In Pictures: Riding to Ladakh, What It Was Like 20 Years Ago

Atop Fotu-La.

If you think riding a motorcycle to Ladakh is an adventure now, wait till you see how it was done in the ’90s.

Satya Rao Komanna, an adventurer, recently shared rare pictures of his journey to Ladakh in 1994, which he covered with a 2-stroke Yamaha RD 350.

The then-troubled Sonamarg in J&K with the ‘Khajjiar Glacier’ in the background. All pictures and captions are by Satya.

Every year, from June through September, thousands of bikers attempt a pilgrimage of sorts to Leh and Khardung La – the highest motorable pass in the world at 18,380 feet.

Nowadays, daring folks are riding their cycles up there.

Amit, a shepherd, and the only soul Satya ever met on this 300-km run towards Padum, which did not have any fuel supply back then.

Before it became a trend, however, riding to Ladakh was a rare feat.

Traversing the ‘notorious’ Zoji La just outside Sonamarg and enroute to Drass/Kargil.

There was no infrastructure in place, towns which are bustling with commercial activities now were nothing more than a ghost version of their present self.

Roads practically did not exist in many places, even though on a map it would say you are on a national highway. Militancy was at its peak.

Rangdum Monastery in the background where Satya spent the night courtesy the humble Lamas.

The swiftly flowing river across the road near Rangdum Monastery where Satya’s bike ‘drifted’ with the current of that ice-melt and in the melee all his gear, camera, film, sleeping bag got soaked forcing him to spend the night at Rangdum before beating the retreat -back to Kargil with whatever fuel he had with him.

The God-send lamas who took pity on Satya - seeing his sorry state and even gave him supper and a place to sleep. According to an inscription the monastery was built by Gelek Yashy Takpa during the reign of King Tsewang Mangyul of Ladakh about 200 years ago.

The transit town of Kargil during those days. Today its a different story.

Sardar Karan Singh who was a truck driver once and fell in love with Kargil now runs a dhabha dishing out some yummy ‘parantas’ and ‘daal-chaval’ even to this day.

The Gata-Loops.

Lamayuru Monastery.

Flowery welcome to the ‘faithful’ Yamaha into the heart of Zanskar.

The Paang campsite & tented ‘bed & breakfast’ lodges run by the Tibetans.

Climbing up to the Bara-Lach La.

A small hurdle in the form of a landslide where after five hours of waiting (for that stuck truck to go through) Satya rode down to Manali exhausted and starved.