Society

Indian women’s ice hockey team wins silver in UAE

Posted on by Kunzes Dolma

The Indian women’s ice hockey team was invited to participate in the Union Women’s Ice Hockey Tournament in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in March 2022. The tournament was organised by Fatima Al Qubaisi, who captains the UAE national ice hockey team. The invitation letter was sent to the Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI), which is the nodal body for the sport in India. IHAI did not have the resources to fund the team as it had allotted funds for the team’s participation in the Women Challenge Cup of Asia Division I in June 2022. They suggested that the players can participate as the UT Ladakh team (as all the players are from Ladakh) if the UT Administration was able to fund them. The players approached Sports Secretary, UT Ladakh, Ravinder Kumar for support. He agreed to fund the team but four days prior to their departure for Abu Dabhi, they received a letter from the commissioner secretary that they cannot fund the team.

Goal Tender for Team India, Noor Jahan said, “I was not clear why they were being so picky about the tournament when ice hockey is still in its infancy in Ladakh. Players must use every opportunity to gain experience. That letter was very disheartening. We shared it with the organisers and they were upset too. They agreed to pay for the air tickets for 10 players and they had already arranged for our accommodation. However, since we had already prepared to participate as a team we could not randomly drop players. We were still keen to go and started approaching various people for funding despite the sever time crunch. We tried calling the hon’ble MP, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal but he did not pick up our calls. One of the few people who did respond was Councillor from Saspol in LAHDC, Leh, Smanla Dorjey Norboo who agreed to help. He took some loans to enable us to book our tickets. We also started crowd funding to repay the money he had borrowed.” The players claim that Sports Secretary, UT Ladakh, Ravinder Kumar did try his best to support the team but was unable to see it through. In the end, the team left for Abu Dhabi without a coach and a manager.

The tournament included six teams including the national teams of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and India along with two teams with players from different parts of the world. Assistant Captain of Team India, Deachen Dolker said, “This time our team performed very well. There was unity in the team and everyone gave 100%.” They faced various challenges during the tournament including the lack of support staff, which forced each team member to take on more responsibility. Noor Jahan said, “Earlier I would admire other teams. This time I started admiring Team India’s remarkable skill, talent and drive. The other teams also praised our performances.”

Deachen explained that normally she would have to take on additional responsibility but this time the whole team took on more responsibility. This was echoed by team members such as Tsetan Dolma who said, “Generally in team meetings, the coach briefs the team about the approach for each game. This time, everyone contributed to the team’s strategy and team meetings were very productive. Everyone had a positive attitude, which boosted the morale of the team.”

The players learnt a lot through this experience. Several of them spoke about the need to constantly improve various aspects of their game. Some senior team members such as Deachen and Noor Jahan commented on this how the team has evolved over the years. “This time we saw professionalism in the team. We managed our fears and anxiety much better and gave 100% in each game,” they added.

In the end, the team won the silver medal in the tournament. This has strengthened the self-belief of the team and each team member, which will help them in future games. I have seen the hard work that these players have put in over the years and it is heartening to see their efforts bear fruit. Deachen explained that many people think participating in sports is pure fun. “However, we have overcome many challenges in our journey so far. Some people belittle our achievement by claiming that the other teams must have been weak. This is not true. We have won through our efforts.”

In addition, the achievement will also help individual careers like Tsetan Dolma who is pursuing a Master’s in Physical Education. She said, “I have not participated in any international games since I started my masters due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a good opportunity. I hope it will help change the perception of sports in Ladakhi society.”

Furthermore, the win has made the team more resilient. Tsetan described how they motivated themselves during the tournament. “Initially, I was demotivated when I saw this player from Kazakistan. She was very good! As I watched her, I started to question my ability to play ice hockey. Later, I realised that I need to push myself and kept telling myself that if she is able to play at this level, so can I! This helped me improve as a player.”

Deachen agreed with her. She said, “Two of the teams were very good and our team was a little hesitant initially. Then, all the players encouraged each other to give their best. We were always aware that with the necessary practice, training and application, we can win any match. This time we did not have a coach and developed our own game plans. Somehow, we clicked as a team.”

When asked about the challenges they face, Deachen said finances remain the biggest issue. “The financial issue affected all of us. I was very disturbed by the discussions on social media over this issue. This increased pressure on us as people were watching our performances. In addition, many of us had to cope with the lack of support staff, especially a physiotherapist. For instance, I had muscle cramps in the last match and could not play to my potential,” she added.

In the end, the financial challenge for this tournament did get resolved. As the crowd funding efforts become more popular it caught the attention of the hon’ble Lt. Governor of Ladakh, R. K. Mathur who agreed to pay for the team from his discretionary fund. Similarly, Indian Youth Congress also donated funds. The funds from the Lt. Governor will be used to repay the loan taken to support the team’s participation, while other funds will support the team’s participation in the Women Challenge Cup of Asia Division I in June 2022.

Deachen feels these struggles will continue for a few years. “Ice hockey is growing in popularity. It is the responsibility of all the girls currently playing ice hockey to help establish a strong foundation for the sport and improve its stature,” she added. Tsetan agreed and said, “The efforts being made by players and Ladakh Women’s Ice hockey Foundation to improve women’s ice hockey will continue. Perhaps, in the next five to six years women’s ice hockey will overcome these challenges once and for all.”

By Kunzes Dolma

Kunzes Dolma is a part of the editorial team at Stawa

Legends of the Balu

Posted on by Dr Nordan Otzer

One day, my mother asked me to take the cattle to graze in the seabuckthorn forest near the village. It was early summer in the late 1980s. The trees were sprouting new leaves just as green shoots of grass were emerging from the ground. Sun was high and its rays were reflecting on the sand dunes and the barren path leading to the forest. This made walking difficult. There was silence in the area. Even the normal jungle sounds seemed to have ceased. Faraway, a lone bird was preparing to dive in the river across the sand dune.

I walked behind the cattle with a willow stick in my hand. We had 13 cows, four donkeys and two oxen. Since they knew the path to the forest, I have never been able to understand the purpose of walking with them. Anyway, we crossed the river. The herd decided to walk through the water and I used the bridge made by three long branches of a seabuckthorn tree. It requires skill and concentration to walk across this makeshift bridge. Even a slight distraction can break your concentration and you could end up in the icy cold water below.

In the distance, my eyes fell on the figure of a boy sitting alone on a rock. There was a walking stick in his hand and he was wearing a hat. My eyes remained fixed on this figure. The cattle were not bothered and they continued on their way. I was hesitant to move ahead, my heart started beating faster and my hand started trembling. Suddenly, I remembered a folklore recounted by my grandfather and other elders in the village about a supernatural creature. They would describe a short and stocky human-like person with a walking stick and a hat who had magical powers to fulfil any wish. They are known as ‘Balu’ in Ladakhi and are similar to elves and dwarves in other cultures.

