ICE, INK, AND IDENTITY

IN A REGION AT THE CROSSROADS OF TRADITION AND TRANSFORMATION, NOOR JAHAN STANDS AS A REMINDER THAT HERITAGE IS NOT JUST PRESERVED BUT LIVED

- ANTARAA CHATERJEE

SHESRIG LADAKH STANDS IN AN ASSURED SILENCE IN the heart of Leh's Old Town amidst crumbling mud-brick homes and winding alleyways steeped in memory. This independent art conservation initiative is more than a studio; it's a spirited stand against the slow erosion of cultural identity in one of India's most fragile heritage zones. At the helm of this effort is Noor Jahan, an art conservator and national-level ice hockey player, whose journey is as unconventional as it is inspiring.

With a Master's and PhD in Art Conservation, Jahan's career began with freelance projects across India, but it was her deep-rooted connection to Ladakh and mentorship from conservation experts Dr Sreekumar Menon and Dr Maninder Singh Gill that eventually led her home. “We saw Ladakh changing rapidly,” she recalled. “Modern infrastructure, rising tourism, everything was transforming the landscape. If we didn’t act, we risked losing more than monuments, we'd lose memory.”

In 2017, Jahan and her cousin Wajeeda Tabassum leased a dilapidated heritage home and transformed it into a conservation studio. Shesrig was born not just from academic ambition, but from a sense of urgency and responsibility. The studio now serves as a bastion of living heritage, restoring thangkas, murals, manuscripts, and sculptures with a philosophy rooted in respect for the local culture.