Pangong Lake

Pangong Lake

Ladakh,India

Pangong Lake is a 187 km drive from Leh. The journey was long (about five hours), adventurous and sometimes scary, as our driver steered his vehicle  through the interminable curves of the snaky road bordered by the Himalayan range. On our way we saw a turtled Sumo lying by the side of the road. Perhaps, after the accident the remnants of the sumo hurtled down the incline, where its motion was stopped by a boulder or a bush. The doors and windows of the vehicle were huge, rectangular caverns.

The Deep Gorge Below and the Slim,Treacherous Road Above, Winding the Himalayas  

Our journey continued. Alongside the road, men and women were cutting stones and carrying them in baskets on their heads. They were working hard but their attire and looks proclaimed loud and clear that they had trouble in making two ends meet. The stressful feeling of the precarious road was broken by pretty streams, surrounded with yellow, daisy-like flowers. One stream was quite broad but when the water flowed through flat land, it appeared stagnant as if frozen, so quiet was its flow. Its movement could be ascertained only when it plunged down in the gorge

A Mountain Stream

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The Himalayan mountain range surprised us at every turn, at every hairpin bend…decked sometimes in shadows, and sometimes bathed in sun rays, sometimes covered in green growth and sometimes mountain blue.

The Ever-changing Himalayas 

The army stopped us for a while because blasting was going on in the higher zones. We moved farther up. Sometimes the road lay transparent under water but that was actually melted snow from the upper regions. As we climbed higher up we came across a boundary wall of snow, Chang La Pass.

Chang La Pass

Chang La is on the route from Leh to Pangong Lake and is the second highest motorable road in the world. The pass remains open from mid-May to October. It is the third highest pass in the world, situated at an altitude of 17586 feet (5360m).

Snow Wall

This stretch of 10—15 km road requires very careful driving. Not only is the climb steep but the road is covered in snow and sludge which is created by small streams on the road due to the melting of snow in the upper regions.

 The mountain range surrounding it is the mighty Himalayas and it is covered in snow throughout the year. I went in August and there was snow everywhere, so you can imagine the condition in winters. Not only is the Himalayan range white but the road is bordered by walls of snow. There is a souvenir shop, and a tea-coffee restaurant, called Changla Cafeteria. There are toilets outside the cafeteria but the ladies toilet is absolutely filthy. One cup of tea at the café was 30 rupees and you have to drink it quickly or it would turn cold.

There are many inspiring writings on pedestals maintained by BRO (Border Road Organization) and the Indian army. On an army stand is written, “May Chang La Baba bless you.” Chang La Pass is said to be named after a famous sadhu Changla Baba and there is a temple dedicated to him nearby which is decorated with Tibetan flags. Chang La means Pass towards the South (Chang—South, La--Pass).A signboard of BRO read ‘Bro Himank—Connects the Heart of Ladakh.  Nothing great is ever achieved without enthusiasm.’ It was very heartening to see India’s flag on its pedestal.

Since Chang La is located very near to the Chinese border, it is guarded and protected by the Indian army. There is a Tea Point at Chang La where the Indian army serves tea free of cost. The world’s highest research center established by DRDO ( Defence Research and Development Organization) is fully functional in Chang La at a height of 17,500 feet.

At this height we suffered altitude sickness and dizziness and we could not stay for more that 20-25 minutes but the soldiers of the Indian army is working there relentlessly not only for the country but also for the tourists. There is a free medical aid center maintained by the army at Chang La. From there we climbed higher and higher .Then started the descent.

Way to Pangong Lake

The road above us, which we had left behind, was like a zigzag ribbon. It was no longer bordered by the mighty Himalayan range but by green valleys on which grazed yaks and pashmina goats. A family of marmots frolicked in the lush grass, posing at our cameras. The mountains were now at the distance with the pastures in between .We came across a signboard which told us to drive slowly because that’s the junction where marmots (endangered species) crossed the road.

Marmots

Yaks

Pashmina Goats

Pangong
We were silently enjoying the change of scenery -- from the challenging road between stupendous grave mountains and gorges to the soothing calming pastures. Suddenly our tour coordinator said, ‘Okay, now look to your left. One two and three!”

First View 

And that was our first view of Pangong Lake, like a saucer of deep blue water in the lap of the Himalayan range. As the cameras went clickety click, the lake came into full view, flowing serenely with the mountains bordering it. Is it blue or green or lapis lazuli? Oh, what an amalgamation of luxuriant colors! Near the road the lake appeared blackish, but farther away it became mountain bluish; then the cerulean layer started and a little farther it became light blue, then it turned turquoise. Synonym of  blue color was exhausted while describing its various shades. The actual lake is far, far beautiful than what we saw in the climactic scene of the film, ‘Three Idiots.’

