Would I like to become a Buddhist Monk?

On a visit to the Phyang Monastery near Leh, I got an unexpected offer: of becoming a Buddhist monk, or Lama.

I was sitting around with the lamas of the monastery watching them practice for their annual festival when I realized the senior lamas were not hiding behind some invisible walls, keeping all sense of humour and fun away from themselves. But I am sure if I had yes, they would have pursued the task of converting me very seriously. Read more

Is Muslim population growth in Ladakh a part of a plan?

A major concern of the Buddhist Ladakhis is the population increase by Muslims in Ladakh, where the latter are in a minority, as part of a plan to disrupt the existing demographic patterns. If true, the consequences could be socio-economic as well as political in nature. This worrying aspect came to my attention when locals in Ladakh told me what I have written here.

And for those indulging in such practices, the law helps them too: in India, polygamy for Muslims is allowed but not for other communities. As a result, large Muslim families are not a surprise with each wife bearing more than a couple of children. The Buddhists feel Muslims are spreading their influence in the mostly Buddhist areas of Ladakh by consciously having many more children – some men have been said to father over 20 – and buying property. The Buddhists believe the money to buy such property and support large families comes from the rich benefactors in the Middle East. Read more

What are workers from Jharkhand and Bihar doing in Ladakh?

One of the surprises in Ladakh was the sight of workers at road building projects all the way from the states of Bihar and Jharkhand in the northern plains of India. Workers from these two states are known to be migratory in nature, going across to all parts of the country in search of employment. But coming to the cold, high altitude desert region is another thing.

All across the Indian Himalayas, it is common to see road construction activity going on; these include new roads, repair and expansion of existing ones and building of tunnels. Often contracted to private companies, they tend to get the cheapest labour to work for them to keep costs down. Hence the reliance on these migratory workers. Read more

Capturing the Indus River in Ladakh

The Indus river evokes memories of history lessons from school as one of the earliest human civilizations came up along its banks in the plains of the Indian subcontinent. Captured here are some images of the river near Leh in Ladakh at different times of the evening, including the moment when the moon was rising above it.

Click here to view the full set on Flickr. The images of the streams were taken in the forested area along its banks. You may email me should you want to order any prints, or visit the Kunzum Gallery to see more prints to order.

Muslims marrying Buddhists in Ladakh leads to violence

According to a senior and responsible army officer posted at the Siachen glacier, a point of conflict between India and Pakistan, the town of Leh in Ladakh sees the local residents getting violent twice a year on average. The issue: When a Muslim decides to, or already has, marry a Buddhist.

And this sentiment was echoed in many parts of Ladakh. In the town of Padum in the Zanskar Valley, a young student named Ghulam Ali Baig told me Muslim – Buddhist marriages are virtually unheard of. When couples do decide to go in for such inter-religion marriages, their only option it to quietly run away to another place like Leh or Jammu where no one knows them. The only mixed couple living in Padum are Ghulam’s own grandparents: his grandfather is Muslim. But that was many years ago when society was more moderate according to him. Read more

Buddhist monks fear being killed in Srinagar, don’t wear robes

Buddhist monks (lamas) are supposed to be in their robes all the time, even when they are allowed breaks for some leisure. The exception is when they are in Srinagar, the capital of the disputed Indian Himalayan state of Jammu and Kashmir; if they are identified as lamas, there is the fear of being shot by Muslims. As a rule, they have to be in regular clothes when visiting Srinagar.

This was told to me by Rigzen, a 20-year old lama posted at the Chamba Statue of the Maitreya Buddha in Mulbeck, a 75 minute drive from Kargil when going to Leh. If what he said is true, it just goes on to show how violent elements do not spare even practitioners of a peace loving religion like Buddhism. Read more

Photo Contest closes on August 31

The Kunzum Travel Photo Contest, open to all including amateurs, closes on August 31, 2008. If you have not submitted your entry yet, do so now. More information is available here.

A Blog for Funny Road Signs in India

As any road traveller in India will tell you, the country is full of signs on the roads, in shops, restaurants and hotels that can be called funny, strange, queer or interesting.

I have been creating this collection for a forthcoming book, and there is now a dedicated blog for these. Click on Kunzum Signs to keep track of these as more go up every week.

