Filter Coffee #149A

On Leh-Ladakh

FC 149 had a good readership, and there were some interesting comments.

• Lakshmi Raman says: “In India (and I suppose in many rooted cultures) art was functional and an integral part of things of utility. I am not talking about the rich and the blue bloods who had art just because they had the money to commission it. It is only in modern times that we have art divorced from utility, which has given rise to a lot of kitsch masquerading as art. I still have with me items of daily use from my great-grandmother’s time which continue to be useful while also being beautiful in shape and character.”

• Manivannan recounts his experience: “Surprising that this phrase should come from the Japanese… In one of the conferences I attended in Tokyo, an American (then CEO of Oracle, Japan) was talking about the cultural differences and nuances while doing business with the Japanese, who value the way the gifts were presented as much as the gift itself. He was elaborating how they would buy a (musk) melon – elaborately and very beautifully packed – for USD100 (yes, for one melon!), and gift to the Japanese in important occasions. I once bought a beautiful hand-crafted sandal-wood elephant (before they were banned for sale) from Cauvery Emporium on MG Road, as a gift to a Japanese colleague when I was traveling to Tokyo. It was very poorly packed — you know how our Government owned shops pack :) — and my colleague did not look very impressed when I gave it to him when I met him first thing in the morning. Later in the day he came around to my place and thanked me profusely for the gift — for he had realized the value of it only when he opened it during lunchtime. :)”

• Tarun Kunzru says: “In sport we say – form is temporary and class (content) is permanent. The objective should always be to build packaging on real content not the other way around. The pandemic taught us that the more ‘essential product’ your business is the more you survive the low times. ‘Need’ lives longer than ‘greed’!!”

Last week, I mentioned that I was unsure of posting FC #150, another milestone due to connectivity issues while on the move. I had originally planned to link you all to an older FC post this week as a placeholder, but instead I'm posting FC 149A. Please enjoy this small coffee break, I thank you all for your understanding and patronage.

🏔 Leh-Ladakh 

As mentioned in my last post I did not summon enough courage to go rafting, instead I visited the Hall of Fame. I was deeply touched by the Kargil story narrated by a Jawan, which was told so passionately that it had all in attendance chanting “Bharat Mata ki jai”.

I dedicate this issue to the Indian Army, which has made innumerable sacrifices. As we travelled we could feel the significance of their presence at high altitudes, guarding the borders of our country while braving the inclement weather. 

When I landed at Leh airport at 11000 feet, I could feel that my breathing was a bit laboured. Just imagining the plight of our soldiers and the sacrifices they make leaves me breathless.

I'm sharing with you some highlights of our visit to Leh and other places in Ladakh, a Union Territory. 

The word ‘Ladakh’ can be broken down into ‘la’ meaning mountain passes and ‘dakh’ meaning country. In other words, ‘Ladakh’ means ‘a country of mountain passes’.

Situated 25 miles from Leh, Gurudwara Pathar Sahib stands at the place where Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion and the first guru, is believed to have vanquished a demon. Please 🔗watch this to know more.

Galwan valley bears testimony to the fierce clashes between the Indian and Chinese army that took place in June 2020. Please 🔗visit this link.

In sharp contrast lies the Chang La pass, named after a Saint Changla Baba, The terrain was rough, but it did not dent the exhilaration of beholding the magnificent snow clad mountains. Check it out 🔗here.

We climbed 18000 ft to experience the dizzy heights of the Khardung La Pass. It was snowing and people had fun frolicking in the snow. It is difficult to express the thrill of travelling through this pass. I had goosebumps when I saw the big bill board ‘SIACHEN WARRIORS’. You can know more using this link.

We came down to Nubra valley where we visited the giant sized Maitreya Buddha. Local fable says that it is facing Pakistan as if to implore that country to have a peaceful relationship with India. It is close to the oldest monastery of Nubra valley in Ladakh, Diskit monastery, and is also called the Jampa Buddha. Have a 🔗glimpse of it here.

Our final destination was Pangong Tso, a lake that is 135 Km long, of which one fourth is with India and the rest with Tibet, China. In the Tibetan language, this lake is called “Cuomu Angla Renbo Tso”, which means “Long-Necked Crane Lake”. Most of the Pangong Lake lies in China, Aksai Chin is the disputed land between India and China. Quite a bit of skirmish has happened over the line of control. Please see 🔗this link to know more.

We drove up to Merek village, about 15 kms away, to get a panoramic view of the lake. It was breathtaking. It is, in fact, a good place to stay to get the best view of the lake. Please see 🔗this link.

The region of Ladakh was an important crossroads on the Silk Route between India and Central Asia. The Silk Route passed through Ladakh via the ancient trade routes of the Indus Valley, which connected the Indian subcontinent to Central Asia. The town of Leh was an important center of trade on the Silk Route. We visited a 400-year-old house which provided boarding and lodging to the traders, besides feeding the horses.

There's an amazing account of the Silk Road to be found 🔗here. Please give it a look.

If you are a Marathon buff, or if you know someone who is, please be advised that there is a marathon coming up on September 23. Please know more using 🔗this link.

Dear readers, due to paucity of time and connectivity, I have to end here. We are taking the flight back to Bangalore on the 18th.

Looking forward to posting FC 150 on the 25th. Take good care of yourselves. 

And please visit Leh Ladakh, if you haven’t. 

Ciao.