WINTERS OF LADAKH
“The land is so barren and passes are so high that only the best of friends and fiercest of enemies would want to visit us”.
I was planning to call it a day, when runner brought some urgent matter which soon needed my approval. It read “In lieu of increasing cases of pipeline rupture, there is an urgent need to close the water supply to the camp premise so that further damage can be prevented”. Without paying much heed I quickly approved the noting for further action.
In Leh, by the time its mid-November, water starts freezing. This frozen water becomes a menace for galvanised iron (GI) pipes. Therefore, it becomes a necessity to close all the supply to prevent further damage on the government exchequer.
Next morning when I woke up in half conscious state and tried opening the tap without caring about the result and there was no water coming out of it. The brain intuitively start figuring out the reason. After gaining some sense I quickly backtracked and went on the flashback spree to the previous day and that last file came flashing by. Like all the other beautiful experiences, human mind got adapted to this change and became habitual of not finding water out of tap. Now the question arises, how do we survive? Good property of water is that it freezes for 4 to 5 feet from top and below it is still in liquid state. The ground water is abundant and with the help of bores, water is lifted in tanker and then supplied to houses of the habitants. This process is executed in the evening and storage being outside, stays in open for entire night and when we go outside to collect that in buckets, the couple of inches remain frozen and now the struggle to break that rock solid layer starts till one reaches the liquid layer. It is interesting to see that how every human mind had developed unique way of breaking icy part. It also acts as good get to gathering in the early morning as we all share the common struggle.
Leh is connected to country by two road. One approach is from Manali-Keylong-Leh and other approach is Srinagar-Kargil-Leh, the same highway which was the major asset to be protected during Kargil war of 1999. Both of these roads remain close for major part of winter. Only way of reliable transportation remains the air route. All the fresh and dry ration is supplied by the frequent sorties of air force carrier, which are interrupted by bad and snowy weather conditions. This interruption teaches you how to survive on minimal. Everything is calculated and everything means every gram of rice, dal and vegetables. The reserves which were maintained are utilised then. The taste becomes secondary and the only goal is to keep body in working state. In such a scenario, I would not stay away from praising highly skilled and professional cook of ITBP who give their everything to keep the food in edible state.
Temperature in December and January plumets to -20ºC. Leh is part of cold desert, which mean even after extremely low temperature, it hardly snows in Leh. Whenever I talk about cold of Leh, people never fail to enquire me about snowfall and their common perception is that there must very heavy snowfall, but this is not true. Snow being part of precipitation and Leh in desert, they are hardly in consonance with each other. In winters walking back from office to my room in the evening a ghastly experience. Even after wearing all the winter protection, I find sheer numbness in hand, nose and feet. Rooms are often warm, as every individual is provided with K-oil driven bukhari. My relationship with bukhari had always been of love and hatred. I will never be able accept its smell. But as they say you either start living with that smell or get ready die of cold, so I chose the former.
October starts and one can see the exponential fall in tourist’s numbers. Winter sets and local who had been inhabiting the place for generations and defence force personnels are left to experience the beauty of this place in this season. The serenity, peacefulness and stillness could only be enjoyed in time when the hustle is vanished. Also the best time to stroll in Leh market, interact with locals and experience their hospitality. A true Ladakhi culture is amplified in them and we selfishly accept their selfless service.
These years of my service in Ladakh has brought me closer to my country. I had become more accommodative about what life has given me. The complains I had with people and life had reduced dramatically. This place teaches you to survive with bare minimum and advances much closer to nature, divinity and humans in general as you share the common pain and challenges, irrespective of your position and rank. Morning was never this beautiful before and specially in cities where I had spent my entire life. At night when one glance through the sky with millions of stars and moonlight getting reflected from snow cladded peaks, it cast a spell on you from which you never want to come out.
Once you are introduced to such a place, away from family, the family with which we stay inside our camp becomes our priority and welfare of men comes supreme before anything else. We share each other’s joy, sorrow and pain.
Ladakh is not just a place, its an experience which can only be felt if one is ready to immerse in it.
“One more charge and then be dumb. When the forts fully fall, may the victors when they come, find my body near the wall”.
