Another Spitian summer is coming to a close. Night-time temperatures have started dipping to sub-zero and the first snow of the season has already fallen. Water, electricity and phone network issues have all started cropping up, as is common for this time of the year.
I have been winding up my work here; it is only a matter of days before I head down to Manali. Most of the heavy lifting has already been done, so there’s been plenty of time to reflect upon the events of this year’s fieldwork. This year, which has challenged me on both personal and professional fronts. This year, which has been a year of immense growth.
We often sit in the sun, drinking copious amounts of tea, discussing the winter logistics (the library will be open all through the winter months, amidst all the snow and excruciating cold, thanks to our librarians). We talk about our plans going forward. I sometimes take breaks to add finishing touches to the wall mural that I’ve been painting at the library.
And I’m doing something else this year that I haven’t done before. I’m taking the opportunity to explore various nooks and corners of the Spiti Valley. It surprises me that even though I’ve spent a considerable amount of time here, there is so much that I haven’t seen and experienced before. And that it is for the first time that I’m able to soak in all the beauty at a lovely, leisurely pace – the quaint villages, the rugged roads, the dazzling blue skies and the divine sunsets.
The picture is from 2017, the year I started my exploration in Spiti Valley. Here’s looking forward to many, many years of exploration ahead!