Pangong Lake

We move farther and farther with the blue-green lake on our left side until the lake broadened, the mountains became more distinct and an abundance of man-high rose bushes with pinkish blossoms adorned the plains. My co-traveler, a Botanist, informed me that those were genuine roses having five petals. All the other types of roses are hybrid.

A Different Color of Pangong Lake

Abundance of Rose Bushes near Pangong Lake

Finally we reached our destination -- the campsite facing Pangong Lake. The exhilarating lake with its still water stretched before us framed by the mountains. Behind our tents the mighty Himalayan range almost touched the sky with its snow-capped peaks.

Our Campsite Flanked by the Mighty Himalayan Range Behind

                                                                                               Photo: Supplied

The Area Between the Campsite and the Lake

Play of Afternoon Light and Shade on the Lake and the Mountain 

Though the tents were near the lakefront, it was on a higher level. I climbed a few stone steps and reached my tent number 8.The tent was made of thick white canvas secured safely with sturdy cords to the poles stuck in the ground. The entry to the tent was through a flap as high as an ordinary door and it was zipped with larger than normal zips. The inside was very comfortable with a double bed, 2 sets of quilts, an extra mattress (with a pillow and a thick blanket) on the floor, and table lamps on either side of the bed.

The attached bathroom was carpeted in red. It had a western-style commode, a basin, a bucket , a mug and soap, water in taps, hot water on demand ;in short, everything necessary for a luxurious stay. There was also a rack with snow-white towels.

All the tents were supplied with two deck chairs. I sat in it and gazed at the mountains. The sun was setting behind our tents and its rays fell on the mountain before us. There were a few snow-covered peaks but with the sun rays, the surface of one mountain became yellow; another torso became shadowy, another turned beige. The blue and the green colors on the lake faded away and the water became bluish grey. As the sun set, the air turned freezing cold, the mountains became murky, the white clouds were swallowed in the dusky, colorless sky and before my very eyes I saw a wonderful sight. Snow started falling on the mountain top, slowly, imperceptibly. A peak of the Himalaya became matted with snow, until there was a thick mattress of snow on its top. The environment turned black with nightfall and only the whiteness of the snow glittered on the mountain crest.

Pangong Lake at Dusk

Snowfall on the Mountain at Nightfall

The mountains on the west had already become snow-capped for a considerable time. With the advancement of night, the climate became colder than a December- January one in the plains and we put on our jackets, gloves, coats and caps. There was also a solitary tent on the lower level which served as the kitchen and dining room. At eight we had a lavish dinner of rotis, rice, rajma, vegetable curry, sweet dish etc. The lunch was simple: rice, dal and cabbage. The polite staff looked after us very well considering the isolation of the place. The nearest market was many miles away making it more distant because of the twisting, rough road. One bottle of mineral water cost 60 rupees.

After dinner another round of enjoyment began. A bonfire was lit, with our driver pouring petrol on logs of wood. Due to the intense cold everybody huddled near the fire. The sky was covered with stars. This was astounding because after many, many years, I saw a star-filled sky. Nowadays in the cities we can only see the moon and Venus planet. There was lots of singing, dancing and merriment with the music played from the music system of our van. At half past ten the party broke up, because the generators would be switched off at 11 p.m. The generators are run on solar power. Then I slept soundly under the double quilt with the icy-cold mountain wind roaring outside.

Bonfire           

                                                                                                                       Photograph: supplied

The next morning I woke up at half-past five to watch the sunrise. The sky was still dark so were the mountains. The western mountains were still snow-capped. The water of the lake was navy blue. Then the sun rose piercing its rays through slate-grey clouds; just a few rays, the whole sun was not visible yet. A few minutes passed. The surface of the mountains was still dark, but their crests were white. Then suddenly the bright, yellow sun emerged. The sky was again lapis lazuli with misshapen white clouds and Pangong Lake had again taken the color of the sky. But one part of the water was green.

Grey Sky and Lake at Dawn

Sunrise on the Himalayas

Facts about Pangong Lake

Our knowledgeable Ladakhi guide, who spoke excellent English, informed us that people play ice hockey on Pangong Lake during winters because it becomes completely frozen. Chinese incursions also happen during winters through Pangong Lake.

Pangong Tso has several special features.

