LADAKH, THROUGH THEIR EYES

 LADAKH, THROUGH THEIR EYES

Twelve Days, Three Generations of Memories, and a Journey Beyond the Mountains

By Dr Amit Tyagi, Secretary, IMA Dwarka

“Travel is not merely about discovering new places; it is about discovering new meanings in familiar ones.”

I have travelled to Ladakh thirteen or fourteen times. I have lost count. Yet, when I set out from Delhi on 5 September 2026, this journey felt different. For the first time, my wife and our daughters, Riya and Diya, were joining me on a road trip I had promised them long ago.

The car was packed to the roof—because, as every family traveller knows, “Kya pata, kab zarurat pad jaaye!” But beneath the laughter, luggage and last-minute preparations was something special: the excitement of sharing a world I had known for years with the people closest to me.

Over twelve days, Ladakh gave us far more than spectacular landscapes.

Gurez was our first revelation. Beyond Srinagar, the road climbed through forests and meadows to Razdan Pass before descending into the beautiful Kishanganga Valley. In Tulail, wooden houses, hanging bridges and immense mountains framed a landscape that seemed almost untouched by time. Watching my family fall silent before this beauty reminded me that even familiar mountains can surprise you when seen through someone else’s eyes.

From Gurez, we crossed Zoji La and reached Kargil. At the Kargil War Memorial, photographs and the last letters of soldiers to their families moved us deeply. The mountains suddenly seemed to hold stories far more profound than their beauty. We were reminded that behind every uniform is a human being, and behind every sacrifice, a family waiting for someone who may never return.

Our journey through Aryan Valley took us to Dah, Hanu, Garkone and Darchik, where the distinctive traditions of the Dard-Brokpa community offered a glimpse of Ladakh’s extraordinary cultural diversity. Two years earlier, a young Army officer had challenged me with a simple question: “Sir, have you visited Aryan Valley?” I finally understood why he had insisted that I had not seen all of Ladakh until I had seen this remarkable region.

Then came Pangong, Nubra, Turtuk and Siachen. Pangong remained breathtaking, though its growing commercialisation made me nostalgic for the quieter lake I remembered. The absence of the marmots I had once seen there was another reminder of how tourism can alter the very wilderness we travel to admire.

At Siachen Base Camp, the stories of Operation Meghdoot, the extraordinary endurance of our soldiers and the faith represented by OP Baba left a lasting impression. Standing there, one cannot help wondering how different our comfortable lives would look if we spent even a single day in the conditions our soldiers endure for months.

And then Ladakh surprised me again. An unplanned change to our return route took us through Zanskar, past the sacred Gonbo Rangjon, across Shinku La and down to Jispa. Sometimes the finest journeys are the ones that begin when we abandon the original plan.

But the most personal destination of all was one we did not visit: Rohtang Pass.

As a child, I had gazed at a photograph dated 15 August 1972, showing my father and uncle standing amid vast stretches of snow. In 2002, my father and I drove our new Maruti 800 to that very place, turning a childhood dream into a memory I have cherished for decades. I have returned more than thirty times since.

This time, just before the Atal Tunnel, I asked my family whether we should cross the pass. The verdict was unanimous: “No, let’s take the tunnel!” I laughed and accepted defeat. Yet, as we drove through, I felt I had left a little piece of myself behind. The old road, the snow and those memories belonged to another chapter of my life.

Perhaps that is what this journey taught me. Travel is not merely about discovering new places; it is about discovering new meanings in familiar ones. Mountains teach humility, history teaches gratitude, and family teaches us to see the world afresh.

I returned to Delhi with photographs, stories and countless memories. But the greatest souvenir was watching Riya and Diya discover the mountains that had captivated their father for so many years.

One day, they may look at our photographs and remember the places, the laughter and the long drives. Perhaps they will also remember their father repeatedly asking, “One more pass?”

And I hope they will understand why he always wanted to take the longer road.

