Ravi Raahi

  El Alfarcito Ecclesial Community in Northern Argentina   November 2022   by Ravi Chandra Gundakaram El alfarcito is a community in a remote mountainous region in the Quebrada del Toro, on the way to San Antonio de los Cobres from Campo Quijano. It was established by the Rev. Sigfrido Maximiliano Moroder, affectionately known as “ Padre Chifri ”. It seems he used to reach remote mountain communities by paraglider, until an unfortunate accident while left him paralyzed. El Alfarcito was established by him after his mobility got reduced, and according to a signboard on the premises, is today an ecclesial center for training, production, tourism and crafts. There is a small shop on the premises that serves tea and some delicious local snacks. A view of the community. A view of the Church on the premises, around which the community is built. Inside the Church. The mortal remains of ‘ Padre Chifri’ are interred here. A photograph of ‘ Padre Chifri’ below the altar. An...

  Salinas Grandes Salt Flats in Northern Argentina   November 2022   by Ravi Chandra Gundakaram Salinas Grandes are the salt flats in northern Argentina, stretching across the provinces of Jujuy and Salta. The mean altitude is 3450 m, and the area is over 200 sq. km. Although not as vast as the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, Salinas Grandes have their own draw! The surreal landscape of salt! The Visitors’ Centre, so to say. The llama to the left of the flag , as well as the huge dish to the right of the centre of the photograph, are made of salt. Apacheta, an offering to Pachamama, in Salinas Grandes. More about this on the post on Purmamarca. To make salt for human consumption, and also for industrial purposes, the top layer is cut by several tens of centimetre. The water below the surface comes up, as seen in our photograph here, and evaporates over a few months, leaving pure salt for collection. Quite a slow process, you’d say. Quite. One of the many troughs of s...

  San Antonio de los Cobres Mining town in Northern Argentina   November 2022   by Ravi Chandra Gundakaram   San Antonio de los Cobres (literally, ‘Saint Anthony of the Coppers’) is a small town in north-western Argentina located at an altitude of over 3700 m above mean sea level. The mountains surrounding the town are rich in minerals containing copper (cobre in Spanish), and mining the metal is an important economic activity in the area. The other thing you would like about this town is the railway station, which is along the line through which the Tren a las Nubes (train to the clouds) passes. View of the town and the surrounding mountains. The train, parked for its next trip, and the station at the back. The station, which looks straight out of the sets of a Spaghetti Western! Who knows? Clinto Eastwoodo might be lurking somewhere, ready to pull a gun on you!! A signboard in the station shows the distances to several towns and cities. Not that the Tre...

    Enroute Cachi and a fortunate meeting with Gauchos South of Salta, Northern Argentina   November 2022   by Ravi Chandra Gundakaram   Cachi is a town southwest of Salta in the Calchaquí valley. One finds many adobe houses in this town. The road from Salta is winding, and passes through the Parque Nacional los Cardones (The National Park of the Cactuses). Cachi is also a stopover before the wine region around Cafayate. The winding road to Cachi, with green fields in the valley. General view of the area beyond Salta enroute Cachi, with a dried riverbed in the foreground. The peak seen in this photograph was sacred to the Incas, who revered tall mountains. Instead of driving from point A to B, I like my travels to be immersive, interacting with locals and learning about their culture when possible. Just the kind of opportunity came my way, when I had the fortune of coming across some Gauchos, who are the horsemen living in several parts of Arge...