Journeys for Knowledge

After returning to Delhi from Tijara, my family took off for our real vacation, a journey through Ladakh. Our port of call was the local capital of Leh, a city tucked away in the mountain not unlike our ancestral home of Srinagar (although, a lot drier). Leh and its surrounding regions are home to many Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, representing the predominant religion of the area. Although the windswept arid mountains surrounded us from all sides, the temples hid within colorful displays of devotion and meditation, all in the service of their dedication to enlightenment.

Apart from the mountains, deep turquoise rivers of glacial water swept through the valley, feeding the hundreds of people who live along the banks and the valley of Leh. Down in the town, it was hard to understand just tucked away Leh was. A visit to the Japanese funded Shanti Stupa revealed an eye-opening view of Leh, its protecting mountains, and a prelude of the mountainous journey that we had only just begun.