Yet it is in our idleness, in our dreams, that the submerged truth sometimes comes to the top. Virginia Woolf
The Dream
It all started to take shape on November 10, 2010. While commenting on a recently uploaded road trip album with some friends, I shared my growing desire to visit Leh—not just for the adventure, but to immerse myself in its rich heritage and culture and capture its breathtaking, photogenic landscapes.
When friends like Neeraj Mathur, Devasish Sharma, and Somenath Roy expressed interest in joining, I began seriously planning the trip. My initial idea was to witness Losar, the Ladakhi New Year festival, but there were concerns about heavy snowfall blocking access to major tourist spots. Adding to the uncertainty was the aftermath of the recent cloudburst, which raised doubts about whether the festival would be celebrated properly that year.
Just as I was about to abandon the idea of a winter visit, inspiration struck—a trek across the frozen Zanskar River. Known as the Chadar Trek, it is widely regarded as one of the wildest and most exhilarating treks in the world. After sharing the idea with Neeraj, he eagerly agreed. Devasish and Somenath remained undecided, while another friend, Prafulla Ranjan, confirmed his interest.
The planning began in earnest, but finding reliable information about the trek proved difficult. The internet was filled with sparse details, leaving room for middlemen to charge hefty commissions. Many trekkers unknowingly paid inflated prices, both for the trek and for equipment they could have purchased at much lower costs. I, too, experienced this firsthand.
Still, the allure of the Chadar Trek was irresistible—a chance to walk on ice, surrounded by the untamed beauty of the Himalayas. To turn this dream into reality, we needed a deadline. After consulting with Neeraj and Prafulla, we set our sights on January 16, 2011, as the day we would arrive in Leh. The adventure was about to begin.
The search for the dreamers
With the dates set, two crucial tasks lay ahead—finding a reliable guide and organizer, and recruiting enough people to share the adventure. My search for guides led me to over 20 agents, both local to Leh and from the plains. Predictably, agents from the plains charged significantly more since they would outsource the trek to locals, adding their commission. Even the local agents came with steep prices, as they, too, would rely on independent guides.
After extensive research and countless inquiries, I finally connected with a seasoned local guide. His experience was unmatched—he had completed the Chadar Trek over 60 times—and his rates were surprisingly affordable. So affordable, in fact, that we initially suspected it might be a scam or that the quality of his services would be poor. Doubts faded when Neeraj Mathur met him in Delhi. The meeting clarified everything, giving us confidence in both the guide and the trek’s feasibility.
However, we had only three confirmed trekkers, and the cost-effective rate was based on a group of six to ten people. The search for more adventurers was on. I scoured the internet and posted in the IndiaMike forum, inviting others to join. I also reached out to those who had shown interest in similar trips. One of them, Pradeep Kumar, called me within days and immediately agreed to join. With his confirmation, we had four trekkers. I promised him a group of six—it was essential to make this dream come true.
I continued contacting friends and acquaintances. Most were noncommittal, promising to decide later. I noticed a pattern: those who accepted within two or three days usually stuck with the plan, while delayed responses meant a likely refusal. Even Sandipan Nath, my adventurous college junior, declined due to personal reasons. Biplab Das and Avishek Saikia, both college seniors who had been interested initially, also dropped out. But then came an unexpected “yes” from Vikram Goyal—although securing leave from work remained his challenge.
Despite my best efforts and more than 100 invitations, securing six committed people proved difficult. Even my ex-classmates Piyush Bhatter and Kumar Spandan declined. Eventually, I reached out to Rahul Varadarajan. After a brief explanation, he confirmed his participation the next day. That made five. Vikram remained uncertain.
By December, it was clear we wouldn’t find more trekkers. Even among those committed, doubts lingered about whether a group of five would suffice. Everyone feared the worst—what if someone dropped out last minute? To solidify plans and bolster confidence, I decided we needed a decisive move: booking our tickets to Leh.
On December 2, 2010, we purchased our flights for January 17, 2011. Vikram, initially planning to fly from Srinagar, joined our Delhi departure instead, buying his ticket two days later. With tickets in hand, his leave was guaranteed, and our group felt reenergized.
