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Nature in its varied hues

Bare peaks flirt with a clean blue horizon, says Sonita Kataria

PHOTO: HEMANT KATARIA

OUT OF THE WORLD Ladakh offers varied landscapes

Ladakh is a land of huge and colourful gompas set atop hillocks, white Chortens breaking the monotony of barren landscape, wrinkled faces of modest people and small green patches of cultivation set amidst the harsh terrain of the great Himalayas.

We were a group of 20 from diverse backgrounds and professions, undertaking a journey through Lahaul to Ladakh, carrying with us 11 SLR cameras, four tripods and a plethora of lenses.

Surrounded by passes and away from the so-called `civilised' world, the homes of these cheerful people showcase their heritage and culture.

The chant "Om Mani Padme Hum" pervades every aspect of their lives. Its literal meaning is "O thou lotus in the jewel" and chanting this phrase is considered to be a panacea for all problems. Their songs are soft and they burst into dance at the slightest pretext, their slow but rhythmic footsteps, masked faces and exquisite dresses adding to the charm.

Big surprise

The mustard fields, with bare mountains in the background, at the Rumse village, the first one 225 km from Manali, offered a captivating view. Soon after we left the village, we saw a series of white Chortens, built in memory of the deceased.

The Ladakhi people are lively and `juley' is their style of greeting. They enjoy dancing, archery, polo and their strong barley beer, known as chang. The hard working Ladakhis can be seen ploughing dry plots. People living in remote villages subsist on a simple diet of roasted barley or buckwheat flour, and green salt tea mixed with butter. A strong and vibrant culture survives here despite the harsh landscape.Diskit threw up several photo opportunities. There were puckered yet cute faces, as if time had etched its fingerprints on their visages. A proud old man with a child on his back, flashed a toothless smile. At a crossing, old men in long woollen gowns and silk robes and women sporting turquoise-encrusted headgear and beaded jewellery watched us with curiosity. A non-stop prayer wheel in the hands of an elderly woman reflected the Buddhist culture here.

We were surprised to find sand dunes amidst snow-capped mountains at Hunder in Nubra Valley. It was amazing to see Nature in its varied hues — white sand dunes, the sun occasionally peeping through dark grey clouds drizzling over a thirsty valley, meandering river streams passing by the dunes surrounded by dry bare mountains and snowy peaks, perhaps only a rainbow was missing. A feast for the eyes, indeed. `Pangong' in Ladakhi means hollow and `tso' is the word for `lake.' Visiting Pangong Tso was one of the highlights of our trip.

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 best time to visit Ladakh is between June and September. It is a good idea to plan well in advance as it is a busy sector.

After reaching Leh, it is advisable to rest for two days and get acclimatised to the height and to avoid acute mountain sickness for which no medical aid is available.

From Leh, one needs to obtain permits for visiting Pangong Tso and Nubra Valley from the Magistrate's office. Carry proof of identification.Pangong Tso 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 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.

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