Flying down to Leh –Ladakh airport was an experience by itself .Other airports you hit the runaway right away, here the plane cruised between few hills, slanting sideways some times to the right sometimes to the left then straightening, more like an eagle with spread wings before it made a touchdown .Couldn’t make out much of this while on the flight but saw it later on our outings when we saw the planes take-off and landing.
Some are not affected by the altitude.Some of us immediately feel a constriction in the chest or have a little breathing problem. Not to get alarmed, be prepared for that difference. As the first day is tick marked for acclimatisation most people were out on the streets ,walking down the winding lanes looking at laden fruit stalls , comparatively sparsely filled vegetable shops ,shops selling shawls, embroidered purses , gemstones – precious and semi-precious , stoles ,artefacts, state owned outlets selling peach and apple juice and preserves ( both found in abundance ), fridge magnets,local medicines , all these shops together ,one after the other . You enjoy the walk; a new place has lots of newness to offer. So, you look here, peer there, touch something, lift something else, admire, ask the price, buy or move on. There are many shops owned both by locals and Kashmiris selling jewellery made of semi-precious stones. Narrow streets crowded with taxis, there were as per me more taxis than people. Taxis were in big demand by the tourists and a good means of livelihood for the Ladakhi’s. From the streets you could see monasteries on hill tops with colourful fluttering flags.
You could see the stol mountain with snow-capped peaks at a distance. Initially it was the tip of the mountains only, in ten days’ time by the time we left the mountains were half covered in snow. As if in a weeks’ time someone had poured pails of snow over Stok.
Everything looked so beautiful, you couldn’t have enough of it. Cold air, the morning Sun lukewarm, you feel you should just sit in one of the culverts with a flask of tea and watch people and the activity up and down the road. Ha! What luxury.
While we panted, stopped to breathe and then resume our climbing once again, we noticed a boy of about 22 to 24 carting water in four big drums up and then run own with the empty containers to refill .By the time we rested, restarted he finished three to four rounds. In our eyes he was no less than an Olympian who deserved a gold.
Om or monastery–The house of God or peace. Also called the Tsang Kheng or the holy house. They are square rooms with images and pictures inside.
Chorten—Dedicatory buildings or pyramids created in honour of Aracatuba or someone of the holy Buddhas or Bodhisattvas.
Mane–(dyke or pile of stones) the surface is inscribed with holy mantras in Tibetan. These are offerings from all class of people for attainment of some particular objective
Mane Chuskun- (Cylindrical prayer drums) Metal body filled with rolls of prayers. You can see one as you enter Lipoplex go around it and rotate it.
Monasteries constitute your main sightseeing. They are the living heritage of Buddhism.Lamayuru and Allchin are the oldest monasteries.
Hemis is the largest, richest Gompa. It was built by king Singe Namgyal in the year 1630. The Tso-chu festival is conducted here in the month of June-July.
Namgyal resided in the Shey monastery till 1500 AD.
Thiksey monastery is the most impressive on the banks of river Indus. It was built in the 15thcentury. It is twelve storied, has ten temples plus a nunnery inside. It is said to be the most impressive. Shanti stupa comparatively is of recent origin. It was inaugurated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1985. It is situated on a hilltop which overlooks the Leh valley.
Allthe monasteries are at a height where the cool breeze wafts your cheeks, the sky hangs low. You feel the peace and sanctity all around you. The climb, the stairs, the huge court yards make you breatheless. You sit to gain your breath back. The minute you sit the peace engulfs you .Away from the noise, the people, you will want to sit there the whole day. Sit and look down and let your being soak in the serenity around you. This feeling, experience you will find nowhere else in the world.
All the monasteries have the following—Paintings depicting Lord Buddha’slife, his teachings, his visits to different places, his penance. I found them to be like Ajanta Ellora cave paintings. The main hall is usually square with mattresses, sitting places for prayers. Statue of Lord Buddha, multi coloured flags, chortens, Mane, mane Chuskun, the chant of ‘Om Mani Padme Hun’ incense sticks, offerings are a common feature of the monasteries.
The Nubra valley between the Nubra and Shyok River is at the foot of the Karakoram Range. There are towering mountains all around .You travel across mountains and hills and mountains and hills and reach Nubra valley with its apple and apricot orchards, willow and poplar trees and fields of wheat barley and millet.
The so much heard and read about silk route was through this stunning valley.
A land of contrasts. The valley is green, fertile and lush, the hills barren and brown. By the sand dunes ran streams cold and clear. We wondered where the water came from in this dry waterless region. At night when you sit outside the cabins made of wooden logs and watch the clear, ink blue, star filled sky, if there were no fellow lodgers around, you will get the feeling you are the only living soul under the sky.
Little late at about 11o’clock you can feel the stillness of the night. No sounds, just dark tree filled quiet, cold night for us to feel the vastness of the universe. You can feel it only here . It is an indescribable feeling. Definitely few days are insufficient to feel and enjoy the place and also take back memories of the incredible days and even more incredible nights.