Meanwhile, Mathur met our guide, Tsering, in Delhi on December 3. He gathered detailed trek information and a comprehensive equipment list. Pradeep Kumar, an experienced trekker, already had most of the necessary gear, but for the rest of us, collecting the right equipment was our next critical challenge.
The dream was no longer just a plan—it was finally within reach.
The search for equipments
Jackets, Trousers and daypack
Recommendations for trekking gear came pouring in from all directions, with North Face topping the list. Its reputation for quality was unmatched, but so was its price—and availability in India was non-existent! That left us with three choices:
Renting from Leh – This option felt risky. If quality jackets weren’t available or the sizes didn’t fit, we’d be forced to abandon the trek before it even began. We quickly ruled this out, although we later learned that good down jackets could indeed be rented there. Renting from IMF, New Delhi – The Indian Mountaineering Foundation offered only fleece jackets, not the sub-zero down jackets we needed. Buying locally made sub-zero jackets – After researching manufacturers in Kolkata, I connected with Soumya Mukhrejee of Hi-Trek, a seasoned trekker and mountaineering equipment provider. He offered us a great deal. I ordered five polyfill jackets, five waterproof trousers, and five daypacks. Everything was custom-manufactured and ready for pickup in Kolkata.
Shoes
Shoes—arguably the most critical and challenging piece of equipment—demanded careful consideration. For Rahul, Prafulla, and Vikram, we rented Millet boots from IMF in New Delhi. Meanwhile, Mathur, Pradeep, and I sourced North Face boots from Kathmandu.
Other Gears
We picked up headgear from Outdoor Research at Adventure 18 in New Delhi. While the quality was excellent, we later discovered that the same items could be found in Leh for one-third of the price! Gloves and liners from Quechua and Head brands were bought from Manish, another trusted shop in Delhi. Liners proved extremely useful, though we barely used the gloves.
Gaiters were rented from IMF, and each of us purchased eye gear with 100% UV protection individually—an essential investment for the harsh glare of the ice.
With all our gear secured and anticipation running high, the countdown to the Chadar Trek had officially begun!
January 13, 2011
Danapur Express: The journey began as I departed from Patna, heading toward Kolkata.
January 14, 2011
Arrived in Kolkata and went home briefly before heading out to collect the jackets from Hi-Trek in Belur. Vikram started his journey from Ludhiana, while Prafulla began his from Patna.
January 15, 2011
Prafulla and Vikram arrived. Rahul set off for New Delhi. In Delhi, everyone gathered to meet Tsering for a final discussion about the trek. Meanwhile, I stocked up on essential medicines and toiletries.
January 16, 2011
Caught an early morning flight to New Delhi. From the airport, I went directly to Debasish Da’s (Debasish Barthakur) home. It was a joyful reunion with college friends—seniors, juniors, and batchmates alike. Meeting Manosh and Boka after a long time brought back a flood of memories.
By noon, the full group—Mathur, Prafulla, Vikram, and Rahul—assembled at Debasish Da’s place, where we distributed the jackets, waterproof trousers, and daypacks. We then went shopping for last-minute items: camera batteries, chocolates, and more. Vikram picked up a new camera and additional trousers.
The evening ended with a lively party hosted by Debasish Da. At 11 p.m., we wrapped up and made our way to Mathur’s place, buzzing with excitement and anticipation for the adventure ahead.
January 17, 2011
We were still in the car on our way to Mathur’s place, finally arriving at 1 a.m. After a brief three-hour rest, we left for the airport at 4 a.m. Excitement built with each passing moment. We arrived at the airport around 5:30 a.m., where I met Tsering for the first time in the check-in queue. Pradeep Sir was also there. A memorable moment came when we all had to remove our shoes for the security X-ray—judging by the amused and puzzled looks of other passengers, we might as well have been aliens!
Upon landing at Leh Airport, the icy air greeted us with a frigid -13°C temperature. After collecting our luggage, we boarded the cars arranged by our guide. A short, sleepy drive through the hibernating town brought us to the guesthouse. We barely dropped our bags in the rooms before heading to the cozy common dining room for tea.
