Leh: Stunning,Historical Town in Northernmost India
Leh is a 14th century Himalayan town and the largest town of Ladakh, a union territory of India. The best time to visit is from April to September. If you go to Leh, take a window seat because the first awe-inspiring view is from the plane itself and for that you have to check in early because window seats to Leh are on a first come, first served basis. As the plane flew higher up in the dark dawn, with the hint of a fading moon, the blackish-brown cone of the first Himalayan range peeped through the fluffy, grey clouds. More such peaks surfaced with snow trickling down the slopes, making solid snow channels. Gradually, whole mountain ranges stood at the rim of the horizon, sparkling white against the early sunrise. The mountains looked like white triangular tents standing as sentinels guarding Ladakh. As we neared Leh airport, the peaks became more numerous, whiter, then whitest and very near to my aircraft’s window. The white clouds and the white mountains were readying themselves to give us a white carpet welcome. The pilot navigated his plane through the clouds and the Himalayan ranges as if he were negotiating his car on a busy single-lane road. A circular rainbow was stuck against a white mountain and the miniature shadow of the plane fell on it. As the plane lowered a bit, mountain ranges receded and tiny, human habitation could be seen far below, with toy-like cars and buses moving on ribbon-like roads.
The palace is built in Medieval Tibetan architectural style
and resembles a miniature form of Lhasa’s Potala Palace. During its time, it
was known as the highest building in the world. It is also known as Lhachen
Palkhar. Leh palace is a nine-storied building starting from the basement. The
palace is entered through an elaborate, wooden gate at level 2.
We could only climb up
to the terrace of the eighth floor. The ninth floor was again unreachable. In
the palace museum there are jewelry, ornaments, ceremonial dress, crowns and
paintings more than 450 years old.
Shanti Stupa
Our next visit was Shanti Stupa. It is a Buddhist, white-domed
Stupa in Chanspa, Leh district, Ladakh. It is five kms from Leh and is situated
on a mountain top at a height of 3,609 metres (11,841 ft.). The road leading
towards it is uphill, narrow and snaky. From the parking, the path is upsloping
with about 50 wide, stone steps. Midway on the path there is a meditation hall.
It is large and comfortable. Meditation
in this quiet, secluded and spiritual surrounding was very peaceful. We climbed further up and reached Shanti Stupa, a monastery with a large, white dome and a
very commodious terrace. The terrace offers a far-reaching view of the
snow-capped mountains. It is indeed an extensive view. There are high peaks,
walnut -brown and bare; then there are snow-capped peaks and in between the
mountains are Amphitheatre-like plateaus. From another side of the terrace we got
a bird’s eye view of Leh city.
Sangam :Meeting Place of Indus and Zanskar
Gradually the Himalayan range seemed to embrace both sides of
the road, narrowing it considerably.
The main road is flanked by a rocky range
on one side from which tiny pebbles sometimes trickled down , making the
vehicles move slowly .And on the other side of the road, the hint came in the
form of a muddy, somewhat broad stream that something big was on the way. And
then the hint widened into a broad river. The meeting place is indeed very
enchanting: the clear waters of the Indus meeting the reddish, muddy water of
the Zanskar. Indus is one of the longest rivers of Asia and one of the largest
rivers in the world in terms of annual flow. It is called Sindhu in Sanskrit. Zanskar
River is one of the major tributaries of Indus River. It flows through the intense
and vivid Zanskar gorge until it joins the Indus near Nimmu in Ladakh. The
meeting place is popularly known as Sangam.
The river at the confluence takes the shape of the valley;
where the valley is broad it widens into a substantial river and then shrinks
itself into a narrow strip as the large Himalayan ranges close in from either
side. It is a very picturesque place with small and big rocks scattered here
and there. The bank with steps leading to the river is a nice place to rest and
enjoy the scenery.
There is adequate arrangement for rafting at this confluence and
there is a kiosk selling tea, beverage and essential snacks.
Photographs: Bulbul Sur.
Leh: Stunning, Historical
Town in Northernmost India
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| Leh Town Courtesy: Nibha Bhandari |
Leh is a 14th century Himalayan town and the largest town of Ladakh, a union territory of India. The best time to visit is from April to September. If you go to Leh, take a window seat because the first awe-inspiring view is from the plane itself and for that you have to check in early because window seats to Leh are on a first come, first served basis. As the plane flew higher up in the dark dawn, with the hint of a fading moon, the blackish-brown cone of the first Himalayan range peeped through the fluffy, grey clouds. More such peaks surfaced with snow trickling down the slopes, making solid snow channels. Gradually, whole mountain ranges stood at the rim of the horizon, sparkling white against the early sunrise. The mountains looked like white triangular tents standing as sentinels guarding Ladakh. As we neared Leh airport, the peaks became more numerous, whiter, then whitest and very near to my aircraft’s window. The white clouds and the white mountains were readying themselves to give us a white carpet welcome. The pilot navigated his plane through the clouds and the Himalayan ranges as if he were negotiating his car on a busy single-lane road. A circular rainbow was stuck against a white mountain and the miniature shadow of the plane fell on it. As the plane lowered a bit, mountain ranges receded and tiny, human habitation could be seen far below, with toy-like cars and buses moving on ribbon-like roads.
