Through my lens
Ladakh
Stories and learnings are often passed down through the generations in the name of inheritance or traditions for some, while its a way of life for others.
It indeed is a testament to years of understanding and experimenting,
creating a deep relationship deep-rooted in its surroundings.
The land is marked by fluttering flags, rugged mountains and dusty tracks;
the buildings peer within the outcrops, crowning the earth in between the blankets of whites and browns,
reverberating the chants from the surrounds.
They are a distinctive form where the cultural traditions converge with the land creating a palette unique to its surroundings,
with buildings standing tall through time.
Often growing in the backyard is the year’s supply,
as the winter is soon coming by.
With sub-zero temperatures and layers of white,
the house packs up and shifts floors,
incoherence with the sun’s galore.
With the bone-chilling winds and galaxy filled nights,
animal and humans are under one light,
protected by the walls that stand in between the in and out.
although living in a cold and barren land scare’s the onlooker,
the land provided them with a space they belonged,
for generations, the history and traditions carried them along.
The poem is a part of an ongoing research studying the landscapes of India
