Last night I was working on a new chapter of my new novel. I thought it was time for one of my Thai characters to pay some attention to one of Thailand’s main symbols: kinnaree. Kinnaree is a half-human/half-bird-like figure believed to live in a mystical forest in the Himalayas. Wherever you go in Thailand, it won’t take long before you will encounter a statue of kinnaree; at temples, in restaurants, in parks etc. Even the motorway from Bangkok Airport into the city is lined on both sides by dozens of bonze statues of kinnaree.
I have always felt a fascination for this mystical creature, not only because of its appearance, but also because it is believed that the real live version of kinnaree lives in a Himalayan valley.
As you know I have lived in the Himalayas for 7 years but I have never come across a kinnaree (I thought). Much of Thai’s beliefs originate from Hinduism, and as I lived in India, I thought I had some knowledge of all the Hindu deities, however, I have never come across an image of kinnaree. I have spent time in every nook and cranny of the Indian Himalayas but never realised I have actually crossed the path of a real kinnaree. Last night whilst writing my new chapter it suddenly clicked in my mind. I HAVE been to that mystical valley of kinnaree!
These days more and more people find their way into the remote valleys of Ladakh and Zanskar. There are people who manage to travel to the valley of Spiti, some even manage to get into the valley of Sangla, the former kingdom of the King of Sangla. But only very, very few people have been able to make their way into (perhaps) the most beautiful but most inaccessible vallies of the Himamalayas, a place called Kinnaur. Hidden behind the majestic peaks of Mount Kinner Kailash on the border of Tibet, lies a green valley full of flowers. When the only motorable road is intact, it is possible to steer a four-wheel drive jeep over it an set your eyes on the mountain slopes of Kinnaur Valley, the land of Kinnaree.
In the summer of 2001, I visited this most beautiful valley. Eight years on I had almost forgotten all about it.
Kinnaur is also called The Land of Gods. The slopes are covered with thick wood, orchards, fields and picturesque hamlets. The much religious Shivlinga lies at the peak of Kinner Kailash mountain. The beautiful district was opened for the outsiders in 1989. The old Hindustan-Tibet road passes through the Kinnaur valley along the bank of river Sutlej and finally enters Tibet at Shipki La Pass. And it is not only the scenic beauty which appeals but also the life styles of the people, their culture, heritage, customs and traditions.
The Kinnaurees generally follow the Buddhist and Hindu belief that the Pandavas came and resided in the land whilst being in exile. In the ancient mythology the people of Kinnaur are known as Kinners; half men/half gods. Thousand-year-old monasteries still exist in the area. Both the Buddhists and Hindus live in perfect harmony symbolising the traditional brotherhood and friendship of the people of both faiths.
After my visit in 2001, I often wanted to go back there. I have made a few attempt but every time I steered my jeep towards the mountain pass, the local authorities would tell me that the road was blocked by landslides and that it would take months to have it restored. In 2001 I even had difficulty to get out of the valley as a 6 km long stretch of the only available jeep-track had disappeared into a ravine. If I would tell my mother what I managed to do to steer the jeep out of the valley, she would call me insane, but with the prospect of abandoning my jeep in the valley and walk back to civilization I decided to do the impossible and risk my life many times. Compare it to moving across a rope with a balancing pole in your hands; not by walking carefully, but by balancing a two ton jeep.
Kinnaur is also called The Land of Gods. The slopes are covered with thick wood, orchards, fields and picturesque hamlets. The much religious Shivlinga lies at the peak of Kinner Kailash mountain. The beautiful district was opened for the outsiders in 1989. The old Hindustan-Tibet road passes through the Kinnaur valley along the bank of river Sutlej and finally enters Tibet at Shipki La Pass. And it is not only the scenic beauty which appeals but also the life styles of the people, their culture, heritage, customs and traditions.
The Kinnaurees generally follow the Buddhist and Hindu belief that the Pandavas came and resided in the land whilst being in exile. In the ancient mythology the people of Kinnaur are known as Kinners; half men/half gods. Thousand-year-old monasteries still exist in the area. Both the Buddhists and Hindus live in perfect harmony symbolising the traditional brotherhood and friendship of the people of both faiths.
After my visit in 2001, I often wanted to go back there. I have made a few attempt but every time I steered my jeep towards the mountain pass, the local authorities would tell me that the road was blocked by landslides and that it would take months to have it restored. In 2001 I even had difficulty to get out of the valley as a 6 km long stretch of the only available jeep-track had disappeared into a ravine. If I would tell my mother what I managed to do to steer the jeep out of the valley, she would call me insane, but with the prospect of abandoning my jeep in the valley and walk back to civilization I decided to do the impossible and risk my life many times. Compare it to moving across a rope with a balancing pole in your hands; not by walking carefully, but by balancing a two ton jeep.
Kinnaree/Kinnara, a statue of the mystical creature that is half woman/half man/half human/half bird/half God. It is believed to live in the Himalayan valley of Kinnaur.
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Me sitting on the bonnet of my jeep with Kinnaur Valley behind me..JPG)
Conquering bad roads into the remotest of remote valleys in the Himalaya.
Kinnaur Valley
The former kingdom of Sangla, the castle of the King on its summit.
Another image of the village.
I was witness of a rare (once in 12 years) religious ceremony during which three deities were shown to the villagers and redressed. The ritual included the sacrifice of a goat.
A hamlet in the mystical valley.
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The valley looks like such a beautiful idyll well worth the risks traveling there! Of course, if it were any more accessible, the place wouldn't be so pristine. Hope you took lots and lots of photos!
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, my conventional Canon camera with 200 mm auto zoom lens broke down (this was before digital cameras were widely introduced) and I only left the valley with a dozen photos on my Fuji film. It was a good reason why I wanted to go back there.
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