Philadelphia's Roman Theater

Philadelphia's Roman Theater

 Philadelphia’s Roman Theater

A Courtyard View of the Roman Theater  Photo:supplied

The second century Roman Theater in the Jordanian capital, Amman was built during the Roman period when Amman was called Philadelphia (brotherly love) after Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the Macedonian ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom. It was renamed Amman in the 7^th century during the Islamic era.

The Roman Theater is a famous landmark in Amman.  It is located in the old city called downtown.

The first look is from a hill­—a sunken masterpiece against a background of sun-bleached yellow buildings.          

A large,open courtyard precedes the theater. Before the entrance gate is a long sequence of columns of various heights.The signboard put up by the Department of Antiquities at the entrance reads that the Roman Theater was built during the time of Antoninus Pius (138-161 AD).This antique theatre is a meeting point of three A’s—Architecture, Act (theatrical) and Acoustics. 

Architecture

Generally the exterior of Roman theaters depended on Orography (physical geography dealing with mountains).Since this theater was built against a hill the site had an added advantage because it seemed that the most important rows were directly fixed on the ground, that is on the slopes of the hill. The upper seats looked as if they were carved out of the living hill. This 6,000-seater theater, like most Roman creations, is gargantuan, sloping towards the audience. It is oriented north to protect the spectators from the sun. 

Architecture of the Roman Theater consists of the sloping cavea (enclosure/seating arrangement), the flat stage for the chorus (the orchestra) and the stage building with the raised stage for the actors. There were three defined areas for action: scaenae (stage building), orchestra/arena for spectacle /entertainment and cavea (seating arrangement).

A view of the Media Cavea,Summa Cavea,Vomitoria and Praecinctio

The cavea was divided in three horizontal sections according to the social class of people. The ima cavea is the lowest section and directly surrounds the orchestra. It was the most desirable seating and was usually reserved for the higher class of society. Right above the ima cavea is the media cavea, the middle section of seating reserved for soldiers and respectable citizens, mostly men .The summa cavea is the highest tier of audience seating and was usually open to foreigners, women, children and urban poor/commoners. The front row was called the prima cavea and the last row was called cavea ultima. The lower and upper rows of seats were further divided vertically for easy access. There are small cave-like openings on the zone of rows of summa and media cavea.   They are called Vomitoria or passageways and they are situated below or behind a tier of seats through which big crowds could exit rapidly and for actors to enter on and off the stage. They formed an efficient network for audience traffic. Praecinctio or walkways between the upper and lower tiers of seats are also visible.  

Due to the semi-circular shape of the cavea every seat had a view of the stage. The highest sections of seats in this theater, even though far from the stage offer excellent sightlines.

The side entrances   exist at ground level, one leading to the orchestra and the other to the stage. The rooms behind these entrances now house The Jordan Museum of Popular Tradition on the east side and the Jordan Folklore Museum on the west side.

 The scaenae frons is the elaborately decorated, permanent architectural background of the Roman theater stage and it enhanced the visual impact because it was all the time before the eyes of the spectators. The ornamental frieze and decorated cornice of the entablature on the scaenae frons add to the beauty.It has a central gateway called porticus through which we entered the main area of the theater housing the pulpitum (raised platform stage), cavea and orchestra.

Porticus, Scaenae Frons and Proscenium

 The stage building is bleached yellow in color, the same as the structures in Amman.A proscenium or a low wall separates the stage from the audience.

The Wooden Floor of the Stage Building

 There is a closed, yellow door on one side of the theater. Our guide told us that during gladiatorial matches lions would be sent through that door.  

Closed Door,Ima Cavea and The  Jordan Museum of Popular Traditions on the Pulpitum

The cavea is further divided by scalae or flight of steps. The steps leading to the different sections of the cavea are high and steep but they are climbable to the top.

Since this theater was carved from a hill, series of arches are missing.  

Act (Theatrical)

The actors required a very unfussy atmosphere—a stage building with the raised stage (or scaena) for the actors to perform, the flat stage area for the chorus where the action takes place and of course the audience in the cavea.

Each acting company had a handful of qualified actors. Among them only 2-3 of the actors in the band would have speaking roles in a show while other actors in the ensemble with non-speaking roles would be present on the stage as assistants to the performing actors.

The stage was used only by the actors who entered the playing space from the side entrances.   