The warmth of the guesthouse lay not just in its heated rooms but in its homely atmosphere. Meals were laid out on a low table, and we helped ourselves to the food. Occasionally, our guide would step in, pouring tea or warm water for us with effortless hospitality.
Later, I had a fascinating conversation with Tsering about how Ladakh’s tourism industry had evolved. In its early days, Ladakh primarily attracted foreigners. Their focus was on experiencing the region authentically, with little concern for luxury. They handled most tasks themselves, and the locals grew accustomed to this simple, self-sufficient style of hospitality.
When Indian tourists began visiting in greater numbers, expectations shifted dramatically. Many sought full service, expecting even small tasks like fetching water, serving tea, or delivering meals to be handled for them—justifying it with the fact that they were paying customers. Initially, the locals were uncomfortable with this approach and did not encourage it. But as domestic tourism grew to rival international tourism, the locals adapted to meet these new demands.
I noticed a stark contrast between our group and a foreign group staying at the same guesthouse. It struck me that, within a few years, Ladakh’s tourism industry might transform into yet another commercialized hotspot. The purity and simplicity of Ladakh’s charm could give way to a business-driven model. The innocence and genuine hospitality we were lucky to experience might be lost to the inevitable lure of profit.
We enjoyed a wonderful Ladakhi dish for lunch—a comforting stew of spices, vegetables, and wheat-flour wafers called Thukpa. The warm, flavorful meal was just what we needed to combat the cold.
After lunch, we ventured out to explore the market. Most shops were closed due to the frigid weather, which unintentionally revealed the authentic charm of the place. This simplicity was a stark contrast to many other tourist destinations in India, where commercialization often masks local culture.
I reflected on my previous trip to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where everything—though enjoyable—felt curated for tourism. Staying in hotels and visiting beaches was memorable, but the true essence of the place remained elusive. Ladakh felt refreshingly different. Its market, small and unembellished, served locals rather than catering to tourists. Every corner seemed to tell a story untouched by artificiality.
In the market, we purchased apricots and woolen socks, soaking in the simple joys of Ladakhi life. The guesthouse, located about 3 kilometers from the market, welcomed us back with warmth and familiarity. After dinner, we settled into our rooms.
Tsering provided sleeping bags so we could start acclimating to them. That night, Rahul, Vikram, Neeraj, and Pradeep Sir battled bouts of loose motion. Fortunately, I had not yet experienced any issues. Prafulla, ever cautious, was already taking Norfloxacin. Aside from the stomach troubles, Diamox had been effective, and no one faced any other major problems.
January 18, 2011
We woke up to a stunning view outside our window—an inspiring start to the day! After freshening up, we headed to the common dining room, where a delicious Ladakhi breakfast awaited us. The highlight? Thick, double-layered fulkas filled with warm air, served with butter and apricot jam. We poked a fork into the bread, letting the air escape, and filled the gap with butter and jam. The combination was divine!
Ladakhi tea followed—a salty brew made with yak milk butter. Though the taste was unfamiliar, it proved invigorating and well-suited to the cold weather.
In the morning, we met Rinzin, Tsering’s brother-in-law and a member of India’s ice hockey team! I hadn’t realized ice hockey was played in India at all, making this a surprising discovery.
By 9 a.m., we were ready for a day of exploration. Our first destination was Hemis Monastery, but we made a brief stop at Shey Monastery along the way. Hemis, established in 1672, is the largest and wealthiest monastery in Ladakh, housing 380 monks. Unfortunately, most of them were away in Stokpa due to the recent passing of the King of Ladakh. We encountered only a few monks and students but didn’t learn much from them.
Next, we visited Thiksey Monastery. From the top, I managed to capture some beautiful landscape shots. However, like Hemis, most monks had gone to Leh, and we met only two.
After returning to Leh, we had lunch at a local restaurant and savored Ristey, a Kashmiri delicacy. This dish consists of a mutton ball filled with ghee, cooked in rich gravy. The flavors were rich and satisfying.
Back at the guesthouse, we rested and had an early dinner featuring vegetable momos (dimsum). Since the trek was starting the next day, we completed our packing and preparations.
