Of Aryans and Apricots

Of Aryans & Apricots

Jammu and Kashmir (India) - August 2013

Ladakh– A Barren Paradise Hanging in the Skies! And the splendid route to heaven connecting Kargil and Leh, lets you cruise like never before. The Pitch Black Carpets, real tarmacs. While presented with some of the Grandest and Magnificent views en-route, one can only wonder about the Greatness and Majesty of The Lord Almighty.

But hey, let’s take a detour from this journey to the Land of High Passes (Ladakh) and head towards a village not so known but sill known for its ancient historical relevance.

Dhah and Da-Hanu, two tiny villages located in a very remote corner of Leh have a long standing association with Alexander the Great. It is rumored that when Alexander was returning back to Greece after completing his conquest in India, a select group of his Soldiers stayed back in Gilgit from where they migrated to India over a period of time. They have been staying here for generations since.  I recollected hearing about them in an earlier visit and there was always this desire to see them. This second visit to Leh offered an opportunity

We started our journey from the nearest town Kargil which is still close to 100kms away. Orchards full of Apricots are a common site enroute and the locals welcome you to gorge

After a long journey from Kargil we finally made it to the Da-Hanu at high noon to find it desolate. The village elders were out farming and we were greeted by this enthused set of kids – our first sighting of Aryans. Their facial features are most striking and noticeable as one encounters them.  You may find them bold and forthcoming in their interactions. They speak a local dialect which is different compared to the Ladakhi tongue which they say has evolved over a period of time being a blend of multiple languages.

 The villagers are friendly and welcome strangers, courtesy our local guide “Rexine” we were able to visit a local house. A short tea break later we continued our journey to Dhah which is a 10minutes drive from here. Dhah is considered to be more prosperous than Da-Hanu. There is a Military check post enroute and you have to get a Permit done in Leh to cross this. The Soldiers did a double check on our credentials as we were very close to the Border

Once into Dhah, we loitered around the village for some time before meeting up with a Ladakhi lady from a Government Medical institute who had come for a periodic health checkup of the villagers.  As she was showing us around, we sighted an Aryan lady and her husband sorting and cleaning Apricot seeds.  It appears that Apricot Oil is a big Industry here and the lady welcomed us to her home to check her ware.

  

The local houses are spacious and well maintained; you will find them being made entirely of wood. There is also a Guest House nearby in case you may want to spend a night. We mistook a small girl loitering around her as her daughter; she corrected us that the girl was “Nepali” and not of her breed, her pride of her Aryan antecedents being evident 

They have maintained their lineage, she claimed, by always marrying within these villages, marriages to Ladakhi locals are never heard of. The village folks sometimes seek alternate occupation such as teaching in Leh but always return back to their homes. Our guide Rexine also hinted that these villages were frequented by females from abroad, who desired Aryan offspring’s, though no such visitor was to be seen around. A round of tea followed and she showed us her traditional attire which is worn during festivities.

And then she produced her ware of Apricot Oil. The Oil is famed less for cooking than for its medicinal value to relieve pains. A small bottle will set you back by Rs. 600/ though it is cheaper and reliable compared to the stuff from the Leh market. The local Military personnel are regular customers and she has managed to sustain her family through this source. We bought a couple of bottles as a token before departing.

As luck would have it, we had a chance encounter with her Mother in Law as we were exiting the village. A glimpse of an Aryan in her traditional attire was definitely the high point of this visit.  Next time though we are planning for a longer stay here to check on their history and more on Alexander

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