Ladakh – Crown of India by Jayant Doshi

Sixteen of our group had planned a visit to Ladakh, the northern corner of India. Ladakh is

formed in the Himalayan mountain region, and the whole area is at least ten thousand or more feet above sea level. Ladakh is part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Being on the border of Tibet, it is of great strategic importance. The population is 70 % Buddhist, with a substantial Muslim presence. We left Manali on 10th September after breakfast. We had been told that the road to Leh, the main city of Ladakh was closed due to heavy snow fall. In the beginning we encountered lot of traffic, and saw some cars turning back, and we assumed that we might be doing the same soon. However, the

road was open. Traffic cleared – and the traffic was caused due to a narrow road. It was a long day with lots of rain, snow, winding uphill roads and tricky conditions for driving.

Rohtang pass was totally covered in snow, and our drivers advised that even stopping there would be dangerous as our cars can get stuck in the snow. We missed the opportunity to see the place where the river is coming out of the mountain, and a temple has been built in that place. At 5.00 p.m. we were stopped at a check point and advised that going ahead was not permitted due to tricky and treacherous road conditions, and possibility of snow and black ice on the roads. I did not feel that spending a night there would be welcomed by others, and spending the night there would mean delay of a day to reach Leh. I had to do some quick thinking and came up with a solid excuse which the guards at that point could not reject, and we were allowed through the check post. We reached the camp site at 9.15 for our night stop. The extra large tents were more luxurious then normal tents. They had two single beds, sink and a proper toilet with water. But it was freezing cold outside, and the winds were so strong that the tent kept fluttering and making noise with those winds. Many skipped dinner and went straight to sleep. With my warm sleeping bag I was fine but others complained of severe cold. Breakfast talk centred on experience of each person. Later we found out that a few days earlier the temperature reached minus twenty, and a few porters died in that cold. We left at eight in the morning soon after taking our breakfast. The drive was all uphill now, and soon after we entered Ladakh. The landscape changed. Greenery disappeared, and we could now see mountains and valleys. Some mountains had rocks in interesting shapes as if a sculptor had carved them out – and some mountains had smooth surface with different colours on their slopes. Some rocks were reddish in colour while some were greenish in colour. Soon we came on flat ground when the cars took speed, and we were in Leh by six in the evening. Leh is a small town. We walked down the market to get a feel of the place.

Next day we woke up at ease. We went in the bazaar to see the town. Later our sightseeing included visit to two ancient palaces. The palaces built by the kings included some exhibitions. The architecture was influenced by Tibetan and Buddhist culture. The palaces, built mostly of timber, are in pretty bad state though attempts are being made to renovate and preserve these old structures. Then we visited the Shanti Stupa, and walked down the steps and back to the hotel. As we had a long drive to Pongong Lake, we left at eight in the morning. The drive through the valleys and mountains was very interesting though very long. The terrain along the route was unique and breath-taking. We reached the lake by lunch time. We crossed one of the highest mountain passes, Chung La, at 5350 metres (17300 feet). The lake was breath taking – we could see various colours in the bright sun - from dark royal blue, to medium blue, light blue and turquoise. The

lake is over one hundred kilometres long, and most of it is in Tibet. Because of its strategic importance, there are military bases around the lake, and it is prohibited to go much further down the lake. Some of us walked along the shore of the lake as far as we could go. We were then taken to Tangtse village and put up in a lovely family run hotel. After settling down, we walked to a nearby stream. I took the opportunity to teach bridge to some of the enthusiasts. We sat in the Tibetan style dining room on the floor, and enjoyed home cooked meal. This turned out to be an enjoyable evening with jokes and singing. Birthday of one of the group was celebrated by cutting some cakes, and popping the cork of a champagne bottle.

