Pangong-Tso

 A Lake from Heaven

Union with God is the only heaven there is and it begins here on earth.

                                                                               - Macrina Weiderkehr, A Tree full of Angels

                             As truly said there’s hardly drawing a line between the two worlds when the sights exude the same charm of beauty, spiritual solace and an infinite divinity.   The Pangong-Tso is one such creation which can even elude the Gods from heaven to seek pleasure of its magnificent sight that it offers we immortals here on earth.

As anyone would discover the geographical boundaries either from Google or various travel guides nearly 70% of its extension stretches in to the Chinese territory. But whatever remains in India is an asset to preserve with glory and pride. For the religious monks and people of Ladakh the lakes are as sacred as their own places of dwelling. The sanctum sanctorum of Buddhism allures people from all over the world. They come here and try to capture as much as they can to satiate their desires of such a combination of sanctity and pleasure.  Travelling a long journey of nearly 180 kms from Leh passing through colourful mountain passes and valley with the pristine rivulets accompanying us every now and then, the sight of the Pangong-Tso as our expected destination is a soulful experience that remains deeply embedded forever. The contours and various moods of the lake keep changing every now and then as you move your eyes around its vastness kissing the horizons.  Blue is not just ‘simply blue’ here! .......Its presence glamorizes and adorns itself beautifully blended with the reflections of mountains and clear blue skies as you watch the lake surface. With the sunrise and the rays falling in different directions on the lake  the shades of Turquoise, cerulean blue, Prussian, deep sea blue and much more give a  never ending sight for an artist to create or capture a masterpiece on his canvas.  I sat for a while near the shore watching those still pebbles glistening beneath the soft waves of the water.  Small fishes could be seen coming close towards the edge with graceful moves sometimes hiding or encircling those small white pebbles.  These living creatures are a part of the sacredness which the monks believe should be untouched or unharmed by anyone who visits them.  Tourists were seen spending some time with leisure undisturbed by the cold windy breezes blowing around the vicinity of the lake.  Near the lake stands a hill top which is said to be an excavation point for Garnet lovers.  Called as Garnet-Hill this one gathers attention from hikers and trekkers by the very fact that if offers raw crystals and rocks of dark wine or burgundy coloured Garnets which is a semiprecious stone often seen studded in the Ladakhi or any ethnic jewellery. 

With greed of collecting some myself I did reach to some h eight but the exhaustion and the lack of oxygen diminished my motives of further climbing up. However my queer intentions made me accomplish my goals a bit as I tucked in some few rough pieces of Garnets found while I declined down to the base.

A nearby army cafe sheltered us for a while as we sumptuously and hungrily gulped down the piping hot noodles and some over sweetened tea.  As the driver began to accelerate I gave a last glance to the lake bidding adieu as calmly as ever to all its visitors...................the still quiet and blue waters of the lake were speaking  just one note out to me...............We  will be here always !!

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NYOMA

A Hamlet in Oblivion

Visiting a quaint and quietly secluded place such as a hamlet was never on my cards until I discovered an essence of tranquillity while I stayed in Nyoma. On our way to certain attention seeking places such as the highest located astronomical telescopic observatory in ‘Hanle’, the famous hot water springs of Ladakh and the remotely located lake of Tsomorari, we decided to sojourn for a night at a small meagrely equipped place called Nyoma. While Nyoma is nothing more than a desolated village which fills in the needs of tourists like us for some shelter, it is o ne of the domains of solace after you have travelled a back breaking journey of nearly 200 kms from Leh.  With a population that will hardly exceed even 500, the village emerges chirpy and filled with liveliness as the sun dawns spreading its comfort rays all around embraces every corner of the hamlet. A small government clinic, a government school both for boys and girls, the BSNL tower and the Power and Water Department offices can be seen located close to the vicinity and in easy communication.  For the frequent mobile users and internet freaks who otherwise find it difficult to communicate due to poor network Nyoma comes as a surprising relief.

As for me I couldn’t wait moving out from my small guest room to seek the pleasure of sun basking even in the month of October. The village seemed to be blessed by a healthy air, peace flowing rivers of Indus, a monastery to experience divinity and its ever smiling people who would always exude a welcoming charm around you with their hospitable ways and helpful nature. School children would stop past my room and look forward to play with my two year old daughter. In return my daughter would insist me to take her to visit a nearby hostel from whence they came to share their smiles and laughter with us. She would be pepped up with such a lively entertainment thrown by villagers of all the ages.  Morning teas with plenty of herbs such as dried mint and basil brewed with ginger were the luxurious begins as I would sit perched on one of the open terraces of my rooms and silently admire the tall ice peaked mountains staring  me  from their static distance.  Local shops would sell everything from vegetables and fruits cluttered with woollen clothes, cosmetics, stationary as well as some medicines so one doesn’t have to prioritize what they need first to buy, just land in one of these shops and watch for a while........and you while find everything in these miniature malls to serve your needs.  An owner with her face covered leaving her eyes exposed and one of her toddlers tucked neatly behind her back explained that since the visit by tourists to their village is nearly sparse and only existed in summers they had to clog all kinds of items ranging from consumer to cosmetic in small place as it became easier for the customer and saved their time. Well indeed I thought....... for I nearly picked up some gloves, a sachet of a hair conditioner and a packet of noodles from one same shop!

Although my stay at Nyoma was just a few days it left a lasting impression on my mind as apart from other happening tourist spots in Ladakh, this one took me back to solitude and a world of its own where people were found to live with just one thing......harmony!!