Chiiz Volume 05 : Travel Photography | Page 20

Canon EOS 700D 35mm F/9 1/125s ISO100 Trip To The Aryan Valley - A BROKPAS Experience Purvi Kamaliya fter leaving her job of an educationist in Mumbai, Purvi is now a full-time traveler and freelance writer exploring India. She is a travel enthusiast and a culture vulture who ventures around the unexplored places in her quest to meet new people and be amazed by their interesting customs A W arm golden sun rays caressed my mildly shrivelled skin as I opened the window of a bus while traveling from Leh to the Aryan Valley of Ladakh. I tried to beat the ruthless cold wind, blowing hard, making it difficult for me to see the panoramic view of the ferociously flowing Indus. Living my dream moment, I let go of all the negative emotions out of my mind. I couldn’t contain my happiness as my thoughts transported me to an inexplicably euphoric state. I had started on a journey without any predetermined destination. I had come to know about the habitat of an 42 Vol 5 and traditions. Ancient architecture also marvels her with its artistic beauty. Her love for mountains lures her to the Himalayas almost every summer and she ends up trekking in the wilderness for months. She has extensively covered around eleven states of the country till now. ancient tribe who are called Brokpa or Dard in the dry hills of Ladakh. I have heard and read much about their appearance resembling the Europeans, their unique costumes, culture and the language. Sonam Rigzin was the first Brokpa man that I met at Hanu Thang. With immense avidity, he arranged for my journey to the highest pasture land of their village, Hanu Gongma. The Brokpa villages are supposed to have invincible settlements in between the deep gorges and on the peaks that were inaccessible by the enemies. A Brokpa song describes that their villages are like a serpent’s head that looks nothing like a village when seen from the trail, but once you reach at a height it is spread far and wide just like an angry cobra’s hood. I was specifically enchanted by the sense of fashion of the Brokpa women, the ebullient, chirpy kids and their picturesque landscape adorned by the pink blossoms of apricots. Have a glimpse of this beautiful valley through my lens. 1. As you enter a Brokpa house, you would be welcomed with a broad smile and a plate full of delicious organic apricots. Most of the Brokpa ladies are the expert in selling the farm products. And you can see them traveling miles away to the town of Leh