VALLEY OF WONDER

LIFE AT INDIA'S EDGE IN A REMOTE LADAKHI HAMLET UNTOUCHED BY TIME

- SHWETA MODGIL

IT WAS EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT I FIRST chanced upon Sonam Wangchuk's video on Tar Village in the Sham Valley region of Ladakh.

In the video, Wangchuk accompanied actress Nandita Das to showcase the beauty of the tiny hamlet of about 12 households, which is only accessible by an hour-long hike through a fabulous, imposing gorge.

The barren ruggedness of the gorge reminded me of the Grand Canyon, and I knew in that moment that I would be crossing this gorge some day. I wanted to see it in all its golden glory.

It is a different thing altogether that I didn't know what to expect from Tar, which had been recognised as the Best Tourism Village of India 2024 in the Responsible Tourism category by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

But, familiar with the genuine love of Ladakhis, I knew it would not disappoint. So much so that when Ladakh simmered with tension and the unfortunate events that followed, my spirit remained intact.

Having travelled to different parts of Ladakh over the last 15 years and authored my second book, “Riding Through Rungdum,” based on my travels in Zanskar, I knew that Ladakh would the last place on earth where I would ever feel unsafe. Therefore, after multiple assurances from Lundup Dorjay, a key figure in the village’s pioneering efforts in responsible ecotourism, I made my way to Leh in the first week of October.