first winter rain on 13 Nov 10 and as per the TV reports, winters have announced arrival there, IMD’s prediction is holding true here. By the way, before we really conclude that life is pretty sun-filled and warm, let me mention that you are OK as long as you are out in sun with a jacket on or you are indoors with heating arrangements in place. Otherwise, you tend to freeze, ie, if you are in a shade or indoors without heating appliances. The beauty lies in the fact that complete house is like a refrigerator except the rooms where there is some heating system. Very soon, refrigerator will upgrade itself into a deep freezer. It is just a matter of time.
I had covered a few issues related to winters here during my previous post at the same time of last year or early this year. Here, I would mention a thing or two about bathrooms. When it gets really cold here, entering a bathroom becomes an expedition in itself. I am not referring about commode business since we have covered it already. Here, I am referring to just washing and breaks to take a leak. The locals as well as visitors have to fetch filled water buckets from tanks outside. The local administration supplies water through water browsers. The fortunate ones who have their houses next to main streets and roads, get the water delivered through a hole in the boundary wall, inside of which would be a storage tank. The lesser mortals have to fill their cans and buckets from these vehicles at specified points (see pics posted earlier). Whatever it is, water has to be ferried inside the bathrooms. I wonder how many locals can afford to take bath on regular basis because of the simple fact that heating is an expensive luxury here. Firstly, when Indus begins to freeze, the only source of the power available is a system of diesel generators. So, the electricity supply is there for five hours every day but for obvious reasons, no heaters can be plugged in. (At the cost of deviating a bit, I would mention here that hydro-electricity project at Alchi is almost complete, almost an year before schedule (what a pleasant surprise) and had it been an usual year, Leh would have been electrified by now. But while the project site got ready before time, lines could not be laid because of flash floods. Work on pylons is on and is likely to continue well into winters. So, next year, by this time, Lehites will have a better electricity supply, hopefully!!) Secondly, Kerosene at a rate in excess of Rs 45/- a litre is still not available even if one wants to spend extra bucks on the purchase. One family, irrespective of its strength, is issued four cans of (20 litres each) Kerosene oil in one year through public distribution system. For a winter as long as seven to eight months (at least six months needing definite heating), this will not suffice for heating throughout the season. Third option is LPG heater. It is both expensive to operate and less effective when it comes to heating per se (LPG, however, is seldom in short supply). Fourth and the most preferred option, therefore, is fire wood that every household so painstakingly gathers from owned plants/plantations (no trees are cut; those are simply trimmed) during fair weather or simply buys it from timber depot. (Coal is a luxury and in any case, there are not many takers for this seemingly dirty fuel).
So, whatever may be the mode of heating, dearth of resources means that full house cannot be kept warm throughout the season. So, while the family converges on to the heater placed in the kitchen (many families use the heater for cooking too, if there is enough firewood for that), not many can afford to heat up the bathrooms (western toilets in attached baths, in any case, are not used by majority who put traditional ones into use). So, while a few may cover the bathroom floors with Astroturf mats to absorb water without letting it freeze on tiles/floor and cause slippery films here and there, a majority lives with the adventure. Coming to bathing, even if you can afford a kerosene or LPG stove to heat up the water, moments that immediately precede or follow the actual act of taking bath, remain perilous. Inside cold environs of an unheated bathroom, it is a huge task to undress and dress up again, especially so when clothing layers are far too many. So, expecting people to take bath daily is unfair. Weekly and fortnightly routines may still be desirable, may not be put into practice by many, though. However, inactive or missing sweat glands in Ladakhi skins act as a saving grace and unless you land up among nomads or some really lazy or unfortunate people, you may not be bothered by body odours. BTW, I have taken bath every single day during last winter, basically, because of the fact that we could heat up our bathroom for a few hours every day, unlike many others. Hotels like Grand Dragon would also offer you far superior amenities like central heating and running hot water but then you may lose out on the fun factor.
It has taken a lot of time but with the change of local council after recent elections, Deepika’s long nurtured dream has finally started to take shape. Starting mid November, main market area has been made parking and traffic free on trial basis. The ultimate aim is to have a walking plaza with some seating arrangements and aesthetically done up additions instead of prevailing traffic chaos and discomfort. How far does it succeed remains to be seen. Our wishes are with her and the team that supports her despite tough opposition by some locals.