Before turning in for the night, I snuck up to the roof and managed a few night shots of the serene landscape. Unfortunately, by the end of the day, I joined the growing list of group members experiencing stomach trouble!
Day 1 - Tilatsumdo
Jan 19, 2011. After quick breakfast, we got ready to leave for Chilling. Tsering and his team were kind enough to pack our sleeping bags for us (throughout the trek)! We boarded a mini bus, hired by Tsering. Two kitchen staff, one cook, Tsering and us; we started. 11 porters joined us in Leh town. The 2 hours drive to Chilling started. We were passing through the picturesque landscape. Crossed Patharsahib. We halted at the place of union of two rivers: Zangskar and Indus. I felt a thrill inside. In front of me was the great river which bred one of the best known civilization of the world - Indus Valley Civilization. The river which has witnessed the growth and decline. I failed to count the numerous legends it hid. Still flowing. We continued. We reached the place soon, from where we started our trek. The road in front was under construction. We got down through the rocks to the river. Tsering took his first step on the chadar. With his (magic!!!) stick, he poked on the ice. Satisfaction drew a smile on his face. He went and stood at the middle of the river and waited for us to reach near him.
He said that the ice was good here. The snow on it was also a couple of days old; so it had cohered to the ice well. So we would be getting good grip with our shoes. The walk would be comfortable. We started to walk. We followed Tsering, stopping occasionally to take snaps. The first day on the chadar!!! The 4 hour walk was quite good. We walked comfortably enjoying and observing the landscape. Only at one place we had to walk on loose rocks about a foot above the chadar, where it was a bit weak. The stretch was about 20 m. In this stretch, there were a few places where we had to walk on sand. This was a bit difficult for me as the sand is not stable and is goes down when you place foot on it and you have to quickly take another step to avoid going down further. We reached Tilatsumdo. The tent was placed. We had a late lunch with noodles prepared with vegetables. We discovered that Tsering had brought the smaller tent by mistake!!! However, it was not a big issue and we could adjust in it. One major incident that took place was Mathur’s accident. I had gone for natures call. When I returned, I discovered that Mathur had slipped on ice and fell in the river into waist deep water. Pradeep sir and Rahul rescued him. Mathur rushed back to the camp to change. He is the only person who used the second pair of inner!!! The evening went by drying socks, shoes and other dresses over the fire.
The porters are the lifeline on Chadar. I remember we had started walking much earlier than the porters. And they reached the camp much before us! They camped in a cave a few metres away from our tent. I went to spend some time with them. Most of them are Zangskaris (People from Zangskar Valley). Amazing, these people are. Most of the time they eat only sattu (Powder of fried/boiled wheat) and tea. And the brisk movement by which they climb and walk on the rocks and their balance on ice is amazing. They not only carry the luggage, but also collect firewood while in camp. Its the fire that kept us warm in the evening and helps us dry the shoes and socks. Never did we find any of the porters ever annoyed when asked to do something. They execute their work very quickly and with a smile on their face. They are indeed the lifeline on Chadar.
We finished a quick dinner and went to sleep. Tsering’s cook continued to surprise us with his menu!!! He cooked impossible dishes in the wild at freezing temperature! The tent was overcrowded, but warm. Rahul woke up almost everyone at 1 am while asking for the headlamp. Every night, religiously, Rahul went for nature’s call at 1 am. And necessarily, he’d wake everyone up knowingly or unknowingly!!! All of us got rid of the stomach trouble by this day.
Day 2 - Deepyokma Tsomo Bao
Jan 20, 2011. We woke up very early in the morning. Tsering had instructed us the previous day to do so. We left the camp immediately after breakfast. We were the first ones to leave the camp. Unlike the previous day, the chadar started showing its wilder face; that too pretty early. The ice was very shiny. This meant that the probability of slipping over ice was more. In fact all of us fell down at least once. Rahul must have broken the world record for falling down while walking, maximum number of times. After about an hour’s work, we faced a hurdle. The chadar was not properly formed at one place. And we had to climb up about 15 metre. The sight of the hurdle made me forget that I should have taken a shot of the place.
