An experience called Leh

Perched over 11,000 feet above sea level, Leh is more than a place; it’s an experience — rugged, remote, and hauntingly beautiful. As an Army wife, I have been fortunate to live this experience. As soon as you land, you can feel the bone-deep chill at the Leh airport as well as the stark silence of the Himalayas.

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I remember sitting in the modest waiting hall sipping lukewarm tea among men who had been braving these frozen frontiers. Soldiers in uniforms from every corner of India wearing turbans, tilaks, phirans — a living portrait of unity in diversity. They laughed quietly, dozed peacefully, their silence speaking of months spent guarding this desolate paradise. The air was filled with an unspoken sense of unity. Amid the diversity of languages, appearances and backgrounds, there was one unmistakable, unbreakable bond — the spirit of being Indian. I could feel it in the way they sat together, spoke, and laughed, as if held together by something much deeper than just duty. A visit to Leh can give you not just memories, but fill your heart with gratitude — for this land, and for those who defend it.

Kunjana Chauhan, Panchkula