Ladakh magic….
Posted by on October 15, 2009
Share
I just came back from a soul changing experience – a trip to the magic land, Ladakh.
We went in a group. So it was not really an intentional soul searching pilgrimage. But that’s what I found myself doing when surrounded by the ultimate grandeur of nature. It has also built an inner irresistible urge to share my experiences with you.
I know there are other sites that give tourism related info on this and nearby places, so I’ll let them do that job. I want to share with you my journey into this land and also into my own inner being, into myself.
Every moment of my time in Ladakh is memorable. From surviving the long night @Pang at –7°C to taking the roads less traveled in Leh on our bikes, and exploring Tantric monastery by chance where we met students being taught the lessons of life. From sitting in the hotel room’s balcony at Sonamarg staring at breathtakingly beautiful mountains sipping in a hot cup of chai in the morning (Heaven-is-here experience!) to driving on risky routes always living on the edge.
The whole trip, each moment is something I won’t ever trade for other. Nine days, approx. 1600 kms. seemed to pass in a single moment. Yet the joy and the longing ache lives on…
The time we landed back at the Delhi airport, an air of unease surrounded me, as if I had left something precious behind. As I reached home, I called up friends, family and everyone I could to share the feeling , the mesmerizing experience. I had not had enough of the trip. Not yet.
And ever since, life has not been quite the same. Next day, I kept wondering how everyone around seemed to be in a rush, running after not so important things in life and missing out on so much. The traffic jams on Noida roads after the picturesque valleys of Ladakh was definitely not a pleasing sight. The pictures of peaceful mountains with their majestic solitude kept revolving in my mind as I made my way to office.
The workplace now seemed to be so different from what it was before. It was a mixed feeling of being back and being torn away from nature. When I told my friends how I longed to go back, how I missed the place, some called it the hangover and some said that the Ladakh air has got me. Earlier,I always preferred to follow the sleep late, wake up late regime but never knew how refreshing could it be to watch the sunrise, to listen to the birds chirping in the morning. Never did I realize how beautiful an early morning could be.
The trip has changed me and showed what I have been missing out on. People out there were so simple, so real, braving all the hardships yet being happy and contented. A stark contrast to people in the cities – always trying to be somebody else, chasing what they don’t have and not cherishing what they have.
Yes, I seem to have fallen in love… With Nature.. Maybe, my friends were right, when they said that the Ladakh air has got me. It has me bewitched. Its’ pure magic!
I really like by the truth in the lines. At somepoint, me and my firends have all known this feeling. We have wondered aloud so many times the same sentence to each other “how everyone around seems to be in a rush, running after not so important things in life and missing out on so much”. When we venture into these areas and see the lives of people living there, we often wonder ‘Life can be so simple and fulfilling at the same time, why is mine so complex”.
Definately you have changed. The most noticeable thing is that you are daily coming to office at 8.0 clock instead of 11 (though i am not sure what Laddakh trip has to do in it!). On the rare occasions that i have arrived at 8o Clock to office and left at 5, I have told myself that 24 hrs in a day are enough and on other days i pray for 30 hrs being adjusted in a day. In all, very nice article supported by equally good pictures. Kudos! to Jassi for the unconventional photographs he takes
awesome memorial….insight which is very thought provoking and entices u to have the experience urself!!!
I am a trip freak guy. I feel excited after reading your views and experiences about this trip. Laddakh seems to be a very beautiful place. -7 Deg reminds me one of my trip to ‘Etretat’ – a sea side clif place on the shore of atlantic ocean during my France visit.
I would definitely like to visit this place once in my life.
Well! I never thought so that you can so write such a nice write up!
Keep it up.
Looking forward for more articles on the Trip you have went and will go
One thing need to say again that Sumit has mentioned that learning & implementing the things is really difficult and you have done so by coming office early.
Do follow this forever now!
Akhir koi to hona chahiya mera sath morning Office mein
Very well composed article with a nice mix of pics…
And very well noticed change in the Author of this article… I was wondering how and why this change… now I know the reason…
Think i m too late to reach out, but will plan very shortly. Really want to enjoy the thrill which u generated…
Nice selection of pics. Combination of your words and these pics are creating a virtual environment of what u felt on the trip. U can easily promote tourism …
..Keep us posted of ur experiences….
Beautifully Crafted lines… Never thought you could write so well…. or is it just the trip
.. Anyways.. very very beautiful piece of writing.. All the Best!! to your new life of a traveller and a blogger 
hey all, thanks for ur encouraging wrds…the exp was such that i couldn’t stop myself from penning it dwn…and m glad tht ths little effort of mine could spark an urge in some of u to experience the magic urself….its truly majestic, one gt to c it to believe it…
Looking fwd to my next venture soon..would keep u posted….
I could almost feel being there reading the expressive article you wrote! Never thought you could write so well. Keep blogging. Reading it was like living the moment myself. Looking forward to a wonder Trip again with the gang where time will again stop for us to let us sink the awsome feeling of content that it brings. UMMMM that’s all i could do to describe the rush of trying to feel everything all at the same time – that’s d power of nature.
After reading this article I felt like someone has given words to my feelings that i had when i went to Ladakh last year..
Very nice composition and nice selection of pics too:)
I
[...] the Ladakh trip had me bewitched, it would hardly be a surprise that I so wanted to get close to nature again. But, [...]
Nice
After reading this article and its comments , it feels like the author has experienced a change but that is temporary because no little travel can change your soul.You are what you are and i am sure this author followed the change but not for a long time ,so stop living in these temporary notions and stick to something real.Getting attention from these kind of articles can make you feel good but it surely cannot change you what you are as a person and as an individual.
So get real guys…!!!