Since the audience was not quiet and would discuss everything under the sun—from the weather to other plays, the actors developed the art of pantomime or acting without words. The actors had to wear masks and costumes (which denoted their roles) and played their parts with appropriate gestures to get across the meaning to the spectators; they (actors) had to sing and dance in this huge open-air theater. All this required great stamina and agility on their part. Men wore brown masks. Since women were not allowed to act their parts, the female parts were normally played by men or young boys wearing white masks.

Acoustics

This Roman theater built thousands of years ago had such advanced system of acoustics that even modern theaters use those functions for the presentation of musical or theater performances. Not only are the seats good for straight lines of obstacle-free vision between the spectator and the spectacle from various points but they are also good for acoustics. Even a whisper in the performing area would be projected to the entire stadium, right to the topmost seats.

1) Geometric Shape: The curved cavea enhanced natural acoustics. It quickly directed most of the reflected sounds towards the audience sitting in every section. The actors could be clearly heard because of the steepness of the cavea.

2) The dimension for seating, the risen height of the rows (of seats) and the sloping cavea ensured minimal blocking of sound by the lower tiers, and resulted to the fine tuning of the strong, direct and reflected sounds.

3) Strong acoustic reverberation was produced by the hard materials of the theater surface which generated sufficient reflected and scattered sound energy. The sound was bounced off the highly porous stone surface and created an echo.  

5) Sound was further reflected by the large wall behind the cavea which acted as an obstacle and prevented the sound from being dispersed.   

A View of the Cavea with the Boundary Wall

There is a point in the center of the performing area or orchestra where the actor’s voice would echo so that the person sitting in the last row at the top would be able to hear the actor clearly.

The Echoing Point

Jordan Museum of Popular Traditions

It is located within the eastern section of the Roman theater .It has five exhibition halls each displaying different items. The first hall  displays traditional costumes of the east bank; the second  showcases traditional jewelry and cosmetic items of the various regions of east and west banks; the third hall displays Palestinian costumes and head dresses; the fourth displays collection of  pottery and wooden cooking pots and food preparation vessels; silver ornaments and bridal dresses from the west bank. The fifth hall is interesting. It is in a vault of the Roman theater and it houses a collection of mosaics from Byzantine churches in Jerash and Madaba.

Traditional Costumes,Cooking Utensil and Handicraft (photo:supplied)

An Upper-Class Lady (photo:supplied)

Costume and Traditional Utensil (Photo:supplied)

The Roman Theater is a popular getaway because we found lots of people sitting on the steps, even on the uppermost rows and enjoying themselves. It is a cultural hub for hosting various programs. The International Amman Book Fair was held here.

The theater was badly damaged by earthquake and it was restored in 1957.Some of the original columns are very much in place. The visit to the theater , steeped in history, was an enchanting experience.

An Expansive View of the Roman Theater

 photo: supplied

Photographs:Bulbul Sur

Tags: Philadelphia, Amman, Roman Theater, Cavea, Pulpitum,Vomitoria, Praecinctio,Scaenae Frons,Jordan Museum of Popular Traditions

Sense of God in Ladakh's Monasteries and Indian Army, BRO's Heroic Service

Sense of God in Ladakh's Monasteries,in Indian Army and in BRO’s Heroic Service

Spituk Monastery

Spituk Monastery (Photo: commons.wikimedia.org)

Spituk Monastery is on a hill and is located about 8 km away from Leh. It is situated at a height of 3,307 meters (10,852 feet) above sea level. It is also known as Spituk or Pethup Gompa (Gonpa). If you look above, you see the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas and if you look below you’ll get a breathtakingly beautiful view of the Indus valley. The river Indus flows behind the monastery. The monastery was built in the 11^th century.

 As we climbed up the rectangular stone steps we came across prayer wheels frequently at each landing. There are shaded seating arrangements at the commencement of the climb for those not preferring the ascent. The climbing up is indeed steep because of the high steps. The ascent is organized in such a way that there is a series of irregular levels with short flight of steps. Though it was very arduous we climbed to the top but some of us had to frequently sit on the steps for some time to catch our breaths. While climbing down we could enjoy the white, pink and mauve cosmos flowers bordering the steps.

