Rediscovery of Self in the Land of the High Passes
I was sitting right in the middle of my sisters when my eyes fell on the handsome mountains covered with a blanket of snow on their tops. I began to jump and almost sat over my sister (who was next to the window) to capture the fascinating scene with my camera. The heavenly scenes were ever changing as the plane moved closer to Leh (headquarters of Ladakh district). The green and lively mountains gave way to the barren and dusty landscape of Ladakh. There was also a green patch amidst the dry rocks that resembled an oasis in a vast sultry desert. The landscape was interspersed by pristine blue and turquoise lakes apparently formed from the melting of glaciers nearby. When our plane was about to touch down, I could see another oasis just below me which would be our home for the whole week.
After reaching Leh, rejuvenated as we were after witnessing such splendid yet inexplicable beauty of the place, we decided to roam around a bit before heading to our resort. It was nightfall by the time we reached our new home and crashed into the beds as soon as we entered our cottage.
We got up early in the morning and had a light breakfast before hitting the roads leading to Pangong Tso Lake via Chang La Pass. The road was very bumpy and it actually felt like climbing a 5000 metre high mountain peak. Chang La at 5360 metres is no less daunting in comparison to Khardung La(credited to be the world’s highest pass). We had some piping hot black tea at the Chang La Cafeteria to soothe our aching heads and comfort our cold bodies. Once we felt refreshed, we were ready to undertake the enduring ride to the lake. The route was long and arduous but we felt little because of the out of this world views from our windows. When we entered the Changthang wildlife region, we were all very excited in anticipation of beholding some exotic Ladakhi wildlife. We did spot some cute little Ladakhi Marmots who were fortunately out of their burrows, a few hundred metres away from the main road. Marmots are playful creatures with their face resembling a Beaver and body similar to a squirrel. In fact, they are large brown squirrels living in a cold desert. On the way to the lake, there were many meadows, flower valleys, mountain passes, rapid rivers and some spectacular views complete with teeming wildlife including Horses, Yaks and Marmots. The lake is on the mind of almost every visitor to Ladakh because of its ethereal beauty and the different shades of blue that are clearly visible in its crystal clear waters. We were surprised to see so many vehicles as well as a large number of eateries for tourists. Many of the restaurants sported names like Rancho’s Cafe and 3 Idiots Corner. A few metres away from the parking was 3 Idiots Point where the actual shooting of a scene of the movie titled 3 Idiots apparently took place. The lake is one of the largest salt water lakes in Asia and is more than 130 km long with around two thirds portion falling in Tibet. We could spot several migratory water birds and gulls having a good time at the lake. At 4400 metres, it is almost as pristine as Lake Mansarover in Tibet. The massive expanse of the pure azure waters is beyond belief so much so that the lake could easily pass for a gigantic sea trapped between mountains. In obeisance to the great lake, we all touched its cold water and greeted it in our own way. I could feel the heaviness in the pure water obviously due to its high salt content but I truly felt blessed and happy when the lake responded with a cold touch. The experience of walking along the lake with cold breeze caressing my hair was very fulfilling and rewarding. Once we had taken in all that we could, we had some freshly made Momos( stuffed dumplings served with tangy sauce) along with tea at one of the funnily named restaurants and then headed back to Leh.
Ladakh is a legendary land of magic and mysteries. It is holy, adventurous, barren and beautiful at the same time and has the power to heal, to change and to liberate one and all. We finally came to a realization that reaching any destination does arouse excitement and anticipation but it is in the journey that one receives all the happiness. As we left behind our heavenly home, we began to wonder how this journey to Ladakh had infused us with so much life and energy that we began to appreciate even the simplest things of nature.
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