Ladakh- Then & Now:... Phew comments

< Goods from Tibet. This picture was taken in October, 1975 on the NW bank of Pangong tso. Till then a yak caravan could come across from Tibet. This one had come from a place called Dambuguru, in Indian hands till October, 1962. Dambuguru is across the Ane la to the NE of Pangong tso.


Leh Bazaar Main Street in October, 1976>



Same Street in August, 2007- few poplars remain>

The two pictures immediately above are of the road that had just been opened till Khardung la in October, 1972. The third picture from below was taken in October, 1975. The others above it in August 2004 and June 2005. Change is inevitable, but not repellent and unnecessary congestion.

 The following two are of Leh's Main Bazar too- One was taken in October, 1976 and the other in August, 2007.

And this picture below, taken in 1984 during a trek from Kibber to Hanle via Tsomoriri and Lam tso, is the saddest of all. These strange formations are known as exploded stones. Its a natural phenomenon associated with volcanic activity. Now a road - turn west from the Kyun tso to Chumur road- passes through this place. Expectedly, not a single stone is left. Stolen>

Below is Fukche airstrip in October, 1972. It stopped functioning from 1973 to 2010 because of Chinese hypersensitivity. Now this air strip is being used by airplanes again and has stopped being a place for grazing yaks. The Chinese are not at all happy at this overdue assertion.

Chushul Airport-  This picture was taken in October, 1972- ten years after the airstrip had been gutted by Indian troops in the October, 1962 battle with Chinese troops here.  At the back is Spangur Gap, which is now under Chinese occupation. The blasted remains of the airstrip and buildings had still not been removed.