The Land of High Passes
Dorota_skowronska
The Land of High Passes is a tribute to Ladakh, the hidden kingdom located in the north of India. The Tibetan name La-dvags means “land of high passes”; it’s connected to India via the Silk Road.
the highest plateau is over 3000 m high and boasts the highest accessible roads, during summer, such as Khardong La (5,600 m). It’s a land of picturesque landscapes, characterized by its high mountains and the glaciers of Ladakh, as well as the Zanskar ranges, and is closed in by the Karakoram Pass to the north. There are spectacular valleys like Nubra, also known as the mythical Shangri La and places where the desert meets the source of the Indus river. This beautiful, hidden land has been the cradle of Buddhist religion and culture, where the Ladakhi people have been building monasteries since the tenth century, along with the Tibetans. Nowadays, it is often called Little Tibet due to the fact that His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and many Tibetan people, have been living there in exile. Ladakh is famous for its Buddhist festivals, especially in summer. I was delighted to attend the 2-day festival of Black Hat, in the Zanzar valley, at the Karsha Gompa monastery. I hope the mixture of color, music, and dance conveys the victory of good over evil.
to frame The Land of High Passes, I chose the Robusta/Akira combo to show the stunning, raw beauty of the grey and beige mountains, and the colorful paintings, fabrics, costumes, masks, altars and all the handcrafted items, typical of the Ladakh and Buddhist cultures. I wanted to show the contrast between the breath-taking, majestic landscapes and vibrant intimacy of this culture.
Ladakh
This beautiful, hidden land has been the cradle of Buddhist religion and culture, where the Ladakhi people have been building monasteries since the tenth century, along with the Tibetans.