1.     It is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas which means it is internally drained having no outlet to rivers or oceans. The lake retains water and never dries up. It is a mountain-locked lake. It is not part of the Indus basin area. 

2.     It is situated at a height of about 4,350m (14,270 feet).

3.     It extends from India to the Tibetan Autonomous Region, China. About 60% of the lake lies in the latter region.

4.     It is 134 km long with a maximum width of 5 km in its broadest part.

5.     This glacial lake freezes completely during winters despite its saline water.

6.     It is also known as Pangong Tso which means high grassland lake in Tibetan language.

7.     Pangong Lake is in disputed territory. Infiltrations from the Chinese side are common. The line of Actual Control passes through the lake.

8.     It is one of the highest lakes in India.

 After a lavish breakfast of continental and north Indian we set off, back to Leh on the same action-packed and dangerous route; again the plateau with yaks and pashmina goats grazing on its pastures, again the mountains, again the snow and snow wall. On the return journey I relaxed and absorbed the scenery because my focus was not destroyed with the urge to click photos.


Photographs: Bulbul Sur

Tags: Pangong, Yaks ,Marmots, Chang La

Holiness in the Hill and Valley. Thiksey Monastery, Ladakh

Holiness on the Hill 

Thiksey Monastery, Ladakh

The predominant religion of Ladakh is the Tibetan form of Buddhism. The Ladakhis practise religion on a daily basis which includes spiritual journeys to Gompas (Tibetan-style Monastery) where they spin the prayer wheel, chant mantras and recite prayers. Hence, there are many ancient and famous monasteries in this region especially in close vicinity of Leh, a city in the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Thiksey Monastery

Thiksey Monastery

 Thiksey (also Thikse) Monastery is located about 19 kms south of Leh at an altitude of almost 3,600 m (11,800ft) on a sacred hill, in the Thiksey village on the Leh-Manali highway. On the way to this Monastery we saw Rancho’s school of the famed film, ‘Three Idiots’. There are roadside cafes galore, each proclaiming loud and clear through their signboards, “Rancho Café.”

 Thiksey Monastery is one of the most famous and the second largest Monastery in Ladakh after Hemis Monastery. It is mostly white with red and yellow painted in some parts. The yellow building contains the Assembly Hall and the red building has the shrine of the Guardian Deity. Thiksey Gompa is also referred to as ‘mini Potala’ because of its resemblance to Potala Palace (former official seat of the Dalai Lama) of Lhasa in Tibet.

History

In 1433, a Buddhist monk from Tibet, Jangsem Sherab Zangpo,  with the blessings of the King of Ladakh, founded a small village Monastery , ‘Yellow Temple’ in Stagmo, north of the Indus. After a few years, in the mid-fifteenth century, his disciple Palden Zangpo decided to build a larger Monastery. One day, Sherab Zangpo and Palden Zangpo were offering prayers with Torma (ritual cake) near the ‘Yellow Temple’. Out of nowhere a crow grabbed the cake and flew away with it. Upon searching for the cake, the monks found that the crow had placed the  undefiled Torma  in a flawless manner on a stone, on top of a hill which was 3 kilometers away from Stagmo. The monks considered this unusual incident as a divine directive and built Thiksey Monastery in exactly that same place.

Pilgrimage

Our van drove uphill and deposited us at the parking area. There were again a few paces of steep climb until we entered the Monastery through a massive gate. At the foot of the hill is a large courtyard from where a flight of steps leads to the main Monastery.  Though they are wide yet it is very laborious because there are innumerable steps. There are platforms for taking rest  but still it is very arduous and I was on the verge of giving up.  But then I saw thin, poor, local boys climbing up the steps with stones tied in a sling on their backs .A renovation was going on in one part of the Monastery and this was how large blocks of stones were being transported to the great height. Perhaps this is their daily routine and means of livelihood. I shook off the inertia and after that I carried on with the onerous ascent.

Entrance of Thiksey Monastery

The courtyard of the Monastery is well fortified with a restaurant, facilities and a medicine shop. Thiksey Monastery is built on the slope of a hill and consists of 12 storeys. The buildings are arranged in an ascending order of importance. The dwelling units of monks are located at the foot of the hill and the Monastery and Potang (official residence of the Chief Lama) are located on top of the hill. The highest level of the complex has a Stupa.

