1. Solar Power Pack Installation, the silk route in 12 days…

2. Date: 25-05-2008. Camera purchase in Delhi for recording this project

3. Route UP: Auroville Delhi Manali Leh Kargil Zanskar Down: Zanskar (Jos treked to manali) kargil Srinagar Jammu Delhi Auroville

4. Date: 11-06-2008. Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Delhi 5am departure for Manali with equipment by Jeep not Tonga

5. Jammed and breathing diesel near Delhi

6. Stopped by red-tape. We have system papers but the driver doesn’t have permit for interstate taxi operation. Rs.3000 fine !!!

7. One of many tea stops. Jos has consumed some suspicious sweets.

8. Date: 12-06-2008. Night halt was in Manali and departure 12th morning.

9. Near Manali, Rishi’s camera captures all the beauty…

10. … on closer look with the new camera we see the tourist traffic jammed most probably all the way back to Manali.

11. More kms. more jams New camera stops functioning!!

12. Halt at police check posts

13. Local road repair crews. Beyond this point no local people were used by BRO

14. Ladhakian driver. Hardly ate. Lived on tambaccoo.

15. Date: 12-06-2008. Nearing the Rhotang pass at 13000 +feet

16. Still nearing the Rhotang pass at 13000 +feet

17. Tourist spot !!! Lays, pepsi  … Rhotang pass at 13000 +feet

18.  Sledge rides, Yak rides, Slide rides on tubes at 13000 ft. !!!

19. We are happy anyway

20. Jos continues to consume …border-line bananas.

21. Amazing lone lady rider

22. No let-up on the bouncing

25. Army everywhere

26. BRO crew. Most probably from Haryana or MP. Security reasons?

27. Their accomodations.

28. SWH

30. Left to right: Beenu, Hemant, Jos, Rishi

37. We managed this crossing easy but got stuck in deep sludge next morning along with the Hyundai car and had to be pulled out by a passing van.

38. Nicely rotting-smelly bananas

39. But Jos would not allow them to be thrown out.

41. Breather

44. Date: 13-06-2008. Jos… and a toilet roll. Rishi sleeping inside >>>

46. Jos…

47. Date: 13-06-2008. Relief !! With night halt in Leh. Outside Naro hotel !! >>>>>>

48. Date: 14-06-2008. Leh to kargil road. <<<<< Green oasis

50. Lamayaru monastry, Leh – Kargil road.

51. Lamayaru monastry

52. Solar powered Prashar Bharathi

53. Army’s solar installation

54. Bananas gone

55. Green oasis in mountain desert.

57. Date: 15-06-2008. Kargil to Zanskar road.

60. Panikhar Glacier covered with mud

61. Jos… working hard despite his stomach

62. Scanning for the safest road-line to follow

64. 4400mts tea stop

65. Bumpty-bump all the way. (click below for movie)

66. Drang-drung glacier

67. Same place last year

68. Zanskar valley, 3pm.

69. Date: 15-06-2008. 4pm. The Sani hospital !!!

70. Date: 16-06-2008. The wall.

71. The crew

73. The Cowboy and Red-indian

74. And the challenges.

75. Local handiwork

76. Indoor temprature

77. Outdoor temprature

78. Mixed dal and rice. Yummy lunch…

79. The chef and kitchen

80. End of installation day one

81. First day work done

82. Constant dust keeps their nose runny and eyes red

83. Rainbow

84. Padam hotel. Luxury in Zanskar.

85. Nadeem joins us on second work day. Date: 17-06-2008

86. Toasted

88. Use conciously , or else…

89. “ Do not touch”

90. Done! In less than half the estimated time.

93. Date: 17-06-2008. Picture Perfect.

94. On to Lamdon school to check last years installation.

95. Checking system condition, Lamdon school.

96. Same place last year

97. Checking PV condition

98. Same place last year

99. Principals room.

101. Date:18-06-2008. On to Reru. 2 hours drive from Padam.

102. Bardan monastry and local yak transport

103. Recreation room. Reru school.

104. Invertors exchanged to solve tripping problems. Reru school

105. Date: 19-06-2008. Heading back home to Auroville…

106. Via Srinagar by bus.

107. Rishi enjoying not being bounced around. Date: 20-06-2008. Srinagar

108. Date: 23-06-2008. Chennai camera service center. New camera suddenly starts functioning again!! 