The mustard fields at village Rumse, the first village 225 kms from Manali, were a big surprise to the eyes. Climbing up the fields for a snapshot for a captivating view of the first-ever vividly colourful fields set in the contrasting backdrop of bare mountains was irresistible. Soon after the village, we saw a series of white Chortens, built in memory of the deceased.
Ladakhi people are lively and `juley' is their spontaneous native greeting. They enjoy dancing, archery, polo and their strong barley beer, known as chang. The hard working Ladakhis could be seen ploughing dry plots. People living in remote villages subsist on a simple staple diet of roasted barley or buckwheat flour, and green salt tea mixed with butter. A strong and vibrant culture survives in the harsh and imposing landscape of Ladakh, and unusual desert flowers bloom amongst barren rock.
At Diskit, there was a sea of puckered yet cute faces, as if time had etched its fingerprints on their visages. A proud grandpa with a child on his back, sporting a toothless smile and watery eyes and wearing a broken glass on them, formed a prize possession for the camera. Everyone was assembled at a crossing, old men well dressed in a long woollen gown with a silk robe around their waist and women sporting an exclusive turquoise-encrusted headgear with curled sides and beaded jewellery on the back tucked on head. A non-stop prayer wheel in the hands of an elderly woman conveyed the richness of their tradition and Buddhist culture.
It was an unbelievable experience to find sand dunes situated at such a height amidst snowy mountains, at Hunder in Nubra Valley. All the elements of nature's beauty that one can imagine were present at the same time. White sanddunes, sun occasionally peeping through dark grey clouds drizzling over a thirsty valley, meandering river stream passing by the dunes, surrounded with dry bare mountains, and snowy peaks, perhaps only a rainbow was missing. The surroundings were a feast for the eyes, what with a double hump camel grazing nearby against the backdrop of mighty peaks.
`Pangong' in Ladakhi means hollow and `tso' is the word for `lake'. Visiting Pangong Tso was one of the highlights of our visit to Ladakh. We set off from Leh at 4 a.m. to cover the 175 km distance to this beautiful lake. Admiring a landscape of this sort, centuries ago, Clude Monet had remarked, "For me, a landscape does not exist in its own right, since its appearance changes every moment; but the surrounding atmosphere brings it to life - the light and the air which vary continually. For me, it is only the surrounding atmosphere, which gives subjects their true value."
There is an intense desire to visit Ladakh again - to visit the "roof of the world" where the earth meets the sky, with its vast sandy desert full of gold silica dust, barren lofty mountains, and where the bare peaks flirt with the clear blue horizon, the arid bewitched, sun-beaten and wind swept land with its lonely peaks and multi-hued mountains.
Fact File
The season to visit Ladakh is between June and September. It is a good idea to plan much in advance as it is a very busy sector.
After reaching Leh, it is advisable to take rest for two days and get acclimatised to the heights and to avoid acute mountain sickness for which no medical aid is available.
From Leh, one needs to obtain permits for visiting Pangong Tso Lake and Nubra Valley from the Magistrate's office. Essentially carry proof of identification for seeking permits.
Pangong Lake and Nubra valley are approximately 175 km (one way) from Leh in different directions with no accommodation to stay overnight at Pangong. It is essential to leave very early from Leh so as to return by evening.
Don't forget to take woollens, sunscreen cream, torch, extra cells for camera and personal medicines.
Correction: In the edition dated 31st July, the article "Go for the moon... in a lake!" was written by Sonita Kataria and not Sonia Kataria, as mentioned.
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