Soon we reached the small and cozy Leh airport. Leh has a
domestic airport which is the highest aerodrome in the country. The frequency
of flights to Leh from other parts of the country is very less.
Since Leh is at an altitude of 3,505 m above mean sea level,
the topography is dominated by mountains. As we journeyed to our hotel in a
small van through winding roads, climbing uphill and downhill, accompanied by
the blackish, greenish, brownish
Himalayan ranges , some peaks with a hint of snow and in some places a
goat track of snow trickling down the slopes, we reached our hotel Spic and
Span. My room was on the first floor and from the window I could see the Himalayan
range –the façade was wood brown but the peak and the sides were covered in
snow.
We had reached our hotel at about eight in the morning. After
breakfast it was mandatory for us to take rest in our rooms to adjust to
the high altitude. We also had to take a medicine called Diamox daily (half tablet in the morning and half at night)to
prevent altitude sickness. This tablet had to be taken 24 hours prior to our departure to Leh.
At four in the evening we set out to visit Leh palace. The narrow road passed through high slopes
and plateaus, through the crowded Leh main bazar .The Indus river is the backbone
of Leh and the city is situated close to it, about 6 km. away from its
right bank. After a short while, wide roads greeted us which were bordered by Indus
valley, dotted with small, button-like
flowers (probably Ratanjot) but their color was a bright Day-Glo yellow .The
Himalayan range stood at the rim of the horizon, its tall peaks almost touching
the clouds which were massed against the Uranian-blue sky in great snow-white
balls. Soon we arrived at Leh Palace which is located in Leh city.
Ancient Leh Palace
Leh Palace is a 16th century palace bordered
by Stok Kangri and Zanskar mountains of
the mighty Himalayan range .The construction of the palace on Namgyal-Tsemo
Hill was started by Tsewang Namgyal (founder of the Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh)
in 1553 and completed by his nephew,
Sengge Namgyal. 'Namgyal' means ‘victorious’ in many Tibetan languages. The
royal family had to leave the palace and shift to Stok Palace on the southern
banks of the Indus in the mid- 19th century, after the Dogra forces
conquered Ladakh. Leh Palace was in ruins due to this abandonment. It was
restored by ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) who declared the palace as a
monument of national importance in 1982. Since then it is maintained by ASI .It
is a Protected Monument and any damages done to the palace will incur a fine.
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| Leh Palace Courtesy : en.wikipedia.org |
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| Entrance of Leh Palace Courtesy: en.wikipedia.org |
The upper floors were
residence of the royal family ; the lower floors had storerooms and stables. The
palace is built of stone, poplar wood, mud, mortar, mud bricks and wooden
rafters so that it is cold in summers and warm in winters. We could view the
palace only from the third floor. Narrow, dark passageways lead to rooms which are
quite small. Some fairly big rooms are called halls. Some such halls have tiny,
hanging balconies offering a panoramic view of Leh. The rooms are very dark and
bereft of any royal furniture. One rectangular hall’s walls were decked with
pictures of historical monuments such as the Taj Mahal, Red Fort etc. Some
halls and rooms branched off to tunnels or perhaps escape routes but they were
closed either for renovation or Out Of
Bounds for visitors. Each floor has a terrace facing the vast and serene white mountains. The steps leading to each
floor might be a flight of about ten stairs and as we climbed higher and higher, the view was heightened giving us a superb view of snow-clad Stok kangri and Ladakh
mountain range and entire town of Leh and its surroundings.
There is a working monastery inside the palace which is
presided over by monks .It contains a stucco figure of Du-Kar (a form of
Prajnaparamita). We climbed down the wide, stone stairs and came out in
the open. Outside the palace is a kiosk selling essential eatables.
Timing: daily 7a.m to 4 p.m.
Shanti Stupa
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| Shanti Stupa Courtesy: commons.wikimedia.org |
Shanti Stupa was built in 1991 by Japanese Buddhists and Ladakh
Buddhists to promote world peace and prosperity, and to commemorate 2,500 years
of Buddhism. It is symbolic of the friendship between the people of Ladakh and
Japan.
The Stupa stands on a flat, huge platform. Before climbing up the steps to the platform we have to take off our shoes. After climbing a few
steps we reached a circular terrace on which stands the Stupa. It is on two
levels. The first level features the Golden Buddha image depicting Dharma chakra. The second level has reliefs depicting the birth, death of Lord Buddha; and Lord
Buddha defeating the devils while meditating. There are brightly-hued carvings and
paintings on the walls of Shanti Stupa.