My grandfather had told me that if I ever met a Balu, I should call out my wish to him. My grandfather added that my wish would be fulfilled but I needed to ensure that I did not mention the incident to anyone. He warned that if one fails to keep the secret, misfortune would befall. 

I was convinced that the figure in the distance was a resting Balu. The first thing that came to my mind was to wish for a more chicken for our home. A month ago, my father had started a small poultry farm at home with few country chicken and two roosters. However, they had refused to lay eggs even after a month. I was eager to play with little chicks from this poultry farm.

So, I shouted at the top of my voice, “Balu-ley! I want more chickens at home. Can you please help me with it?”

I turned immediately, scrambled back and ran blindly through the river and sand dunes without waiting for its reaction and left the cows to their own devices. I ran through the narrow lanes of the village like someone possessed. I entered the house at the same speed. My elder sister was startled and started running too. I was frightened and excited at the same time. I stopped to catch my breath with my hands on my knees and my head hanging down. I was wondering if I should tell my sister about the incident. 

She was very curious and wanted to know about what happened to make me run so fast. I was in a dilemma: Should I tell her about the incident and wait for misfortune to take place or remain silent, which is impossible. My sister is very inquisitive and difficult to ignore. After giving it a lot of thought, I decided to tell my sister about my encounter and made her promise that she would not tell anyone else about it. 

Local folklores claim that Balu live in Beyul (hidden village). They occasionally pass human settlements while travelling. It is said that the Balu are very hardworking. In fact, there is a saying in Ladakhi, “Balu sath pa makher, Balu kol la kher”, which translates as “Don’t kill a Balu but enslave it instead.” It is said that a Balu needs its hat and walking stick to travel. They use the hat as a compass and the walking stick to travel fast and remain invisible.

My family owns a water mill in Kyagar village. It is one of the finest water mills in our village. It is said that a Balu visited our water mill once and took some barley flour from there and blessed the water mill as a token of its gratitude. It thus became the finest water mills in the village. Every village in Ladakh has legends about Balu. For instance, Spangmik village on the bank of Pangong-tso is considered to be a Beyul and villagers believe that it controls the irrigation water of the village. Similarly, the famous Lonpo of Wanla, who was historically known for his supernatural power, is said to have had acquired these powers from a Balu. Similarly, the literal meaning of Phey is ‘half’ and it is said that half of the village is still occupied by Balu and is invisible to us. Likewise, there are ruins of castles in many villages that are often called the castle of the Balu or Balu Khar. Such structures are present across Ladakh especially places such as Khaltse, Hemis Shukpachan, Hunder etc.

Anyway, returning to our story, I couldn’t sleep that night. I kept thinking of the Balu. I was excited to see the outcome of my request. I kept wondering if I would see eggs in the morning or if I would face some misfortune for revealing the secret.

That fateful night there were some commotion in the chicken coop. All the hustle and bustle left me exhilarated as I thought that my wish was being fulfilled and the chickens were laying eggs. That night was the longest night of my life. I woke up at the crack of dawn. There was complete silence except for a donkey braying in the distance. 

My father was awake and moving fitfully towards the chicken coop. I saw one of the roosters perched on the toilet and there were feathers scattered everywhere around the coop. My mother was walking around hastily outside our house compound in the narrow lanes of the village as she searched for something.  

It turned out that a dog had entered our chicken coop in the night and killed all the chicken with the exception of one rooster. I went back to my bed and cried profusely for my folly in revealing the secret to my sister. I woke my sister up and told her what had happened. She promised to keep our secret and did not reveal anything to our parents.

I don’t know if it was a coincidence or if such magical creatures do actually exist. I have come across many such incidents and folklores in Ladakh about the Balu. I remain baffled by my own experience, which compels me to believe these legends.

Ladakhi society is full of such stories about mythical creatures. People believe in these stories and they remain an integral part of Ladakhi culture. It is not unique to Ladakh as such mythical creatures are also known in other societies and cultures and are known by names such as elves, goblins, trolls, kobolds etc. Today, such myths and magic are being recreated in films. Unfortunately, legends of the Balu are fast disappearing from our society, which will not only leave a vacuum but also weaken our culture. We are running out of time and need to document such incidents, tales and legends associated with our belief system and preserve them for future generations.

(The author is grateful to Rainer Roos, Stanzin Tsewang, Khanpo K. Sherab and Tsering Namgyal for their valuable inputs for this article.)

Text by Dr Nordan Otzer

Sketch by Isaac Tsetan Gergan

Dr Nordan Otzer is an ENT doctor based in Leh.

History and culture of the Dards

Posted on by Aarif Hussain

As I read books on Ladakh’s history, I realised that many writers had visited Dha-Hanu villages to collect data. This piqued my curiosity to explore this area. In 2015, I joined the PNR Hydro Power Project in Dha village for my summer internship as a Junior Engineer in the Civil Engineering Department of the company. It was mandatory for me to stay on the premises of the project. I had the option of staying at the staff quarters but I refused. Instead, I decided to pursue my ambition to learn more about the Dardic community. I looked for accommodation in Dha village and found it at the home of a humble villager. We agreed on the rent but he refused to accept money when I was leaving a month later.

During my stay in the village I would spend my time with the elders of the village whenever I got free from my duties. On Sundays, I would visit the village lChangra (public meeting place in villages) where the elders would gather to socialise. Initially I spoke with them in Purigias they regarded me as an outsider. The children would call me ‘Pirki’. I took this name in my stride and continued interacting with the villagers. Gradually, I started speaking in my own mother tongue and people looked at me in astonishment. They asked, “Ture Hamo Moušpo Yea Bo Eesin?” (How do you know our language?). I smiled and responded, “Wa Dudo Ge Dededa, Mo Sharchichok Baitna” (Oh elders, I am from Sharchay). On hearing this, an elder lady started swinging her traditional headgear in front of my face as a gesture to welcome me. After this, many of them started sending fresh vegetables to me from their fields. Their kindness was overwhelming. A few elders started sharing old stories of our ancestors who lived happily together. Times have changed all of us and created various divisions.

In my village, people say that the villagers of Dha, Garkhone, Beama and Darchiks spoke the purest form of our language but I discovered that this was not true. Furthermore, we speak a similar language, eat similar food but follow different faiths. Despite this difference, the people of Sharchay and Chulichan perform many rituals that have no connection with Islam. For example, when something tragic happens or seems imminent, people sacrifice a goat or sheep above the village beneath a big juniper tree called Chilgee. The ritual is called Chal-Gipayis. The place where the slaughter takes place is called Duhi/Duhea in Dardic. As part of the ritual, white flags called Dadarsare tied to the juniper tree as a sign of peace and prosperity. After this, people raise their hand towards the sky and askDabon (God) to protect the area from natural disasters.

