Dawa Dolma
Fellow
Dawa Dolma is a freelance journalist based in Leh. She is a climate enthusiast and loves writing about culture, community, and climate change in the Himalayas. Her work has appeared on Quint, The Federal, and local journal Stawa. She is spreading the love of reading among children in Ladakh through a voluntary initiative called “Shatsa” with friends. She likes devoting her time in writing stories from rural villages.
Melting point! Ice hockey rinks need cooling fans in Ladakh
A warmer-than-usual winter in Ladakh this year has robbed ice hockey enthusiasts of conditions favourable to the game, as fans are being used to keep the temperatures down and keep the arena frozen.
Ladakh’s age-old chuspon water-use system gives hope
As the surge of tourism threatens to tip the fragile balance in Ladakh, hope exists in villages like Sakti on the outskirts of Leh, where traditional systems continue to govern land and water use.
Dwindling snowfall leading to water crisis in Ladakh
As valleys in Ladakh rely on snowfall and glaciers for their water needs, unpredictable weather changes are leading to water scarcity, severely affecting the livelihood of villagers.
‘I find purpose in life through thangka art’
Skipping school and homebound because of a polio attack, Krishna Tashi Palmo enrolled in a Tibetan thangka art school at 22, finding purpose in life through art. Now she is one of the few renowned women thangka artists.
Cham – the mask dance of monks
Cham dance has been an integral part of the life of Tibetan Buddhists – exploring the themes of human life and death, good and evil. The dancers (mostly monks) offer their body, speech and mind (three vajra) while performing and are highly considered a religious dance.
Here’s all that happened at Ladakh Nomadic Festival
The Ladakh Nomadic Festival's third edition in Hanle village was a vibrant carnival attended by locals and tourists alike. The two-day event showcased traditional dances, folk songs, cultural performances, indigenous sports, and more.
Ladakh longs for tourists who give region a miss
Suspension of flights by ultra-budget S. Airlines together with late arrival of summer trigger a decline in footfalls and a rise in anguish among tour operators.
The life of a nomadic boy in Ladakh
For 60 years, Tibetan pastoralists have been living in the mountains of Sumdho. A glimpse into a boy's life shows his dilemma about whether to pursue higher studies or continue the nomadic way of life that's fast disappearing.
First musical band of high-altitude Ladakh riding high
Blending traditional folk music with rock, Dashug is extremely popular since it also focuses on critical social issues.
Alive with the sound of music
Dashug, a music band from Ladakh that was formed in 2020, is riding a wave of popularity in the region because its music remains rooted in local folk songs.
Turtuk villagers piece together their broken pasts
The village that became a part of India overnight in 1971 stands witness to the longing felt by the residents who hold to the memories of their broken families and cultural landscape.
Rare woman-contractor builds successful career in Ladakh
Jigmet Norzom, 28, has overcome a difficult childhood and deep-rooted misogyny to make a mark in a profession that was considered a male preserve.
Ladakh mother carves Tibetan legacy on stone
Tsering Palmo, a Tibetan refugee in Ladakh, is the only woman who carves Buddhist mantras and prayers on what are popularly called mani stones – believed to make one’s passage to the next world easier – upholding an important tradition of her ancestral land.
What’s it like to run on a frozen lake?
Ladakh’s picturesque Pangong Lake hosts the world's highest frozen lake half marathon with an aim to raise awareness about sustainable tourism and ecological concerns of the region.
Ladakh’s Chipko: Mothers out on streets to save ‘sacred’ juniper trees
Women of Hanupatta high up in the Himalayas man checkpoints to stop felling and smuggling of juniper trees that are much in demand for their aroma.
Ice hockey – a popular winter sport playing out in Ladakh
Odisha isn’t the only place in India swept by hockey fever. Leh in Ladakh – more than 2,500 km away from Bhubaneswar that is hosting the World Hockey Championship – is caught up in a similar frenzy, with a slight twist though. It’s ice hockey that is keeping the Ladakhis engaged and entertained. Ice hockey – an annual affair in January when temperatures plummet and ponds freeze – is a source of immense pride to the Ladakhis.
Ladakh’s lute maker gives ‘dranyen’ new lease of life
Leh-based craftsman Tsering Angchuk helps to revive six-stringed slender musical instrument that once was synonymous with the nomads of the highlands of Jangthan Kharnak.