The Ruins Of The Kingdom Of Guge
Before dawn in the biting cold our troupe of photographers armed with cameras and tripod reached the ruins of the ancient kingdom of Guge – the fabled 9th century site of the palaces and caved dwelling on a hilltop.
The first rays of light revelled a complex of summer and winter palaces and chapels with remarkable frescos in maze of passages, tunnels and staircases that lead to top of the hill. We could not figure out the historical background of this interesting site. And the lone caretaker was not very knowledgeable either. It seems his sole duty was to ensure that nobody photographed the beautiful wall painting within the crumbling chapels and palace walls.
After enjoying the view from the top we carried on with our journey back to Mansarovar and in time to photograph it in the light of setting sun – an experience once seen never forgotten. We spend the night at a Beryang, a small settlement near the Mansarovar.
