The breathtaking landscapes of Ladakh will remain with me for sure but the quiet lessons on humility, gratitude, generosity and love, imparted by the locals without even realising they were doing so, sit alongside the touristy memories in my heart.
These photographs may seem like mere pictures of food lacking the perfect angle, lighting or aesthetic appeal.
For me, these are stories of love. Stories of priceless moments frozen in time. Moments of the warmth and connection I was made to feel in Ladakh.
✨ The time when I tasted butter tea or namkeen chai or Gur-Gur chai at a friend's home for the first time and how his father lovingly kept refilling the cup with a simple 'aur piyo'. He told us how his Mrs who was not at home when we visited had instructed him to serve us well ❤️
✨ The countless cups of chai at Moonpalace that witnessed our endless chatter and laughter of our kids busy in play, as if we have known each other for years!
✨ The morning at a homestay at Hanle when I sipped on hot tea with the cutest view! And soon after, I offered to babysit and cuddled little Tenzing to let her parents, our hosts fix our breakfast.
✨ The day when we stayed at Karzok, one of the highest settlements in the world where procuring daily necessities is a challenge and we were left dumbfounded to be lovingly served hot gulab jamun as dessert after a wholesome meal!
✨ The morning after when we were welcomed by piping hot tea and the most delicious Alu parathas.
✨ The time when we sat huddled inside Sonamji's kitchen at Merak while he and his wife whipped up a hearty meal for us.
✨ Impromptu cooking sessions with friends, learning and making local food Timok and Chutagi.
✨ My first time tasting Chutagi a soupy pasta dish. SO yum!
These moments and more have found a special place in my heart.
Kindness is served generously in these humble kitchens, less is truly more here. Love naturally glows, a pure kind, unrushed that is rare in the hustle of big cities. Modernities can never replace this.
Blessed to have made some friends like family. With hearts as large as the mountains they dwell amidst, they made me feel home and loved.
For that I am forever grateful 🪷🙏🏻
