By Amit Singh in Noida
Gar firdaus, bar ruhe zamin ast, hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin ast…
And to understand this – visit Leh. This will break the eerie silence for you at -20 degrees frozen Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh as it did for me this January.
But today, this Eden is the world’s highest battleground where the Indian army is defending it from Chinese soldiers. I was fortunate to visit this picturesque lake when it was frozen. It wasn’t easy to reach as the roads were blocked due to heavy snowfall.
There were hardly any cars during the almost 250 km long (5-7 hrs depending upon weather) drive from Leh to Pangong Tso. I saw this lake during the summers but the experience during the sub-zero temperature is indescribable. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the lake is completely frozen. Except for a few army officials and locals, there is absolutely no one at this popular tourist site. One of the locals said, “If you want to experience the real run, take your car on the frozen water.”
A little sceptical, we still gave it a shot. While inside the car, we planned countless pictures for our social media but what happened next was not part of the plan.
The chilly mountain breeze made it impossible to stay outdoors for more than 10 seconds. The frigid air made it unlikely to roll down the windows.
Our driver somehow spotted a small tea shop amid the ruins of summer camps who offered us some hot water and an exorbitantly priced Maggi noodles – which was worth it. We kept gazing at the beauty of the place wondering if we would be able to get a warm place to sleep.
We were lucky to find a stay in a small village near the lake. While sleeping on the carpeted floor of the kitchen, the house owners set some woods on fire in a Bukhari (heater) as it snowed continuously for two days. Back here in the heat of Noida during the lockdown, I still plan to be back in the land of Lamas – and say Juley.
Writer: Amit Singh is Noida based and runs a start-up Kavi The Poetry-Art Project
