Large, small, furry, hairy, heavy or swift, 'Beautiful people' documents some of the beautiful beasts that I have come across in Ladakh. A location amongst the extreme northern region of India is what makes Ladakh a unique place. Painted signs across its treacherous but scenic mountainous roads, label it as the 'Crown of India'. Fa – Hain has described it as the land where snow never melts and only corn ripens. The eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyle followed by the locals compels one into believing that Ladakh goes a long way to symbolize the phrase 'where all existence is equal'. All these 'beautiful people' can roam freely in their natural habitats without a care. While most creatures prefer to migrate to warmer temperatures, animals like the marmots prefer to hibernate. Just like people, even animals can suffer from mountain sickness, owing to the lack of oxygen on these high altitudes. The extreme temperatures of Ladakh have resulted in most animals like dogs, goats, sheep, cows, yaks and camels being covered in a thick shaggy coat of fur. Like the locals who are patient, relaxed and good humored the animals project a similar aura of enjoyable laziness in their ruffled, unkept ways.
The shyness of the locals and their children seems to stretch beyond them, to the beasts that can be found in Ladakh. Amongst them the Himalyan Tahr (related to the wild goats) – are shy, sensitive and agile, moving in herds; they are hard to spot as they remain camouflaged amidst the rocky mountains.
Set against the backdrop of unending mountains and plush fields, with rocky springs, the wild horses are reminiscent of a movie called 'Spirit'. Quiet, shy, unassuming but hard workers the wild horses idle away the afternoons grazing amongst the sparse vegetation that one can find in clumps and clusters across the hills.