The Zanskar Valley is one of the most remote areas of India, being a small corner of Ladakh, with a tiny population of around 18,000. Getting in and out of the valley is one incredibly arduous and dangerous journey, and can only be done at certain times of the year.
That is when the river freezes over, and the passage become navigable – but as soon the snow starts, it warms up, and then the ice melts, and it is very risky indeed trying to get from one end to the other.
In this film we follow some porters, desperate for some small cash, so they can get kids to school, and small items they need. The porters are hired to carry heavy wood into Lingshed for a new school, and get kids out to Leh where they can go to school in the city.
When you see the danger, the difficulty, the determination of these people against all odds, it is really heartening. Like most Ladakhis the Zanskarans are Buddhist, and although we see only monks and monasteries incidentally, it no doubt gives them strength in their harsh daily life.
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Thank you for this intimate inspiring documentary. The inherent joy within the stuggle is a humble reminder.