__________________
This October was more and less like the one of 2009. Shops started to shut down. However, there was a delay of week or so in closure. When we had landed here last year, only Gesmo was open while all other eating places of some significance had shut down. This year, however, well into last week, Chopsticks and Summer Harvest were also open. There was a snowfall overnight 23-24 October but a bright sun a day later melted the whole thing. While some snow kept on getting deposited on mountain ranges around the town, the slopes closing on to Leh soon became naked. But for a couple of days since then, weather has been clear and sunny. Mercury does dip below zero in the night and as a result, water freezes inside pipes (if not drained at night) and on roads and open spaces where depth is minimal. However, this temperature profile of minus 5 to minus 8 in the night means that water tanks that are partially filled, do not see the contents frozen during night. So, there is water available in the morning and by 1100h or so, taps start to run. Now, this is very different from last year. Water taps had run dry due to frozen pipes and water connections had been cut by end October 2009. I write these lines on 14 Nov and things are not as bad till now. In fact, it was on night 13/14 Nov 2009 that a spell of snowfall had started and it went on snowing for a few days on a trot. In fact, it was supposed to be one of the biggest snowfalls in many years. At the end of that spell, we had around 18-24 inches of snow inside the town.....and that was pretty unusual. Indian Met Department, during July-Aug when Monsoons had really gone overboard, had predicted delayed winters this year. Now, while Delhi has had its first winter rain on 13 Nov 10 and as per the TV reports, winters have announced arrival there, IMD’s prediction is holding true here. By the way, before we really conclude that life is pretty sun-filled and warm, let me mention that you are OK as long as you are out in sun with a jacket on or you are indoors with heating arrangements in place. Otherwise, you tend to freeze, ie, if you are in a shade or indoors without heating appliances. The beauty lies in the fact that complete house is like a refrigerator except the rooms where there is some heating system. Very soon, refrigerator will upgrade itself into a deep freezer. It is just a matter of time.
I had covered a few issues related to winters here during my previous post at the same time of last year or early this year. Here, I would mention a thing or two about bathrooms. When it gets really cold here, entering a bathroom becomes an expedition in itself. I am not referring about commode business since we have covered it already. Here, I am referring to just washing and breaks to take a leak. The locals as well as visitors have to fetch filled water buckets from tanks outside. The local administration supplies water through water browsers. The fortunate ones who have their houses next to main streets and roads, get the water delivered through a hole in the boundary wall, inside of which would be a storage tank. The lesser mortals have to fill their cans and buckets from these vehicles at specified points (see pics posted earlier). Whatever it is, water has to be ferried inside the bathrooms. I wonder how many locals can afford to take bath on regular basis because of the simple fact that heating is an expensive luxury here. Firstly, when Indus begins to freeze, the only source of the power available is a system of diesel generators. So, the electricity supply is there for five hours every day but for obvious reasons, no heaters can be plugged in. (At the cost of deviating a bit, I would mention here that hydro-electricity project at Alchi is almost complete, almost an year before schedule (what a pleasant surprise) and had it been an usual year, Leh would have been electrified by now. But while the project site got ready before time, lines could not be laid because of flash floods. Work on pylons is on and is likely to continue well into winters. So, next year, by this time, Lehites will have a better electricity supply, hopefully!!) Secondly, Kerosene at a rate in excess of Rs 45/- a litre is still not available even if one wants to spend extra bucks on the purchase. One family, irrespective of its strength, is issued four cans of (20 litres each) Kerosene oil in one year through public distribution system. For a winter as long as seven to eight months (at least six months needing definite heating), this will not suffice for heating throughout the season. Third option is LPG heater. It is both expensive to operate and less effective when it comes to heating per se (LPG, however, is seldom in short supply). Fourth and the most preferred option, therefore, is fire wood that every household so painstakingly gathers from owned plants/plantations (no trees are cut; those are simply trimmed) during fair weather or simply buys it from timber depot. (Coal is a luxury and in any case, there are not many takers for this seemingly dirty fuel).
So, whatever may be the mode of heating, dearth of resources means that full house cannot be kept warm throughout the season. So, while the family converges on to the heater placed in the kitchen (many families use the heater for cooking too, if there is enough firewood for that), not many can afford to heat up the bathrooms (western toilets in attached baths, in any case, are not used by majority who put traditional ones into use). So, while a few may cover the bathroom floors with Astroturf mats to absorb water without letting it freeze on tiles/floor and cause slippery films here and there, a majority lives with the adventure. Coming to bathing, even if you can afford a kerosene or LPG stove to heat up the water, moments that immediately precede or follow the actual act of taking bath, remain perilous. Inside cold environs of an unheated bathroom, it is a huge task to undress and dress up again, especially so when clothing layers are far too many. So, expecting people to take bath daily is unfair. Weekly and fortnightly routines may still be desirable, may not be put into practice by many, though. However, inactive or missing sweat glands in Ladakhi skins act as a saving grace and unless you land up among nomads or some really lazy or unfortunate people, you may not be bothered by body odours. BTW, I have taken bath every single day during last winter, basically, because of the fact that we could heat up our bathroom for a few hours every day, unlike many others. Hotels like Grand Dragon would also offer you far superior amenities like central heating and running hot water but then you may lose out on the fun factor.
It has taken a lot of time but with the change of local council after recent elections, Deepika’s long nurtured dream has finally started to take shape. Starting mid November, main market area has been made parking and traffic free on trial basis. The ultimate aim is to have a walking plaza with some seating arrangements and aesthetically done up additions instead of prevailing traffic chaos and discomfort. How far does it succeed remains to be seen. Our wishes are with her and the team that supports her despite tough opposition by some locals.
__________________
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