Even if you have seen a Pokhara sunrise many times, nothing prepares you for the sheer stupendousness (if that word doesn’t exist, it should) of a new day dawning over the Annapurnas.

Sarangkot now has traffic jams at sunrise, so we decided to go up to the World Peace Pagoda. We got there while it was still dark, there were police with walkie talkies and we wondered why there was so much security so early in the morning.

The stupa slowly glowed in the reflected light from the east.
The Annapurnas looked like they were still in slumber.
The Japanese monks arrived, with the rhythmic drumming for their morning puja.
The moon was straight overhead.
Machapuchre and Annapurna South got the first rays of the pink sun.
With the sun, there was commotion as the prime minister’s entourage arrived for a surprise private visit.
Water in its three forms: liquid, vapour and solid ice.
Japanese monk with canine helper.
Prime Minister’s best friend poses at the stupa, where he paid his respects and struck the peace drum.
As the morning wears on, the mountains appear dazzling in the sunlight.

We had just gone to see a sunrise, but didn’t know it was the 11th anniversary of the pagoda, Pokhara’s famous tourist attraction.

Few places on earth have such dramatic scenery.