What is travel?
Travel is quite fad at the moment. We are in the midst of the FOMO generation where experiencing everything the world has to offer is a norm (without thinking of the consequences of it).  Along with that documenting it of course. I am doing it right now by writing this. So in some sense I am a part of this as well.

Social media has accentuated the need to flaunt the list of countries, places along with the out of the world experiences (some are pretty cool btw) but mostly inundated with pictures of food, drinks, castles, completing bucket lists and the usual touristy schbang.

I’m not against it but in fact recommend everyone to travel by all means. It’s the purpose I want to highlight. Travel in the modern age has become meaningless, an escape (from one’s own reality or maybe situation). A fad to follow. This is my perspective and of course who am I to decide how you spend your down time. But I want to try and show the other side too!

Travel can also be filled with real purpose. A real need to understand a culture from its essence. For me personally, I like all the beautiful, artistic, cool, hip and the ‘in’ things of places, but what I always seek is the ground realities, the struggles, the real life behind the facades. That goes for locals and the travelers I meet. It is my travel philosophy.

I’ve always maintained that travel has been my greatest teacher and still continues to be. It gives me renewed purpose every single time.

This is finding my purpose in paradise. This is my journey to Zangla

Leh Lo!

In case you aren’t up to speed, I had started on a journey in the middle of 2017. If you want to know more about it, read my previous blog article. It will help you understand this article better.

So after two exciting days acclimatizing to Leh, it was time to move on and head towards our real purpose- reaching Zangla. So far Tilli (the Italian girl), Edina (the Hungarian girl) and I were travelling from Delhi. We were joined by Lea (an Austrian girl) along with a German dude whose name I just can’t remember.

So we had figured a way to go by car, 5 of us pooled in for a taxi which would take us from Leh to Padum.

India in general is pretty affordable in terms of travelling locally but mountainous areas are always more expensive so be prepared always. If you can hitch hike, then that’s the best of course. I met this crazy Argentinian dude (who is a friend now) who hitch hiked to Ladakh in  just his shorts and a jhola of belongings! He is a friend that I will tell you about in the future.

So off we went, the five of us (Tilli, Edina, Dawa, Janos and me) deeply engaged in conversations and immersing ourselves in the marvelous sights to see. Music and sights of the mountain. these are the moments you immerse in the others around. You get to know them just a little better, their likes, wants, pet peeves and more!

Once we crossed Ladakh into Kargil district, things changed a bit. At least from my perception. I have never felt like an outsider in my country but Kargil was a very alien experience for me. As an Indian that is aware of the Kargil war with Pakistan, it evokes strange feelings into the mind and heart. A sense of unease and discomfort for me. Remnants of a turbulent past leaves scars on people’s faces and their minds. You felt it in their looks towards you.

Kargil district seemed like another place altogether. Magical scenery of course, but just something so different about the people. I wish I had the chance to stay and experience more about the culture but alas as long as divisions exists this will not be possible. I wrote this article at a time when the problems were at an okay level. The things that have happened in the last month has made me think even more now. Media bias, political machinery and jingoistic sentiments will never let it be the land of peace. Somehow though I feel these situations have maintained the pristine beauty which otherwise could havemade it like another Himachal (but now things have turned, let’s see what happens). Sadly I have no pictures from Kargil town as it was a really brief stop.

So as the norm in these parts, the checkposts became more frequent. More armed soldiers at every point.  Although we did break through one taxi check post cause they wanted to stop our driver (local taxi politics!)

The night was spent in an obscure village which was not used to seeing travelers from other lands. All the children in the village gathered around the homestay. It was amazing just to interact and play with them. We were the attraction of the village for that evening. So beautiful!

The next day’s travel seemed the longest and the roughest. Roads had mostly stopped once we left the Ladakh region and now we were getting our backsides accustomed to the ups and downs of stony, ricky roads.

Finally we reached Padum in the evening. We were greeted by a bunch of warm Hungarians and Ladakhis. This is where I met one of the warmest persons ever. His name is Raju and he is from Baltistan (that exists across the border). He has been associated with Csomas Room Foundation for almost 10 years. He is a professional trek guide, so if you want to have the best trekking experience in Zanskar Valley, he is the man!

We were ferried in the backs of trucks to Zangla in the absolute darkness of night. In a hurry and scurry, we were allotted our homes. We were staying with various families in the village

Zangla Babey!

I was sharing a room with two other Hungarians. I barely got the chance to speak the first night. All I did was sleep after lights out.

Weary, I slowly open my eyes the next day. Have you ever imagined waking up in heaven? Well this was the closest. I looked out the window and could see a mountain right outside my room. I felt on top of the world, finally months of eager anticipation brought me here. I was still pinching myself.

It is difficult to convey the emotion of a soundless existence. For city folks like us, we are so habituated to be around sound, we forget the immense joy silence has. The air is crisp and still, life is still here in Zangla.