Display Board Highlighting the History 

Architectural Beauty

Spituk means exemplary. When Lotsewa Rinchen Zangpo (revered translator of Buddhist Scriptures) came to this place he prophesied that an exemplary religious community would arise and so the monastery was called Spituk. The monastery was founded by Od-de, elder brother of Lha Lama Changchub Od. It started as a Red Hat institution or Kagyupa sect but it was taken over by the Gelugpa sect or Yellow hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism in the 15^th century. The hats refer to the elaborate crescent-shaped hats worn by followers during ceremonies. The Chinese invented the terms so that they could remember the different sects in easy terms. Spituk monastery contains a collection of thangkas, masks, antique arms and several images and statues of Lord Buddha.

 On the pinnacle of the monastery is the Kalika Mandir/Kali Temple which is dedicated to Vajrabhairava Deity. The faces of the idols were covered and they would be opened only during festivities. Many monasteries had such Kalika Mandirs on the highest peak, as a tutelary deity guarding the premises, a protector. Since the puja was done by tantric, so the faces of the idols were covered as our guide told us and they would be unveiled only during festivals. There is a huge terrace attached to this section.  And the view is stupendous. On one side are the snowy mountains against an ultramarine sky and the Indus River flowing silently. On the other side is the Indus valley resplendent with greenery and human habitation. There are facilities available at one end of the terrace.

The Indus Valley

                                                          

Plantation and Human habitation in the Valley  

The Indus River 

                                               Hemis Monastery

Hemis Monastery  Hidden in the Himalayas  (Photo: Kmohankar) 

On the way back from Pangong Lake, we went to Hemis Monastery. It is located 45 km from Leh. It is situated on the highlands of Ladakh Himalayas, along the west bank of Indus River. The road leading towards it is enchanting through hills and green valleys. As you proceed towards Hemis you will come across River Indus flowing as a narrow strip along the side of the road .There are forests of juniper, birch and poplar trees and small villages in valleys.

History

The history of the monastery is elaborately inscribed in display boards in the complex in which it is said that Gyalwa Gotsanpa Gonpo Dorje came to Ladakh in the 13^th century and established the Drukpa lineage here. According to historians, this monastery existed before the 11^th century. Naropa is associated with Hemis Monastery.  He was an ancient Buddhist scholar who also presided over the operations of Bihar’s Nalanda University’s monastery as a chancellor (abbot). He left the place when Nalanda University was destroyed by Turkish and Afghan forces. It is said that he travelled far and wide to find a secluded place to build the monastery so that it would be hidden from public view and would not be invaded by foreign aggressors. This might be the reason why he went to Hemis where he met yogi Tilopa, the tantric master, considered to be the founding father of Kagyu lineage of the Himalayan esoteric Buddhism. Hence Hemis is the main seat of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery was re-established in 1672 by the Ladakhi king, Sengge Namgyal.Hemis monastery is of the Drukpa lineage or Dugpa or Red Hat sect. 

Description

Entrance of Hemis Monastery (Photo:Bernard Gagnon)

Courtyard of Hemis Monastery (Photo:rajendranathbanerjee.com)

Hemis, a Himalayan Buddhist Monastery (gompa/gonpa) is situated at a height of 12,000 feet above sea level. From the parking area, you have to climb a few steps to reach a high platform which leads to a few more steps and then you reach the entrance. Only after you enter through the main doorway can you finally see the monastery.  The first thing that attracts you is the extensive courtyard. From the courtyard, a few steps lead to the prayer hall. The landing of the staircase gives an expansive view of the mountains surrounding it .A striking scene from here is a golden Buddha statue on one side of the opposite mountain. This statue represents Maitreya or Compassion.

Statue of Buddha  (Photo:Reflectionsbyprajakta)

Since the monastery was mostly invisible to the outside world, hidden by the tall, barren mountains, it was never plundered by the invaders. Therefore, it is the wealthiest one in Ladakh and the largest Monastic Institution in Ladakh.

The monastery is large. From the courtyard a flight of steps lead to the main prayer Hall where there is a huge, golden statue of Lord Buddha.

Lord Buddha inside the Monastery  (Photo:Reflectionsbyprajakta) 

The museum on one side of the courtyard is wonderful with a lot of exhibits. It contains historical and religious paintings (Thangkas), weapons, large collections of Buddhist relics, historical scrolls, precious idols and ancient items. Outside the museum there is a shop selling souvenirs.  

Hemis Monastery is famous for the two-day Hemis festival which falls in June-July according to the 5^th month of the Tibetan calendar. It is dedicated to the birth anniversary celebration of Lord Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) who was an 8^th century Buddhist master from the Indian subcontinent. According to legend he defeated the dark forces with the help of Vajrayana Buddhism.

