In Photos: Travel Through Ladakh’s Ice Caps And Starry Skies

See Ladakh through the eyes of a young photographer.

(Photo: Arnav Bhatnagar)

Ladakh has so much to offer – from star trails to a frozen indus river, to the Ice Stupa Project. With my photos, I hope you go through the range emotions that one experiences in Ladakh.

Looking outwards from the plane, I could see the horizon and in between I could see these little white cones popping up from the earth. It’s only when I entered an abode of white mountains, I realised the Himalayas are here!

Initially it was a battle between the mind wanting to run out to see everything I wanted to see, and the body basically just freezing!

Man, fire & ice isn’t just a phrase anymore! Speed, power, agility, ice hockey has it all!

Walking on thin ice! Just that it isn’t any other ice but the Indus River!  

Game of thrones! Entering into a mountain of Ice! The Ice Stupa is an innovative project by Sonam Wanchuk that can help solve the water problems of this heavenly abode.

When I exited the Ice stupa chills ran down my spine and I swear I saw white walkers!

A life without friends isn’t a life indeed! I found true companions in Simba and Mufasa! 

If the Morning sky had the charm and the colours, the night had a philosopher’s depth! A million stars in the sky, and each star different from the other.

The sky is so mesmerising! I followed it right to the end to find a new beginning!  

The North star and the ancestors that spoke the tales of all their glories! 

As my trip ended and it was time to get back! It was just snow, the road and a lot of memories to take back! 

A cloudy Leh turned into just two tones of black and white, with a tinge of brown. 

And as my flight took off, I knew I was in love. 

(Arnav Bhatnagar is an architecture student at the University School of Architecture and Planning, Delhi. You can see more of his work on his website or Instagram.)