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500 years Old Mummy in India? I Saw and Dropped Dead!


Beautiful Mountains and Mysterious Valleys of Spiti

SPITI


Spiti is the sub division of Lahaul & Spiti district with its headquarters in Kaza. It is called "Little Tibet", because it has almost the same terrain, vegetation and climate. Spiti also means "Middle Country". It lies between Tibet, Ladakh, Kinnaur, Lahaul & Kulu. From Shimla via Kinnaur there is a motorable road which remains open till Kaza for 8 to 9 months. About 10 kilometers, ahead of Pooh, river Satluj enters India near Shipki la and Spiti river joins it at Khab. The road then goes to Sumdo via Hangrang valley. From Sumdo Spiti valley starts. The main Spiti valley is split into eastern and western valleys. They are connected with Ladakh & Tibet on eastern side & Kinnaur and Kulu on the western side through high passes.
It was a mid afternoon on a summer day at picturesque Kalpa when we were sitting outside on a ground outside the reception of beautiful HPTDC Hotel Kinner Kalashenjoying an amazing sight of majestic snow clad peaks of mighty and Holi mountain Kinner Kailash. Suddenly, we heard voices close to us:
"Once upon a time, there lived a heroic monk who sacrificed himself to save his village from a plague of scorpions…
No, it is not a fable. In the quaint little hamlet of Gue in Himachal Pradesh’s Spiti Valley, lies the well-preserved 500 year old mummy of Sangha Tenzing. He was a Buddhist monk who intentionally mummified himself by starving and meditating, to save his scorpion-infested village. According to lore, upon his death a rainbow appeared and all the scorpions disappeared. Today, the mummy can be found in the Gue temple, lost in contemplation".
“What’s the location of this Gue village where this Mummy is?” asked a voice
“Not very far from the place we are proceeding to, Tabo”, replied somebody among them.

We all 3 looked back at the table next to us and saw a family sitting with the manager of the hotel and chatting. We requested them if we can join the discussion and they welcomed us smilingly.

And this was a beginning of perhaps the most adventurous and mystifying journey I ever had in my life!


Mysterious Mummy



One of my friends accompanying us was a top state official at Recong Peo, headquarters of Kinnaur and who surprisingly arranged everything for our intriguing trip to this hidden “Mummy” at Gue village.
However, as suggested, we planned to go to village Tabo for a 2 nights stay which is ahead from Sumdoh on state highway and planned to return to visit Mummy at Gue village.
We left early in the morning from Kalpa on the 2nd day, stopping at a beautiful lake village of Nako for lunch and headed for Tabo

ITBP Check post at Sumdoh


Next day, we started back towards Nako on the state highway. The diversion to Gue was before Sumdoh village where there is anIT Border Police check post where you have to show your Identity Card and leave camera etc. This check post is around 32 kilometers from Tabo. Goa village was about 8 kilometer detour from a place called hurling. . If you are arriving from Kalpa to Nako then the diversion is after Sumdoh towards  Tabo. The Village is another 20 kilometers from there.


500 years old "Mummy" in Himachal Pradesh

What a landscape! There is this mummy lodged in a tiny room and behind that are snow capped mountains with the misty clouds. It was an amazing experience to stand there and just look around you.

Gue Village

Entrance to Gue village

Gue village at a distance


Gue is a high altitude village in Spiti Valley on the way to Kaza. The small sleepy and  indiscreet village at an altitude of almost 3000 meter, houses India’s only known mummy preserved naturally. The village is located deep in the valley.
As per the caretaker, and later confirmed by local police post at Sumdoh, it was a 585 year old human mummy, which continues to mystify and haunt the local population. This legendary mummy does not inhabit any exotic pyramid, but lies in a glass casing inside a small and simple building made especially for this out of the world inhabitant.
Carbon dating of the mummy has scientifically proved that it was the body of a 45 year old Lama from the last quarter of the 15th century. It seems this mummy was of a monk from Gelugapa order who were practitioners of "Zogchen", the highest form of meditation to find a solution to the destructive drought and famine that had hit the western part of Tibet. (Spiti was part of the larger Tibet at that time). Continuous meditation and fasting before attaining ‘nirvana’, the body was probably devoid of all juices and any bacteria, which preserved the body with no chemical embalming. Natural mummification has preserved the body of the Lama for nearly 600 years!

Mummy resides in this room


After visiting the creepy, but amazing looking old dead dude, we came out of Mummy’s resting home and met some lovely villagers who had come to meet us just for the sake of curiosity. The whole thing at Gue had left us mesmerized. We stood there sinking into the beauty of nature and mystifying silence and then left back for Tabo by late afternoon.

Tabo


Heavenly Tabo, Himachal Pradesh


Located at 3050 meters above sea level north of river Satluj, Tabo is one of the most beautiful villages in Spiti valley and home to the most ancient monastery

At Tabo:



We stayed at Dewachan Retreats, Tabo.

In the evening we had a panoramic view from ancient caves.
Day 2. Millennium Monastery visit in the morning/ rock crving at sha/ lunch/ Local home visit.
Day 3. Walk to waterfall (atchunpafue) OR wancient traditional meditationalk to centre (at Lari Dupuk)

Other options from Tabo
One day hiking/ trekking to Angla and Phela (nomadic plains on the hills north of Tabo). A small climb.
1. Visit Gue mummy or Dhankar monastery and lalungserkhangdupzeedhemdhemlhakhang (The Golden Chamber)
2. Nadang Lhakhang and photo shoot.
3. Traditional Photo session
4. Cultural show(Bhuchen dance / cham dance), with local food and tea.

From Tabo either you can proceed to Kaza a very calm and quiet place in Himachal Pradesh then take a full loop to reach Manali or can return back to Shimla.

Route in Detail (motor able road) from Shimla:


Shimla-Rampur-Tangling (Rekong Peo | Kalpa is off the main road)-Moorang-Spello-Puh-continue  on Leo Village Road-Nako- SUMDO Dhar Demchu (ISBT check Post)-Hurling (Hoorling)- a detour of 8 Kilometers-Gue Village (MUMMY)




From Tabo





This post first appeared on An Ace Guide To Exotic Places In India, please read the originial post: here

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