Migration from Gilgit to Ladakh

When speaking about the Dards, historians generally speak about Dha-Hanu and Darchiks-Garkhone and exclude Dards who currently practice Islam. When I asked some elders about the history of Dha and Garkhone, they said that our ancestors had migrated from Gilgit through Shigar in Baltistan along the gorge carved by the Shayok between Hanu and Turtuk. On the other hand, elders in my village say that our ancestors migrated from Gilgit to Ladakh along the Indus.

Dogra Governor of Ladakh Wazarat, Frederic Drew has written in his book, The Jummoo and Kashmir Territories: A Geographical Account (1875) that the Dards in this belt belong to an earlier migration who reached this region in small numbers. However, British historian R. B. Shaw writes in his book, Stray Arians in Tibet (1878) that Dards of Dha-Hanu claimed to have migrated from Gilgit and Brushal via Astore, Deosai, and Kargil.

German Tibetologist A. H. Francke wrote in his book Ladakh The Mysterious Land (1907) that there was a dynasty of Dard Kings at Khaltse whose fort was built on the bank of the Indus, and that inscriptions identified the names of the last kings as Shirima, Gya shin and Tri od. This dynasty ended sometime between 1150 and 1200 CE. Francke also mentioned that “…Da [Dha] and Garkunu [Garkhone] were ruled by magspons [Makpons] or “dukes,” just as the Baltis were; but these villages have always been independent of Baltistan” (p.48).

According to local tales, the kings of Khaltse and Leh fought a war, which the Dards lost as they were fewer in number. They were forced to leave Khaltse and Lamayuru and settled in Dha, Garkhone and Chulichan. We still have families in Chulichan village with names such as Yurupa, whose ancestors migrated from Lamayuru and Lehdo.

Researcher Tsewang Gailtsen writes in his Dardi Brokskat Dictionary that Garkhone, Dha and Ganokh were founded by three brothers, Galo, Melo and Dulo after they fled from Gilgit. Their respective sons, Gapomaro, Thapamaro and Gil Singgey settled in Dha-Hanu. Later, Horri Deday and her seven children from Garkhone migrated and founded Darchiks village.

Religion and deities

The Dards in this area currently practice Islam and Buddhism. The Dards of Dha-Hanu, Garkhone, Darchiks follow Buddhism while those in Sharchay, Chulichan, Silmo, Lakha Baltum, Batalik, Gargardo and Lalung practice Islam. Brokskat is no longer spoken in Lalung and Hanu.

Shina scholar Razwal Kohistani writes in his book Dard tribes in Pakistan and Kashmir that over time Dards have followed Shamanism, Astrolatry, Zartosht (fire-worship), Bonism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. He mentioned the names of deities worshipped by Dards, including Raťhi (who brings happiness and wealth), Raťhalo (who protects from disasters), Sabdaq (who protects homes) and Sili (who protects castles from enemies). Austrian ethnographer, Karl Jettmar in his paper ‘Ethnological Research in Dardastan 1958’ (1961) mentions Sili,a holy woman of Dards. I suspect that Silmo village was originally called Silimo. According to Master Hussain, a famous oral historian from Silmo, the Dards who settled in Silmo were victims of a war with the people of Sodh. It is possible that Moti Khan, the son of Gil Singgay, named the place after their deity to protect them from the enemy.

The arrival of Islam and Buddhism

R B Shaw mentions a war between Shigar and Ladakh, which ended with this region being captured by the latter. He mentions that monks from Skurbuchan monastery converted the people of Dha-Hanu some 12 to 15 years before his travel in the region around 1878. This suggests that the Dards of Dha, Hanu, and Garkhone converted to Buddhism around 1863-1866.  Shaw adds that Wachera (now across LoC) was also inhabited by Buddhist Dards who spoke Brokskat during that time. He further mentions that Dards residing in Lalung, Silmo, Dangal, Chulichan, Morol, Singkarmo and Ganokh converted to Islam a long time before his visit to the region.

Language

The languages spoken in this region include Purigi and Dardic Brokskat, which is an offshoot of Shina language. I consider Shina as the mother of our language. British orientalist G W Litner has written, “The language spoken in Dha-Hanu is called Shina of Dha-Hanu.” Other scholars such as N Ramaswamy have mentioned its name as Brokskat. Tsewang Gailtsen refers to it as Dardi Brokskat in his dictionary while Mukhtar Zahid Budgami calls it Chulichani, Garkhoni. Musavir Ahmad, a professor at Kashmir University refers to it as Brokskat and Kyango in his book, A Descriptive Grammar of Gurezi Shina. The Central Institute of Indian Languages has officially registered its name as Brokskat. Razwal Kohistani has called it Shina Indus Bataliki. In a book we are writing together, we have compared words from Brokskat and Shina Indus Kohistani.

Relationship between Muslim and Buddhist Dards

Despite religious differences, Muslim and Buddhist Dards share close family ties. Many families including mine have close relatives in Darchiks. I discussed this with the residents of Darchiks, Dha, Beama, Chulichan, Batalik and Sharchay. It emerged that villagers of Batalik have relatives in Dha-Beama and Hanu, those from Darchiks have relatives in Batalik and so on. These people visit each other during festivals and funerals irrespective of the religion they follow currently.

Agricultural rituals

Agriculture is the cornerstone of the region’s economy. R. B. Shaw writes that the villagers of Dha mentioned that their ancestors hunted rather than farmed. A mighty hunter of the past had dropped his bow (Dah in Ladakhi) on a hillside. This became a water channel that irrigated the fields of what grew into a village. One of their chiefs found seeds of wild wheat and barley and sowed them near the water channel. Thus, the village was established. The process of using the plough and sowing is called Bahis in Dardic Brokskat.

During this season, Muslim and Buddhist Dards perform some unique rituals. They burn juniper leaves to purify the land and protect it from disasters. Before taking the plough and bulls to the fields, children go to the field for a ritual called Sumpa. Children are said to be free of sin and this ritual is believed to improve the field’s yield. The word Sumpa is a combination of Sum (soil in Dardic Brokskat) andPa (a possessive suffix in Balti/Purigi) i.e. person of the soil. The face of the Sumpa is dotted with local ghee (clarified butter) and roasted barley flour with a bag of barley on his back. He then walks around the field before the family starts ploughing and sowing seeds. This ritual is unique to this region.