I had never climbed rock in my life. And 15 metre on a dificult place, where one wrong step could have meant broken bones (if lucky) else, straight down the Zangskar; the body, never to be discovered again!!! One can imagine the situation. But at points like this, fear doesn’t help. I took a deep breathe and told to myself that there’s no other option!!! We’ll have to climb. If there’s something that we must do, then there’s no point in thinking anything about it. At the most difficult part of the climb, Tsering pulled us up by holding our hand from above. The rock was almost plain except for this small extension at one place. It was about 2 cm wide and 4 cm long. Tsering instructed me to keep my left foot on the extension and extend my right hand towards him who was also extending his hand towards me to hold me and pull me up. I remember taking a couple of deeeep breath before extending my hand to Tsering above and setting my foot on an extended portion. I kept my foot on the extension. I felt a good grip on the extension, just below the joint of my toe. This boosted my confidence. Tsering pulled my hand upwards and I tried to move myself upwards with the help of my foot. Then, when my elbows reached the surface of the rock, I climbed up with the help of my hands! I’m sure, I’m incapable to explain the whole thing exactly and how I felt after that. Before climbing up, I thought that probably, I won’t be able to climb up. When I did so, I became a person more confident.
We had to climb one more time. But the terrain was not as difficult as the first one. Then after about four hours of walk we stopped for lunch. All of us were exhausted! We had a superb lunch with tuna pasta!!! With every passing day, Tsering would surprise us more in terms of Food. “And chadar, will surprise you every hour, every time to pay a visit!!!”, Tsering would say.
After lunch, we continued our journey. Just after taking the first turn, we discovered that the chadar was weak. Again, we had to climb up. This was probably the longest span on the rocks on that day. The terrain wasn’t much difficult except for the place where we had to cross sand. By the time we climbed down, we had walked for four hours and climbed the rocks thrice. All of us were exhausted. Deepyokma was another three hours of walk. We became sure that we won’t able to reach there. Tsering decided to spend the night at Tsomo, another cave. Deepyokma was about two hours walk from the the place. We all agreed. It took us another two hours reach Tsomo. Tsomo bao or Tsomo cave is named after a lake in Tibet.
The legend of Tsomo Bao
Tsering shared the story with us.
Years ago, in the remote village of Nyrak in Zangskar valley, there was a powerful astrologer. Nyrak has suffered from scarcity of water for irrigation since ages. The astrologer, in his effort help out the people of Nyrak, went to Tibet to meet the head Lama for help. This repeated a few good number of times till the they decided to help Tsomo out. They gave him a box and asked him to carry to Nyrak. They also warned him not to open the box till he reaches Nyrak. Happy with his success, the astrologer started for Nyrak. Now, the nearer he was going towards Nyrak, heavier the box was getting. And so was his curiosity regarding what was there inside the box. When he was hardly a couple of hours from Nyrak, his curiosity forced him to open the box. The moment he opened the box, two big fishes jumped out of the box. The two fishes hit at two separate places a few metres up in the rocks and penetrated the mountain. It is said that they penetrated the rock and made a tunnel till Tsomo lake, a large lake in Tibet. The fishes reached the lake and water started flowing through the tunnel. The astrologer realized his mistake. Had he opened the box in Nyrak, the fishes would have made a tunnel from Nyrak to Tsomo. That would have solved the problem of water scarcity in Nyrak. The sad astrologer went back to Nyrak. He tried his best to divert the tunnel to Nyrak, in vain. In his effort, he had closed one of the tunnels. One can find both perforations, after an hours walk from Tsomo. The falls created are in shape of human nose. Water continues to fall from one and the other one is dry!!!
This was the dinnertime story Tsering shared with us. After dinner, we spend the full moon night inside the cave, packed inside sleeping bags!!!
