Chitkul (the last villege of indo-china border)

CHITKUL Last village of India Chitkul Chitkul is a village in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. It is the last inhabited villa...

CHITKUL

Last village of India Chitkul

Chitkul is a village in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. It is the last inhabited village near the Indo-China border.The Indian road ends here. During winters, the place mostly remains covered with the snow and the inhabitants move to lower regions of Himachal. Chitkul, on the banks of Baspa River, is the first village of the Baspa Valley and the last village on the old Hindustan-Tibet trade route.It is also the last point in India one can travel to without a permit.

Visitor's attractions:-The Kagyupa temple has a highly valued old image of the Shakyamuni Buddha, a Wheel of Life mandala and four Directional Kings on either side of the door. Chitkul is practically the last point of the famous Kinner Kailash Parikrama as one can hitch a hike from here onwards.After one crosses over the 5,242 m high Charang Pass, it is a long and steep run down through slithery scree slopes to Chitkul(3,450m). The powerful goddess of Chitkul is the only non-Buddhist deity to which respect must be paid by the Parikrama pilgrims. It is believed that the local Deity is relatedto the Deity of Gangotri and till recently the locals would carry the Deity to Gangotri on foot over high mountain passes.Chitkul is situated around 40 km from Karcham,the place where road bifurcates from Hindustan-Tibet Road (NH 22). The Sangla Valley is a delight for nature lovers; especially the stretch after Raksham and right up to Chitkul.The valley is extremely beautiful,on the left bank of the Baspa River are snow-clad mountains and on the right bank the whole terrain is full of apple orchids and wooden houses.