By Aarif Hussain

Aarif Hussain is a resident of Sharchay village, Kargil. He holds a B. Tech degree in Civil Engineering from Kurukshetra University, Haryana.

Remembering Sodnam Skybldan Gergan (1904-1981)

Posted on by Elijah Spalbar Gergan

Born in the beginning of the 20th Century in a Ladakhi Christian family, my father, S. S. Gergan left at a very young age for Srinagar, Kashmir for his education. At the time, this journey would take 14 days on foot or pony. In Kashmir, he studied at the Tyndale Biscoe School, where he had the privilege of studying under the pioneering educationist, Canon Cecil Tyndale Biscoe. My father was a keen sportsman and represented Sri Pratap College in football, field hockey, tug-of-war and water sports. An avid polo enthusiast, he played the sport in Ladakh till well into his 50s. A lover of good music, he loved playing his Amati violin.

After his studies, my father took an administrative position in the Education Department in Ladakh. He would recount stories of school visits, including ones in Skardu region of Baltistan. In June 1929, his older brother, Chimed Gergan, an officer in the Forest Department was murdered on Pensi-la by smugglers of Indian Costus or Kuth (Sassurea lappa), which was an expensive minor forest produce exported to China through Central Asia. After this incident, the Maharaja’s government offered a position to my father in the Forest Department. I don’t know the exact year when he joined the Forest Service but it was sometime in the early 1930s. During this service, he was sent to the Imperial Forest College, Dehradun, which has since been renamed as Forest Research Institute. He was the first Ladakhi alumnus of this institution.

During his years in the Forest Service, he was posted in Ladakh for a few years and the rest of his tenure was in Kashmir where he was instrumental in establishing the Forest Training School in Chattarnar, Bandipore. He also served as Game Warden Kashmir (wildlife was known as game then) till his retirement. In Ladakh, he made a Plantation Working Plan for river valleys stretching from Changthang to Zoji-la, which was quite task in those days of pony transport. He probably spent around 33 to 34 in years in the Forest Service and retired in 1964. In addition to forestry, he also had extensive knowledge of earth sciences and biodiversity.

After his retirement in 1964, he assumed various responsibilities including serving as the Principal of the Moravian Institute, Dehradun. However, he dedicated this period of his life to research on Ladakh. His primary task was to complete editing a book on Ladakh’s history, Ladags rGyalrabs Chimed Ster, which was written by his father, Yoseb Tsetan Gergan (famed for translating the Bible into Tibetan and as a research scholar). In the absence of printing facilities for Tibetan alphabets in Kashmir, S. S. Gergan painstakingly calligraphed the whole book of several hundred pages by writing five to six pages a day for its lithography. This authoritative book on Ladakh history was published in 1976 and remains an essential reference on the subject. Besides this, he collaborated with Prof. F. M. Hassnain to write the ‘Critical introduction and annotations’ to Dr. A. H. Franke’s republished book, History of Ladakh. S. S. Gergan himself wrote two books; The Losar of Ladakh, Spiti, Lahoul, Khunnu, and Western Tibet (1978) and Big Game of Jammu and Kashmir (1962). He received invitations from several universities to deliver lectures, conduct research and participate in field surveys.

It was during one of his research tours to Kargil to explore local renditions of the legendary King rGyalam Kesar’s exploits that he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest. An epitome of health and vigour throughout his lifetime, S. S. Gergan passed away with his boots on! He was survived by his stalwart homemaker-wife Florence and family of six children.

By Elijah Spalbar Gergan

Elijah Spalbar Gergan served as Principal of Moravian Mission School for 25 years. Earlier in 1982, he established the Suru Valley Public School in Kargil.

Uncovering the past: Losar’s Hashala

Posted on by Jigmet Yangchan Katpa

Every society and culture has its own method of calculating time and has developed its own calendar. The people of Ladakh follow the lunar calendar to mark various events and record history. One of the most important social events in the annual Ladakhi lunar calendar is Losar or ‘new year’. There are several rituals and practices associated with such celebrations, which are rooted in our history.

However, as observed by historian Rohit Vohra, Ladakh’s documented history doesn’t provide details for the period prior to the 11th Century. Most of what is known for this period is in the form of legends, myths, and folklores. One such folklore that still persists in Nubra and Purig is that of Cho Bongskang. Cho is a title given to elderly leaders in Ladakh, Bong refers to a donkey and sKang to leg. He was an oppressive ruler at Teble (possibly in present-day Baltistan) and had an invincible body made of steel. Once he asked his subjects to stitch a shoe for him. All of them stitched a pair of shoes for him but none of them fit him. The only pair that fit his feet resembled the hooves of a donkey and was stitched by an elderly woman. After this incident, he was called Cho Bongskang i.e. leader with donkey-like hooves.

He loved eating a goat kid and he would demand that villagers deliver a goat kid to his palace. Each family would take turns to offer a goat kid to him and this became a ritual in the village. One time, a woman offered a new-born goat kid whose mother died while giving birth to it. Since it did not have a mother, the woman had breast fed the goat kid herself. When this goat kid was served, Cho Bongskang loved its taste and devoured it. He was curious about the new taste but the cook was not able to provide any satisfactory answer. The cook summoned the owner and learnt that she had breastfed the goat kid, which had changed its taste. When Cho Bongskang heard this, he demanded that human children be served to him instead of goat kids. He reasoned that if a goat kid could taste so good due to human breast milk then human children would taste even better.

This cannibalistic demand sent a wave of horror through the village. They were already fed up with his oppression and cruelty and this demand proved to be the final straw. The villagers started conspiring to kill him. Ironically, none of the villagers knew how to vanquish the invincible Cho Bongskang. However, there was one elderly villager who knew that Cho Bongskang’s heart was made of lac (a resinous substance that melts when heated), which is why he was scared of fire. So, the villagers hatched a plan to kill him by digging a ditch inside the gate of the palace. The next time he went on a hunting expedition, the villagers lit juniper branches and chased him towards the palace. The plan worked as intended and he fell into the pit. The villagers then threw the burning juniper branches into it. This ended Cho Bongskang’s reign of terror and freed the people of Teble from his monstrous demands. Since then, they have been celebrating their new year with fire in a ritual that came to be known as Dong-Me (Me means fire).

The origins of this story seem to be lost today. However, the celebration of his death is still practiced in the form of rituals using fire. In Baltistan, people celebrate a festival called Me-phang (me is fire, phang means throwing) and in Ladakh, Buddhists celebrate the onset of Losar with fire.

Losar celebrations start from the 25th day of the last month in the Tibetan lunar calendar. This day is called Galdan Namchot. Since the Tibetan calendar follows the lunar cycle, the date for Losar keeps changing on the Gregorian calendar. Buddhists generally mark the night of Galdan Namchot by lighting butter-lamps around their homes.

