IN the midst of winter

The Season of Renewal

In winter, the Ladakhi landscape strips down to its barest form. The trees stand naked against howling subzero winds, icy sheets cover pristine rivers and lakes, and the only respite from the expanse of brown and crimson barren land are the snowcapped peaks.

To a lay observer, life appears to stand still when it is, in fact, immersed in a season of renewal. Families gather at home as adults recuperate from months of toiling in their fields and prepare for the year to come. Children, who often attend schools in villages not their own, return to be reunited with their loved ones.

The entire household moves into the winter kitchen, which also serves as the living room. They huddle around a wood and dung burning stove, resting on warm woolen carpets and sipping salty butter tea. Sounds of chatter, songs, and a softly whistling water kettle fill the room as families work in tandem to prepare meals using carefully stored produce from the previous summer. Friends and relatives visit often, with treats of apricot seeds and homemade fermented barley wine - both an allusion to the bountiful spring that is to follow.

Spinning

The illusion of the quiet Ladakhi village, standing still as if painted in a wintry landscape, breaks beneath the brilliant afternoon sun. People wander out of their homes, converging into small groups as they breathe in the crisp air, turn their faces towards the sunlight, and partake in the most common winter activity: spinning wool.

They converse at leisure as their tilted willow spindle whirs eagerly in a cup, turning wool to thread. Little fluffs of sheep and yak wool, overflowing from their sacks, fall to the ground like fresh snow. Children that are playing nearby pick these up to fashion white mustaches and beards for their elaborate games.

Formidable winters, and an absence of ready-made fabrics till a few decades ago, has made the act of spinning inseparable from an older Ladakhi’s identity. It is so intrinsic to Ladakhi culture that people carry wool in their pockets, casually rotating the spindle as they walk around the market or take their livestock grazing.

Skiting

Sikiting has been a favorite winter amusement for generations of Ladakhi children. They zealously scavenge for pvc pipes and discarded ammunition boxes to design the fastest sled, and carefully pierce giant hot nails through willow branches to construct the steering apparatus. They rush, happily and breathlessly, to the frozen lakes and streams near their homes. Eyeing the competition as they secure themselves on the sled. Inhaling. Bending forward. The nail of their steering device pressing against the icy cover, ready to dart across the gleaming surface and into the great expanse.

Ice Hockey

At a dizzying altitude of over three thousand meters above sea level lies Gupuks, a natural pond that freezes over during peak winter months. Friends, teammates, and soon to be competitors abandon the warmth of their homes to occupy pieces of this frozen water and ready themselves for Ladakh’s ice hockey season.

Seasoned players mingle with beginners as their skates cut through the ice and their hockey sticks dance across the glistening surface. Droves of people, bundled up in several layers of clothes, brave the chilling outdoors to cheer them on during tournaments.

In the few short decades since ice hockey was introduced to Ladakh, it has become the central winter sport in the region. In fact, the Indian ice hockey team is comprised almost entirely of Ladakhi men and women, who proudly represent their country on an international stage.