"Because some journeys are measured in kilometres. The unforgettable ones are measured in memories".

Letters Across Time 17 September 2001

 "Letters across the Time"

17 September 2001

Age 30

Dear Amit,

तीस की उम्र में तुम्हें लगेगा कि अब जिंदगी गंभीर हो गई है।

काम है।

जिम्मेदारियाँ हैं।

परिवार है।

भविष्य की चिंता है।

और शायद तुम्हें पहली बार यह एहसास भी होगा कि समय सचमुच तेज़ी से गुजरता है।

अब तुम सिर्फ अपने लिए नहीं जी रहे।

तुम्हारे फैसलों का असर दूसरे लोगों पर भी पड़ता है।

तुम बहुत कुछ हासिल करना चाहोगे।

अपना घर।

अपना नाम।

अपनी पहचान।

एक सुरक्षित भविष्य।

सब अच्छा होगा।

लेकिन एक बात याद रखना।

सिर्फ भविष्य के लिए मत जीना।

क्योंकि भविष्य कभी आता ही नहीं।

जब वह आता है,

वह वर्तमान बन चुका होता है।

इसलिए काम करना,

लेकिन जीवन को काम मत बना देना।

परिवार के साथ बैठना।

बिना किसी खास वजह के बाहर जाना।

दोस्तों को फोन करना।

कभी-कभी छुट्टी लेना।

और अपनी पसंद की चीज़ें करना।

तुम्हें लगेगा कि अभी समय बहुत है।

नहीं है।

समय हमेशा उतना ही है जितना यह पल।

कुछ लोग तुम्हारे साथ चलेंगे।

कुछ रास्ते बदल लेंगे।

किसी को रोकने की कोशिश मत करना।

रिश्तों को पकड़कर रखने से वे मजबूत नहीं होते।

उन्हें जगह देने से होते हैं।

और अपने शरीर का ध्यान रखना।

तुम्हें अभी लगेगा कि शरीर हमेशा साथ देगा।

ऐसा नहीं है।

नींद को महत्व देना।

चलना।

अच्छा खाना।

हँसना।

और समय रहते डॉक्टर की बात सुनना।

क्योंकि चालीस की उम्र में तुम्हारा यही शरीर तुम्हारे साथ हिसाब माँगने लगेगा।

और हाँ...

हर सफलता का जश्न मनाना।

छोटी हो या बड़ी।

तुम बहुत मेहनत कर रहे हो।

खुद को यह बताना मत भूलना।

Love,

Amit

Letters across Time 17 September 1991

Age 20

17 Sept,1991

Dear Amit,

तुम अब बीस के हो।

अब तुम्हें लगता है कि तुम दुनिया बदल सकते हो।

और शायद बदल भी सकते हो।

तुम्हारे सामने बहुत सारे रास्ते हैं।

कुछ तुम्हारे अपने हैं।

कुछ तुम्हारे परिवार ने तुम्हारे लिए सोच रखे हैं।

और कुछ रास्ते ऐसे हैं जिनके बारे में तुम्हें खुद भी नहीं पता।

तुम प्रेम करोगे।

शायद दिल टूटेगा।

तुम दोस्त बनाओगे।

कुछ दोस्त हमेशा रहेंगे।

कुछ रास्ते में छूट जाएंगे।

तुम्हें कुछ फैसले सही लगेंगे और बाद में गलत।

घबराना मत।

बीस की उम्र में किसी को सब कुछ पता नहीं होता।

तुम्हें भी नहीं पता होगा।

और यह बिल्कुल ठीक है।

हर चीज़ का जवाब अभी मत खोजो।

कभी-कभी जिंदगी पहले सवाल देती है और जवाब बहुत बाद में।

लोग तुम्हें अपनी उम्मीदों के हिसाब से देखेंगे।

कोई कहेगा तुम बहुत अच्छे हो।

कोई कहेगा तुम कुछ नहीं कर पाओगे।

दोनों बातों को बराबर महत्व मत देना।

अपने भीतर की आवाज़ सुनना सीखो।

पैसा जरूरी है।

काम जरूरी है।

सफलता भी जरूरी है।

लेकिन इन सबके पीछे भागते हुए अपने लोगों को मत खो देना।

एक दिन तुम्हें समझ आएगा कि जिंदगी में कुछ रिश्ते उपलब्धियों से कहीं ज्यादा कीमती होते हैं।

और हाँ...