Similarly, they follow similar rituals on the night before Losar. The youth from the villages also practice a tradition of slinging fire, which is called Hashala. They stuff a few layers of jute bags soaked in kerosene, tie it in a knot and attach it to a chain. At night, once the monastery gives the signal by sounding a trumpet, musicians start playing Daman (drums). This is the cue for the youth, who light the knots on the jute bag and sling it around their head continuously causing sparks to hit surround surfaces and shining light around them. They run around the village in this manner and villagers encourage them by shouting, “Haishala-Hoshala.” At the end, they gather at a chosen point. In Leh town, they gather in front of the mosque built on the king’s land. Here they compete with one another to see whose fire lasts the longest.

Text by Jigmet Yangchan Katpa

Photographs by Jigmet Yangchan Katpa and Norbu Sponbo

Jigmet Yangchan holds a bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences and a master’s degree in Anthropology. She is currently worked on a project being implemented by Ladakh Ecological Development Group. Her instagram handle is @all_about_ladakh.

End of an era: Tashi Rabgais (1927-2020)

Posted on by Dr Sonam Wangchok

Tashi Rabgais was a prominent scholar, historian and one of Ladakh’s great intellectuals. Despite all his achievements, he was always humble and down-to-earth. He had great command over Ladakhi language and Buddhist studies. He has written numerous books and research papers including The History of Ladakh called the Mirror which Illuminates All. His contribution to the study of Ladakhi culture is immense and innumerable. He worked closely with many national and international researchers, scholars and students. In many ways, he served as a bridge between ancient and contemporary study of Ladakh.

Tashi Rabgais was born in the Tukchu family in Serthi (Sakti) village of Leh district in 1927. He completed his initial education from a Primary School in Chemde village and secondary education from Tyndale Biscoe School, Srinagar. Later, he completed B.Sc. degree from Sri Pratap College, Srinagar.

Tashi Rabgais started his career as the Personal Assistant to Ladakh’s first Deputy Minister in the J&K Govt., the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, from 1953 to 1958. He then worked as an Assistant Editor/Cultural Officer in Gangtok, Sikkim. After this, he served as the In charge for Ladakhi Programmes on Radio Kashmir, Srinagar from 1960 to 1962. Then in 1963, he was appointed Lecturer in the department of Buddhist studies at Delhi University. In 1964, he was appointed Secretary of Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) and worked there for the next seven years. At the same time he also worked as Information Officer, J&K Government from 1964 to 1982. In 1986, he was appointed Education Officer at Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LEDeG). In the 1990s, Tashi Rabgais represented J&K state as a member of the Sahitya Academy, New Delhi and as an Advisor to the Ministry of Culture’s North Zone Cultural Association, Government of India. He was also one of the founding members of the International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS). He has a Chair in the name of Gyalwa Lungchen Rabjam at the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, Leh in recognition of his services to Buddhist studies.

He started several newsletters such as Yargyas Kongphel and Tendel Sargyur in Ladakhi language. He authored five books including Natir Puja (1961, play translated from English to Ladakhi), History of Ladakh from early times to 1947 in Ladakhi, and a translation of Ancient Futures to Ladakhi, He curated a collection of 127 Ladakhi folk songs, which was published by J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages in 1970. Similarly, a collection of articles in English titled, ‘Ladakh Tradition and Change’ was published in 2004. In addition, he published a collection of 115 original songs written in Ladakhi, which was titled ’Jig-rten Kuntu Gawey Lu in 2007. In 2003, he published the first edition of a play titled Zosgar Tus kyi Melon, where the characters are all wild animals and the story talks about the problems faced by wildlife. In 2003, he wrote a book called Mangs kyi Ringlugs on democracy, In 2009, he wrote a book titled Sustainable Spirituality in Buddhism. In addition to all this, he has made immense contribution towards developing text books in Ladakhi for schools in the region.

Tashi Rabgais had great love for Ladakhi culture and his contribution for preserving culture, language and literature was appreciated by government and non government organisations. In view of his contribution towards preserving Ladakhi language and culture, the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages conferred him with the Robe of Honour in 1971. In 1999, he was awarded the Bhasha Samman by Sahitya Akademi for his multiple achievements. He was also honoured with the Dogra Rattan award in 2007 by the Council for Promotion of Dogri Language, Culture and History, Jammu and Voice of Millions, New Delhi. He was conferred with the State Award for Literature by the J&K Government in 2008. The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh honoured him with the second Ladakh dPal-rNgams Award in 2017 for his exceptional contribution in enriching Ladakhi language, literature and culture. Over the years he was felicitated by several local and national organisations.

My association with Tashi Rabgais goes back to 2010 when we invited him to inaugurate the office of the Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation (HCHF) at Lonpo House in Leh’s old town. Speaking on the occasion, Tashi Rabgais emphasised the value of preserving and promoting various cultural activities for the betterment of society. He was also the patron of the International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS) and I used to visit him often. Each time, I was impressed and inspired by his wisdom, advice and sense of humour. One day, some of us went to meet him for an interview and he kept telling us “Aap Watan Tumare Hawale Hain Sathiyon” (the nation is now your responsibility). Later, he explained that he has done what he could in his lifetime for Ladakh’s culture and literature and now it’s the responsibility of the present generation to carry that work forward.

In 2019, we invited him for the inaugural function of 19th IALS conference held in Leh where he was felicitated. As the patron of IALS, he delivered a speech, which may have been one of his last public speeches for an international audience. In his speech, he recalled his experience working with various scholars and the contribution of IALS to different fields of Ladakh studies.

Tashi Rabgais passed away on 28 October, 2020 in Leh. His passing is a great loss not only for Ladakh but also for the larger Himalayan region and the world of research. This was well articulated by former president of IALS, John Bray in his condolence message. He said, “More than anyone else that I know, Tashi Rabgais would have qualified for the title of ‘scholar sage’, deep in his scholarship, broad in his wisdom, and all the time full of humour.” We have lost a champion of Ladakhi culture and a treasure house of knowledge. He remains an inspiration for us to take pride in our identity.

Text by Dr. Sonam Wangchok

Photograph by Sonam Gyatso

Dr. Sonam Wangchok is President of International Association for Ladakh Studies and Founder of Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation

Research in Ladakh: Status, gaps and opportunities

Posted on by Dr Suresh Rana

Reliable scientific data is a critical ingredient in the development of well-informed and evidence-based policy. By and large, this has been inadequate in the Indian context despite focusing on research and development (R&D) over the last seven decades. Scientists generally conduct research to generate and analyse data, which is then published in the form of journal articles, books, reports etc. The extent to which scientific data is used for policy-making remains unknown.