Day 3 - Nyrak Gyapos Skalpos
Jan 21, 2011. We woke up in the morning and witnessed snowfall. The snow was about two inches thick on the ground. We started a bit late as Nyrak was hardly three hours walk from Tsomo. The snowfall on the ice had made it difficult to walk. Its because, the snow suggested good grip. But, the snow was not old enough to have been adhered to the ice. So, what happened is, where we thought we will get a good grip like the first day, we discovered that the snow was loose and we slipped many a times. Rahul, as usual, broke his previous record. We decided that we’ll camp at the place from where people climb up for Nyrak. We’ll go up, visit the village and come back to the camp before it gets dark. We saw a frozen fall and the falls in the shape of human nose.
After about 30 mins of walk, I noticed that Tsering was worried about something. On being asked he said that by this time, we were supposed to meet people going to Leh, which we didn’t. This meant that there was some trouble on the way.
Chadar trek is called the wildest due to its uncertainity. Today at one particular place, you’ll find chadar, meters thick. Tomorrow, the chadar will vanish at the same place and you’ll have to climb up in the mountains to find a way through the rocks!!! Tsering shared many of his experiences. How he walked 17 hours a day to reach Leh quickly to arrange rescue of two Swiss media personality. How he avoided death from avalanche. How he has walked through waist deep water for miles. How he has guided people to climb up through vertical rocks with the help of ropes. Each trek had its memory.
I hoped that the memory won’t be a bad one in our case. I was hoping to meet people on their way to Leh. But there was no sign. We continued our walk till we reached Deepyokma. There was still no sign of any person going to Leh. This was a clear sign that there was some sort of trouble on the way. Trouble meant thin chadar as snowfall was not heavy enough to cause avalanche, which would have broken the chadar. Thin chadar or no chadar meant steep climb which. Nyrak is hardly 3 hours walk from Deepyokma.
And by 1 pm, there was no sign of anyone coming from that side. This meant that if we continued our journey, we won’t be able to reach on our scheduled time. Naturally, we won’t be able to return within scheduled time and will be missing the flight to New Delhi.
It was while we were discussing these things, we saw three people coming from the opposite side. The three exhausted guys confirmed what we had assumed. They had to climb thrice while coming from Nyrak to Deepyokma. So steep were the climbs that they had to use rope. They had started at 7 in the morning and reached Deepyokma at 1. 6 long hours, where it usually doesn’t take more than 3 hours. The three guys were local Zangskaris. If they have taken 6 hours, we would have taken, not less than 9 hours!!! The plan of going to Nyrak was immediately dropped. However we walked further towards Nyrak till we reached Gyapos Skalpos.
At Gyapos, our cook prepared our lunch in the middle of the river, on the ice!!! And we had our lunch while sitting on ice in the middle of the river. A few meters away was the cave Gyapos Skalpos Bao. Tsering shared the story of Gyapos Skalpos over lunch.
The legend of Gyapos Skalpos.
Years ago, the King of Ladakh name Gyapos, while crossing the chadar, decided to halt at a cave somewhere between Nyrak and Deepyokma. The King was travelling along with his courtiers and cook. Everything was fine. But unexpectedly, the next morning, to their surprise, they discovered that the chadar had vanished. The location of the cave was such, that there was no escape through the rocks and the mountain (unless off course they had modern day equipments!!!) So, they had to stay back for the day. But the next day also the situation was same. Things didn’t change for a few days and the stock of food got over. This became a cause of concern. Unable to find anything else, the cook decided to cook the skin bag, which they were carrying to store water. He cut the bag into pieces and cooked it for the King and others. This also continued for a couple of days, but the situation of chadar didn’t improve. One fine day, the cook declared that there were no further skin bags too and hence, they won’t have anything to eat. They will have to fill up their stomach with water only.
The worried courtiers and the King secretly had a meeting when the cook had gone to bring some water. They decided that if the situation doesn’t improve the next day, they will kill the cook for food. This the cook overheard. Worried and tensed, not knowing what to do cook went back to the river. He sat down at the bank. He kept his stick on the river, supporting it on a rock. Then prayed to God,” Lord, please improve the situation and let good chadar be formed. Else you know what will happen to me.” He then went back to the cave. God listened to his prayer. The next morning, they discovered that a good chadar has formed and they continued their journey to Nyrak. They collected further food from the village!!!
