Have a picture 2: Jari Temple, Himachal Pradesh

This shot was taken at a village called Jari, which is located just inside the beautiful Parvati Valley in Himichal Pradesh, North-eastern India. The building pictured here is the village temple, which houses the local deity - there are twelve of these from the major villages that are gathered at the annual Mela. Village temples like these are some of the most beautiful buildings to be found in villages in this region. In general, the traditional local architecture in incredibly beautiful, and the temples represent the most exquisite examples of the style. If you're lucky enough you might even see one being refitted - the timber portions of these structures are regularly replaced due to the extreme climate, which is hard on everything. I saw this once or twice and was astounded each time by the workmanship and the detail of the wood carvings around doors, on pillars, on joins in the masonry; every possible surface is crammed with the products of what I can only describe as an art of devotion. It is an incredible thing to behold. Jari is a great spot to recuperate from the hardships of real travel in this part of the world: jarring, nerve-wracking bus rides and stomach trouble, for example. It's also a great stepping-off point for trekking and exploring the rest of the valley - which I highly recommend. It is well connected with bus routes in and out of the valley, and is surrounded on all sides by lush green mountain slopes just begging to be explored. Accommodation is cheap!