Evidence-based policies are anchored in actual processes and reflect real challenges. In contrast, opinion and ideology-based policies are shaped by views and experience of a few individuals involved in policy-making. Thus, evidence-based policies are more relevant for development as they are well grounded, have clearly defined issues, provide potential options to address these issues along with monitoring of impacts and outcomes. The evidence is meant to inform the policy process rather than influencing its objective.

However, evidence-based policy requires reliable data sets obtained by independent scientific organisations that are not directly involved in policy-making. Scientific and academic institutions generate large amounts of data, which are generally available in publications or in institutional archives. We need tools from the field of data sciences to convert these data sets into formats that are useful for policy and governance.

Many researchers claim that the Himalayas is one of the most data deficient regions on the planet. For instance, a recent report by ICIMOD titled The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment concluded that if current global warming scenarios continue, the Himalayan region will experience changes with temperatures rising beyond the Paris Agreement of 2015, including more rainfall and extreme weather events. However, scientists warn that inadequate data has prevented us from gaining a robust understanding of the impacts of a changing climate on the Himalayan region. The Himalayas are home to about 240 million people but currently lacks sufficient data to understand and mitigate climate change.

As part of its mandate to study the Himalayan environment, the G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE) conducted an extensive survey of published literature on biodiversity of the region to evaluate if the region is really data deficient. This search yielded around 30,000 research articles, 5,000 doctoral theses and 4,000 books published on the Himalayan region in India, Nepal and Bhutan. While this represents a fairly large quantity of literature, the information it contains has not been translated into a format useable for policy development. Also, this information remains scattered and is not accessible on a single platform.

In this regard, there is need for an interface between policymakers and researchers to identify priorities for data generation. While ease of access to information can bridge some of these gaps, researchers are often reluctant to share their data. This will require a policy to promote data sharing and public archiving while also preserving the integrity of the researcher’s intellectual labour. In addition, availability of information on a common platform will create communications channels between the scientific community and policy-makers. All of this will help reinforce evidence-based policy making.

The newly-formed UT administration in Ladakh is striving to formulate policies for sustainable development of the region, including a vision to make it carbon neutral. This is an opportunity for Ladakh to prioritise evidence-based policies. Ladakh has a fragile and vulnerable environment. Traditionally, communities lived in scattered hamlets clustered around water resources while being well-adapted to local conditions with minimal environmental impact. In recent times, increasing population and intensified developmental activities have had a negative impact on the environment. Infrastructure development for tourism has led to intensified energy consumption, increased pollution, biodiversity loss etc. The declaration of Ladakh as a Union Territory is expected to increase human influx due to tourism and new employment opportunities.

In this regard, research and development institutions in Ladakh can play a critical role in generating scientific data to shape new policies. Currently, there are several research instituitions working in the region (Table 1). A majority of these insitutions focus on education, environment, and agriculture sector limited focus on social sciences, earth sciences, medical sciences etc. While existing research institutions can be engaged to inform suitable policies, this is also an opportunity to establish new institutions to fill current gaps. A consortium of existing organisations needs to be developed in Ladakh to create a comunication channel to exchange scientific ideas.

Table 1. Prominent research and development institutions in Ladakh (Year of initation)

After joining as a scientist at the newly-formed Ladakh Regional Centre of G.B. Pant NIHE in Leh, I started exploring research literature for Ladakh. I did an exhaustive search of global bibliographic databases to identify research papers, books and book chapters pertaining to Ladakh. This yielded around 3,000 publications of which a large majority focused on biodiversity followed by earth sciences and social sciences (Figure 1). I also found a gradual increase in scientific literature on Ladakh over a period of time (Figure 2).

Fig. 1 Subject-wise distribution of published literature
Fig. 2 Temporal growth of literature pertaining to Ladakh.

This literature represents a considerable volume of data for a region that is relatively small. However, the information in this published literature needs to be translated into a format useable for policy development. It needs to be compiled and collated for specific sectors that addresses policy and governance questions and identifies data gaps. Also, most research literature on Ladakh has been published by non-local scientists with limited contribution from local researchers. In this regard, Ladakhi reasearchers need to be promoted as they have a better understanding of issues and challenges with a direct stake in the future of the region.

As a new UT, Ladakh has a unique opportunity to form strong links between research and policy-making. A good example of how this can work in practice is the UT administration’s recent push to adopt organic agriculture in Ladakh. This requires research into various facets of agriculture. For instance, current varieties of apricots, apples, walnuts, buckwheat, etc are well-adapted for the conditions in Ladakh but there is a lot of scope to study their nutritional value. There is similar scope in other sectors too including handicrafts, traditional Amchi medicine system etc. Thus, the UT administration needs to work with the scientific and local communities to set research priorities to identify and tap the unique advantages that Ladakh enjoys. This will help the UT administration regulate the use of these resources while ensuring that they provide equitable benefit to the people of Ladakh.

Earlier in 2020, the Prime Minister of India articulated a vision to develop Ladakh as a carbon neutral region. This will require well-informed policies backed by scientific inputs. In this regard, the environmental impact of each sector of Ladakh’s economy will need to be scrutinised scientifically. The expertise of research institutions in Ladakh can be tapped to inventorise sources of carbon emission and identify energy sources and technologies with low carbon emissions. For instance, Ladakh has enormous potential for renewable energy sources such as solar and geothermal energy. There is need for research on how these resources can be tapped without harming the environment. While the government has initiated large renewable energy projects, research is needed to develop technologies to fulfil household-level energy needs. Such technology will help mitigate some impacts of large energy projects.

All this can happen only if research in Ladakh is strengthened and closely linked with policy and governance. Research projects addressing priority areas for Ladakh must be initiated to fulfil policy needs with a clear mechanism for accountability. Civil society too can be tapped to collect useful data through citizen science approaches. The first step will be to develop a research policy for Ladakh along with financial support, monitoring, evaluation, and a system for data retrieval and access. In addition, mechanisms need to be developed to communicate scientific research through periodic workshops and seminars that facilitate interactions between policy-makers and researchers.

By Dr Suresh Rana

Dr Suresh Rana is a scientist at the Ladakh Regional Centre, G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Leh

Open letter: Why engineers need a training facility

Posted on by Tsering Angchok

Whosoever can address this issue!

I am a serving engineer in the Public Works Department (PWD) in Leh district. Based on my experience, I feel that there is a dire need for a training facility for serving Civil Engineers (and engineers in general) in Ladakh. 

