At 14,567 feet above sea level, your phone might fail you. You may not receive phone calls or emails, but you may receive a post! Located in the tiny hamlet of Hikkim in India, a shack of a post office delivers mail in the region far above the rest of the world. A board outside the haven of communication in the isolated Himalayas reads ‘the highest post office in the world.’
In 2017, India Times discovered Qomolangma, also known as Sagarmatha by the Nepalis, houses an Everest base camp in Tibet. The highest post office is housed in a small tent at a height of 17,060 feet. However, that does not steal from the majesty of Hikkim, which has long held the title of the highest in the world.
The Spiti Valley in the Himalayas is one of the highest places inhabited by humans on the planet. The mountains are dangerous, with rivers crossing the valleys like snakes and temperatures dropping way beyond freezing. However, the tiny post office in Hikkim is a mark of community and human dwellings, essential for the sparse population of 150 villagers.
Komic, one of the world’s highest villages, is sparsely populated with 13 houses. The village has a school, an ancient monastery, and stretches of land that produce barley and green peas. Similarly, the hamlet of Langza consists of a handful of residents. Villagers face daily challenges regarding the availability of essentials and travel. However, a lady living in the village told BBC that her life amid the mountains was ‘peaceful.’
Isolation from the world is not an easy life. Many Spitians are moving to bigger cities in search of opportunities. Those choosing to stay behind choose a life of minimalism.
You will not get internet if you are in Hikkim or the neighbouring villages. It is disconnected from the rest of the world’s modern technology. What you will find is peace! A chance to gaze at the serenity of mountains, valleys, and rugged landscapes. You can also write something memorable on a postcard and send it to a loved one from a place above the rest of the world.
The Hikkim post office was inaugurated in 1983. Rinchen Chhering, who lives there, has been a postmaster since then. People of Hikkim and the neighbouring village come to the post office to send letters and deposit money in their savings accounts.
The Postal Index Number (PIN) of this unique post office is 172114. The office is open only six months a year until the winter snow blankets the landscape. After that, the roads become inaccessible for the two postmen who deliver letters.
Working for the Hikkim post office is no job for the faint-hearted. The journey to and fro the post office is a 46 km round-trip. Due to the curving and steep slopes, motorbikes cannot operate, which means the postmen travel on foot. The men take the mail all the way to Kaza, the major town of the Spiti Valley, which connects to larger towns in Himachal Pradesh by road.
The trekking route taken by the postmen is marvellous. They cross snow-covered mountains and rolling pastures of the valley, which cannot be compared to any other routes of our regular post delivery guys that serve the network of over 1.5 lakh post offices in the country.
Spiti Valley has recently gained popularity amongst trekking enthusiasts and tourists. While its landscape and location are similar to Ladakh, the latter has been hailed as a summer favourite amongst the young adventurists. For almost half a year, travelling in Spiti is impossible. However, when people visit during the right season, there are natural wonders to gaze at with a tinge of history and culture to ponder upon.
The lives of people in Spiti are shaped by Buddhism. Spiti houses some of the oldest and most archaic monasteries dating back a thousand years. The largest monastery in the Valley is Ki Monastery. It is located at an elevation of 13,700 feet, looking down on the Spiti River.
Getting to Lahaul-Spiti or Hikkim is going to be a memorable journey. There is no direct route, but one can grab a ride from Kaza or choose to hike for two hours and witness the uphill journey of postmen of Hikkim through their own eyes.
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