Poets from the Himalayan region Extend Support to Sonam Wangchuk’s Fast for Ladakh and Himalayas.
Keylong: Poets from across the Himalayan region joined Ajey, a poet and activist from the Save Lahaul-Spiti Society, who observed a daylong fast in his native village Sumanam, Lahaul-Spiti district, Himachal Pradesh, to show solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk’s ongoing fast in New Delhi.
Wangchuk’s fast aims to raise awareness about the pressing environmental issues faced by Ladakh and the broader Himalayan region.
Spending his time immersed in the poetry of fellow environmental poets, Ajey reflected on the work of Vivek Bhardwaj, a young poet from Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh, whose words seemed to resonate with his own concerns for the mountains.
Ajey shared excerpts from Bhardwaj’s poems, which echo the deep wounds inflicted on the Himalayas:
1. The Hole:
“A mother told me, her child’s heart had a hole.
I was reminded of a poet’s verse,
about a beautiful snow-covered mountain,
with a hole in its heart too,
slowly gasping for breath.
And one day, it will die.”
2. Rohtang:
“First, there will be joy,
as the distances melt,
as boots carry filthy grass (Congress grass)
to cover your bare earth,
spreading across the mountains.”
3. Sissu*:
“Listen, Acho,
Your land is beautiful, even without the green,
I wonder how ugly it will look if green smothers it,
choking your pristine air.”
The Poet is referring the hole to Atal Tunnel that has collected Manali to Landlocked Lahaul Spiti importing pollution and other stuff.
Ajey noted that these poems, deeply entrenched in the pain of the land, reflected the larger fight for the Himalayas, which Sonam Wangchuk is leading.
Ajey also mentioned that support for Wangchuk’s cause is growing across different regions.
Well-known writers like SR Harnot, Deepti Saraswat, and Chemat Dorje have been contributing poems and staging protests in Kathmandu.
Many more, including Shekhar Pathak, Ishita R Girish, and Vijay Vishal, have been sending messages of support.
However, the support isn't without some reservations.
Raju Mastana expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of urgency seen in Ladakh post the abrogation of Article 370, while activist Sunita Katoch chose to focus solely on the environmental aspect of Wangchuk’s protest, avoiding the internal political matters of Ladakh.
Ajey reiterated that they are not worshipping any individual but supporting Wangchuk’s vision for a sustainable and safe future for the Himalayas.
Through this heartfelt gesture, the people of Sumanam extended their silent but profound support for Sonam Wangchuk’s fast. Although Ajey had not explicitly asked anyone to join him, the village’s participation showed that the cause of saving the fragile Himalayan ecosystem resonates deeply with the people of Lahaul-Spiti.