We all had good sleep in nice warm beds, amidst nice family atmosphere in the hotel. After a morning walk and breakfast, we left at 9.00. We again stopped at Chung La pass where we got welcome cups of tea to warm us up in that very cold weather. We had a chance to talk to some of the soldiers. When we asked them if they do not feel cold staying at this height, one replied that after spending winter at 24000 feet (another pass and base) their bodies had got used to these. On our way back we visited the historical Hemis Monastery – named after the monk who established this monastery. While his statute occupied the place of honour, there was no statute of Buddha in the whole monastery. But the next monastery – Thyskes Monastery – had a huge statute of Buddha. Our visit to the old and dilapidated palace was our next stop. While attempts are being made to restore the structure, and to maintain it, the original structure does not speak much of its glamour. It had a library with some ancient scriptures. Ladakh had a festival for the first two weeks of September, and we decided to take advantage of the same on the penultimate night. We were told that the festival would start at 7.30 and we went accordingly, but then realised that it had started at 7.00. We had an opportunity to listen and view some cultural performances for 45 minutes. The dresses were colourful, and the dance performances were excellent but we could not hear the music too well. We left for morning walk at 6.45, and unintentionally ended up small alley ways of Leh which gave an insight of real life in the city. The old buildings, the narrow alleys and the life of the people along the way gave us a real feel of the place. Our two hour walk took us to most unexpected places. We left soon after ten, and we reached Khardong Top, the highest pass in the world which can be crossed by motorised vehicles. The pass stands at 18380 feet. During our drive through Ladakh we saw hundreds of military vehicles, and met lots of soldiers. The high security status of this area requires this. We were filled with pride that our brave soldiers were facing such difficult conditions, and protecting our borders in such adverse weather conditions. The bitter cold winds at Khardong Top were unbearable for us – how it would be in winter in the same place? And I would not even try to imagine the conditions at 24000 feet where temperatures could drop to minus fifty in winter. We were told that many troops spend as much as two years at these heights. Our destination was Nebula valley and it was a sight to remember. The rivers had light turquoise waters. Mountains surrounding the valley had rock fascinating rock structures, sand surfaces with different colours and beauty that is difficult to put into words. We reached the hotel at around 4.00 and soon after we walked up a treacherous slope to a monastery on the hill top. The monastery was quite impressive. Diksit, the small village, is an important tourist destination. We walked up to the market. We had planned a morning walk, but I missed the other group. I walked to the market, while others walked to the huge Buddha statue where they were served with tea. We left hotel

after breakfast. Our camel ride was cancelled as there were no camels. We walked up the hill to the monastery at top of the hill. We walked along the sand dunes back to our hotel. After lunch we drove back to Leh. There was snow and slush on the roads, and the driving was treacherous and slow. We reached Leh before dusk. Rafting was planned for the next day. After my experience in Nepal, I was looking forwards to this. But seeing very calm waters in the river, I changed my mind. Ten members of the group still decided to go. While the river was calm, the group enjoyed the experience. I felt that going on the raft would be no more then rowing in a river, and instead I walked along the bank. Later we visited a model village called Alchi. The village has attraction for tourists. We visited an 11th century

Monastery with some lovely paintings, many of them still in pretty good condition. In the evening we had the best meal of the whole trip.

The final day ended with over three hours of trekking. At first it was steep climb but the mountain and then walking

along the valley. Our trekking habit and practice were forgotten, and many found this trek difficult. On the way back we stopped at a Gurdwara. It was interesting to note that there was Gurdwara in a city which hardly had any Sikh population. However we found out that Guru Nanak had visited this place, and the Gurdwara

was built on that basis. Next morning we flew to Delhi. Ladakh was out of bounds to civilians until recently. Now it has become a popular holiday

destination. But the body needs to get used to these heights before a trip can be undertaken. We were at these heights for days, so our bodies had got used to it. But for any one flying straight from low heights to these heights, will need to spend a few days in Leh before undertaking any sight seeing. (Comments to jubhai@aol.com.... To read other reports of past trips and adventures visit my website www.jayantdoshi.webs.com)