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| Leh Old Town |
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| Venus Transit 2012 |
Last year on this day, planet Venus appeared as a small, dark disk moving across the face of the Sun. The Transit of Venus, as it is called, is a rare celestial phenomenon which occurs every eight years. Before you think astronomy is among my fleeting interests, let me assure you that this information is just a backgrounder for my travel story. For many of us at work, it was an opportunity to travel to the town of Leh, for a close look at Venus from one of the highest observatories in the world. When I landed in Leh on June 6th, Venus had come and gone. I was a part of team II, and our mission was to bring back culturally relevant stories from Ladakh.
Now driving to Ladakh is one thing, landing there is another. The sudden change in altitude can result in mountain sickness, where you might experience nausea, loss of appetite, breathlessness and headaches. This is mainly due to lower atmospheric pressure and lack of oxygen in the air, so it is advisable to rest well and start fresh the next day.
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| Fresh veggies for sale |
Unfortunately, I wasn't aware of this and had agreed to meet someone that evening. After resting for about three hours, I went looking for Sonam Gyatso, my source in Leh. When I finally found his house, Gyatso was in the yard with his wife and son tending to their cauliflowers. Most houses here have a front yard where the family grows vegetables like tulips, radishes, cabbages, cauliflowers and carrots. They plant the same variety for a whole year so that the soil gets enough time to rebuild its nutrients. In many parts of Leh, the standard Himalayan composting type toilet is still popular (scroll down for photograph) and manure is freely available.
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| Butter tea at @ Gyatso's |
Hill people are the friendliest souls and will take you in like you were family. Almost everyone will greet you with a happy, sing-song ‘Juley’ (hello/goodbye), and that is the first (and only) Ladakhi word I learnt. At Gyatso’s house conversation flowed for long hours and so did the many cups of Ladakhi gudgud cha or butter tea. It is tradition to fill the cup to the brim every time someone drinks up a serving. I had about four cups that day before I managed to convince the host that I couldn't drink another sip. Now don’t let the name butter tea mislead you, because there just isn't any tea in this preparation. Instead, it is a heady concoction of hot water, yak butter, salt and a powder prepared from plants found in the Himalayan region. Yak butter has a very strong odor but I soon got used to this salty drink, and my chilled bones began to feel its reassuring warmth. They say this portion can prevent mountain sickness, and I know its true because it's magic worked on me.
The very next day I began work. Nine-storey high Leh Palace sits precariously atop a mountain and is one of the striking architectural masterpieces of Leh. In the 15th century, the (old) town of Leh sprung up just below the palace. While the palace was protected by the ASI, the abandoned Old Town was falling into ruins until architect André Alexander decided to preserve these Tibetan style structures. In 2006, he started LOTI (Leh Old Town Initiative) and after his death in 2012, members of his team, Sonam Gyatso included, are continuing his vision. Old Leh has multiple stupa gateways and 178 stone, mud and timber houses, sandwiched between earth walls. Restoration is a slow and painful process as funds are tough to raise.
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| Leh Palace, Old Town and Lala's Cafe |
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| Laurent Wipf at @ Lala's |
While work was on, to reverse the decay of this Himalayan town, the team unearthed many treasures, the largest of which was a stone sculptures that dates back to the 10th Century. Today it stands outside Lala's Café, a meeting point for those interested in taking a heritage walk across Old Town. It was here that I met Laurent Wipf, a 67 year old retired Math teacher from France, who visits every summer and enjoys his long Himalayan treks. He stays in a rented house in the Old Town and also contributes to the upkeep and restoration of that property.
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| Local volunteer @ Donkey Sancty |
Much like him, South African photojournalist Joanne Lefson is also doing her bit. She visits every year, and with local support runs a Donkey Sanctuary, where carrots and donations are always welcome. On her first visit to Leh she was moved by the plight of abandoned and injured donkeys that roamed the streets. Today, further up in the mountain, beside a gurgling stream, the donkeys lead a happy secured life. And if you want to sponsor one, all you have to do is donate to the cause, and the sanctuary will mail you pictures and news updates about the status of your pet.
My most precious Leh memory is of the last night there. The freelance cameraperson we hired for a multi-cam set up had a wedding function to cover that night, and he invited us to join him. Along with two other colleagues (Deepak and Adil), I attended a Ladakhi Muslim wedding. When the groom arrived, everyone from the bride’s side lined up on either sides of the road to welcome him, and he in turn handed out money. The family insisted I join them in this ceremony, and I got a crisp Rs 50 as a souvenir.
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| My smile says it all. Wedding money |
Islam and Buddhism are the two main religions in Ladakh, and it is not unusual for a family to have relatives belonging to both. The bride for instance was Muslim, but her cousins (once removed) were Buddhists, and all of them were present at the wedding. Men and women were seated separately and butter tea was served every few minutes. And as I sat there in the women’s section with my new friends, sipping cha, I wondered why the rest of us didn't follow the Ladakh's example of hard work, hospitality and unity.
When I said Juley to Ladakh the next day, I promised myself I’d go back and I most definitely will be visiting the wedding house to renew my friendship.
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| After the summer showers in Leh |
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| Himalayan composting type toilet ( move the stick and aim right!) |
