September 28, 2019
This morning we drove west into the desert-like mountains of Ladakh, the region that includes Leh. Part of why the region is so desolate is that precipitation is only 2-4 inches of rain per year. We had expected to hike in the area, but the terrain is so uninviting that we declined. We did pass by the confluence of the Zanskar and Indus Rivers, where some natural greenery survives. Local villages we passed had many poplar and willow trees planted. The government provides the saplings if the villagers agree to do the planting. Once established, the trees need little water and provide shade, construction material and visual relief.
While driving through the desolate scenery toward our destination, a village called Alchi, we talked about conditions in India. Ashim believes that approximately 50% of the population lives BPL (below the poverty line). His definition for BPL is about $4/person/day in income. That is a huge number of people, given that the population is 1.3 billion. To assist with so much poverty and reduce corruption, the government, under Modi, has instituted a program that requires each person to open a personal bank account. A $20 billion subsidy goes directly into their accounts, bypassing any middlemen, who used to siphon off 80% of the subsidy. It is very enpowering for each person to have their own account, especially women. Another successful Modi program was to build 110 million toilets, mostly installed in peoples homes, benefitting close to 500 million people. Previously those people were using nature. They did not even have outhouses. He also appealed to affluent Indians to give up their subsidized cooking gas connection and reallocated that gas to poor people. The result was that close to 20 million people actually gave up their subsidized connections and now pay full price. Meanwhile many poor people received connections and gas and stopped using wood and dung for fuel. Modi also stimulated a leap in infrastructure by increasing the number of miles of road being built from 5 miles a day to 20 mile a day, thereby employing many people and improving the infrastructure as well, especially in rural areas. Railways are now being improved as well. On the other hand, Economic growth is slowing from 7% in 2018 to 5% now. Unemployment is increasing. Currently the figure is 16% according to the government .
By then we had reached Alchi, parked the car in this popular Indian retreat, and gone for a walk down to the Indus River, passing by many old and unusual stupas, large, old apricot trees and stacks of harvested wheat and barley. We put our fingers in the water and in no time declared that the water was much colder than Lake Tahoe in winter. We continued walking to the only Indian dam on the Indus River. It provides hydropower to the whole Ladakh valley. Slowly, we returned to Alchi, passing through a craft and tchotchke market and next to the small, Alchi Monastery. We did not go in, but later I was sorry we had not. It was very small and charming from the outside. Ashim and Karma suggested a restaurant for lunch so we stopped. The food turned out to be good, but took forever to be prepared and Karma’s meal never came at all. We all thought that was a bit weird. There was no explanation and no apology. Later Ashim, told us Indians do not apologize, or bother to say hello or good bye, or thank you and they commonly cut in line and act as if nothing was amiss. The niceties we take for granted are not part of their culture. However, don’t sit on the floor with your feet pointing at anyone. That is a big affront. For me that was a problem as I cannot sit cross legged, so one foot or the other has to be out. Back in the car we headed for Leh. The drive was about an hour and a half on good roads with the scenery changing only slightly.
In Leh we walked first to the Chemist shop to buy Excedrin and Pepto Bismo. Could not get the brand products, but received generics with the active ingredients we needed. From there we went directly to the Pashmina Palace, where we had previously priced shawls. We negotiated with the owner of the store and received slightly more than a 20% discount. No great deal for sure, but probably paid a fair price. We walked around a bit more and chatted with locals. Karma helped me with the translation as the local language is Ladakhi and even Ashim could not speak it. Karma walked us to his sister’s clothing stall and his Aunt and Uncle’s shoe stall nearby. We chatted with them in English, but not long as their businesses were really hopping. Meeting and chatting with locals was my favorite part of the day.
Back at our tent, we relaxed a bit, had dinner and went to bed. The end of another long day.
September 29, 2019
Having told Ashim and Karma that we had had enough of monasteries and palaces, they nevertheless convinced us we should see at least this one more—the Stok Palace.