Since then, no one stays at the cave.
We saw the cave from where we were having lunch. It was named after the King Gyapos. Skalpos is a Ladakhi word which means Skin. Gyapos Skalpos, hence means ‘Gyapos, the King who ate skin’.
After lunch we returned back to Deepyokma. By evening, many other people from both the directions came to the place to camp. Probably there were more than 150 people on that night, who had camped within a radius of 1 Km at various suitable locations. The evening was spent gossiping while sitting beside fire.
My sleeping bag got wet by mistake. I had kept the water bottle inside the bag and the bottle was not tightened properly. It took us a long time to dry the bag.
Day 4 - Tsomo
Jan 22, 2011. We started off late as we had to walk till Tsomo only. The day was not very eventful. After reaching Tsomo, Tsering noticed paw marks of snow leopard. I was quite excited to discover the marks. Snow Leopard, an endangered species is a moderately large cat having very long tails. They are found in the rocky mountains in the Himalayan Range. They feed on Himalayan Wild Goat, sheep etc. One unusual thing is that they feed on vegetation also. They are very swift, clever and shy too. They sometimes attack domestic livestock too. That’s the time when the local villagers can see them. Sometimes during their mating season also they can be seen. They cannot roar. Their paw marks are identified by the large width. They prefer following the trail of other animals. It is estimated that there are about 700 snow leopards left in Ladakh. The day went by. We went inside our sleeping bags, preparing for the next. Little did we know what was kept for us the next day.
Day 5 - Tilatsumdo
Jan 23, 2011. We started off quite early. The chadar was good. After about 2 hours walk we had to climb up once in the rocky mountain to find our way. The chadar was weak there. The terrain was less difficult but tiring. We found more paw marks of Snow Leopard on the way.
We stopped for lunch after we got down on chadar. After lunch, when we were about to start again, Tsering came across someone whom he knew. He was with another group who were coming from Leh. They were speaking in Ladakhi, but I noticed the changing expression on Tsering’s face. For a moment he was a bit worried. On being asked the reason he said that we may have to climb up in the mountains at couple of places. He said that in a very normal tone.
After about 30 mins walk, we faced our first hurdle. The photograph below is enough to explain the hurdle.
On the side way of the Zangskar, the chadar was about 3 feet wide. The ice was shiny. A large rock protruded itself over the chadar creating a gap of about 5 feet. Walking through it was too risky due to two reasons. Firstly, since the chadar was not very wide, a small slip would have taken us down the river. Secondly, the chadar was not very thick. Walking had its risk of breaking the chadar. Crawling was the best option. The weight of the body distributes on four points, so probability of the ice breaking due to body weight is less. Moreover, it reduces the probability to slip on the ice.
We had to cross similar place once again just after a few meters of walk. This is probably the most risk prone activity on normal chadar. Of course, when there is too much snowfall and you have to walk through snow a few feet thick, it’s far more dangerous!!!
The next and probably the worst (for me) of the terrain came after another few meters of walk. It was a steep climb of about 30 meter. In the middle of the climb, I stopped. I couldn’t find the right rock to step on!!! I was looking at every rock nearby to find a proper one to step on to climb further. Tsering came to the rescue!!! He pulled me up once again like the second day. He started helping others while I started climbing further. At one point, there was again some sand. The span was big enough not to be covered in single step. I stopped again. Loose sand was the cause of worry for me always. I started looking for some other way, in vain. When my sight went to the roaring water of the Zangskar below, my heart probably started beating faster than Neil Armstrong’s heart just before stepping on the moon!!! But fear is of no help in situation like this. I got hold of a rock with my two hands. I took my first step. That was it, the loose sand below my foot started going down. It was looser than I was expecting. My left foot lost all support. I’d have gone directly inside the chilling river had I not held the rock with my hands!!! I stood there like that for about 15 seconds, standing on my right leg, supporting myself with the hands. Pradeep Sir and Praffula were shouting and asking me to continue and not stand. Halting on places like that is a disaster. The rock I was holding upon could break due to prolonged pressure. I continued. I tested the place I was going to step on by stamping the place very hard for a couple of times to make sure that it won’t fall down. I continued this till I reached safer place!!! We all sat down on the river bank after we got down to a safer place. All were silent. It was probably a self realization phase regarding the experience we all had. I described mine here. But all did face similar or more difficulty.
