Lighting The Himalayas - Season 2

Lighting The Himalayas Team Powers Up Phugtal Monastery

NDTV Prime, in association with the Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE), has undertaken an initiative to power up Phugtal Monastery. The monastery, tucked away in the heart of the Himalayas has always lived in darkness.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Powers Up Phugtal Monastery

The expedition team woke up early in the morning to march up to the mountains to commence the electrification work at the Phugtal Monastery.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Powers Up Phugtal Monastery

The Lamas of the Phugtal Monastery walked down to the bottom of the hill to receive the team that will light up their homes. As part of Buddhist traditions, the Lamas presented the team with Khataks.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Powers Up Phugtal Monastery

The crew poses for the shutterbugs with a few little monks.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Powers Up Phugtal Monastery

These two little monks have spent three years in darkness in this monastery.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Powers Up Phugtal Monastery

The kitchen in Phugtal Monastery is built within a large cave that has turned black from coal and kerosene vapors. It is managed by a senior lama, but many little lamas work together to help with the chores.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Powers Up Phugtal Monastery

The white cave dwellings was constructed over 2500 years ago by numerous sages and scholars who lived here to attain enlightenment.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Powers Up Phugtal Monastery

These flags can be found all over Ladakh. They are almost a signature sign of a nearby settlement in an otherwise empty and cold desert.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Powers Up Phugtal Monastery

All members of the team gather around the dining area of the monastery to observe the prayers performed by the lamas before lunch.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Powers Up Phugtal Monastery

A young lama poses for the camera a couple of days ahead of the monastery being electrified with solar power.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Powers Up Phugtal Monastery

Anwar Hussain from TataSky sits down with the monks in the dining area. All monks bring their own bowls in small cotton bags to the dining area, for every meal.

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About the Initiative

About the Initiative

The remote settlements of the Himalayas continue to struggle for basic amenities in the 21st century. The future of these communities is at stake. They live in extreme climatic conditions, without electricity, health care and education.

 

Lighting the Himalayas is a journalistic feature series, committed to procurement and documentation of the on ground installation of renewable powered electric grid systems with cost effective, sustainable and scalable designs.

 

The great Himalayan ranges continue to bear the effects of climate change in the most extreme weather and living conditions. Longer summers, heavy rainfall, floods, droughts and soaring temperatures are one of the more evident symptoms of this disease.

 

To add to the severity of climate change almost 3000 Himalayan villages are based above an altitude of 13,000 Ft, which ensures that they remain cut-off from the world for over half a year.

 

The Lyungnak valley of ladakh, which is also home to the 2500 Phugtal Monastery and the remotest village of Zanskar Shade, has witnessed several calamities due to climate change in the last few years.

 

This is the story of bringing light to one of the remotest and oldest villages in the world. At an altitude of 14,300 feet, a team of highly motivated change makers, from several corners of the world take on the task of installing sustainable and scalable solar power grids in this pristine hamlet.

 

This endearing challenge begins in Leh, only to be redeemed 750 kilo meters away in the heart of the steepest, most unhabitable mountain peaks.

 

Season 1 of Lighting the Himalayas witnessed the 2500 year old Phugtal Monastery’s transition from darkness to light. And Season 2 will see the illumination of the remotest village of Zanskar, called Shade.

About GHE

About GHE

The Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE) is a social impact enterprise focused on creating tangible change in the remote Himalayan communities. Their approach includes, seeking of beauty and wisdom of the Himalayas and to share it with others through such expeditions. GHE aims to install sustainable & scalable solar power for the rural population of the Himalayan ranges. Their lives are pledged to the provision of green energy and education for the humble residents of this acute landscape.

In the past, GHE has held many other expeditions that involved successful installation of solar power in 10 off-grid Himalayan villages located above an altitude of 12000 Feet. In the near future, GHE will power up 30 more villages and bring light to them.

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