Hope these leave you smiling for the day whenever you read them

Kunzum Picture Gallery goes live

If you are looking to buy high quality prints of pictures taken by me during my travels across India, you can now do so at the online Kunzum Picture Gallery.

A selection of prints are available for sale; if there is something else you like on my Flickr page, or on Kunzum.com, you can order those too.

And if you would like an offline viewing in New Delhi, call me at +91.99100 44476 or send me a mail at ajay@ajayjain.com for an appointment.

The Apricot Man of Ladakh

If you drive through Ladakh in the summers, or at least in the month of July, you will see trees all over laden with the yellow apricot fruit, mostly ripe to eat. A restaurant in Khaltse does not have desserts on its menu, but the manager will point to the apricot tree under which you are served your meals and suggest you pluck these after for a sweet taste. You will also find children on roads going through villages waving to cars to stop to buy the ripe fruit they have carefully picked trees for customers.

[See more images of the Apricot Man on Flickr by clicking here.]

But the one set of apricots to catch my attention more than any other were those being collected by an old man by the highway roadside a little after Biamah on the Leh – Kargil route via Batalik. Sitting hunched over, with tattered clothes and a Tibetan cap, his bloodshot eyes caught my eyes more than the rest of his condition, wrinkles and grey hair. Read more

Winning hearts with a bunch of peas in Ladakh

When you drive from Leh to Kargil in the Ladakh region of the Indian Himalayan state of Jammu and Kashmir, there is a distinct change in the ‘humanscape’ from predominantly Buddhist to largely Muslim. Being a troubled state, and its close proximity to Pakistan, you are never sure what to expect from the people of this region.

[Click on any of these images to see the full set on Flickr. Or click here. You can also order prints by sending a mail to ajay@ajayjain.com]

It took just a group of children to shatter any stereotyped apprehensions when I stopped at a village about 30 kilometers before Kargil to take some pictures; as I stood with my camera, a group of small boys and girls surprisingly came up to me with a gift of a bunch of peas freshly taken from their fields. And I realized it is moments like these in one’s lives that suddenly make the world so much a beautiful place. Read more

A Sanctuary for Donkeys in Leh, Ladakh

Donkeys (and their cousins asses and mules) are almost as ubiquitous in India as are cows and dogs. And subjects of hard labour and scorn in equal measure. But not even in one’s wildest imagination could one think of a sanctuary for them. It turned out there is one, and in Leh town in Ladakh of all the places. This was the first attraction to catch my attention when I reached this town – and not any monastery or palace this region is more known for.

[Click on any of the images to see the full set on Flickr, or click here to go there directly.]

When I first saw a sign for the sanctuary – created very artistically – I could not believe what I was seeing. I decided to follow my curiosity, but it only led me to a series of more signs till I nearly out of town. I was beginning to wonder if someone was making an ‘ass’ out of me. But eventually I did find it just off the road leading to Khardungla Pass (the highest motorable road in the world at 18,380 feet). Read more

Driving from Delhi to Leh, Ladakh

There are many ways to reach Leh from Delhi, but the most enjoyable way is to do so by road. If you can drive the distance of about 1075 kilometers, taking at least 3-4 days, it is sure to be an experience you will cherish for life. And try to drive yourself; there is a different thrill to it than being driven by someone else.

I did so myself in July 2008, and the journey came with some learnings as it has its own challenges. Here is a practical plan you could follow to get from Delhi to Leh: Read more

Review: Whispering Willows Hotel at Shey, Leh, Ladakh

When my travel consultant booked me at Hotel Whispering Willows for my stay in Leh (located in Ladakh in the Indian Himalayan state of Jammu and Kashmir), I was a bit disappointed initially. It was located in the village of Shey, the ancient capital of Ladakh before it was shifted to Leh, 15 kilometers before Leh when driving from Delhi. I would rather have stayed downtown than drive up and down all the time. Continue reading about this great place

Young Lamas at Karsha Monastery, Zanskar, Ladakh

Boys will be boys, even when they are being groomed to be Buddhist Lamas. When I started taking pictures of some young Lamas at the Karsha Monastery located near the town of Padum in the Zanskar Valley (in the Ladakh region of the Indian Himalayan state of Jammu & Kashmir), not only did they start posing specially for the camera, they also started jostling to be in the camera frame exclusively. It led to a bit of friendly bashing, adding to the fun of the afternoon while I was there. Boys will remain boys. Read more