After taking some rest, we resumed our walk. Never did we speak about what we went through. I’m sure the experience has made us realize the importance of life, why we need to be thankful to be alive!!!
After couple of hours of walk, we reached Tilatsumdo. We reached quite early. We prepared for our last night on chadar.
Day 6 - Homestay @ Chilling
Jan 24, 2011. We started early for Chilling. It was our last day on chadar and all of us wanted to stay more in spite of all the hardship and difficulty!!! We walked on chadar till we saw the road up in the mountain. We bade adieu to chadar and climbed up to walk on the road. On the way we stopped to have tea at a small shop. I noticed how dry vegetables were kept in different containers.
We continued walking till we reached Chilling. Our cook prepared our lunch. After having lunch, we went up in the village to find a place to stay. Tsering went to talk to the guys. One family agreed and we all moved into a comfortable, warm room!
Chilling is a very small village having about seven or eight families. Govt. has been kind enough to arrange solar power, running water line to every house in the village. The village also has a school. Govt. has also provided one telephone connection. We all used the phone one by one to convey the message of our safe completion of the trek!
The houses in Chilling (like other places in Ladakh) have a flat roof which is used to store fodder and firewood. Flat because, it doesn’t rain. Ladakh is actually a high altitude desert, which falls in the rain shadow area and receives almost no rain from monsoon. The houses are built with abode bricks and rammed earth. When inside the room, one can see the timbers running horizontally on the roof. These are left exposed and add some sort of beauty! These timbers support the bricks and the earth above. The windows are large having wooden frames wrapped around glass. All of it- the earth, wood, glass helps to retain warmth inside the house. The toilets are kept at a height, having hole on the floor. After you are done, you are supposed to cover you shit with sand, mud, yak dung which is also kept inside. Even a shovel is also kept!!! The hole is closed when the heap of the waste becomes high enough to reach near the floor. A new hole is then created at another place. Time to time, as per requirement, the organic waste is removed to be used as fertilizer.
Water is not at all wasted. The waste water goes directly to the field where cultivation is done. Ladakh is a wonderful example of how limited natural resource can be used to effectively survive in coldest of region!!!
We roamed around in the village. Chilling is famous for copper utensils. It was probably years ago, a coppersmith from Nepal, came down to Leh. He discovered some copper mines near Chilling. Being a coppersmith, he utilized the opportunity to start his business. He settled down in Chilling and started extracting copper and making various utensils. There was a time when almost all the supply of copper items to Leh was from Chilling only. Today, however, only a few traces of the tradition remain. We were lucky to meet a 74 years old coppersmith. Actually, we were staying at his place only. He was working in his workshop which was about a few meters away from his home.
Another characteristic feature of traditional Ladakhi house is the kitchen. It’s large in size, adjacent to and combined with the living/dining room. Numerous beautiful utensils are kept on display! In the evening, before dinner, Chhaang was served. It’s a local beer made from barley. It was super smooth. Carlsberg or Corona is nothing when compared to Chhaang!
Jan 25, 2011. We left Chilling. The bus came late. We reached the guest house by noon. Gave the tips to the porters, which has become a custom. We went to the market to burn dvds of photos we all had shot. It took us a long time! After returning back to the guest house, we packed our things and had dinner. The next morning, we had to wake up early.
Jan 26, 2011. We bade adieu to Tsering. The flight was on time. We recorded Vikram at Leh airport.
We all reached New Delhi safely. I went to Debasish da’s place. I boarded the train for Patna the same evening along with Prafulla.
Next day, we reached Patna and resumed our normal life!
The memories of the trek will always remain. Chadar still calls me. I still dream of going there. I still see Tsering walking ahead of us chanting the tibetian mantra “Om Mani Padme Hoom”.
Special Thanks again to Tsering.
Thanks to Hi-Trek of Shoumya da also.
Thanks to all my friends and my family for supporting me.
