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Three-storey-high Buddha statues, stupas and monasteries
that look like they have been cut out from fairytale
books and yaks with floor-sweeping hair are some of
the unusual sights you see when you visit Ladakh,
says Swetha Amit
We woke to cloudy weather and a slight drizzle. Sincere
prayers were rendered in silence to not let the weather
play spoilsport on our drive to Pangong Lake. The clouds
soon cleared. Snow-covered mountains all around made
it feel like Christmas season in the month of August.
Great heights: We soon reached the
Changla Pass, one of the highest mountain passes in
India. This is usually a stopover for many on the way
to Pangong Lake. Similar to the Khardungla Pass, the
signboard here too was adorned with colourful Buddhist
flags. The hot cups of tea served were more than welcome
in the freezing temperatures.
Going yak yak yak: One of the wonders
of the Himalayan region is its exotic fauna. Excitement
soared as we spotted some of them. Standing in solitude
amidst green pasturelands were the mighty yaks. They
are a type of cattle with long hair reaching the ground,
quite common in Tibet. They were quietly grazing, immersed
in a world of their own. They appeared oblivious to
everything around them and didn't bat an eyelid as we
hunched closer to get a couple of photographs.
As we drove further, we spotted a whole herd of them
resting beneath rocks after a mid-morning brunch. They
were gracious enough to click some pictures with us
without a fuss.
A ball of wool: A little further,
we noticed a shepherd with his flock of sheep and goats.
It was an image out of Johanna Spyri's Heidi. From a
distance, the flock looked like a big ball of wool moving
up the hills.
 Eating
out of our hands: When our guide stopped the
car beside a patch of scanty grass, we were surprised.
However, the sight of a group of people crowding around
a burrow aroused our curiosity. We were out of
our vehicle in a jiffy as soon as we spotted the tiny
brown creatures. As we ventured closer, we were delighted
to see big black eyes looking shyly up at us. The stout
Himalayan marmots resembled large squirrels. We handed
out a biscuit or two to lure them out of their holes.
After initially backing off, they were soon eating out
of our hands, allowing us to pet and play with them.
The 30 minutes spent in their company made the trip
a memorable one.
Filmy lake: We spotted a large mass
of blue in the distance. As we drew closer, we saw a
crystallised water body surrounded by snow-capped mountains.
We strolled around the lake and recollected the last
scene of the Hindi film '3 Idiots', which was filmed
here.
The steamed dishes served at the tented stalls were
a treat in the freezing weather. We spotted a boat with
army officers and waved. The lake was close to the Indo-China
border; half of it is in Ladakh, and the other half
in the Chinese-occupied region.
 Magnetic
hill: We were told that the volcanic-resembling
mountain that we passed was a 'magnetic hill'. We were
told to park the car in the middle of the flat road
and watch it being pulled towards the mountain. We stood
aside and watched, though we weren't convinced.
It did look like the car was being pulled.
A holy shrine: Situated on the Leh-Kargil
road was the beautiful Pathar Sahib Gurudwara constructed
in the memory of Guru Nanak. It was the first
time we were visiting a Gurudwara. As per custom, we
covered our heads with a cloth given by the authorities
and entered the holy shrine. Inside was a rock, which
had a story behind it. According to local legend, it
was the same rock which was hurled by a demon at Guru
Nanak with the intention of killing him. However when
the rock touched the sage, it turned into wax. The demon
tried to push the rock with his foot and was surprised
to see his imprint on it. Guru Nanak's powers changed
the demon who begged for forgiveness. The local lamas
considered this rock to be sacred and offer prayers
to it.
Inner peace: The sense of tranquillity
remained as we visited two more monasteries. The first,
unlike the others was situated on lowland. This was
the Alchi Gompa, which was well known for its
wall paintings in Indian style. It has three-story high
statues of Avalokiteshwara, Maitreya and Manjushree
and is very preserved very well by the monks. The second
monastery was situated on a hill top and is one of the
oldest and largest Gompas in Ladakh. The Lamayuru
Gompa houses about 150 Buddhist monks. The
monastery once consisted of five buildings, out of which
only the central one exists today. It had beautiful
wall paintings carved inside. Masked dances are held
here and monks from nearby monasteries participate in
the celebrations.
 Saluting
the martyrs: Our last stop for the day was
the Hall Of Fame dedicated to martyrs who gave their
lives selflessly fighting for our nation. We looked
at the photographs of our heroes and listened to accounts
of their valour, grit and integrity with pride.
There were maps of India-Pakistan and India-China borders
and models of rifles used in the wars. In one
corner were articles that provided a glimpse into the
life and traditions of Ladakhis which gave us a good
insight into their lives. It was a thrilling end
to the day as we had the privilege of visiting the Hall
of Fame on Independence Day. We returned with a stronger
sense of patriotism and pride in our defence forces.
Ladakh offered us treacherous climbs and adventure;
it also encompassed us in serenity which enabled us
to rediscover ourselves. We left with treasured memories
of this unique land.
Cost
- One has the option of camping in Pangong Lake. The
cost would be approximately Rs2,000 per person.
- Entrance fees to the monasteries would amount to
Rs50-100 per person.
- To enter the Hall of Fame, it would cost Rs70, including
a camera pass.
Essential guidelines
- If camping at Pangong Lake, one needs warm clothing,
a torch, and medications if one is prone to altitude
sickness.
- Please dress modestly while visiting the gompas.
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