I was inducted in 2015 in PWD Department as a Junior Engineer. Much to my dismay and shock, we didn’t have any sort of orientation programme, forget the sort of intensive training that doctors, teachers and civil servants have to undergo when they join service. 

In this regard, there is an urgent need to establish a technical training facility in Ladakh to cater to the needs of all technical training. On following grounds:

1) Engineers (Civil Engineering in my case) are not directly responsible for people’s lives like doctors. However, we are indirectly responsible for many lives. In view of this responsibility, periodic training is necessary in the whole spectrum of skills exercised by an engineer including designing and executing safer buildings and roads. 

2) Since no training is available, newly inducted and serving engineers have no options but to resort to past (archaic) practices that we have learnt in college.

3) We need to stay updated with new technologies at construction sites (say with new survey equipment ranging from total stations to drone surveys) and software used in everyday management of office and project work. In this regard, a proper technical facility for engineers is necessary to stay updated. Else, it is quite likely that many serving engineers will become obsolete in the near future.

4) Ever since Ladakh was declared a Union Territory, there is a surge of developmental funds and engineers must be oriented and trained properly to utilise the funds properly and in a timely manner.

5) In addition to technical knowledge, engineers also need to meet people on a daily basis. Good interpersonal skills are a must to ensure smooth functioning in public dealing in the office. Accordingly, periodic training must include like communication and interpersonal skills.

This matter requires an urgent solution that will cater to training to technical employees on the same lines as the Education department (District Institute for Education and Training).

In this regard, we engineers have approached Deputy Commissioner, Leh (letter attached), the hon’ble Lieutenant Governor and the Hon’ble Member of Parliament. I now appeal to the larger public to help us find a solution to this urgent need.

Tsering Angchok Mayur 

Tsering Angchok Mayur is a Junior Engineer in the PWD Department, Leh.

Unearthing the mysteries of rZongi-Kor

Posted on by Aarif Hussain

Ladakh is famous for its culture, beautiful landscape, crystal clear Pangong-tso, Nubra’s sand-dunes, Changthang’s pashmina, lush green valleys of Kargil, the beauty of Zangskar, the forts that dot the landscape and so on. Ladakh still holds many secrets and unexplored mysteries. I recently explored one such mystery.

There is a village called Sharchay in Kargil district of UT Ladakh. The village is located at an altitude of 10,000 ft (3,050m) above mean sea level (msl). The village is surrounded by towering mountains that seem to hide more than they reveal. The village dates back to ancient times. It came to the forefront in the 20th Century as it is located on the approach route used by mountaineers to climb Mount Gyunkar, whose peaks stands at 18,000 ft (5,487m) above msl. An elder in the village mentioned that till middle of the 20th Century there were no restrictions in these areas and people were able to travel around freely. He explained that many mountaineers used to visit this area before the Partition of 1947 and the creation of the Line of Control between India and Pakistan that cuts through this landscape. At the time, climbers would trek down from Mount Gyunkar towards Sharchay and then follow the route along the Indus to Mount K2 in Baltistan.

The village still lacks road and phone connectivity and continues to struggle for these amenities. The village is famous for its agriculture and fruit production especially walnuts and apricots. It is also famous for the high quality of pure Salajeet, which is used in traditional medicinal systems, found around the village. The inhabitants of the village are considered to be one of the oldest Dardic communities in Ladakh, who are believed to have migrated from Gilgit many centuries back.


Sectional sketch of rZongi-Kor by Architect Fayaz Ali

Local folklore mentions a cave near the village. Recently, a group of us explored this mysterious cave near Sharchay. This group was led by architect Fayaz Ali who brought the necessary equipment such as heavy torches, rope, measurement tap and gauges etc to measure and explore the cave. In addition, we also had actor Kacho Ahmed Khan who assisted with the exploration, recited verses from the Holy Quran and entertained with his melodious voice. The group included hotelier and entrepreneur Ali Asger, who has considerable experience exploring such caves in India and Nepal, and Zakir Hussain Jaffary, a renowned film-maker and hotelier who documented various facets of the cave. We also had Sadic who is a famous skier and a teacher whose expertise as a mountaineer proved invaluable in this expedition. The group also included local Kargili trekkers, Iftikhar Baravi and Hasnain Rajayee.

The team spent the first night at my home in Sharchay and headed out the next morning after breakfast. It took us to two attempts to find the cave. The cave is known as rZongi-Kor, which is derived from two Dardic words, ‘rZong’, which means chisel and ‘Kor’, which translates as cave. The name suggests that the cave was created and decorated by humans with a hammer and chisel.

The cave is located at the same altitude as the village and is divided into two large chambers. The entrance is through a three-foot high and two-foot wide doorway, which is 80ft from the base camp. There is a 15-foot wide natural façade around the entrance.

The villagers have been following a ritual each time they enter the cave. This ritual has been inherited from our ancestors. When a group enters the cave, one person remains at the entrance reading the Holy Quran. Thus, whenever someone visits the cave, an elder from the village accompanies them to recite passages from the Holy Quran at the entrance. It’s believed that reciting verses from Holy Quran protects the visitors from the dark energies and spirits of the cave.

We honoured this tradition and as we entered the cave, Ali Asgar started reciting Sura Yasin, which is one of the most important parts of the Holy Quran. Once he finished the recitation, we entered the cave. A village elder, Hajji Mohd Reza remained at the entrance to guard it till our safe return. Thereafter, we faithfully followed this procedure each time we entered the cave over the next month that we spent exploring and documenting this cave system

The first chamber of the cave is 50 ft (15.2m) wide,130ft (40m) long and 100 ft (30.5m) high. The second chamber is 174 ft (53m) long, 30 ft (9m) wide and 80 ft (24.4m) high. Beyond the second chamber, there is a duct with a three-foot (0.9m) wide opening and 400 ft (122m) long passage heading downwards at an angle of 60 degrees towards the Indus. The river is below the cave at an altitude of 8,491 ft (2,588m) above msl and meets one of its tributaries in Dangal Batalik, which is about 15 kms from Sharchay.

According to local legends, the cave has multiple exits including one in Gachoo near Chiktan side, which is around 50 kms away. There are folktales in the village that in the past people would use cats to locate various exit points. There is a famous folk-story of two sisters. One sister lived in Sharchay village, while the other lived in Dangal Batalik. The sister in Sharchay village tied a burning torch to the tail of a cat and released it at the main entrance of the cave. A few days later, she heard that the cat had reached her sister after exiting the cave at Dangal Batalik.

We found white marble in the cave, which had been carved into intricate designs including domes and minarets. I am confident that this cave will provide new knowledge of ancient civilisations and the geological history of the Himalayas.