I spent the first day recovering from the travels at my hosts home. Slowly immersing myself in the set up. Traditional Ladakhi homes made of mud with rooms with low doors. The outside is stark with simple lime based white paints and red/brown paint around the windows and roof lining. The inside is on the other end of the spectrum, brightly coloured walls, and curtains of every shade imaginable.

If there was ever a representation of Ladakhi culture, this was a simple enough metaphor. Simple and elegant from the outside, rich and full of colour on the inside!

I was part of a second batch of volunteers that had arrived. There was already an initial batch that were together for the previous 2 weeks. Bonds are formed really quick on travels, especially in remote places and if you’re someone new, it can be equally difficult to become a part of this existing bond.

So in a sense, it took me sometime to integrate. Firstly cause I was not Hungarian (so language barrier with the volunteers)- them Hungarians just love speaking in their own language and are immensely proud of it. Secondly with the Ladakhis as well, of course language isn’t a barrier since they speak Hindi. I felt like I neither fit here nor there.

Despite that I did not let it be a barrier. I tried my hardest to get to know everyone, their language, their cultures, their ways and slowly but surely I was integrating myself into the daily life of Zangla.

The initial first week was spent in getting to know the village, the palace and the surroundings better. There was a quick huddle every morning to understand the work for the day. About twice a week there were community meetings to discuss issues/thoughts at length.

These were my favorite part of the volunteering. This is where you actually got to understand the feelings of the volunteers and probably my first experience of community living.

I was baffled by it initially. Thinking that do we really need to discuss our inner thoughts and feelings in such detail. Little did I know, this was the stepping stone to where I am now. It laid the foundation for the future, where I would gain the ability to open up and sincerely talk about how I really felt.

Initially of course, you try and show only positives and showcase the best things around. I’ve moved far ahead from that now, where I can understand and embrace negatives as well. It gives a great balance!

Moving on, I was excited to learn that I was going to be a part of the volunteers working on the solar school building project in a nearby village called Tanpo.

Tanpo

The village was a 45 minute walk through the rock and dirt of the valley. As a volunteer, you’re expected to participate in all kinds of construction work. Different kinds of work included:

– Mud brick making
– Brick stacking
– Wood transportation
– Wood working (shaving, polishing)
– Mortar making
– Gathering Hay
– Basic plastering

The tasks look simple but cannot be underestimated. At that altitude any kind of heavy work becomes heavier. I dove head first into every kind of work. Of course all the higher skill based work was done by the master mason and carpenters.

The solar school works on a simple yet effective technique. Complete south facing glass wall buildings that are painted black to catch and absorb as much of the sunlight as possible. Air pockets allow for air entry. Through the day, the air inside is heated, the air pockets are closed. Voila! Hot air keeps circulating inside. I’ve been told that this system can keep temperatures above zero degrees in months where temperatures drop way below zero.

Simple yet effective, right? The entire project was completed in a space of 3 months with everyone from villagers, volunteers, foundation members working together.

For those interested in the technicalities, check this out. The building was featured in Arch Daily
Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4JJP7ZFjXo

The school will now allow children to stay in the village in the harsh cold winter months for education. The valley closes in the winter months. The villages collectively hire private teachers for the children. Earlier the children would walk through knee deep snow to Zangla village. They had classes in the village granaries but now they stay warm in the solar school. It doubles up as a community space too!

Csomas connection to Zangla

Despite being situated in one of the most remote parts of India, I always wondered why this foundation had such close links to this specific village. My answer was in the name itself. Csoma (pronounced as CH-oma) is the name of Alexander Csoma De Koros, a Hungarian philosophist travelling through India in 1823. He had reached Ladakh, specifically the Zanskar Valley where he befriended the King of Zangla who gave him a room in his palace.

It is in this palace that he began working on Tibetan-English/Hungarian dictionary. After a period of a year, he left for further travels in India ultimately passing away in Darjeeling in 1842.

He’s a revered personality in Hungary and that is what drew so many of them to visit these places of historic importance.

In late 2007, his room in Zangla Palace, identified by Ervin Baktay – a Hungarian orientalist following Csoma`s route a hundred years later – and the neighbouring shrine full of valuable relics, were in disrepair, on the verge of collapse.

In the summer of 2008, a group of architects decided to do some emergency interventions on Zangla Palace [source: Csoma’s Room official website]

 

Village Life in the high Himalayas

It’s been more than 2 years since I was in this village and to this date it is very hard for me to express what I feel for it. This trip came at a very important juncture in my life, a time where I was beginning to explore the possibilities of the world.

To exercise self-development and experience evolution of the mind and heart. These are intangibles that are difficult to quantify but I can proudly say that the change in the last two years have been fairly significant and probably immense compared to the 10-15 years before that.

All that began with the village life. Immersing myself in the simplicity of living, attempting to live in harmony with so many different beings who are essentially strangers, dedicating myself to work that has no monetary remuneration and coming to terms with the harsh realities of my surroundings.

