Floods in Srinagar have hit leh bad. The market mostly remained shut during the peak tourist season and the supply of vegetables and ration was nil. A few locals tell Divya Kaushik that they are still not complaining but praying and collecting funds for victims
It was six in the evening and the silence was all-pervasive. A man or two hurriedly walked towards the mosque, a landmark structure at the main market of leh. Small shops mostly selling Tibetan and ladakhi artefacts were shut, smoke and aroma of incense sticks from the evening prayers was missing and walking up and down the empty street was the only activity a few tourists indulged in. The small market place of leh had rarely witnessed such dull evenings, devoid of any buzz, before this. But flood in Srinagar has brought life and business in leh at standstill.
“This is not the first time in last two weeks that we have decided to keep our shops shut. We cannot continue with our regular business when so many people are dying a few kilometers from here. We have been collecting funds to extend our support to flood victims and also there have been candle light marches to pray for those who are struggling for their lives in Srinagar,” said Tsonam Dorjee, a 56-year-old woman who sets her junk jewellery shop on the steps of an antique store. She manages to earn Rs 250-500 per day during the peak tourist season in ladakh. But she has barely managed to sell anything in the last 15 days. “There have been less tourists this year in leh and the market has been mostly shut. Most people who have their shops here have relatives in Srinagar, some are still waiting to be rescued and some have managed to reach leh. They haven’t opened their shops for a long time now,” she said.
The only sellers who have no option but to walk long distances from their villages to reach the market are a few old women. Their only source of income is by selling vegetables and fruits in leh. They lay their produce on a piece of cloth on ground. There isn’t much variety on offer. There are potatoes, cabbage, radish and a few leafy vegetables that they call shak. “All this is grown in our villages. What we produce is consumed by our families and the little surplus that remains is sold here. Vegetables and fruits also come in bulk from Srinagar but since the roads were blocked for last so many days, people had no option but to buy from us. Situation is worst in the villages of ladakh where at this point of the year people start stocking vegetables in their homes for winters ahead. But since there is no additional supply apart from our own produce, families have not been able to stock anything,” said Kelly. She informed that every home in ladakh stocks vegetables in a hole dug in the ground, covered with mud. Mostly potatoes and radish are stored in the hole and leafy vegetables are dried in the sun, wrapped in newspaper and then stored for consumption in winter, when there is less growth and no supply of vegetables.
like Kelly there are over five women who, no matter what, have been travelling till leh to make sure that local people do not run out of vegetables for their daily consumption. But the price that people have to pay is surely more. “Potatoes and cabbage make for our staple diet and ever since the floods have hit Srinagar, the prices are up by over Rs 3 per kg, which makes a lot of difference for people like us, who run their households on a meager amount of money that is earned during the peak tourist season in ladakh,” said Pasang Dorjee. Meat is the delicacy that is cooked only on few occasions. “Even most of our meat dishes are cooked with vegetables, so it is difficult to do without them. Since Srinagar is badly hit by floods we are not sure if we will be getting regular ration and vegetables even when the roads are open. We are only dependent on what we have in stock and little that is grown in our villages,” said Pasang.
As far as the loss in business in concerned, there is no way shopkeepers can recover it. “The tourist season in ladakh is getting over. The shops, hotels and everything else will remain shut for the next three to four months. The business is gone and we have to now wait for the next tourist season for our income,” said Tsonam.
The candle light march to pray and collect funds for the flood victims are now a regular feature. Over 100 people from across the city participate and even travellers are encouraged to be a part of it.