Courtyard of Thiksey Monastery

The Monastery is huge. The main prayer room or assembly hall has a small, inner sanctum of Gautam Buddha. The center of the assembly Hall has a seat for Dalai Lama. The prayer room is large and dimly lit, with rows of monks chanting hymns and mantras .There is a large picture of Dalai Lama on one wall. Flash photography is not allowed inside.  It was the last prayer of the season (mid-August) and then the Monastery will be closed due to the onset of winter when everything will be under snow. The monks wore yellow caps because they were affiliated to the Gelug lineage that forms a part of the yellow hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama is the head of the Gelug sect.

A Glimpse of the Prayer Room

To the right of the main courtyard and after climbing several steps is a new temple containing a 15 meters (49 feet) tall Buddha statue, covering two storeys of the building. It was constructed in 1970 to commemorate a visit to Thiksey by The Dalai Lama. It is said to be the largest Buddha figure in Ladakh and it represents Maitreya (compassion), The Buddha of the future. In the Monastery complex, besides the main prayer room, there are homes for about 100 monks, a nunnery and 10 temples of which Tara Temple dedicated to Goddess Tara holds pride of place. The Monastery also houses many items of Buddhist art such as statues, thangkas (Tibetan Buddhist painting), wall paintings and swords.

The scene from the topmost terrace and balcony of the Monastery is breathtakingly beautiful. It looks like a painting on a picture postcard---with the monumental Himalayan range on all sides. In its mighty lap are the floodplains of the Indus valley which is dotted with human habitation nestling among healthy forests and agricultural fields. But these villages are also the first victims of flash floods.

Thiksey Monastery is Holiness personified with its perfect backdrop of the silence of the hill, the majesty of mountain range proclaiming divine power and the picturesque Indus valley. 

Indus Valley

Photographs: Bulbul Sur.

Tags: Thiksey Monastery, Gelug Sect, Yellow Hats, The Dalai Lama, Indus Valley,.

Reliving Mahabharat Era: A Temple Built by Pandavs. Kileshwar Mahadev Temple

Reliving Mahabharat Era: A Temple Built by Pandavs.

Kileshwar Mahadev Temple

The remote Kileshwar Mahadev Temple nestled amidst foothills and forests acts like a tranquil balm on a troubled mind. It is about 91.1 km from Jamnagar city, via Jamnagar-Lalpur road, passing through Naghedi, Motikhavdi, Khambaliya and finally Kileshwar.

Since we started from Motikhavdi we had the advantage of a shortened route because Kileshwar is 50 km away from Motikhavdi. After completing the entire road encompassing the refinery, the outskirts, the labor colony, we came across quite a number of villages in Khambaliya Taluka.  Narrow roads with dense greenery on either side heralded the approaching of a village. Sometimes the road was so narrow that our vehicle had to step aside to allow a lorry to pass. The first village (that we came across) was small, with few houses and a bridge over a rivulet. The village in fact would appear beautiful in the monsoons but perhaps it would be isolated because of the low bridge. Even in winter the water was just below the bridge ; so in the monsoons the water might be flowing over it, thus making it inaccessible.  Towards the shore large rocks lay scattered hither and thither , rearing their peaks through the receding water. On those rocks sat a large group of sarus cranes and black herons, basking in the sun. That pretty village was very clean and that was in 2009, when Shri Narendra Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat, before his 2014 launch of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) as a Prime Minister.

Then we came to another village with another water-kissed bridge over a stream. During heavy rains in the monsoon months this road might be out of bounds.

We reached the highway and came across one more bridge spanning a dry brook, full of boulders. In the monsoon this would be another precariously, beautiful scene when water would flow over it in torrents. And then we reached Lalpur Town .The houses are in a straight line, starting right from the road, with no plastic packets scattered around or stuck in the vegetation or floating in the water of drains. The road was narrow but the signboards proclaimed that it was a self-sufficient town. A village market (Haat) was going on. We noticed bus stations, ATMs, hotels, restaurants and a couple of guest houses in Lalpur. Shopping complexes, hospitals, petrol pumps, schools were also holding pride of place. Lalpur Jam Railway Station falls under Western Railway Zone; and Saurashtra Express, Howrah-Porbandar Superfast Express, Porbandar-Delhi Sarai Rohilla Express stop here. Lalpur is just about 34 km away from Govardhanpur Airport (Jamnagar airport) and takes approximately 38 minutes by road.