Village elders told us that our ancestors used to store their valuables in the village. In ancient times, robbers from Chilas would occasionally plunder Sharchay village as it was rich in agriculture and horticulture. This forced the villagers to use caves to hide their precious goods. However, one day over 100 robbers from Chilas descended on the village. As they plundered the village, they discovered that the villagers had hidden their precious goods in the cave. They headed to the cave and entered inside to look for the loot. However, none of them were ever seen again. Their fate remains a mystery to this day. One plausible explanation is that they got lost in the maze of ducts and passages inside the cave and died there. People of Sharchay claim that there are human skeletons inside the cave along with metal pieces.

Our exploration of this cave was a fascinating experience. rZongi Khar is said to be the largest cave discovered in Ladakh so far. I penned a poem in the local Dardic (Brok-skat) dialect to celebrate this fascinating fragment of our heritage:

rZongi-Kor Sharchays hove bait.

rZongi-Kor aso bunu taj bait.

rZongi-Kor di azuo hang aaso niwoung.

rZongi-Kor aaso bunu turiwo bait.

(rZongi-Kor cave is the heart of Sharchay,

rZongi-Kor cave is the jewel crown of our vicinity,

There lies our luck over the podiums of the cave,

rZongi-Kor cave is the shining star of our village.

Many aspects of this cave system remain shrouded in mystery. It will require more detailed studies by relevant experts to unearth these secrets. In the meantime, we are creating a documentary film of our exploration, which we hope to release soon.

By Aarif Hussain

Photographs by Zakir Hussain Jaffary

Aarif Hussain (popularly known as Aarif Ladakhi) is a resident of Sharchay village, Kargil. He holds a B. Tech degree in Civil Engineering from Kurukshetra University in Haryana.

Exploring Ladakh’s Turkic links

Posted on by Dr Zainab Akhter

Owing to its geo-strategic location, Ladakh has historically played an important role in ancient trade especially the Silk Route. It was the melting point of culture that connected the Indian subcontinent with Central Asia, China and Tibet. The presence of the two-humped Bactrian camels in Nubra valley is living evidence of these historical links. There was a special connection between Ladakh and Turkestan in Central Asia. I was reminded of this history recently as I watched the popular Turkish series called Ertugrul.

Ladakh was part of an important feeder route to the main Silk Route trader. It is thus not surprising that merchants from Central Asia who visited Ladakh had a significant influence on its social, cultural, and political spheres. There was an intermingling of culture, ideas and ideologies and in some ways, this link also became one of many gateways through which Islam reached the region. Traders from Turkestan married local women and settled in Ladakh and integrated within its social fabric and had a major impact on the socio-cultural life of Ladakh, especially its Muslim communities. Two major groups that are still present in Ladakh are the Dards and the Arghons. While the Dardic community traces its long history into the prehistorical era, the Arghons are of Turkic origins. All of this came to my mind as I watched Ertugrul, which is about the Turkic tribe called Kayi who invaded Constantinople, which was controlled by Orthodox Christians at the time and went on to found the Ottoman Empire.

While watching the serial, I kept thinking back to my own community in Zangskar. I saw many similarities between them and the Kayi. Perhaps a Turkic Muslim trader had somehow managed to reach Zangskar and decided to settle down in the valley. In Zangskar, the most common second name for a Muslim girl is Khatun. On a personal note, my maternal grandfather named me Zainab Khatun when I was born. As I was growing up, I somehow did not like the second half of my name as it seemed very old fashioned. I thus had it removed officially at some point and replaced it with Akhter. Now, I realise that my original name was a classic name and that my grandfather was perhaps ahead of his times.

In Ertugrul, I noticed that the second name of almost all the women was Hatun. For instance, the lead character is called Halima Hatun (The ‘K’ is silent in Persian). The word Hatun was used as an honorific for women during the Ottoman period.

I was also struck by the clothing of the people in the series, especially the womenfolk. The style, pattern, and especially the headgear is very similar to that of the Muslim community of Zangskar. In the past, this kind of headgear with a small round cap decorated with ornaments inside and a long flowing chador was worn by almost every grown-up woman. Nowadays, it is limited to marriages and to special occasions. Today, if you attend a Muslim marriage in Zangskar, it is customary for the bride’s friends to wear this traditional headgear. Some elderly ladies still wear a round cap below their long scarves or shawls, although these are general without ornaments. I looked through my personal archives and found the photograph used above. It is of my grandmother, the late Hajji Fiza Khatun. She is wearing a traditional Ladakhi Muslim dress with traditional jewellery and the unique head gear complete with flowing ornaments attached to it. This headgear is strikingly similar to those worn by the women in the Turkish series.

Another striking similarity that struck me is the sword dance performance during marriage processions. When Ertugrul marries Halima Hatun, the groom’s friends led by Turgut perform a sword dance to local music. In Zangskar too, the groom’s friends perform such a sword dance to on the sounds of traditional Ladakhi music. As far as I know, this sword dance is only performed by the Muslims of Padum during marriage ceremonies. While other communities in Ladakh and Baltistan do perform sword dances it is not a part of their marriage ceremony as it is in Padum.

Similarly, a number of Turkic words have become an integral part of Ladakhi language today, while many words in the two languages sound very similar. For instance, the Turkic word for snow, water and onion are Kar, Su and Tsoan, which is very similar to their Ladakhi equivalents of Kha, Chhu and Tsong. Even the wooden bowls and spoons used by the Kayi in the series is similar to items traditionally used in Ladakh. Many people still use a wooden container to churn curd and make butter even today and the wooden cylinder to churn butter tea.

It is said that wealthy Turkic traders, mostly Arghons, donated money and gifts to construct the first Mosque in Leh. The relatively new Central Asian Museum in Leh depicts these historical connections between Ladakh and Central Asia. Many of the carpets and other gifts donated by these traders are now housed in this museum. Many Turkic Arghon families of Ladakh are known to have donated antiques, artefacts, and manuscripts from their family to the museum.

More recently, the Galwan valley has been in the news as the site where India and China had a violent face-off in June 2020 with casualties on both sides. This valley was named after Ghulam Rasool Galwan, who was a Ladakhi adventurer with Turkic ancestry who assisted many European and British explorers in the 19th Century. The Galwans remain a prominent Muslim family in Ladakh even today.

It is fascinating how a TV series can ignite one’s imagination to explore one’s own heritage more closely. Though Dirilis Ertugrul was started in 2014, its popularity has spread across the Indian Subcontinent, especially amongst Muslim communities. It is now streaming online and is accessible to a much wider audience. I am watching this series and look forward to exploring more fascinating connections between Ladakh and its neighbouring regions.

By Dr. Zainab Akhter

Dr. Zainab Akhter works at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses, New Delhi.