The confluence or Sangam is 35 km. from Leh. The road is
through russet- brown mountains, some peaks tipped with icing-sugar like snow. Most
of the valleys are barren but as we proceeded farther through the Leh-Srinagar
highway, they were dotted with purple and yellow flowers. Small streams
meandered through narrow, rocky channels: streams sometimes slow, sometimes
flowing rapidly, sometimes leaping out and wetting the rocks but always in
motion, never still.
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| Barren Valley Bounded by the Himalayan Range |
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| Lavender-hued Valley |
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| The Road between the Himalayan Range |
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| A view of the Confluence from the Top Photo: supplied |
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| A distant View of the Sangam |
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| Close View of the Sangam |
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| Breathtaking Landscape at the Sangam |
Leh Market
Leh market dates
back to the 15th century during the era of King Singe Namgyal. It
abounds in jewelry, clothes, handicrafts, woolen clothes, artefacts, dry fruits etc. There
are shops selling only pashmina items :shawls, saris, scarves and dress
materials. The price ranges from rupees 500 to a few thousands. Ladakh T-shirts
with motifs of Himalayas or yetis are
very reasonably priced and of good quality. There are shops on either side of the
narrow street and also high-end shops on wide roads. Tibetan market is a place where you shop till you
drop. Besides these shops, ladies sit on the pavement and sell vegetables,
fruits and especially apricots. Boxes of apricots are sold at a very cheap
rate. The atmosphere in the market is very calm and relaxed so that you can easily
roam here for two-three hours without any hassle and harassment. There is no
jostling, eve teasing or pickpocketing. And
you can have hot tea and momos at the roadside stalls if you feel hungry.
Another local delicacy is Thupka (Tibetan noodle soup) but be prepared to
share it because I found one serving too much for a single person. There are
lots of restaurants catering from moderate pockets to deep pockets. Not only
Indian (North and South) and Tibetan but also Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Asian, Turkish
,Thai, German and Korean restaurants flourished in the market. There was a
German Bakery and I noticed some restaurants advertised ‘Hummus’ on their
signboards. Foreigners from all over the world thronged the market. One part of
the market was a bit haphazard because construction work for a big mall was
going on (This was in 2015). Otherwise, Leh Market is a must see in Ladakh.
People of
Ladakh
If you truly want
to experience Zen then you have to get acquainted with the people of Ladakh.
From the hotel staff to the shopkeepers, the local guides and drivers, all
exuded a feeling of calmness, politeness, helpfulness and friendliness. The
Ladakhi culture is also very rich and on the last night of our departure ,folk
dancers of Leh gave us a wonderful performance enumerating their history and
folk tales. Most of the performers were ladies with highbred manners. The dances narrated stories of fight between good and evil with Good
triumphing over Evil. But the most
enticing part was when one of the male musicians played patriotic songs on a
traditional instrument called Singa
after every dance performance. It was somewhat trumpet-like and the tunes of
Vandemataram, Sare Jahan se accha
etc. filled the entire atmosphere with patriotic fervor.
In the tour we had our evenings free and since
our hotel was very near to Leh Market we would often stroll there. The shopkeepers were very cordial and also advised us on various things, to get acclimatized before venturing out, to
take sufficient warm garments to Pangong Lake because the climate is much
colder there etc. Women are held in high position in Ladakh and we encountered
many women shopkeepers, restaurateurs there. Most of the people are fluent in English
and everybody spoke good Hindi . The hotel staff was also very dutiful and
friendly and they said that after the tourist season would be over, the hotels
would be covered in snow; hence closed down and the employees would go back to
their villages. The long and short of our interaction with the locals was that
tourism is their mainstay and that too only for five months: May to September.
According to an economic review, tourism employs only 4% of Ladakh’s working
population but it now accounts for 50% of the region’s GNP(Gross National
Income). Fruit farming is prevalent with apricots being the principal produce.
Watermelon is also grown here with an average size of 6 kg each. Apricots in Ladakh are grown organically and
they are the sweetest apricots in the world according to the fruit’s TSS(Total
Soluble Solids) . The sweetness of the apricots increases with the rise in
altitude. Leh has a great potential for agriculture . Agriculture and its
allied sectors are performed by 70% of
the population and the principal crops grown here are wheat and barley. Gold
bearing quartz veins have been found in
the Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh. There are lots to be explored and utilized in Ladakh. Hopefully, things will change, now that Ladakh has become a
Union Territory and is firmly on the radar of development.
In spite of financial hardships, remoteness
and climatic hazards, the helpfulness
and friendliness of the people moved me , as if it was their responsibility to
make our stay comfortable. I found Leh a masterpiece, not only because of its scenic beauty, its material and natural possessions but also because of its masterpieces of people.
