An ancient Chinese philosopher had famously said, “A journey of a
thousand miles must begin with a single step.”
I took that single step by calling Adesh and Mandar and booking
myself on their maiden trip to Ladakh. And what a memorable journey it was to
be!
Although I had visited Ladakh earlier, the
temptation of visiting such an exotic land was too much for me to resist! So
here I was on the flight to Leh, enroute, meeting other participants who would
be part of this unforgettable experience.
On reaching Leh, my respect for the region
only grew manifold. Ladakh is a high altitude desert of incomparable beauty. Its
landscapes are like paintings. Ethereal shades of brown blend beautifully with
mystical blue skies and a sprinkling of green. Who was this mysterious artist?
I wonder. It would indeed be a journey of perpetual discovery for me.
We began our trip with the mandatory
acclimatisation as is necessary in regions of such high altitude. The rigours
of the mighty Himalayas are harsh for urban city dwellers like us and high
altitude sickness could bring an otherwise enjoyable journey to an abrupt end.
None of us wanted this!
Our first excursion was to the nearby Shey
marshes and areas near Thiksey Monastery and Leh airport. After a couple of
days when our city bred selves had become used to the high altitude, we visited
Hemis National Park and later Khardung La, Tsokar and Lamayuru.
Our journey took us through picturesque
landscapes. Barren mountains towered
over us like sentinels. They seemed to have been sculpted with passion. I was
bewildered at the scraggy rock formations in shades of brown and sometimes
purple and maroon.
It was during our long drives in a terrain so
treacherous and with winter temperatures dipping to minus 20 degrees celcius, that
I began to wonder how life even exists here. But it does! And in great abundance!
Thanks to Adesh and Mandar’s hawk vision a visual treat was to follow!
Snowfinches, Larks, Choughs, Magpies, Chiffchaffs, Partridges, Buzzards,
Hoopoes, Wagtails, Tits, Redstarts, Grebes, Serins, Ravens, Crows, Sparrows,
Accentors, Pikas, Voles, Hares, Bharal, Argali, Urial, Marmots, Wild Asses…… and
the Black-necked Cranes whose very existence is threatened! Oh! What a feast
these were to my eyes!
And how can one forget the people of this
region? In a land so undulating, so cold, the people of Ladakh are
overwhelmingly warm. Life can be very trying for those who live in the
mountains here. Rearing cattle and farming are their main sources of
income. They often have to walk miles to
feed themselves and their cattle. But despite the adversities they face in
reality, their wrinkled faces break into instant vibrant smiles when visitors
like us greet them.
Ladakh is culturally rich too. Ladakhi
religious music festivals, mask dances, yak, lion and Tashispa dances are an important part of
Ladakh’s cultural life. The hills are dotted with monasteries, big and small. Most of the
monastries are built high up on the mountains in remote places away from
civilization. Monastic communities believe in living in isolation from society
and are far removed from the everyday world.
Although, we did not witness any of the
cultural events, we visited the famous Hemis, Thiksey and Lamayuru Monasteries
and the Shey Palace. The Hemis Monastery is the biggest and wealthiest
monastery and boasts of colourful facades tastefully painted in vibrant hues. Thiksey
is noted for its resemblance to the Potala Palace in Lhasa. And Lamayuru is one
of the oldest.
And, like all good things must come to an
end, so did my journey to Ladakh. And I must say here that a journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles. And if
was not for all the wonderful people with me on this group, the journey
wouldn’t have been half as enjoyable.
Thanks Adesh and Mandar, for the wonderful memories
I have taken back with me. These will stay with me forever. And whenever I will
recount the days spent in Ladakh, I will have smile on my lips and a sense of
gratification in my heart.
July 2013
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