 Then we reached Bhanvad in Jamnagar district which is 18 km away from Kileshwar. Finally, we reached the entrance gate of Kileshwar. There is an admission fee at the gate. Ordinary cars, sedans, luxury cars are a big no, no. Only SUVs or hardy vehicles can travel through the last 10 km of this rocky road. Fuel tank must be full, tires in good condition, spare tire (Stepney) in top order because nothing will be available in this stretch.  The road is rocky by every imaginable standard. The rocks are small in some areas and big in others. The bumpy road is bounded by desert shrubs and medium height bushes. Barda hills, which we had witnessed from afar on our journey, seemed very near now. No public vehicle is available in this stretch. In fact, while we were returning from Kileshwar, a group of youth hitch-hiked in our Sumo.

The Camel and the Rocky Road

Except for a lone camel there was no other living being on that road.  We crossed two bridges spanning mountain brooks. The trees growing on the shore of those rivulets were of a peculiar shape, as if they were about to fall in the water but one of their roots had caught tenaciously to the soil thus preventing their descent. So the trees looked a little above the water and in very healthy condition.

Lotus-Filled Stream and the Descending Tree  

As we are about 2 km away from the temple we came across a village of just a handful of hutments. And then we entered the temple premises through the high regal gates. According to legend, Kileshwar Mahadev Temple was constructed by the Pandavs when they stayed there during their Vanvas (exile). This might have been a good place of seclusion for the Pandavs because even in the 21^st century it is quite isolated, bounded by the green Barda hills, dense forests, brooks and streams. 
The Shiv temple is situated on a raised platform and it is quite small. The architecture is Hindu temple architecture with semi-circular arches at the entrance of the sanctum and a tower-like dome or Shikhara on the topmost part ,just above the inner sanctum, the garbhagriha (where the primary Murti or the deity sits in a simple bare cell) . A Matka Kalash (pitcher-shaped pot)is used to top the  Shikhara. Near this main temple, there are other very small temples situated on a raised level.   There are no pestering pandas (pseudo priests) or beggars. So the pilgrims can offer their prayers to Kileshwar Mahadev peacefully. On one side of the temple is a high wall which is out of bounds because the private chambers of the king are beyond it. The titular king of Jamnagar, Jam Sahib, frequents this place because the temple is under his royal patronage. 
A historical inscription mentions that the temple was built  by the 'Pandayvas' 4000 years ago. Due to the constant change in the ruling dynasties of Kathawar and especially the kings of Ghumli, the place suffered neglect and 'Mahomedan depredations'. But it was restored by 'His Highness Maharaja Dheraj Jam Shri Ranjit Singhji Bahadur' of Jamnagar royalty. Some sources say that His Highness Jam Sahib wanted a darshan of a local saint, Pujya Shri Trikamji Bapu. But Bapu denied him the meeting. So Jam Sahib instructed his soldiers to lock him up in Kileshwar Mahadev Mandir. After five days, Jam Sahib went to have his darshan  , but when he opened the temple doors he found out that Bapu had escaped and there was only a tiger skin asan left behind and a sweet fragrance floating in the air. It is claimed that Jam Sahib  Ranjit Singhji never managed to get Bapu's 'darshan'  (source: www.trikamjibapu.com).   
Photography is not allowed inside the temple premises. 

Kileshwar Mahadev Temple (Courtesy:jamnargar.org)

Shiva Lingam, the Reigning Deity (Courtesy: jamnagar.org)

Around the temple complex there are other structures, so that the entire area runs into several acres. There is an ancient water reservoir called Revati Kund which is a bathing place for sightseers. A huge kitchen is also noticeable. There is a gigantic, ancient banyan tree called Ravan Tree.  The existing Havan Kund was said to be used by the second Pandav, Bhim for performing Yajna (Hindu Vedic ritual) but now it is used as a bird feeder. Exotic birds come to feed on the grains scattered there. There is also an ancient well.

Revati Kund

Havan Kund

Asian Paradise Flycatcher, a frequent visitor at the Bird Feeder (Photo: S.K. Sur)

Subsidiary Structures at the Complex

Peace and Contentment under Age-Old Trees

During the month of Shravan (July-August), about 2,500 to 5000 people from Jamnagar, Porbandar and Rajkot visit this place to worship Lord Shiva, the reigning deity of Kileshwar Mahadev Temple. It is also famous as a picnic spot because the place is idyllic with the calm, pellucid waters, huge trees and the Barda Hills standing as tutelage. Trekking is another option here in the company of silent forests, immobile hills, trills and cheeps of birds, susurration of the clean breeze, rustling streams and absolute solitude.      

Hills, Forests, Brook, Bridge and Perfect Desolation 

Photographs:  Bulbul Sur.