दिल टूटे तो खुद को दोष मत देना।

हर रिश्ता हमेशा के लिए नहीं होता।

कुछ लोग हमें प्यार करना सिखाने आते हैं।

कुछ छोड़ना।

कुछ खुद को समझना।

तुम अभी बहुत दूर जाओगे।

बहुत कुछ देखोगे।

बस अपने भीतर के इस लड़के को साथ लेकर चलना।

वही तुम्हें इंसान बनाए रखेगा।

Love,

Amit

Letters Across Time 17 September 1981

 "Letters Across Time"

One Letter Every Ten Years. 

From "Me to Me"

"A Lifetime of Conversations"

17 September 1981

Age 10 Yrs

Dear Amit,

तुम अभी बहुत छोटे हो।

तुम्हें लगता है दुनिया बहुत बड़ी है और तुम्हारी दुनिया बहुत छोटी।

तुम्हारे पास कुछ खिलौने हैं, कुछ दोस्त हैं, स्कूल है और ढेर सारे सवाल।

तुम्हें लगता है बड़े होकर सब कुछ समझ आ जाएगा।

नहीं।

बड़े होकर भी बहुत कुछ समझ नहीं आएगा।

लेकिन अभी तुम्हें यह जानने की जरूरत भी नहीं है।

अभी बस खेलो।

बारिश में भीगो।

बिना वजह हँसो।

पेड़ पर चढ़ो।

गिरो तो फिर उठो।

और जब माँ तुम्हें डाँटे, तो कुछ देर नाराज़ होकर फिर उनके पास जाकर बैठ जाना।

तुम्हें अभी नहीं पता कि एक दिन तुम्हें इन छोटी-छोटी चीज़ों की कितनी याद आएगी।

अभी तुम्हें लगता है कि बड़े होना बहुत अच्छा होगा।

कोई तुम्हें डाँटेगा नहीं।

तुम अपनी मर्जी से सब करोगे।

लेकिन सुनो...

बड़े होने की जल्दी मत करना।

बचपन लौटकर नहीं आता।

तुम्हारे पास अभी सपने बहुत हैं।

उन्हें छोटा मत होने देना।

किसी से यह मत पूछना कि तुम क्या बनोगे।

पहले यह जानना कि तुम कैसे इंसान बनना चाहते हो।

और हाँ...

गलती करने से मत डरना।

तुम्हारे गिरने से दुनिया खत्म नहीं होगी।

बस इतना याद रखना,

अच्छा इंसान बने रहना।

बाकी रास्ते खुद बनते जाएंगे।

और एक दिन,

बहुत साल बाद,

तुम पीछे मुड़कर इस छोटे से लड़के को देखोगे...

तो उसे बहुत प्यार से देखना।

वह तुम्हारा सबसे सच्चा रूप था।

Your's 

Amit

A letter to self from future

 26 September 2031

Age 60

Dear Amit,

It’s late.

Really late.

I’m sitting here with a cup of coffee, thinking about you.

About us.

And I wish I could go back for just one night and sit next to you.

No advice.

No big speech.

Just sit there.

Because I know what’s going through your head right now.

You’re thinking about work.

About family.

About the things that didn’t go the way you wanted.

About people who disappointed you.

About the future.

And, yes… you’re still worrying about things you probably don’t need to worry about.

I know you.

You’ve always carried a lot.

Sometimes more than you needed to.

You kept going even when you were tired.

You showed up.

You did what had to be done.

You took care of people.

