Four kids of the nomadic shepherd tribe called Gujjar from Kashmir doing an Indian dance called bhangra and singing with broad smiles on their faces in the beautiful landscape of Thajiwas glacier in Sonmarg.

The kids of the hills…

The people you meet on the road are the most impactful part of any travel. Especially the kids. Times spent with the kids are some of our fondest memories.

These pictures and their stories are our attempt to introduce everyone with some of them.

…Are talented and eager to stage a performance!

We met these Gujjar kids on our way to the Thajiwas Glacier in Sonmarg. Gujjars are a nomadic tribe of shepherds who move up to the greener pastures in the hills in the summer. Come winter, they move down to the plains with their entire households and flocks.  Due to this lifestyle, the kids usually miss out on conventional schooling. These kids had attended a nomadic school and as proof, they recited to us the alphabet, numbers and also some song and dance. They were happy to receive chocolates as their reward.

We met these Gujjar kids on our way to the Thajiwas Glacier in Sonmarg.

Gujjars are a nomadic tribe of shepherds.They move up to the greener pastures in the hills in summer. Come winter, the move down to the plains with their entire households and flocks.

Due to this lifestyle, the children usually miss out on conventional schooling.

These children had attended a nomadic school in Kashmir. As proof, they recited to us the alphabet, numbers and also some song and dance. They were happy to receive chocolates as their reward.

…Are ingenious and inventive. Engineers in the making?

Kids...ingenious and inventive...engineers in the making? They had themselves built these sledges. When a wheel came loose from one of them, they repaired it themselves, then and there!

No fancy gaming consoles. Just a wooden plank and a few rods. That’s all that’s needed when the woods, clean air, and open spaces give you company.

In this picture are two friends, Rohit and Owais. They were from the village Pingwan near Achabal in Kashmir. This ground surfing game was their daily evening activity.

…Are a delight to shoot – Not at all camera shy!

Modeling was in her blood and her spontaneity and ease in front of the camera made her a pleasure to shoot. She was posing as if it was a routine for her.  Considering that she lived in the remote and isolated little hamlet of Rangdum, on the way to the Zanskar valley, her natural response to the camera was surprising and endearing.

It felt like modeling was in her blood. Her spontaneity and ease in front of the camera made her a pleasure to shoot. She was posing as if it was a routine for her.

She lived in the little hamlet of Rangdum, on the way to the Zanskar valley. Inspite of the remoteness, her natural response to the camera was surprising and endearing.

…Are innocent and lovable

The people you meet on the road are the most impactful part of any travel. Especially the kids. Times spent with the kids are some of our fondest memories.

We saw these kids peeping out of their house on a walk around Drass. It is a small town near Kargil in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

What makes Drass prominent is that it is the coldest town in India. It is also the second coldest permanently inhabited place in the world, after Siberia.

Cold or not, siblings share a special chemistry irrespective of their geographical settings. This brother-sister duo was innocence personified.

…Are naughty and love playing games!

Boys will be boys! We met him in Goma Kargil, which is a small village higher up from Kargil. He was playing the mirror game, casting a reflection of the sun on the ground, and the light was what caught our attention. Mischief sure has an universal appeal!

We met him in Goma Kargil, which is a small village higher up from Kargil.

He was playing the mirror game – casting a reflection of the sun on the ground. The light was what caught our attention.

Mischief sure has no boundaries!

…Share a universal love – hate relationship with their siblings!

Siblings share a unique relationship! These are sisters Ashwini and Sarita. Their parents ran a dhaba (food shack) in Naukuchiatal which is a small lake town in the state of Uttarakhand in India. We had dinner at their dhaba the previous night. That night they were very shy. They didn’t at all look at the camera. The next morning we went there again for breakfast. This time they had warmed up to us. They even played with us while we ate. And then gave us some fun-filled shots.

Their parents ran a dhaba (food shack) in Naukuchiatal which is a small lake town in the state of Uttarakhand in India.

We had dinner at their dhaba the previous night. That night the sisters Ashwini and Sarita were very shy.They didn’t at all look at the camera.

The next morning we went there again for breakfast. This time they had warmed up to us. They even played with us while we ate. And then gave us some fun filled shots.