Tags: Kileshwar Mahadev, Pandavs, Jamnagar, Lalpur, Barda Hills, Trikamji Bapu, Jam Sahib

Photographs: Bulbul Sur

A Superlative Pearl in the Nucleus of War Memorabilia. Ho Chi Minh City

A Superlative Pearl in the Nucleus of War Memorabilia

Ho Chi Minh City

 

Ho Chi Minh City has three superlatives to its credit .It is the most populous, the most visited and the largest city in Vietnam. It is also the financial capital of Vietnam. It was originally called Saigon and was the capital of French Indochina (1887-1902 and 1945-1954).It later became the capital of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1975.After South Vietnam's reunification with North Vietnam, Saigon was officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City after   its President, the tallest leader of Vietnam and the architect of uniting North and South Vietnam into one whole. Saigon is still used in daily speech.

History

The city’s history dates back to the fourth century AD when there was a Funan ( Indianized Southeast Asian states concentrating on the Mekong Delta between the first and fifth century AD) Temple in the area. In the 11^th century a settlement called Baigaur was established there by the Chams. The Cham Empire was invaded by the Khmers who stayed there for centuries, keeping close ties with their brethren in Cambodia. During Khmer rule, Baigaur was renamed Prey Nokor (Forest City) or Preah Reach Nokor (Royal City).Vietnamese colonization started in the 17^th century. Gradually the Vietnamese outnumbered the Khmers, and the Cambodian government could not intervene because it was weakened by war against Thailand. In 1698 the place came under the Nguyen Dynasty and was called Gia Dinh. It became Saigon in the 18^th century. It was colonized by France in the mid-19^th century. It was ceded to France in 1862 by the Treaty of Saigon.

Ho Chi Minh City is very popular among tourists because of its enticing historical and cultural sights. These are among the many notable spots in the city.

Saigon Central Post Office

The Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh City is a 19th century architecture when Vietnam was part of French Indochina. It was constructed between 1886 and 1891 and designed by Alfred Foulhoux. It is the grandest post office in all of Southeast Asia. This two and a half storey, sunflower-hued miniature castle, with its huge bottle-green, shuttered rectangular and arched windows has Gothic, Renaissance and French influence. We entered through the doorway, and came into a massive hall with a Gothic style rib vault .The  Renaissance influence is seen in the huge, arched entrance, the semi-circular arches adorning the hall and the four columns supporting the domed roof. The French influence is demonstrated in its simple and symmetrical outer façade.  In spite of its eclectic design, culturally and historically it is Vietnamese as is evident from the large portrait of President Ho Chi Minh hanging at the far end of the hall, high up on a wall, large enough so that whoever visits the post office cannot miss it. The setting is very interesting. It is a functional post office in spite of being a tourist attraction. There is a stream of international tourists pouring in but the post office employees are doing their regular work in full concentration, undeterred by the chattering of the visitors. In the midst of official work and touristy inflow, there are shops selling souvenirs. On one side  is a series of huge wall clocks of different countries, showing their local time.

Saigon Central Post Office

Inside the Post Office

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon was constructed by the French colonialists between 1863 and 1880. All building materials were imported from France. Its twin bell towers reach a height of 190 feet. It is located in Paris Square. It is a Roman Catholic Church and is symbolic of the  few remains   of Catholicism in Buddhist Vietnam.

A Silhouette of the Cathedral 

Independence Palace

According to fengshui, the palace is located on a dragon’s head. So it is called the Dragon’s Head Palace.This 120,000 square meters Presidential Palace with four floors changed names with every regime. 

Independence Palace  (courtesy: dreamstime)

After the French conquered South Vietnam (Cochinchina) in 1867, a new palace was built in 1873.   It was called Norodom Palace after the then king of Cambodia, Norodom. From 1871 to 1887 it was used by the French Governor of Cochinchina. So it was called the Governor’s Palace. The palace was used as residence and office by all the Governors–General of French Indochina   from 1887 to 1945.

From 1963 to 1975 the palace housed South Vietnam’s leaders. During the second world war, Norodom Palace became the headquarters of Japanese colonial officials in Vietnam, after Japan defeated France in a coup in March 1945.When Japan surrendered to Allied Forces in September,1945, France reoccupied Norodom Palace. Following the Geneva Agreement in 1954, the French evacuated the palace and left Vietnam.  

