Gul Panag Instagram – For someone who has been coming to Ladakh for over two decades and for someone who’s had the privilege of living and studying here as a child, I’m so delighted that on this trip I’m still discovering hidden gems in this beautiful region.
Some of these gems, are of course recent inclusions 😅. And very welcome.
To begin with, finally meeting @vilayat_ali100 and @fida_tangrhong and embarking on an adventure with them has been absolutely amazing. Their ability to be open minded and think out of the box and make the impossible possible is what I truly admire.
Cycling on electric cycles and exploring the narrow by lanes of Leh town has been enthralling. These are lanes I would ordinarily not explore because they were so away from any place I had to ever get to. Even when I lived here.
The Central Asian Museum with interesting displays from the trading days on the silk route was somewhere I could definitely have spent hours! Located just outside Leh Old Town, the Museum is a contemporary four-story building, which houses important artefacts, reflecting on the cultural past of Ladakh. The museum explores Leh’s role in Silk Road trade, featuring exhibits on Ladakh, Chinese Turkestan, and Tibet, and is adjacent to the Tsas Soma Masjid, built during the reign of King Sengge Namgyal for Muslim traders.
Sampling the breads on Balti Street made by traditional Balti bakers was an absolute delight.
Sipping mint tea at Lala Café, at the end of the Heritage walk was refreshing given that the temperature had suddenly risen! Highly recommended.
The highlight of the day, undoubtedly, was meeting art conservationist and artist, @Noorjeha_1 who runs the Shesrig Art studio @shesrigladakh
The studio is located in Choksar House, a traditional old house dating Back many generations, which was the family home of one of the prominent trading families during the silk route trade.
And the aroma of the beautiful Sia roses in the courtyard of Sankar Gompa still fills my head .
Btw , that’s where Siachen gets its name from! | Posted on 27/Jun/2024 10:05:00