We finally agreed and this last morning we were out at 9am to visit the palace, which was about 15 miles away, but took much longer than expected to reach as the road was closed and we had to walk half a mile on fresh asphalt. That was no problem, except the bottom of our shoes were full of tar and rocks by the time we got to the palace.
A panorama of Stok Palace.
The palace had been lived in by the royal family since the 50’s and been maintained better than other palaces. The second and third floors were for the family and off limits to us. However, the top floor contained a family museum that we were able to visit. It contained some clothing, jewelry, and photographs of the family and historic figures including Nehru and Indira Ghandi. One item that caught my eye was a family stupa made in honor of the king’s mother that occupied a small room by itself. I found it charming that it looked a bit like a face. Under the stupa or chorten, as it was called, was a document explaining the meaning. Stupas, is the same as “chorten”, and they are seen everywhere in Ladakh—the entrance to villages, crossroads, waypoints, and landmarks. They may be interpreted as support for worship, for religious merit, for protection from evil, or as memorials. The small chorten I photographed in the palace was built by the king in memory of his mother.
Ashim and Karma were right. The Stok Palace was the most interesting one we visited and I am glad we did not miss it.
THe monks reading the Kogyur text aloud.
While we were wandering around the palace, 80 monks were taking turns reading the 108 volumes of the Kagyur, a long, Mahayama book about Buddhist rituals written during the 11th and 12th centuries in Tibet. The first copy arrived in India in the 16th century and this royal family happened to have a copy of all the volumes. The purpose of the reading of the Kagyur was to mourn the death of the king’s daughter, who had died two months earlier at the age of 29 from congenital birth defects. At the current rate of reading of the volumes, daily from 8am to 5pm, it will take 5 days to read the whole set. Ashim, Karma, Mark and I had tea on the patio of the Palace. While there, a young member of the royal family walked the family balcony looking down at us, so I captured her image. It must feel a bit like living in a glass bowl.
Back across the asphalt and into the car, we made it to camp by noon and invited Ashim and Karma into the reception room to chat.
Karma told us about his aspirations to live in the US. His girlfriend’s parents live in NYC and have become citizens. They too were Tibetan refugees. He would like to marry his girlfriend, study western medicine in the US and become a US citizen. HIs desires pulled at my heart strings. His grand uncle was bombed in a house in Tibet by the Chinese during the 1959-64 fighting. His grandfather was shot by the Chinese army and his father was poisoned at the age of 57 by the Chinese when he went to Tibet to visit his relatives. Karma still has many relatives in Tibet that he will never see because they cannot leave and he is afraid he will be killed if he goes there. He has good reason.
From Ashim, we learned a completely different set of information. He explained that Mahayama Buddhism is a more ritualistic form of Buddhism, which developed in the mountains of the Himalaya in countries like Tibet and Bhutan, where ritualism became very important. Both the red and yellow hat buddhists are Mahayama. Ashim’s opinion is that it is easier to perform rituals than to meditate, which is the preferred practice of the Himayana Buddhists, who are confined to the plains in such places as Kolkata, Varanasi and Delhi.
Ashim could have talked for ages, but I needed a break and I am sure you do too. They left mid afternoon and Mark and I finally had some time to ourselves. That evening the Camp provided an entertainment for us guests, including 21 Australians who had moved in the day before. The performance was pleasant, the BBQ appetizers were quite nice and we were happy to eat dinner quickly and get to our room.
September 30, 2019
One last image of Ladakh in glorious sunshine.
Travel day. Left Camp at 7am. Flew out of Leh at 9:15am. Arrived Delhi 10:30am. Departed Delhi at 1:50pm. Arrived Kolkata 4pm. Picked up at 4:30 pm for ride to hotel, which took over an hour, due to commute traffic and a rain burst. Finally arrived in our hotel room shortly after 6pm. Most happy to order room service and eat recognizable food. Bed in short order. Tomorrow we begin sightseeing in Kolkata.
Adventures with Julia 
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Wonderful travelogue with insight into India and some of it’s pleasures and issues