Jetgala - FALL-WINTER 2022

77 A Race Against Sunset We departed Jispa for Leh at dawn and followed the Bhaga river north. Despite the early start, we were held up in traffic jams of sheep making their way to high valley pastures.The epic ride took us through icy mountain passes and long straight roads cutting through high desert plateaus. I left the main road and rode alone on a vast plain of gravel, flanked by the Himalayan range that lit up in the extraordinary Ladakh light.The ride felt meditative; endless, almost.That day I was particularly grateful for the truck stops, where a plate of roti and hot chai was enough to refuel me for the next few hours. Our approach to Leh was a race against the setting sun.As we rode into the city we passed clusters of old stupas, army garrisons and towering monasteries.As the sun retreated behind the mountains, the sky glowed with a primordial orange hue. I imagined myself as one of the ancient traders trudging into the city on horseback together with my train of travelling companions. The Remnant of A Sea From Leh we ventured further North East, surmounting Chang-La pass at 5,391m, the gateway to the mythical PangongTso Lake. As an endorheic lake – a remnant of an ancient sea – its water takes on the most incredible dreamlike blue, exuding an unsettling tranquillity. Here was the setting of the bloody territorial conflict between India and China that took place just two years prior, where 24 Indian and Chinese soldiers were killed fighting each other with bare hands and clubs.There at 4,350m, I stood on the shores of the world’s highest saltwater lake, confounded by the scene of beauty and violence that lay before me. We travelled toTurktuk, a frontier town lying on the Indo-Pakistan border. Nestled in the Karakoram range, this high fertile valley of barley fields and apricot groves encompassed part of the former Baltistan kingdom. I had the opportunity to meet KingYabgo Mohammad Khan Kacho, a living remnant of the 2,000-year-old BaltistanYabgo dynasty.A man with an aristocratic face, he donned a worn coat and red cravat, clasping his sceptre tightly as if protecting his lineage of illustrious warrior kings. As I pondered the political instability that colours Ladakh’s past and future, a local mutt sauntered by for a sniff. His healthy coat and friendly temperament reminded me of the strong Buddhist doctrines that embody the beauty of Ladakhi culture. From tranquillity to terror, conflict to peace, the extremities of emotion I felt travelling riding down valleys and over passes brought me a little closer to understanding the complex coexistences that define this ancient region. R O Y A L E N F I E L D H I A M L A Y A Tours around Ladakh are organised by iamadventure.in/and www.facebook.com/ route55adventures/