But you didn’t always take care of yourself.

That changes.

Slowly.

You start choosing yourself without feeling selfish.

You say no.

You stop giving long explanations.

You stop trying so hard to make everyone understand you.

And you finally realise something:

People don’t have to understand you for you to be at peace with yourself.

That one takes time.

But you get there.

You also stop fighting every little battle.

Some things just aren’t worth your energy anymore.

Someone says something unfair?

You let it go.

Someone misunderstands you?

You let it go.

Someone walks away?

You let them.

Not because you don’t care.

Because you finally understand that your peace matters too.

And your health…

Please listen to me on this one.

Don’t keep saying, “I’ll take care of it later.”

Later comes very quickly.

Move your body.

Eat better.

Sleep properly.

Get outside.

Ride.

Travel.

Do the things that make you feel alive.

You don't need a perfect plan.

You just need to start.

And take more pictures.

Not for social media.

For yourself.

Because one day you’ll look at an old photograph and remember exactly how that day felt.

You’ll miss some of these ordinary days.

Trust me.

Work changes too.

You still care.

Of course you do.

That part of you is not going anywhere.

But you stop letting work decide whether you had a good day.

You start noticing the people.

The young ones you helped.

The people who became better because you gave them your time.

That feels good.

Better than another title ever did.

Some people won't stay in your life.

That hurts.

I know.

But don't turn that hurt into anger.

Let people leave when they need to.

Wish them well.

Then keep walking.

You don't have to carry everyone with you.

And Amit…

Please forgive yourself for the things you think you should have done differently.

You did the best you could with what you knew then.

You made mistakes.

Of course you did.

So did I.

But we learned.

That's what matters.

Your faith becomes simpler too.

Less asking.

More trusting.

You stop needing every answer.

You become okay with saying,

“I don’t know. But I’ll be alright.”

And you know what?

You are.

You really are.

Five years from now, you’ll look back at this version of yourself with a lot of affection.

You’ll see the tired man.

The stubborn man.

The man who worried too much.

The man who cared deeply but didn't always say it.

And you’ll smile.

Because you’ll know how hard he was trying.

So don't wait.

Please.

Don't wait for retirement.

Don't wait for everything to be perfect.

It won't be.

Go somewhere.

Take the bike.

Call someone you love.

Have a long dinner.

Sit with your family.

Laugh until your stomach hurts.

Watch the sunset.

Take the day off when you need it.

Say “I love you” while you still can.

And sometimes…

Just sit quietly with your coffee.

No phone.

No work.

No noise.

Just you.

You have spent enough of your life rushing toward the next thing.

Slow down.

Look around.

This is your life.

Right now.

And one more thing.

You were never late.

You were never behind.

You were just taking your own road.

It took us a while to understand that.

But we did.

And I'm proud of you.

More than I can put into words.

Now finish that coffee.

Get some sleep.

Tomorrow, start again.

But this time…

Be a little kinder to yourself.

We still have a lot of living to do.

Love,

Amit

26 September 2031

Travel Diaries – Ladakh 2026 | Day 12 — The Lost Paradise

Travel Diaries – Ladakh 2026 | Day 12 — 

"The Lost Paradise"

Today was probably the easiest day of the entire trip.

We started from Jispa around 11 AM and began our relaxed journey from Jispa towards Kullu and our stay at the ITBP Officers’ Mess.

There wasn't much to write about today's drive.

So today, instead of writing about the road, I want to tell you a story about a place that has been a part of my life since childhood.

I have been looking at a photograph of this place since I was a child.

The photograph had a date written on it:

15 August 1972.

In the photograph were my father and my uncle, standing proudly amidst huge stretches of snow, at around 13,050 feet.

As a child, I would keep looking at that photograph and wonder what that place must actually look like.

I had heard stories from my parents about the difficult journey, the terrible roads, the snow, the cold and, above all, the unbelievable beauty of this place.