North Vietnam was under the control of President Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh communists while South Vietnam was under the anti-communist state of Vietnam. In 1954, when Ngo Dinh Diem, a South Vietnamese politician declared himself the President of the newly proclaimed Republic of Vietnam, Norodom Palace became his home. Due to his unpopularity, his own air force made an unsuccessful attempt to kill him by bombing the palace in 1962. The whole left wing was destroyed and it was impossible to renovate the palace. So the President ordered it to be demolished and commissioned a new residence to be built on the same site. But this time he built an ample bomb shelter in the basement. In spite of such precautions, Diem was killed by his own men in 1963 and the renovation work was completed in 1966.This new structure was named Independence Palace.

The palace campus has wide, concrete roads bordering lawns, topiary, gardens and miniature forest-like greenery.    The spectacular top portions of the palace are airy and full of light. The ground floor has meeting rooms while reception rooms are upstairs for welcoming foreign and national dignitaries. The guest chamber can accommodate 800 guests. We got a glimpse of lavish and grand bedrooms, sitting rooms, ladies dinner rooms. There seemed to be a hierarchy among the bedrooms because one looked like a bedroom in a three-star hotel with a double bed, sofa and a dining table. Another was like a bedroom in a five star hotel where the furniture was the same but very plush and decorative.

Art Work in the Palace

Ministers' Cabinet Room

Conference Hall

A View of the Palace Lawns from Inside 

A  Mid-Range Bedroom

A Plush Room to welcome Foreign Dignitaries

An Ordinary Room with an Extraordinary Painting

Helicopter on the Rooftop Helipad

 There are entertainment areas with card-playing room, bar, cinema, night club etc. But the eye-popping space is the President's personal helipad complete with a helicopter. However the most engrossing area is the basement. We went there in a lift though stairs were  also available. The lift was very small (where hardly three could squeeze in) and slow moving. We came down, climbed down a few more steps and reached the basement. It is eerie with bunkers, narrow tunnels which served as corridors where you can only walk in single file. You can just see the person who is ahead of you. There are a series of small rooms with old-fashioned fans which served as bomb shelters,bedroom, a telecommunication center with wireless boxes and ancient radio transmitters etc. The war room is fully functional. It is from here the President monitored enemy attacks. It is fitted with office furniture without any trappings of luxury. The underground tunnel network was capable of withstanding bomb blasts. The warren of tunnels and the rooms are well lighted. The steps to the exit are located near the facilities which lead upstairs to the main lounge of the palace.

President's War Room in the Bunker

President's Bedroom in the Bunker

Telecommunication Room in the Bunker

A View of the Tunneled Corridor Inside the Bunker 

It was the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during Vietnam War. On 8^th April 1975, a pilot of the South Vietnam Air Force and an undetected communist spy flew an F-5E aircraft to bomb the palace but was unsuccessful. Independence Palace played a significant role in ending the Vietnam War.  At 10:45 a.m. on 30^th April, 1975, a tank of the North Vietnamese army bulldozed through its main gate. This signified the Fall of Saigon thus ending the Vietnam War. Tank 390 and Tank 843(according to Vietnam's official account) which forcibly entered the palace gate are both in Hanoi's military museum now.  

A Replica of the 390 Army Tank in the Palace Lawn  (Courtesy:dreamstime)

 In November 1975, after the negotiation convention between the communist North Vietnam and their colleagues in South Vietnam was completed, the Provisional Revolutionary Government renamed the palace Reunification Hall. The palace is depicted in the 200 Dong note of the Republic of Vietnam.   

War Remnants Museum

This museum is the most educative, interesting, thought provoking as well disturbing to the senses. It not only contains exhibits about the Vietnam War and exposes the war crimes committed by American army but also by the French colonialists against the Vietnamese. On the upper floor, a symbolic white statue of peace is located in the balcony overlooking the display hall. So the motto of this museum is clear: “the museum appeals to everybody to oppose unjust wars, preserve global peace, promote friendship and solidarity among nations." (Courtesy: booklet).

Statue of Peace

The museum is divided into 12 display centers under different headings; starting from (1) Historical Truth to (12) Imprisonment System During the Vietnam War.

Army Plane Riddled with Bullets

Wreckage of a War Plane

Unused Cartridges

Firearm used in the War

Agent Orange

But the most alarming exhibition is the havoc caused by a chemical weapon, defoliant Agent Orange used by US troops during the Vietnam War, against President Ho Chi Minh’s army of North Vietnam. It was sprayed from airplanes on the jungles and fields of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to defoliate the trees and bushes to flush out enemy soldiers and also to destroy agricultural crops, to cut off food supply to Vietnam army and local civilians. International scientists have discovered that Agent Orange contains one of the most virulent poisons known to man, a strain of dioxin called TCCD. Its effect is so devastating that 46 years after the war it remains in the soil, ground water, human bodies, continuing to destroy the lives of those exposed to it and taking its toll on each new generation. Not only did it kill thousands but its sinister effect has made the second generation severely disabled mentally and physically.