The ceremonies begin early morning in the sprawling courtyard with the playing of musical instruments. The portrait of ‘Rygyalsras Rinpoche’ is displayed so that the assembled gathering can worship Him. The mask dances are the highlight of the festival. They are known as Cham performance and this is essentially a Tantric tradition. These dances are performed only in those gompas which follow the tantric Vajrayana teachings and where the monks perform tantric worship. It is believed that celebrating the Hemis festival bestows good health and spiritual strength.

Guru Rinpoche (Photo: John Hill)

Amphitheatre-like Structure on the Mountain 

                                      BRO -- Border Road Organization

Himank or Project Himank is a project of BRO in the Ladakh region that started in August 1985. Its main role is "constructing operational road infrastructure for the armed forces in inhospitable far flung border areas including the world’s highest motorable roads across the Khardung La, Tanglang La and Chang La.…”It is only due to Himank that the Indian army could get access to Siachen Glacier (the world’s highest battle ground), and Pangong Tso. In BRO’s signboards we could see the mention of Himank and on some signboards it was written ‘Mountain Tamers’ which is a nickname for BRO.   

BRO has done a wonderful job by making roads through the uninhabitable parts of the country; so remote that for great stretches no living being could be seen; neither human beings not cattle. All the roads are good, much, much better than potholed roads in cities. The working season for BRO is only four months because for the rest of the year the roads are blocked due to snowfall and extreme cold climate. Between 1987 and 2002 at least 124 Himank personnel were killed on duty in Ladakh which included 5 officers.

They are not only content in building roads in such hazardous conditions but also caution us to safeguard ourselves. With superb witticism BRO has analyzed SPEED: Stupid People Ending Everyone’s Days.

The signboards of BRO also speak volumes about their poetic bent and their sense of humor:

Speed is a knife

Which cuts through life.

*

Better to be Mr.Late

                                                                 Than to be late Mr.

*

Safety on Road is

‘Safe tea’ at home.

*

After whisky

Driving risky.

*

Indian Army

While travelling through desolate, curly roads with hairpin bends or climbing up the challenging passes, nearly at every dangerous juncture we encountered the Indian army. It was very reassuring to see the army providing free tea in the chilling climate of Chang La or standing guard in Godforsaken places. In some remote areas there were tea stalls of the basic type and the facilities attached to them were dismal. In one halt, the bathroom was behind a makeshift tin shed with a pit dug in the ground and covered with a tin can. This showed that development was very far away in some places in Ladakh. But the army personnel were doing their duty in spite of such challenging conditions. When the journey through the unending, risky road was tiresome and fearful then it was inspiring to see an army check post in a barren tract and two soldiers standing on either side of the road with the national flag held aloft.    

Lord Buddha had said, “Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” The monks in the monasteries have the bare minimum of material possessions needed to live their life. They have given up their families and society and embraced God. They do selfless meditation for the betterment of the whole world. They attain enlightenment to help others, they meditate for world peace. According to Lord Buddha's teachings, Buddhist monks are taught to focus on one thing at a time peacefully and with sustained concentration. “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”

If the monks have an appointment with God everyday, BRO and Indian army have an appointment with life every single moment. They are doing noble service to the country of not only safeguarding the integrity and security of the nation but also uniting India. They live in isolation, without their families. Danger is their companion. They work hard, without impressing or distracting people with their showiness.  'There is nowhere else to be, nothing else to do, except the work at hand'. They also follow Lord Buddha’s teachings through their work, “What you’ll be is what you do now.”

The monks, the army and BRO personnel exemplify Buddha’s teaching to the fullest, “Be where you are; otherwise you will miss your life.”

Photographs: Bulbul Sur

Leh: Stunning,Historical Town in Northernmost India

Leh: Stunning,Historical Town in Northernmost India

Leh: Stunning, Historical Town in Northernmost India  

                                                                 Leh Town                            Courtesy: Nibha Bhandari

Leh is a 14^th 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 16^th 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- 19^th 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.

                                                       Leh Palace                       Courtesy : en.wikipedia.org 

                                              Entrance of Leh Palace       Courtesy: en.wikipedia.org

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.

 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.

 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.

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

                                                         Shanti Stupa          Courtesy: commons.wikimedia.org

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.

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.    

Sangam :Meeting Place of  Indus and Zanskar

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.

