happy new year-2024 to my followers!

Hi there,

Let me first of all thank you for being with me in my journey of self-discovery and about our region which also make a speck in the realm of things in this beautiful world of ours!

I would also like to extend my very best wishes for the New Year which fortunately I celebrated in my own community for the first time as they invited me to share the new years moments with them!

Sakti valley

I come from the village of Serthi about 50 Kms from Leh on the way to world famous high altitude Pangong Lake. To- day the village is known by the name of Sakti and the name of my community is called Tookchu. And somehow my family became well known by the name of Tookchupa.

These days the tourists mention that Sakti is a very beautiful village especially in the peak summer that is July and August months of the year. Its view from the top of two passes that is Changla and Warila passes are incredibly beautiful!

Sakti valley view from Warila pass

Both these passes are above 5500 mts above m.s.l. one go to Nubra valley the other one takes one to Durbook block of Changthang.

Where people are more of Tibetan stock and share semi- pastoral life some years back but today it’s changing in a great way and their economy is thriving due to domestic and foreign tourism who visit the Pangong Lake.

Now coming back to the formal celebration of the New Year in our community of Tookchu. Well preparations had begun past few days and the venue was our newly constructed government funded community hall which is heated with modern heating system along with decent furniture everything looked just great!

Special guest were the village Surpanch, B.D.C member of the village Panchayat committee along with the Principal of the Manjushri Lamdon School made things very formal. Everyone were dressed in their best and the children of the community looked very charming!

This is absolute revolution for me as the village folks themselves organizing such an event with such confidence and gaiety. This is the second time the New Year is being organized in the community and there were lots of events stored in for the evening until the clock struck mid-night before the advent of the New Year-2024!

Sakti valley during snowfall

The ladies danced lots of traditional dances both elders as well as the younger lots. Many have come from other villages in marriage into the families of our community.

Then one group came up with Kinouri dance dressed in Himachal out-fit lady in man’s dress and saree clad partner (i was wondering where the saree came from?).

There came one young guy singing traditional folk songs also playing traditional drum ‘Daman’ enacting unique beats with the drum stick and beating the drum profusely.

Then out of blue another guy came out totally naked in this winter of ours wearing oracle dress and went about jumping hither thither along with other group members singing the traditional ‘Manipa Song’!

Tookchu community during peak autumn

The Manipas were the mendicants who would come from Lahoul-Spiti or Kinour during autumn season and perform their ancient theater enacting heroic feats like cutting of one’s tongue with sword, breaking of boulder laid on one’s stomach by hammer.

Eats too were served and there was drinks for the men and the ladies drank butter and sweet tea along with snacks. Children too were enjoying dressed in their best and when it was about getting mid-night all waited to enjoy the pulse of the moment when the last 10-second count-down began in a very formal traditional yet modern setting!

At once all shouted in unison Happy New Year-2024!

Immediately all gathered around this big cake especially the children and the eldest lady of the community cut the cake within split second the cake was gone!

Sakti stream during peak summer

Before I was wondering how the cake would finish as it was a big cake? But it went away very fast. Luckily someone brought me my share it was very delightful cake and that too enjoying it with my own community!

Everything was community people’s participation and it was just perfect New Year for me. So once again I would like to extend my heartiest New Year-2024 to all those who follow my page hope the New Year brings peace and happiness in the world!  Bye for now.