Himalaya with Michael Palin (2004)

Episode Overview

In "A Passage to India," the journey begins with a helicopter ascent to 14,500 feet, offering a thrilling introduction to high altitude. After witnessing strange border rituals, the traveler reroutes to Lahore before entering India. He explores the vast Sikh temple in Amritsar and rides the Himalayan Queen railway to Shimla, the former capital of British India. In Shimla, he discovers a quaint local theater reminiscent of a bygone era. The adventure continues in picturesque yet conflict-ridden Kashmir, where he stays on a renowned houseboat and visits Srinagar, home to the Dalai Lama. There, he receives his astrology reading from Buddhist monks and even interviews the Dalai Lama himself.