All About It

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Enveloped by the barren mountains with an icing of crystal clear snow, lies the white sand beneath our feet, rivers chiseling out the valleys, colourful prayer flags soaring to reach the dizzying heights, small flat white houses and prismatic monasteries. As we unwrap Leh-Ladakh, the boundless sheet of blue sky, translucent white water, crimson robed monks, patches of green vegetation and paleness of the deserted land aptly symbolises each colour of the Tibetan flags mantra: “Om Ma Ni Padme Hum”. Who wouldn’t relate to the widely acclaimed movie: 3 idiots? Cruising through valleys and mountains, there at the lake, ‘Silencer; a.k.a Chatur’ bowed to acknowledge Aamir Khan. If only that ‘taufa’ was not for Aamir but the stunning beauty of the place holding the highest salt water lake, highest motor able roads, plentiful monasteries, diverse culture and unmatched challenges and fun it offers. The exquisiteness of Leh-Ladakh pulls not only filmmakers but many riders to jaunt through the rugged and dirt trails to soak in the picturesque poster painted by the nature itself. With a touch of spirituality and unmatched beauty, Leh-Ladakh is no less than a magical land too. With a place called Magnetic Hill which defies the gravitational force holds for a remarkable experience when we see car climbing up instead of rolling down. With extreme climatic conditions and living away from urbanisation, Leh-Ladakh was and continues to be favoured by traders marking the legacy of The Silk Route. Not only merchants, Leh holds brilliant minds too. Don’t we all remember kids shaving off the sheep and grinding wheat to flour by paddling of cycle in Phunsuk Wangdu School of 3-idiot? That is a school run by Sonam Wangchuk, the real life Wangdu in Leh. Who wouldn’t want to live the amalgamation of scenery, science, business, magic and unearthliness? So prepare the gears, don the leather jacket, a handy camera and a bullet to ride on; here we hit the road from Delhi to explore the forbidden cold desert: Leh-Ladakh. Let’s soak in mother earth and various shades of it!