Ladakh: The Last Shangri-La

Donned in silver garb adorned with flowers, men and women in their traditional Ladakhi garb dance to the rhythm of two kettle drums. 'Dammans', they call it and play it with little sticks called 'Damshing'. The moon hovers high, casting its silvery beams upon the Ladakhi dancers, and shimmering on the peaks of the barren mountains gazing upon the festival. They are the descendants of the Indo-Aryan and Tibetan settlers who arrived thousands of years ago, and brought with them the Buddhist tradition of selflessness and loving kindness.

Ladakh is a barren, arid and stunningly beautiful region high up in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in Northern India. Remote and cut off from the rest of the subcontinent, Ladakh shares borders with Tibet, Lahaul, Spiti and the Valley of Kashmir. Described as 'Little Tibet' and even 'The Last Shangri-La', Ladakh's main defining feature is its desolate moonlike landscape broken only by meandering rivers, blue skies and the snowcapped peaks of the surrounding Himalayas.

With rainfall as rare as it is in the Sahara, Ladakh is extremely dry. Traversing the lush, verdant valleys of Kashmir and up to the arid cold desert of Ladakh at an altitude of 9000 ft to over 25000 ft will leave you gasping for air. The sun is intense at this altitude and winds from the Himalayas will pierce tourists to the bones. The natives say this is the only place on earth where you can get both heatstroke and frostbites at the same time, so tourists are advised to bring sunscreen and coats.

A land like no other, bound by two ranges- the Himalayan Range and the Karakoram Range, Ladakh is a natural marvel sculpted by winds and carved by water for over thousands of years. Barren slopes, colorful lakes, high mountains, glorious glaciers, divine monasteries built on the most magnificent settings, have drawn thousands of intrepid travelers since the region opened to tourists in the 70's and have left them wanting for more.

Reaching Ladakh

Leh is the only relatively developed town around the region and is accessible by road during from May to October. It is also accessible by air all year round. There are flights to and from Leh throughout the year including Air India, Kingfisher and Jet Airways. Situated strategically along the ancient Indo-Tibetan and Indo-Sino trade routes, these routes have now become the only two roads to reach Leh from either Srinagar or Manali.

Beating The Altitude

At 11 500 ft above sea level, this altitude is a bit too high for ordinary plain dwelling mortals. As the altitude rises over 10 000 ft, the air gets thinner and oxygen levels are reduced by 40%. Our bodies will have to adjust functioning in reduced oxygen levels, and this doesn't happen overnight. Traveling by road will allow you to better acclimatize and adjust than flying to Leh directly. Either way, you need to allot at least a day for acclimatizing in your itinerary. Take it slow for the first 48 hours and refrain from physical exertion. Take a rest, stretch and a stroll in the city.

Where To Stay

From home-stays, to guest houses in Changsva, budget hotels near the Central Library and rooms in monasteries, Ladakh offers a variety of options for accommodation to suit every budget. The more upscale options to suit more expensive tastes are available in Leh along Old Sheynam Road. Pitched tents for campers and hikers are available in Nubra, Changthang and Drok-pa areas for summer.

Spirituality

The town of Leh is heavily influenced by Buddhism, which is pretty much evident as you take a walk through the streets. The market place and street corners give way to Buddhist Prayer wheels, which you can push gently and let prayer rolls within invoke the Almighty. Monasteries with old-world aesthetics dot the landscape. A visit to the Santi Stupa, which overlooks the town of Leh, will allow you a brief and enlightening rendezvous with Lord Buddha.

Culture

The strong Tibetan influence remains to this day, and Ladakhis have carried on with traditions unimpeded and unchanged for centuries despite being annexed by China in the 1950's.

Dances form an integral part of this tradition. Jabro dance involving a stringed instrument called 'DaMian' is performed to celebrate Losar or the New Year. The Yak dance is another must see on the trip to Ladakh, when Men would dress up as yaks while women dress as milkmaids trying to tame the yaks. Every February, Dosmoche is performed in the courtyard of the Leh palace after a procession from the main bazaar.

Sights, Attractions and Adventure

Be it sightseeing, trekking, rafting in Zanskar, exploring cultural treasures, there is something for everyone to cherish long after they have left.

The Leh Palace, which resembles Tibet's Potala, offers majestic views of the Ladakhi landscape. Just above Leh Palace is the Namgyal Tsemo gompa (monastery), which offers visitors a personal experience of the local culture and faith.Head out of Leh to the surrounding towns to find Shey, Hemis and Tikse gompas. You might also want to stop by the Stok Palace, the home of the Ladakhi royal family.

At an elevation of 14 500 ft, Pangong Lake is considered one of the largest salt water lakes in Asia. The colors of the lake seem to change color- from light green to dark blue, and sometimes crystal clear. It is home to many wildlife, like ducks and gulls. Moriri Lake is another high-altitude lake set in the desolate landscape of Rupshu. Kar and Statsapuk Lakes are salt and fresh water lakes respectively.

The Nubra Valley is nestled in the Karakoram Range. It is noted for rolling sand dunes, the hilltop monastery and hot sulphur springs in Panamik. The Zanskar Valley Circuit, which includes Kargil, Ringdum and Padum, is left virtually untouched owing to its inaccessibility. With the highest concentration of monasteries, the Zanskar is also known as the Land of Religion.

Takeaway

Blues skies and crystal clear rivers? Check. Barren, desolate deserts? Check. Path to enlightenment? Check. Nirvana? Check. Ladkh is all this and more. The next time you hear Guns 'n Roses in your radio singing "She's got the eyes of the bluest skies," it is the kind of majestic blue that will come to mind once you have seen the clear blue skies of Ladakh.