These are the greatest teachers, these teach you humility, making do with little, friendships, and humanity. These are the lessons no book, presentation, or video will give you. One has to experience it.

For me, I understood the value of the simple things even more. Running water, electricity, connectivity and believe me given a choice I find life in the mountains far more superior to our lives in cities. The richness of the village is not by the brands worn, or malls seen. It is through the genuine smiles, the hardships faced and the camaraderie’s formed.

Women of Ladakh are the toughest by far I’ve met. They are the essential bonds that keep it altogether. And mind you the toughness has no age limit.

I had the privilege of staying in the royal palace of the king of Padum and the granny of the family was the toughest woman I’ve met. 80 something years old with the sharpness of an 8 year old. Despite not understanding a word I spoke, we had long conversations through gestures. Such a vibrant lady!

She wakes up at 1:30 in the morning to water the fields. All the women do that. They work on the fields, cook food, look after the children, and are capable of construction work. WOW!

An example to demonstrate their strength, for the brick making process we were required to make mortar which is mainly strained mud and water. It has to be kneaded like dough with a long shovel. There were two of us volunteers who tried doing this, we were tired and knackered in no time. In steps two small ladies, frail to look at. They started after us and continued this job for the entirety of the day. Phew! I was amazed by their strength of will. (To be fair I have discovered far better techniques of making mortar later in Himachal). Another example is that I could carry one brick at a time during transfer (now mind you Ladakhi Adobe is gigantic), these ladies could carry three at a time on their backs. If there is a Wonder Woman movie to be made in the future, it should be played by a Ladakhi woman!!

The next thing about village life was the pace of it. There was no phone network, no internet, and no visible distractions. This is what I imagine life to have been in the pre-phone era.

Every evening I had to see the sunset. Every evening it was even more beautiful. It drew my breath away every single time! Vibrant with touches of pink and orange. The transition period from day to night is my most favourite time of the day. I had the chance to sit down and soak it in. Reflecting on the day, week, month, year that had gone by.

At night, it was something else. On full moon nights, it’s as if someone turned on a bright light in the sky. It gave the village a Japanese manga feel at night in the silhouette of the mountains.

On moonless nights, the stars were out in their full glory. Now that’s a sight to behold. A black ceiling with a million shimmering diamonds. Shooting starts were the norm. I saw 15 in one night!! I even saw a start burst which is one of the most jaw dropping moments of my life. I was speechless and stunned for 10 minutes straight.

Adventures in Paradise

While the village life may seem idyllic (and it’s no easy life by any stretch of the imagination), there is plenty of adventurous things I got a chance to do. I live to do stuff like this.

First and foremost, there is a stupa that’s about two thousand years old on the edge of a mountain. Now getting to that is a thrill of a lifetime, crossing icy cold rivers, scaling vertical cliffs, walking along the edge of the mountain on canals built for water passage.

Trekking through the landscape to impossible places. Being in dangerous situations and battling the elements. It is impossible to talk about every experience but I will save those stories for a future time maybe.

While I write this I realize that there is so much I experienced and I could not possibly do justice to the experience through just two blog articles.

Bonds and Beyond

Zangla gave me my first set of traveler friends and I know that even though we may never meet, they are never forgotten. In fact I remember them always. I miss them immensely and I hope I see them again someday.

Bonds forged through travel, through hard work and sometimes through silence. It’s priceless! I have had the fortune of meeting such wonderful people who gave me an opportunity to be a part of something bigger.

The ladakhi family (royal family of Padum btw) I stayed with was nothing short of extraordinary. They looked after me so well, like one of their own. They treated me like family and never made me feel that I was someone from outside. I really miss them and think about them ever so often especially abe ley (that’s ladakhi for grandmom). For those who may want to experience this without maybe without getting into the volunteering bit can do so. Just write to me.

Zangla

It was a life changing experience for me. And not just me, for the many who go there. It is a place I experienced so much physically, mentally and emotionally. No matter how much time passes, I look at it as my first love with extreme fondness and hope of seeing it again someday.

Of course, I travel with purpose. Ladakh has become the epicentre for tourists. The garbage has started piling up. An example is the village, earlier you wouldn’t find soft drinks, sodas, biscuits etc. Now it is everywhere!

Few tips on mindful travel:

> Carry your own bottle (Stop buying bottled water
> Avoid buying plastic coated edibles (Local tea and biscuits are pretty awesome)
> Be mindful of what trash you bring with you. Take it with you when you go.
> Be respectful of the local culture and traditions.
> Try using the traditional compost toilets (they are a major water saver)

Of course it isn’t easy to be perfect but at least try your best! I failed on plenty of occasions too.

It is not necessary that you will have the same experience as mine but go out and find your Zangla. Maybe go within and find it. Zangla is not a place, it is an emotion that will forever be in my heart.

The picture on the left is before leaving for Zangla and the picture on the right is when I came back. As you can see the therapeutic effects of my travels.

If you liked this article, then please do leave a comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts or feedback.

Links to my previous blog articles