And somewhere in my childish mind, I had already decided:

“One day I will go there.”

That day finally came in 2002.

My father and I took our brand-new Maruti 800 and started towards that childhood dream.

The journey itself was an adventure.

The road beyond Manali was in terrible condition.

At many places, traffic was allowed in one direction at a time through a gate system.

There were long traffic jams.

Mud and slush.

And after Gulaba, the road became even more difficult.

But when we finally reached the top, I remember feeling that we had achieved something extraordinary.

Snow everywhere.

Everyone had those old still cameras in their hands.

No Instagram. No reels.

No fancy photography equipment.

Just people, snow and mountains.

That memory has stayed with me.

Since then, I have visited this place more than 30 times.

And with every visit, the road became better.

The journey became easier.

But sadly, something else was changing.

The snow was reducing except during winters.

With every passing year, there seemed to be less snow at the top.

The effects of global warming and changing weather patterns were becoming visible even in a place that I had always associated with endless snow.

And later came the Atal Tunnel.

The tunnel completely changed the journey.

It opened the doors to a new world for tourists, with more thrill towards Baralacha La, Shinku La and beyond, and made access to these remote landscapes much easier.

For most people, it was a blessing.

And it certainly made travel easier.

But for people like me, something was lost.

That whole experience slowly became a memory.

And today's journey gave me another little reminder of that.

While coming from Jispa towards Kullu, just before entering the Atal Tunnel, I suddenly asked my girl brigade:

“Should we go over the pass today?”

I was secretly hoping they would say yes.

But all three looked at me and said...

“No. Let's go through the tunnel.” 😂

I had to accept the verdict.

After all, twelve days on the road can make even the most enthusiastic traveller tired.

Maybe they had seen enough mountains.

Or maybe they have finally understood that whenever I say “just one more pass”, it usually means several more hours of driving! 😂

So I respected their decision.

But honestly, somewhere deep inside, I felt that something was missing.

A little piece of this trip had been left behind.

Because that place wasn't just another mountain pass for me.

It was my childhood dream.

It was one of my earliest adventures with my father.

It was the place that taught me that sometimes the journey itself is more memorable than the destination.

And today, while passing through the tunnel, I couldn't help thinking:

Some places disappear from the itinerary, but never from your heart.

Perhaps I'll go again.

I know I will. May be single or with friends.

Because that place has been waiting for me every time I visited Manali for more than two decades.

"OH ROHTANG PASS".

My childhood dream.

My father's memory.

A place I have visited more than 30 times.

A place where I once saw huge stretches of snow.

A place where, over the years, I watched the snow slowly disappear during summer too early.

A place whose old road has now been bypassed by a tunnel.

And yet, it remains one of the most beautiful places in my personal travel story.

ROHTANG. MY LOST PARADISE. ❤️🏔️

And perhaps it is fitting that I end my Travel Diaries – Ladakh 2026 with this story.

Because this journey was never only about reaching new places.

It was also about going back to old memories.

This time, I travelled with my family.

I watched my wife and my girls discover mountains that I had been visiting for years.

And somewhere along the way, I rediscovered a few of my own memories too.

This may have been my 13th or 14th Ladakh journey, but in many ways it felt like the first.

Because I was seeing it through their eyes.

From Delhi to Jalandhar, Srinagar, Gurez, Kargil, Aryan Valley, Leh, Pangong, Nubra, Turtuk, Siachen, Zanskar, Shinku La, Jispa and finally Kullu...

Thank you all for travelling with us through these 12 days.

Thank you for reading my long posts.

I started these diaries simply to share our journey.

But your responses made me continue.

Tomorrow, I will be back in Delhi.

The journey will end.

The bags will be unpacked.

The car will be cleaned.

The photographs will be saved.

But somewhere in all those photographs, there will be a little piece of this journey that will always be missed.

And perhaps, years from now, when my girls look back at these photographs, they will remember not just the places we visited, but the crazy father who kept asking:

“One more pass?” 😂

That, perhaps, is the best souvenir this journey could leave behind.