Barren Valley Bounded by the Himalayan Range

Lavender-hued Valley

Gradually the Himalayan range seemed to embrace both sides of the road, narrowing it considerably.

The Road between the Himalayan Range

A view of the Confluence from the Top
Photo: supplied

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. 

A distant View of the Sangam

Close View of the 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.

Breathtaking Landscape at the Sangam 

There is adequate arrangement for rafting at this confluence and there is a kiosk selling tea, beverage and essential snacks.

Leh Market

Leh market dates back to the 15^th 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.

Photographs: Bulbul Sur.

The Highest Gurdwara, an Alien Occurrence and The Highest Motorable Road in the World

The Highest Gurdwara in the world

An Alien Occurrence

and

The Highest Motorable Road in the World

Gurdwara Pathar Sahib is situated on the Leh-Kargil highway, 25 kilometers from Leh. At an altitude of 12,000 feet it is considered to be the highest Gurdwara in the world. It is located near Magnetic Hill.

At the site, the signboard's inscription gives a full history of the Gurdwara. In 1517, Guru Nanakji came to Ladakh through Yarkand after visiting Nepal, Sikkim, and Tibet. Guru Nanak came to that exact place near Leh, where the Gurdwara stands today. In a nearby hill there lived a cruel demon who terrorized and killed people and even ate them up. The people prayed to Almighty God to liberate them from this terror .Guru Nanak heard the plight of the frightened people and decided to alleviate their misery. He sat on the bank of a river below the hill where the wicked demon lived and began to meditate. People’s courage was restored and they worshipped Guru Nanak Dev as Nanak Lama. This infuriated the demon who decided to kill Guru Nanak.With this aim in mind he hurled a huge stone (Pathar) from the hill but Guru Nanak continued to meditate. The stone upon touching Guruji turned soft like wax and stuck to His body taking the shape of His meditating pose. The demon climbed down from the hill thinking that he had killed Guruji but he was furious to see Him alive. He kicked the stone angrily with his right foot and his leg got stuck in the wax-like stone. Then the demon realized the divinity of Guru Nanak and falling at His feet asked for His forgiveness. Guruji advised the demon to live the rest of his life in peace and serve humanity. The demon obeyed him. After some time Guru Nanak Dev went to Kashmir via Kargil.

Pathar Sahib 

The construction of Gurdwara Pathar Sahib

In the late 1970s, during the construction of Leh –Nimu road, a large boulder was found lying in the middle of the road, covered with Buddhist prayer flags. The bulldozer driver tried to push the stone with the dozer but the boulder refused to move .The ignition of the bulldozer would switch off automatically. He informed his officer (a major in the army) who noticed a small, wooden box behind the boulder. He realized that the box was meant for collections given by devotees and therefore the boulder had religious significance. Upon inquiries, the local villagers informed him that the holy shrine was of Nanak Lama and the stone was taken care of by a family who had placed the wooden box for collecting offerings and donations.

BRO (Border Road Organization) decided to change the alignment of the road. A hut was immediately constructed by Border Road Task Force around the boulder and a Sikh soldier was assigned the task of taking care of the sacred place. The hut gradually turned into a beautiful Gurdwara called Pathar Sahib and is revered as a famous pilgrimage site in Ladakh. The place is worshipped by Lamas, Sikhs and Hindus. The Ladakhis worship him as Lama Nanak or Guru Gompa Maharaj.

Another version (Sikhi Wiki) says that the bulldozer driver made repeated, failed attempts to remove the stone .Finally, when the driver put excessive pressure, the blade of the bulldozer snapped. That night he had a dream forbidding him to move the stone. He narrated the dream to one of the army officers but the latter told him to ignore it. When it was decided to blow up the stone with dynamite, the army officer also had the same dream. Next morning several Ladakhis from the local villages visited the officer and told him about the history of the place.

The boulder was actually a mould with the impression of the revered Lama Nanak that contained a hollow imprint of His shoulders, head and backside. It is the impression of a meditating man along with the impression of the demon’s foot.

