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Published: July 14th 2008
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In far northern India, precariously rests the gem in the crown of India, the state of Jammu and Kashmir. And in that far northern state lies a remote and sparsely populated region called Ladakh. The name in the Ladakhi language literally is La-Dags, and means 'land of high mountain passes'. Ladakh, one of the last refuges of Mahayana Buddhism in the world, is also called 'Little Tibet' or the 'last Shangri-La'. It lies cradled high in the Himalayas, between the Karakoram and Great Himalayan ranges.
So for me, as soon as school was out for the 'summer' and I had endured enough of monsoon drenched Mumbai, I went north to the high altitude snow desert that is Ladakh!
In general, there are two ways to get there - at least in the summer. In the winter, you just plain old can't get there from here - or anywhere. The road is snowed under and the weather keeps the airport closed more often than not!
The road is a grueling two day bus ride from Manali into Ladakh - over mountain passes well in excess of 5000 meters (17,000 feet) above sea level. I chose to fly instead.
You fly into Ladakh's regional capitol, Leh. And you pray for a clear day so the plane can actually land instead of turning around and returning to New Delhi, empty handed but full of disappointed travelers.
I was lucky. As the massive Indus River and her barren valley came into view below us, I saw Leh, nestled beneath the towering peaks that protect her.
And the descent began.
We banked steeply again and again, until those same mountains were towering above the nearly vertical wings. And then we settled gracefully onto the long, high altitude runway. But not gracefully enough as quite a few people ended up using those air sickness bags! Thankfully, I was not among them! But it was comforting to be back on terra firma. And 3566 meters (11,700 feet) above sea level!
One of the highlights of my time in Ladakh was the experience of the Buddhist traditions of this region. Buddhism was born in India - but today it is not widely practiced anywhere in India - except Ladakh. There were incredible medieval gompas (monasteries) everywhere, perched on rocky outcroppings and clinging to precarious cliff sides. Some of these date back
to the 11th century and feature beautiful religious relics, frescos and wood carvings. And everywhere there was such an incredible feeling of peace. To be able to sit in such an ancient religious site, meditate and work my prayer beads. To be able to make the clockwise circuit around the temple, spinning the prayer wheels on the outer walls of the temple. To sit and observe a puja (religious ceremony) as the monks, both young and old, held fast to the traditions that have survived in this isolated land.
Particularly impressive to me was Alchi choskhor (religious site). In this tiny village, 3 hours but only 45 miles from Leh, there are five small, mud walled temples that actually are one of the most significant historical sites in Asia. Inside the temples are some of the most incredible wood carvings and frescos that I've seen. Works of art that rival some of the finest work of Renaissance Europe. I was reminded particularly of the religious carvings of Paraguay's Missions - although the works at Alchi predate the Missions by 400 years!
Another of the great pleasures of Ladakh was backpacking, trekking. I joined a small group taking a
4 day trek, one that would take us through tiny villages that had no road access, through nomadic herding lands up to an incredible view of Stok Kangri (a 20,000 feet plus high mountain). We started at Zingchan at an elevation of 11,900 feet and three days later reached that view point at 17,155 feet above sea level. For me, that's the highest I've managed on my own two feet! And while the climb gave me no trouble, sleeping for two nights at our camp at 14,700 feet in the dry desert air did give me worries! Both nights I woke up in the middle of the night with my nose plugged with the dried blood that most people experience in high dry climates. And my mouth was dry and cracked to the point of pain as I gasped for air. Both nights I ended up throwing the tent open in near panic as the feeling of suffocation and claustrophobia overwhelmed me. But standing beneath that marvelous sky with stars flung to the four corners in the crisp mountain air put me at ease. And the display of shooting stars was better than any man made entertainment!
And last
but not least, I pleasured very much in the chance to stay in an isolated little guest house in a tiny village. Little two year old Singay Namgail was obviously in charge of this household! He wrapped his mother and father and his paternal grandparents, all of who lived together in their traditional Ladakhi house, around his little fingers! And next door in their little complex, also under his control, were his maternal grandparents. Each evening I'd sit in the kitchen with Singay and his am me le (mother) and grandmother as dinner was cooked. The first night was especially memorable - a great dinner of homemade momos (vegetable stuffed dumplings)!
Over and over I was impressed with the long standing traditions that hold life together even today in Ladakh! Be it the religious traditions, hiking through towns that had never seen a motorized vehicle or sitting in the kitchen as the extended family prepares dinner, the old ways hold this culture together.
But progress was rearing its head in Singay's life. After dinner, when you would think that a cup of tea and conversation might be the order of the evening, instead, the television was turned on.
And the latest and most dramatic of India's evening 'soap operas' enthralled the family! All accept grandpa. Who sat there with his back to the television, working his prayer beads and chanting the ancient mantras, deep in meditation. I hope that somehow his ancient ways will be the way of the future here. But somehow . . . . . . . .
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Eric
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Ladakh
Mike, One of the buildings, (a monestary?) reminded me of one I saw in the mountains of Morocco. Loved the mountain stream and the night shots. Beautiful and serene. Where next? ej