Bringing stars back to our lives
Recently Leh’s light pollution was as concerning to me as was Delhi’s air pollution. I was trying to catch a glimpse of the rare comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), which appeared in the sky in October 2024. However, my efforts were thwarted by the bright outdoor lights near my hospital. No human may well be around to see it when it appears again near Earth after 88,000 years. Desperate, I requested my neighbours to switch off their lights, but they explained that the solar-powered automatic system made it impossible for them to control the light. This experience made me realise how many outdoor lights remain on for no reason and contribute to light pollution. Thankfully, I managed to find a place to see comet Tsuchinshan.
Dua-jug-ring is the generic term for comets in Ladakhi. Comets have historically been regarded as symbols of ominous events such as war and natural calamities in various cultures. For example, a comet reportedly appeared over Ladakh’s sky during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965. This fuelled superstitions about its connection with the conflict. The appearance of a comet is regarded as a harbinger of misfortune in Ladakh. I have heard people in Ladakh saying, “Nam la chi shar mishar mashar shik tua-jug-ring mashar shik, sa la chi skyes miskyes maskyes shik tuk gi loma ma skyes shik!” (May the comet not appear in the sky, may poisonous plants not grow on the land). I have heard that people in Ladakh would not eat wild plants during this period as it was said that the comet had made it poisonous.
Astronomy is infectious! During the two weeks that comet Tsuchinshan was visible in the sky over Ladakh, my children and I learned to identify various stars, planets and constellations in the sky. Skarma Minduk is surely the most popular celestial body. Skarma Minduk or the Pleiades is an interesting and prominent cluster of stars in the night sky. Though the Pleiades is called Minduk or six stars, it is called the ‘seven sisters’ in other cultures. In actuality, it is a cluster of over 1,000 stars visible from Earth! It is characterised by a bluish hue due to its high temperatures and youth in celestial timescales.
Watching this constellation reminded me of the numerous songs in Ladakh dedicated to the Pleiades. “Gunam nang snon me skill de na minduk gi yaskor skor” (In the centre of vast blue sky, the Pleiades is roaming clockwise). We draw the Sun, Moon and seven stars on auspicious days such as Losar (Ladakhi New Year). The stars we draw during Losar with the Sun and Moon crescent definitely represent the Minduk. It is regarded as an auspicious star and also helps determine time for various agricultural tasks. The positioning of Minduk in the west when it sets during spring aligns with the sowing of crops in Ladakh. The movement of this cluster of stars across the night sky serves as a natural calendar for farmers signalling the optimal time to start planting their crop. Similarly Minduk rising in the east during autumn corresponds with the timing for harvest. It demonstrates how our ancestors were in harmony with nature. It also indicates how people in ancient times observed various celestial events and used them to pace their social lives. A good way to spot the Pleiades from Ladakh these days is to look at the night sky towards the north-east after 10 PM. In Leh, it is visible as a cluster of stars just above Lamdon School in the late evening sky.
Another celestial body that caught my eye was Skarma Mindun (Big Dipper, Ursa Major, Great Bear), which is one of the most prominent constellations in the night sky in the Northern Hemisphere. It is visible all the time in the north sky. It has a circumpolar movement around Polaris or the North Star. If you identify the Mindun, and thus the North Star, you will never get lost. It has helped travellers on land and at sea to navigate, keep time, and orient their location in the Northern Hemisphere. Mindun is a very prominent constellation in the night sky and it helps us identify the North Star, which is a major celestial landmark in the Northern Hemisphere. In Ladakh, it is said of the Mindun, “Skarma mindun sodey met Changna sharte chang nga nub” (How unlucky is the Big Dipper that it rises from the north and sets there too). In reality, Mindun does not ‘rise’ or ‘set’ as it has a circumpolar movement around Polaris. The position of the various stars that constitute the Big Dipper around the North Star gives us a fair idea of the time.
Three stars that are discussed often by farmers in Ladakh are Skarma Sta, Skarma Wa, and Skarma Thra. Despite their significance in local traditions and agricultural practices, I have so far not been able to locate or identify them in the sky.
These celestial markers are deeply interwoven with the region’s agricultural practices, rain patterns, and traditional beliefs. Sta and Wa are associated with rains. Sta rises earlier in the agricultural season when crops are maturing. The rains brought by Skarma Sta are considered vital for early crop growth and rejuvenating grazing lands. On the other hand, Wa brings heavy downpours that can cause damage to crops and across the landscape. Skarma Wa is said to be visible in August and correlates with the monsoon-like rains in Ladakh. The word ‘Wa’ refers to a part of a watermill (Rantak) that channels water—a metaphor for its ability to cause heavy downpours. So, it is said about Sta and Wa, “Sta char rigoe rtsea , wachar gamtsoe ting nga” (The rain brought by Sta fall on the peaks but that brought by Wa reaches the depth of the oceans). Locals in Leh believe that if traces of winter snow, even as small as a mirror, persist on Leh hill when Skarma Wa becomes visible in August, then Leh will have an abundance of water in the agricultural season. Leh hill is the hill located in front of Khardong-la. Ya Yundum is a prominent landmark on this hill. It is often used by people searching for their livestock including dZo, which are left to graze in the mountains after agricultural tasks such as sowing are over. I have never seen winter snow last until August, which might be due to global warming and climate change.
Then comes Skarma Thra, which does not bring any rain but it infuses medicinal value into water bodies (Sman-chhu). When Skarma Thra appears, people in Ladakh traditionally bathe in water bodies and hot springs. Many visit hot springs accompanied by Amchis, as it is believed that the cosmic effect of the star infuses medicinal properties in water, which is known as Sman-chhu (medicinal water) in Ladakh. I open the lid of my overhead water storage tanks to catch some of these celestial blessings if I am unable to bathein open water bodies! Another thing I have heard about this star is that when it appears in the sky, the harvest is nearly ready and it may or may not have received the final irrigation. If crops receive their final irrigation under Skarma Thra’s influence, the harvest is said to be plentiful!
How can I forget the Sun and the Moon! We have been evoking them in many songs specially ones associated with marriage and love. The Sun symbolises warmth, vitality, and sustenance in a land where winters are long and challenging. The Sun is invoked as a symbol of good fortune and prosperity for newlyweds. The Sun and Moon are sometimes used as complementary metaphors in love songs. The Sun represents passion and energy and the Moon symbolises calmness and grace. The description of the Sun and Moon in Ladakhi songs reflects the intimate relationship between people and their natural surroundings, which blends practical reverence with poetic expression.
I feel that it would be good if we are able to revive and then preserve dark skies over Ladakh. That way, our children will once again be able to see celestial objects and start identifying various stars, constellation and planets. We can have switches for outdoor lights. In addition, we could make it a regular practice in Ladakh to switch off all lights that are not needed. It really is a good time for family members sleeping on the roof when they can share folklores and gaze at the stars and planets above. It will not only inculcate good values and knowledge among our children but also distract them from staring at phone and computer screens! In addition, light pollution disrupts melatonin— a hormone that regulates sleep—production in our bodies by suppressing its release through exposure to artificial light at night. This can lead to poor sleep quality, circadian rhythm disturbances, and increased risk of various health issues.
Finally, it will help us curb light pollution, which has negative impacts on human health and ecology. Imagine the benefits of getting a good night’s sleep. Also imagine the positive effect it will have on wild animals including birds and mammals that live amongst us. Curbing light pollution will allow them to follow their natural sleep patterns, behaviours and help maintain the integrity of our environment.
Photograph and text by Dr. Spalchen Gonbo
Dr. Spalchen Gonbo is a Paediatrician based in Ladakh.