There was a souvenir shop in one corner of the museum where the shopkeepers had the bodies of a six year old but mature faces of a thirty year old man. They were the sons and daughters of war veterans and born to parents who lived on the contaminated area .They were moving about in wheel chairs and were selling their handmade items. The scene was very sad but their inspiring courage teaches us that in spite of unjust hate there is hope.

American Soldier in the Vietnam War

Firearm Ammunition

Three exhibition centers are dedicated to Agent Orange in the museum: Agent Orange During The Vietnam War; Agent Orange Effects; Agent Orange Consequences Through Children’s paintings.

Within the walled campus of War Remnants Museum there is a display of period military equipment used during the Vietnamese war. The military equipment includes ‘Huey Helicopter’, an F-5A fighter, M48 Patton Tank etc.

Skyscrapers of Ho Chi Minh City seen from the Yard of  War Remnants Museum

Military Equipment used during Vietnam War

Near the exit, on the ground floor,there are shops selling a variety of items:from books to bags and handicrafts.It is the one of the most popular museums in Vietnam among foreign tourists. It was founded on September 4, 1975.It is a member of the International Network of Museums for Peace (INMP)

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Saigon

Subhas Chandra Bose launched his armed struggle against the British in an enormous mansion in Saigon’s posh white area, 76, Rue Paul Blanchy (now Hai Ba Trung Road).It was rented out free to him by its owner, a Tamilian from Puducherry, Leon Prouchandy .The house was converted into a secretariat of Bose’ movement, IIL (Indian Independence League) which had encompassed the INA (Indian National Army). Bose last visited the house on August 17^th 1945, before disappearing the next day. Now that house is in rack and ruin. According to newspaper reports, the owner’s grandson wants the house to be preserved by the Indian Government as a symbol of Netaji’s launch of fight against the British.

                                                          Conclusion
Ho Chi Minh City is beautiful in the morning with its slim skyscrapers, its wide tree-lined boulevards, French architecture, its numerous, bustling restaurants, its Kapok trees locally called Bong gon from where probably Saigon got its name and its educative and enticing cultural centers. Ben Thanh Market, Vietnam’s largest and oldest market will consume most of your afternoon. The market is situated inside a large building and it is stacked with shops. You have to squeeze through narrow lanes and get lost in a maze of shops selling everything under the sun: from touristy handicrafts to wooden puzzles and chopsticks; from food, grocery to jewellery; from clothing to shoes; from luggage to tea sets; from electronics to fancy decorative items. But the prices are steep for tourists and there is a bit of bargaining to do. Some lessen the price and some don’t, pointing solemnly at the Fixed Price signboard hanging in their shops.

After feeling fatigued with the crowd and the shopping,you come out and walk through lanes lined with shops selling dried fish, Vietnamese food, until you come to the main road, jam-packed with vehicles. You negotiate your way through the crazy, evening traffic, walk past roads lined with shops offering arms and feet massage until you  reach a massage parlor. Then it is pure heaven. For one hour, in the dimly-lighted cubicle, with soft oriental music playing in the background, the masseuse gives you a massage with essential oils, speaking gently in whispers, hands with a definite,therapeutic, professional touch.

Then the night descends. We reach the rooftop dining area of the 16 storeyed Bay Hotel and watch the illuminated Saigon River shimmering with the lighted tall buildings on its shore. Everywhere there is beauty, history and style.

Bejewelled Saigon River at Night

The resilience and bravery of Vietnamese people is summed up by President Ho Chi Minh’s message at the entrance hall of War Remnant’s Museum: "Vietnam has the right to enjoy freedom and independence and has really become a free and independent country.The entire Vietnamese people are determined to mobilize all their physical and mental strength,to sacrifice their lives and property in order to safeguard their liberty and independence."

President Ho Chi Minh's  Message in War Remnants Museum

 

In spite of exploitation by French colonialists and twenty years of crippling Vietnam War in which innocent civilians were massacred or turned into cripples or vegetables, the never-say-die attitude of the Vietnamese made them recreate a gorgeous and historical Ho Chi Minh City from the ashes of devastation. It is indeed the ‘Pearl of the Far East,’ brimming with prosperity, rich culture and vibrant entertainment.

 Photographs : Bulbul Sur