                                          Guru Nanak's Imprint on the Rock or Pathar                                                 Photo Courtesy: Sikhi Wiki

                                                                                                 

Imprint of the Demon's Foot on the Rock
                                                                                Photo Courtesy:Sikhi Wiki

The Full Rock (Pathar) Hurled at Guru Nanak Devji
Photo courtesy: Sikhi Wiki

We have to open our shoes and socks, cover our heads, clean our feet in a shallow tank of flowing water, wash our hands in the numerous taps and then enter the Gurdwara. Saffron head gears are supplied by the army. Inside the temple is a picture of Guru Nanak Devji and as we did our pradakshina we came across that huge rock which was hurled at Guru Nanak Dev. We got Prasad of delicious halwa and we sat in meditation for a while. We came out through the exit into a terrace where we were served excellent masala chai and bundi free of cost. It is called chai aur bundi ki langar. The scenic beauty around the Gurdwara is a feast to the eye with the towering Himalayan range and the valley dotted with purple blue wild geraniums, deep blue wind flower or wild anemone flowers.

Purple Valley and Grey Himalayan Range

The arrangement at the Gurdwara is superb. Outside there are clean toilets for men and women. The whole complex is maintained by the Indian army .No wonder it is flawless.

Magnetic Hill

A Portion of Magnetic Hill

This is a strange phenomenon just 30 kms away from Leh. There is a small stretch of road where all types of vehicles go on their own at this point. A sign board proclaims, “The phenomenon that defies gravity. Park your vehicle in the box marked with paint on the road and experience the wonder.”

If the engine of a vehicle is killed and the vehicle is parked in neutral, it will automatically slide a few inches which the locals believe is due to the magnetic power of the hill. The car will move forward at about 20 km/h without any effort on the driver’s part.

There are various theories regarding this alien occurrence. The most popular theory is the hill emits a great  amount of magnetic energy, thereby pulling vehicles towards it that are within its range.  

The second theory is scientific .Due to optical illusion, any vehicle which goes downhill seems to appear as if it were going uphill.

The third theory is traditional. Local villagers believe at this very spot once existed a road which led straight to heaven. Those who deserved going to heaven were pulled to the path while those who didn’t were left behind.

Whatever might be the case, our van was standing on the road opposite to the Magnetic Hill. Our driver switched off the ignition but still the van moved just with clutch and gear so great was the effect of the point. The hill has caused Indian Air Force planes to change their routes in the past to avoid its magnetic influence. Earlier people used to drive bikes on that hill but it has been prohibited after accidents.

The Road near Magnetic Hill
(courtesy :Travel Triangle)

Hall of Fame

The next stop is the Hall of Fame which is 4 kms away from Leh city. This is an amazing place evoking patriotic fervor and also fills us with sadness at the sacrifice of our brave soldiers. The rust-colored, hexagon-shaped building is itself eye-catching. It is maintained by the army. We have to keep our bags in the safe deposit at the gate. There is a museum which tells us about the scenic beauties, historical places, flora and fauna of Ladakh. There is a souvenir shop selling all sorts of indigenous articles from small clocks to clothes, shawls, saffron, spices etc. We also watched a film in the projection room on Kargil War which was organized by the army in which it was shown in great detail about the terror atrocities committed by Pakistan, leading to Kargil War, India’s glorious fight back and the martyrdom of Captain Vikram Batra.

Hall of Fame
(courtesy: Leh  Ladakh Tourism) 

Khardung La

 Photo courtesy: Nibha Bhandari

Khardung La is about 39 km away from Leh and takes about 45 minutes by road. It is a mountain pass in the Ladakh region. La means Pass in Tibetan language. The nearest town is Leh. It is the highest motorable pass in the world at 18,380 feet and recorded in the Guinness World Records.  However, new evidence has shown that it is at a height of 5,359m (17,582ft). Khardung Pass also has a historical value because it is the first of the high passes on the ancient caravan trail to Central Asia from India. The road is maintained by BRO. The Pass was constructed in 1976 and in 1988 it was opened to public vehicles. It is the way to carry supplies to the Siachen Glacier.

The Multifaceted Himalayas viewed from the Road's Edge

A Forest of Poplars

Solitary Houses in the Valleys beside Mountain Streams 

As we climbed higher and higher through the snaky, mountain path, the habitations looked like doll’s houses in the valleys. The highest peaks were still snow covered and a narrow channel of trickling snow was seen as the sun rays fell on it. There were huge rocks strewn by the side of the road, in gorges and plateaus and they had a curious color-- a sort of orangish stain as if uncouth people had desecrated them with betel spittle. But in point of fact those rocks were sporting a kind of growth called Lycra. It is a moss and this proved that the atmosphere was free from pollution . My Botanist co-traveler educated me that if this moss grows in cities, it means the cities are becoming cleaner and free from SO4 (sulphate).

