FACES IN LEH BAZAAR .

 I am always looking for an opportunity to visit  Leh . Unending is the  list of  world celebrities  whom i  have seen in this town during my various  visits .I have many friends over there. Almost all of them are  Simple , truthful , affectionate and caring .Their frequent interaction with tourists from Europe has exposed them to Modern world .I am happy to see boys and girls from this part of the country coming  down to Srinagar , Jammu ,Chandigarh and New Delhi for Education. These children are well behaved , Peaceful and focussed towards their studies.I have also found them growing up as good doctors , engineers , bureaucrats ,Police officers and above all good human beings.

The recent cloudburst played havoc in this area killing human beings and destroying vast stretches of habitation and crops .The Bazars are deserted. Hotels have halved their Tarrifs . Sadness , Gloom and  anxiety is in the air over there .  I am informed by friends that the Two Week Long Ladakh Festival is not being held this year to mourn the deaths .  The Polo ground which gave a festive look during this  Festival  is currently being used as a Parking space .Alas i could not join Ladakhis  in their hour of Pain and suffering .Pained am i at what i listen and see on the Television  . Though physically  away from them  in this hour of crisis  , my heart  is with these  Brave people    .Whatever little i am capable of doing , i shall do it from my present Location .

 I end this brief post  on Leh with a poem of FAIZ.

My Interview 

The wall has grown all black, upto the circling roof.

Roads are empty, travellers all gone. Once again

My night begins to converse with its loneliness;

My visitor I feel has come once again.

Henna stains one palm, blood wets another;

One eye poisons, the other cures.

None leaves or enters my heart's lodging;

Loneliness leaves the flower of pain unwatered,

Who is there to fill the cup of its wound with color?

My visitor I feel has come once again,

Of her own will, my old friend--her name

Is Death: a friend in need, yet an enemy--

The murderess and  the sweetheart!

( Faiz Ahmed Faiz )

(These photographs were taken by me in Leh Bazar  before the present tragedy  )

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.