Kagzi Badam | Travel and Photography

Reckong Peo, also known as Peo by the local people. Peo is the capital of Kinnaur District of Himachal Pradesh.

At a height of 2,290 metres (7,513 ft), Reckong Peo is 260 kilometres (162 miles) from Shimla and seven kilometres (4⅓ miles). Earlier Kalpa was the headquarters later changed to Reckong Peo, named after group of people who used to own this place.

After Jeori, i took bus for Peo (Recong Peo) from Jeori. The road moves along with the Staluj river valley. A big HEP Project is under development at WANGTUK on the way to peo. Due to these construction activity, the satluj river becomes more muddy.

I reached Peo in the evening and the weather was pleasant. But as night was creeping in, clouds started gathering over the Recong Peo. The Recong Peo is very small town with KM long market. There are few good hotels along with PWD Rest House. I took a hotel and and took some rest and then went for roaming in the market.

I made few frens while travelling in local bus and one of them was staying in same hotel where was. Since he was from Himachal Pradesh, he told me that the Kagazi Badam and Kala Zeera are famous and i must buy them. Kagazi Badam (Almond) are like normal almonds in looks but you can just crack them by hand. I had never seen these almonds before. So i got lot of badams packed. Similarly Kala Zeera of Recong Peois also very famous. The smell of Kala Zeera (Black Cumin) is much much more than normal zeera (cumin) available in the market. Locals told me that the plants from which one can pick Kala Zeera are seen in the higher-elevation of Kinnaur. The plants around one metre in height. The bush bears small seeds and one can pluck them once the plant/bush is dry. One can pick more that 5-8 gms of zeera from one bush leading to very high price.

In the night it started raining heavily. The weather was so cool and good, that we sat in the balcony for a long time enjoying the weather. My only worry was that if it will rain heavily then the road to Kaza may close, causing delay in my trip.

Town Kalpa is situated on further height. The road to kalpa is very good meandering through the aple orchards. As one ascends upward, Kinnar Kailash range surfaces itself. At the time of sunset, the whole mountain becomes golden giving spectacular view.

The Kinaur Kailash parikrama (trekking around the mountain of kinner kailash.) is being organised every year. Around the peak of the mountain there is a shiv linga. So it is lord Shiva in nature worshipped by Hindus.

Shiv Linga , Kinner Kailash

There are many shops in the markets selling the art from Tibet.

Reckong-Peo also hosts one of the four Buddha Mahotsav festivals, organised by the Government of Himachal Pradesh.

Traditional Dress of Kinnaur

Apart from temples and monasteries, Kinner Kailash, Bhabha Valley and Kalpa are some of the major attractions of Reckong Peo. In addition, tourists can also visit wildlife sanctuaries like Lipa-Asrang Sanctuary, Rupi-Bhaba Sanctuary and Rakchham-Chhitkul Sanctuary. The best time to visit Reckong-Peo is from April to October.