Until the next journey.

Signing off from Travel Diaries – Ladakh 2026.

Dr Amit Tyagi ❤️🏔️🚙

THE END

Travel Diaries – Ladakh 2026 | Day 11

TRAVEL DIARIES – LADAKH 2026

Day 11 | Leh to Jispa via Padum and Shinku La

A JOURNEY I HAD NOT PLANNED

Yesterday I wrote about Dr Ritesh suggesting that instead of taking the usual route back from Leh, I should try the Nimmu–Padum–Shinku La route towards Manali.

I thought about it.

And finally said, why not?

So this morning at around 8 AM, we left Leh.

And believe me, what started as an unplanned change in our return journey turned out to be one of the most beautiful drives of the entire trip.

We crossed the Indus–Zanskar confluence at Nimmu and then started following the Zanskar River.

For quite some time, the road ran right along the river.

On both sides were those huge, completely barren mountains that make you feel very small.

After Chilling, we came across a beautiful waterfall near Neyraks, known locally as Tsomo Spring.

It was not a huge waterfall.

In fact, it was quite small.

But, as I have discovered during this trip, in the Himalayas even a small stream usually comes with a big story.

THE STORY OF TSOMO SPRING

According to local legend, a spiritual practitioner from Neyraks once travelled to Tibet seeking the blessings of a highly revered Lama.

The Lama gave him a sealed metal box and told him not to open it until he reached his village.

He was also told that the box would become heavier as he came closer to home.

And apparently, it did.

But curiosity won.

He opened the box.

According to the story, two small fish, one golden and one turquoise, came out and disappeared into the rocks.

Soon water started flowing from the mountain.

And that is how, according to the legend, the spring was born.

There are several more interesting twists to the story, including one of the channels being blocked later.

Standing there, looking at water coming out of a completely barren mountain, I couldn't help smiling.

Maybe this is what makes travelling interesting.

You start with a road.

You end up collecting stories.

We continued towards Padum.

And gradually the landscape started changing.

The completely rocky terrain began giving way to patches of green and beautiful meadows.

Padum was quite busy because of the Zanskar Festival, and most of the hotels and homestays were packed.

We didn't spend much time there.

We had another target.

Shinku La.

And somewhere on the way, we got our biggest surprise of the day.

GONBO RANGJON

Suddenly, in the middle of the vast valley, we saw this huge mountain standing completely alone.

Gonbo Rangjon.

I had seen photographs of it before, but photographs really don't prepare you for the actual sight.

It stands there like a giant watching over the valley.

For the people of Zanskar, Gonbo Rangjon is a sacred mountain associated with Gonbo, or Mahakala, the protector deity of Tibetan Buddhism.

We stopped there.

And then, naturally, the cameras came out.

One photograph.

Then another.

Then another.

At some point I stopped counting. 

But honestly, I didn't mind.

Some places deserve too many photographs.

After spending some time around Gonbo Rangjon, we continued towards Shinku La.

The climb was beautiful and, as expected, the higher we went, the more dramatic the landscape became.

After crossing the pass, we started descending towards the Lahaul side.

And finally, around 5 PM, we reached Jispa.

That's when I realised something.

Today's journey had not been planned at all.

Yesterday we were in Leh discussing the return to Delhi.

Today we had crossed Zanskar, Padum, Gonbo Rangjon and Shinku La and were sitting in Jispa.

This is why I love road trips.

You may have a plan.

But the road usually has its own plan.

It is around 8 PM now.

We are finally relaxing at the hotel.

The girls are tired.

I am tired too.

But there is a strange satisfaction after a day like this.

Tomorrow we will stay in Manali.

And the day after tomorrow, we start the final drive towards Delhi.

The Ladakh journey is almost over.

But I think the last few days have given us some of the best memories of the entire trip.

Day 11 done. ❤️

Stay tuned for Day 12.