Sumur, On The Way To Ladakh | Chaturyatri-travel Stories On Budget Travel In India
If a winding pebbled road fringed with wild flowers and clear streams of water is
your dream of a picket fence world of romantic perfection, this small village in the Nubra Valley in Ladakh is your dream comes true, in the most literal of senses. Sumur, the largest village in the Nubra Valley is a picture perfect proof of the existence of peace, harmony and greenery even in this age of rapid downward spiral; an actual Shangri La, so to say.On our trip to Ladakh, we spent a solid, unforgettable span of two days in Sumur and every moment was a step further into the ultimate Miltonic Paradise. Our stay was a tranquil and soft spell of peaceful calm, in a little guesthouse in one corner of the village, with a large open air garden cum restaurant. The kitchen itself was open to visitors and we could just waft in there, taking in the cozy warmth on a cold winter morning. From steaming bowls of Maggi to the local Ladakhi bread with a dab of apricot jam, the food spelt no less than ambrosia for the gods themselves.
After a slow and lazy morning, our first day was spent visiting the Samstem Ling gompa, built back in the 1840s. It is not just an exquisitely beautiful structure with some of the most amazing thanka paintings but also serves as a school to young monks in training. On an off chance, one might catch them in a prayer session with the soulful Buddhist chants drifting into the winter air. Next on the list was a small village called Tegar (up north via the main road) that houses a giant prayer wheel enshrined in a small local gompa. The monasteries being visited we returned to the guesthouse to retire for the night. Being a remote village, the whole of Sumur runs only on hydroelectricity and this makes lighting quiet a dim business. But far from being a disadvantage, the low power system actually saves this graceful village from the onslaught of harsh artificial lighting and during our stay, brought out in all its essence, the beauty of the full moon and the arrays of stars sparkling in the sky.
The next day was spent in leisure, taking slow walks around the guesthouse through the long winding roads, enjoying the sound of clear water running down the streams beside us with the snow-capped hilltops, not far off, adding to the picturesque scenery. On our way we bumped into a few local kids who taught us a couple of words in Ladakhi. For instance Julay is a common greeting which can mean hello, thank you or goodbye. Makes things a tad difficult, Id assume, to say the least. Late into evening we strolled back uphill to the guesthouse with the road closing behind us as if to give us a ceremonial goodbye (or Julay, as they say!)
For a tech savvy geek like me, these two days cut off from all worldly connections- no internet, not even a cell phone network- which could have been hell, turned out instead to be the two most beautiful, memorable and enchanting days of my life, edging on perfection- a real paradise on earth. And the images and sounds that remain etched in my memory from that little place at the end of the world, tells me that be it a photography buff, a spiritual soul or simply a romantic, Sumur is a place that will not fail to enthral all and sundry.
Contributed by Ateendriya
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