Whole of Leh –Ladakh , Nubra valley, Khardungla pass,Pangong lake ,the roads , the mountains , the valleys to me was see, see , see and click everything in your minds camera and relive them in solitude. Putting down these scenic wonders in words is impossible.
Again, a six hours drive, again barren, brown, reddish, purplish, some powdery, some chunks of stone. I remember lord Tennyson’s line in ‘The charge of the light brigade’ , ‘Guns to the right of them , Guns to the left of them, volleyed and thundered’ here in this mountainous range the lines came back to me ,allowing aberration ‘ mountains to the right of them, mountains to the left of them , mountains behind them and the tourists wondered’.
Traversing ranges of mountain after mountain we reached that expanse of crystal-clear water—The Pangong lake. When your eyes fall on the lake – that first feeling or may be all the feelings are beyond us to tell or write. Stand and see, wonder about nature’s beauty, bounty and mystery.
With barren hills as far as your vision takes you, you are left speechless. Describing the blueness of the blue water, the clearness of the clear water, the ripples is best left unsaid. The suggestion is experience it. Be a part of it.
The cold freezes your bones. Layers of wool you wear makes no difference. The cold gets you. Your desire to remain by the lake is thwarted by the chilly winds, it doesn’t take long to take refuge in your tents. Against the back drop of huge, grave mountains, the blue Pangong in front and the tents in between red, blue, orange and white were picturesque.
We had thirty percent of the lake and the rest was in China. While we saw it once, there were these men on motorcycles, fully equipped,who came back to the mountains, valleys and the lake. They came repeatedly as for them, the adventurous lot, the call of Leh is irrestible.
Patthar Sahib, like all Gurdwaras, Peaceful, spic and span, ready to serve you, with that much needed hot cup of tea in this freezing weather or whole some sabji roti with Prasad for your hungry stomach. The love with which they serve makes it all the tastier. Here again something tells you,‘this far and no further’. You want to remain there; the peace is so all pervading. Legend has it that people who were against Nanak ji wanted to kill him. So, during one of his sermons at the foothills they rolled down a boulder from the top to crush him. Strange are the ways of the Lord the stone turned into a big ball of butter when it touched him, on which the impression of his body can be clearly seen.
You can make out the outline of Nanakji sitting with his head tilted to one side
The Kargill war memorial pulls at your heart strings. Very less people would have left the place without tears in their eyes. Beautifully maintained, it displays pictures of kargil heroes. Pictures of awards given posthumously makes you cry. We know it, we have read about it but when you see such films of sacrifice, ‘Shotokotipronam’ (100 crores in Bengali) is nothing to pay respect to those souls who laid down their lives for our hearth and home.
Prasad was given as thanks giving by a Sikh regiment for the safe return of every member of the unit after returning from their Siachen posting. We stopped to have the Prasad, and I realised as a mother, sister, wife how their mother, sister, wife were counting minutes and seconds for their safe return.When I saw the different military bases, trucks trudging laboriously uphill with supplies,
the army repairing roads, manning a lonely bridge (with not a soul around, may be for days together), to live in this hostile surroundings, Standing watch for hours and ends, such a life is beyond our imagination. Words have still not been invented to express our thanks to these brave soldiers. Let us all add one more prayer in our daily prayers for the safety and well being of our soldiers, where ever they are.
Khardunglapass is at a height of 18,648 feet is surrounded by domineering hills. The power of nature impacts you. At (-) 2degree centigrade you get rooted to the spot the minute you get out of your vehicle. You are unable and unwilling to move in that piercing cold.
We go back and it is all a collection of happy memories. Think of our soldiers with a minimum of three years posting. Hats off to this great profession Mention of Aamir khan’s school of the ‘Three idiots ‘fame is a must. It is included in your tour itinerary. So, you will not miss it. A modern school among hills. Thanks to the government for providing this facility to the children there.
What struck me was the distance from Leh. I guess what is formidable for city dwellers like us should be okay for the locals where they are moving from one hill to another for their minutest need.
Small places grow on you. You know exactly the place to walk to. New surroundings turn old.
Back to the small airport, one wants to come back once again. Actually second visits make our visits more concrete. We remember more, we realise why these motorbikers keep coming back. Is it only adventure? Is it to prove something to themselves? Is it to do something different? I reason, definitely in their subconscious there is the call of Ladakh.
If the heart is pumping healthily, if your knees are not crying in pain, you can bear the (-) 2 degree temperature, you are adventurous at heart,and you want to know more, see more, GO AHEAD LADAKH IS WAITING FOR YOU.
Sikha was able to say the above because of the 2 young boys -
- Asim - her part time official photographer and full time husband who turned the blogs from reading in prose to vibrant travel accounts.
- Varun - her part time tech-help center and full time son-in-law who being from the advertising world thought this to be a cool thing to help with .
Please leave your comments below , would love to know what you thought of my above experience .
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