Nomads of Changthang : The Changpas

© Arjun Palit | 📅 10-May-2022

The Changpa horsemen

For a tourist or a photographer, there could be hardly any chance ,that one has never heard about cashmere (one of softest kind of wool associated with Kashmiri shawls ) nor there could be anyone who has missed to visit The Changthang plateau in Ladakh. While trying to discover its very roots, One would surely find the name is associated along with a semi nomadic community , also known as The Changpas of Changthang.

My journey to Ladakh luckily happened (fortunately when the covid pandemic was less at its peak) this year during late winters . Visiting changthang plateau was one in my list and thats where i came to know about the Changpa settlement ,near banks of Frozen Tsokar lake , which is also known as the Rupshu Region.

Changpas reside on high-altitude plateau that ranges across ,western and northern parts of Tibet, and further extends to Ladakh in India.

They move there settlements from one region to other in search of food , resources which are appropriate for farming and to raise their livestocks

Changpa settlement with Tsokar lake in backround

A baby pashmina sheep seems quite curious ,while others are scared

Being inhabitants in high altitude mountains of the Himalayas, with extreme temperatures going as low as -30 deg C , the harsh winds and scarcity of oxygen makes the Changthang plateau makes one of the coldest and inhabitable survival conditions . Unlike any other dwellers, the Changpas live an extremely challenging life ,especially in such an environment where there is a lack of all everyday amenities including food, water and electricity.

Changpas are a perfect example about how a community has survived over decades and generations ,in an ever challenging condition in extreme cold ad harsh climate.

Far from civilisation they are indeed an inspiration to human community to be in harmony with nature among our own people.

After all, it is about the survival skills.

A Changpa kid in a perfect mood

Mainly a community of pastoralists ,who rear yak, sheep and cows and move from location to location in search of water , resources and green grass. And make their living by mainly producing pashmina wools , milk , Animal hair out of their livestocks.

Fortunately on this day we were lucky to experience the horse race event, which happens quite rarely ,in certain long intervals in a year.

Changpas contribute nearly 40,000 kg of pashmina in a year and they supply wool, butter and meat for the Ladakh region.

Horse racing is a very prestigious event among the Changpas.

All it begins with preparing and dressing the horses beautifully before the race , and riding it to the main event area.

The Horses are ready and all set for the race

Even though it is an official event of horse racing , but frankly I felt no less than a festival , Including every element of joy , fun and happiness . A group of horsemen demonstrated as well criticised each others skills gracefully in this occasion ,which ended with a huge celebrations and excitement among the horse men.

Predominately buddhists , changpas have traits of animism which traces back to their herding culture and various traditions involving the livestocks.

For a changpa nomad horses ,sheeps and goats are precious resources and sacred creatures bestowed upon them by the gods of valley.

A young changpa sheperd keeps an eye on his pashmina goats

I was welcomed by the sweet little Changpa kids in their settlement premises, where i noticed their homes were scattered and were made of bricks, glued together with clay which offers an additional protection from cold and harsh winds , each house had a designated adjoined barricaded space for their sheep , goats and horses.

There were a few wild dogs seen on the road ,learning the fact that the wild dogs were used to protect the herd from snow leopards and other wild animals.

Hold your horses : A horseman having a tough time

No joy is ever bigger than winning a race

With the modernisation spreading its wings at every nook and cranny of the world , even the changpas have also not managed to escape from its grip. Earlier in order to warm their homes /tents , bukaris were used ,but now the changpas have gases or stoves . Earlier the common modes of transportation of goods and services were through yaks ,goats or horses , but now they have cars ,bikes to make life easier.

As technology grows , the young generation are seen moving away from herding, old ways of life ,traditional cultures and shifting their interests towards modern amenities , which has changed much a lot in the way of life ,posing a cultural threat towards decline of the community.

The ongoing dispute between India and china has posed much a threat on the delicate ecosystem of most of of the region where the nomadic community choose as a place for settlement .

Increasing attractions of alternative means for livelihoods , excessive tourism as well significant unnatural climate changes have an overall impact resulting in deaths of livestocks in recent times that are some of the significant threats from which the community needs an attention.

The participants

Having spent few moments with such a ethnic class of people , there seems to be two parts of the world, one where the modern world having all plenty of excessive resources and comfort ,but still find ways to struggle , whereas on the other inspite of having such a limited essences from life , teaches us ways to still remain a perfect community and continue the traditions.

Let the goats who ate the grass never die

Let the yaks who gave milk never die

Let the sheeps who graze and run, remain ever alive

Let the gold of changthang --The pashmina always stay alive