…Are just too darn cute!

Anjum and her cousins were visitors to Dras, like us. They had come from Srinagar, to escape the heat, where the summer was at its peak.

Anjum and her cousins were also visitors to Drass, like us. They had come from Srinagar, to escape the heat, where the summer was at its peak.

Drass, is the second coldest inhabited region in the world, with temperatures plummeting below -40C in the peak winters. However, in the summer months, it enjoys a pleasant weather throughout the day.

…Are sometimes on their way to becoming monks!

It was break time at the monastery for these youngsters. Their energy was un-missable. Take their maroon robes away, dress them up in clothes for young adults and they could pass off as school children in a playground.Except, that, they WERE in their maroon robes, attended the monk school in the monastery, studied ancient scriptures and would go on to live their lives devoid of all worldly possessions!

Should we call them monks or kids or kid monks?

It was break time for these youngsters. Their energy was un-missable. Take their maroon robes away, dress them up in clothes for “young adults” and they could pass off as school children in a playground.

Except, that, they WERE in their maroon robes, attended the monk school in the Phuktal monastery, studied ancient scriptures and would go on to live their lives devoid of all worldly possessions!

…Have above all, cracked the secret of being happy in the middle of absolutely nowhere!!

We wondered what their lives must be like, for these kids of Rangdum. Living in such isolation, in the middle of nowhere. From what we saw, it sure seemed like a lot of fun!

Rangdum is a tiny hamlet with maybe ten houses. It has a couple of food stalls (travelers usually halt here for lunch on the journey to Zanskar) and a couple of guest houses (for travelers who want to halt for the night).

A monastery is housed on a hillock, 3km away from the village.The village is essentially a definition of “in the middle of nowhere”.

These kids were playing near the stupa when our trucks halted for lunch. We wondered what their lives must be like, living in such isolation.

From what we saw, it sure seemed like a lot of fun!

Need help planning your trip?

Tell us your requirement.

You would also like these stories People we met while Traveling:

Friendly families of the Himalayas who stunned us with their hospitality

People of the valley, Kashmir

Simple life of the people of Zanskar

People of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Want to travel to Kashmir? These stories will help you plan your trip to Kashmir.

Guide for offbeat travel to Kashmir, India

Yusmarg: Should you stay here on your Kashmir trip?

Lolab valley, unexplored Kashmir

Chatpal, an offbeat gem hidden in Kashmir

South Kashmir circuit: Non touristy fit for all travelers

Kokernag, a garden outing in Kashmir

Tourist attractions around Dal lake in Srinagar, Kashmir

Share this on

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Related Posts

Pilgrimage at LOC: A privilege and a paradox

Going so close to the LOC itself was stuff wild dreams are made of. In a region filled with so much uncertainty, to experience the common bond of heartfelt devotion – it was a paradox we had the privilege to witness.

Fotu la, the highest mountain pass on the Srinagar Leh highway, NH-1 D has beautiful well maintained roads which see a lot of heavy truck traffic in the midst of the golden mountains of the Greater Himalayas.

Travel guide for the Srinagar Leh highway

In this travel guide for the Srinagar Leh highway, we will tell you everything you need to know for your road trip on this route to reach Ladakh. This travel guide is based entirely on our first-hand experience of our road trip from Srinagar to Leh.

20 thoughts on “The kids of the hills…”

  1. Pingback: Trek to Phuktal monastery in Zanskar | SandeepaChetan's Travel Blog

  2. Pingback: Journey to Zanskar: India's remote valley · SandeepaChetan's Travel Blog

  3. Pingback: Kashmir travel itinerary: offbeat and for all · SandeepaChetan's Travel Blog

  4. Pingback: Guide for offbeat travel to Kashmir · SandeepaChetan's Travel Blog

  5. Pingback: Chatpal: offbeat gem of Kashmir | SandeepaChetan's Travel Blog

  6. Pingback: India – Daughter is a big help at Parkachik, Kargil – Som2ny Network

  7. Pingback: Ground surfing game, Kashmir, India | Technology

  8. Pingback: South Kashmir circuit: Non “touristy” fit for all travelers - SandeepaChetan's Travel Blog - Imad Clicks

Like the Article? Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.