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    Seek your limits, then push them

    Photos from India

    There are [5] photos from India

    A lonely journey. Because, you will know what it takes, and then gives. Maybe it's done alone, but it's worth it. If not for the majestic Zanskar Gorges, if not for the ever moving and changing sheets of ice beneath your feet, if not for the strange shades of blue the sky takes on, if not for the frozen waterfalls along the way, if not for the limits of endurance you tend to push yourself against, it is for the journey itself. It ensures, once you come back, you will never be the same again. Views[199] Fernweh. Virgin pristine and untamed beauty. And silhouettes. The ache for being at this place hits hard every single time I look at this shot. Tall, grand and rocky Chadar Canyons. Snowfall in hordes. Etheral extremes. And when you see silhouettes of locals dragging their trade bags, tied to their waist in such a setting, the craving takes over. Views[189] The faithful. Sometimes, the only ones. At the end of a long tiring day walking through water and snow and ice, when the time comes to hang up your boots for the day, you need to dry them first. They never dry though, it's just that the soaked up wetness disappears slightly. And sometimes, in such arid environment, you luckliy find patches of moss and a log of wood. Views[202] Abode, snowfall, shelter & Buddhist prayers. Small hidden caves, such as this one, found in selected turns in the gorges are home to trekkers and local Ladakhis on the move. It was mostly a case of first come first serve, except there is no one to serve you except yourself. The protection from the fierce cold and wind is the major enticer to these caves. A local man, making the perilous journey from Nerak (a village, meaning Hell in English) to Leh, Ladakh for selling Yak wool can be seen reading some Buddhist prayers through the snowfall. The Buddhist believers say these prayers help them survive in such extreme conditions where temperatures dipping to -30 degrees centigrade is a common phenomenon. Views[198] Fire for survival. Little firewood. Flint stones for ignition. Back to Stone Age. 1PM in the afternoon. As temperatures hover around -15 degrees centigrade, these fires become a necessity whenever you are resting. The only problem is a lack of firewood in arid, cold and barren Ladakh. The shrub seen behind cannot be used, it is prohibited since it is one of the few Oxygen providers in the surrounding. Stanzin and Tsering, seen facing the photographer, were adept at finding us firewood and much needed heat. The technique of using flint stones to ignite fire took us back to the Stone Age. Views[212]
     

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