Ladakh: A Wanderer’s Spectacle

Ladakh! The name conjures up images of a barren land with arid terrain, jagged peaks, and pristine lakes. Ladakh has been accorded an almost mythical status by the people who know of it—apparent from the fact that the place is sometimes referred to as Shangri-La. In this illustrated book, the author captures the various hues and topographical nuances of Ladakh’s alluring and awe-inspiring landscapes in a passionate response to the site. Splendid compositions and panoramas take the reader on a visual experience akin to being transported to the ‘land of high passes’ that is Ladakh.

Nevertheless, the author feels that the mythical image of the place has been detrimental to the people of the land. Few studies have dealt with how the landscape shapes the life of the people making a living there and the problems they face. This volume thus also gives voice to the common folk, delineating how traditions of frugality and cooperation, coupled with detailed location-specific knowledge, has enabled Ladakhis to thrive. Ladakh: A Wanderer’s Spectacle stands as an ode to the natural brilliance of the land and the sheer determination of the people who inhabit it.

Nabarun Bhattacharya

Nabarun Bhattacharya (1971–2019) did his early schooling in Shillong, Meghalaya, and later graduated with English (honours) from Ramakrishna Mission College, Narendrapur, Kolkata. By profession he was an officer in the Customs and Excise Department of the Government of India. An amateur photographer and an intrepid trekker, Nabarun was also a wildlife enthusiast. He had won prizes in the D.J. Memorial photography competition in India and the famed Maria Luisa Memorial photography contest held in Spain in 2012. A posthumous exhibition of a selection of his photographs was held in Guwahati in November, 2019. An avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction, Nabarun used to regularly contribute articles to The Statesman, Kolkata, under the pseudonym Arun Acharya.