Agricultural Tracts in Irrigated Valleys

Scanty Vegetation and the Winding Road

There was no vegetation except an occasional bush of five-petalled Himalayan roses or bright mauve, stemless Raikse flowers and yellow Khardung peeping out through the rocks. The human settlements were richly vegetated due to irrigation. Very often we saw forests of poplars with the hint of a couple of houses in the dense growth. Along the streams (formed by melting of snow in higher regions), we saw some vegetation like sea buckthorn, wild roses of pink and yellow varieties, tamarisk (salt cedar), stinging nettles etc. The shores of watercourses were green due to various grasses. In such a desolate terrain the only companions were the silent, mountains, dark and mysterious as the sun’s shadows fell upon them; or glowing with yellow snow in the sun rays or mountain blue under the sapphire sky. In fact the sky is very beautiful—a deep blue, flecked with snow-white flocks of clouds. There are of course some black-stained tips of cloudlets. But in general white clouds hung like fizgig just above the snow-capped mountains, perhaps trying to break the meditations of the serene, philosophical mountains with their flirty ways.

Green Shores of  a Watercourse

The Meditative Mountains and the Flirty Clouds

Many Miles to Travel on  the Curvy, Silent and Challenging Road  

The road is indeed narrow and two vehicles cannot pass through it at the same time. As our van crawled past another stationary vehicle, its tires balancing precariously at the edge of the road we held our breath; an inch here and there and down below is the deep gorge. Sometimes dirt, loose stones and streams appeared on the road. Another strange phenomenon was the number of motorcyclists who zipped past; some were single; some with their wives or male companions. All were dressed cap-a-pie and enjoying the treacherous road and the scenery around stretching their physical and mental powers to the farthest limits. Then we reached Khardung La .It is at such a high altitude that a sign board warned us that staying for more than 20-25 minutes will be injurious to health.The two checkpoints on either side of Khardung La are North Pullu and South Pullu.

Snow, Snow and Snow Everywhere

Another View of  the Pass 

There is snow all around. The climate in this region is Arctic Tundra. I went in August (2015) when the maximum temperature was 7 degree Celsius and the minimum was -6 degrees Celsius. There is a military base with a few soldiers guarding our territory. How do they survive in this area? There is also a temple of Chandimata and the entire periphery is decorated with bright Tibetan holy flags. We left within 30 minutes. From the top, the road through which we came appeared to be a thin strip of goat track, curling around the mountain.

Indian Army Post at Khardung La

I had the good fortune to interact with some bikers. A young gentleman had come all the way from Nagpur on his motorbike with his wife as ride pillion. They took turns to drive their motorcycle. Both were very brave, composed yet very humble as if an inner urge had prompted them to take this supremely adventurous journey.  

The Brave Husband and Wife Biker Team from Nagpur at Khardung La

 To casual tourists like us, Khardung Pass and the surrounding Himalayan range appeared challenging and we were silent and conscious of our every breath at this majestic, beautiful divinity . The Himalayan range formed over 45 million years ago in the Ladakh region is massive and serene and made us feel tiny before its meditative grandeur. What is the motive power of the bikers? The earliest journeys through this Himalayan pass were undertaken by merchants, shepherds and pilgrims. The merchants and shepherds had no choice but to cross the pass and undertake the journey through the Himalayas because it was a matter of their livelihood.  The pilgrims searched for enlightenment in these regions because they firmly believed that at the end of their arduous and dangerous journey lies God.

Do the bikers believe like the pilgrims that the victory attained after the arduous and dangerous  journey is akin to attaining enlightenment? In this hazardous stretch, they or our van driver must be rooted in the most powerful unit of time, The Present Moment because a slight absent-mindedness and the powerful Himalayas won’t spare you. It demands your attention and respect at every moment. The handful of Indian army soldiers stationed at that remote spot go beyond the call of duty and immerse themselves in Nowness to stop their mind from wandering in the desolation, coldness and danger of this place. This is the highest form of spirituality that the Himalayas, sometimes fearsome but always beautiful awoke in us : to be aware of the present moment with our mind, body and soul.  The Ladakhis worshiping at that height are protecting the travelers from evil eye through their prayers and flags. The army is guarding our country and the countrymen with their dedicated and selfless service. All are bowing before the almighty Himalayas, the abode of the Gods in their own way: through meditations, through prayers, through adventure and through selfless service.   

Photographs: Bulbul Sur