Lighting The Himalayas - Season 2

Lighting The Himalayas Team Treks To 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. The expedition team is trekking its way up to electrify it with solar power.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Treks To Phugtal Monastery

The trekking trail to Phugtal was full of loose sand and rocks. One slip could lead to a fatal fall down towards the river Lungnak.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Treks To Phugtal Monastery

The team left Cha village for Phugtal early in the morning.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Treks To Phugtal Monastery

Tired from hiking in the stark terrain of Zanskar, the team continued to walk patiently for hours under the scorching sun.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Treks To Phugtal Monastery

The trek to Phugtal entails beautiful wide valleys and shadowed mountains at the edge. The team of change-makers walked towards their destination with a sense of awe for nature's beauty.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Treks To Phugtal Monastery

After climbing the steep mountains of Lungnak Valley for over five hours, the team decided to take a short break. But the fast winds and the blistering heat of the sun made for an undesirable ambiance.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Treks To Phugtal Monastery

Team members Lee Wadsworth and Jose Lobos gained speed over the others, and walked much ahead of others on their way to Phugtal.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Treks To Phugtal Monastery

The trek to the Phugtal Monastery is exciting, thrilling and adventurous. The team crossed several crags on their way to the 2,500 year old monastery.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Treks To Phugtal Monastery

The expedition team included a few porters, electricians and over 2000kgs worth of luggage. The luggage was carried from Leh to Phugtal in vehicles, and on horses.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Treks To Phugtal Monastery

Walking over rocks for hours injured the feet of a few team members, and caused knee injuries to a few others.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Treks To Phugtal Monastery

The trek involved walking over the jagged rocks, crossing temporary bridges, and steep passages.

Lighting The Himalayas Team Treks To Phugtal Monastery

After walking for several hours through the barren mountains of the Himalayas, the team was inching closer to the Phugtal Monastery.

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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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