Ladakh is a proposed Union Territory (at the time of writing) that stretches from the Himalayas into the Kunlun Ranges, incorporating the fertile upper Indus River basin. The plateau of Ladakh is now bounded to the east by Tibet, to the west by the valley of Jammu and Kashmir, to the south by Lahaul and Spiti, and to the far north by the Himalayan Karakoram Pass. It’s no surprise that Ladakh has become a landscape of barren, jagged peaks with picturesque gompas (Buddhist monasteries) perched perilously atop them. The primary-colored prayer flags fluttering alongside only serve to highlight the all-white dome-shaped stupas.When the prayer wheel is turned clockwise, it produces chants that blend with the passing wind to create a melody that is both calming and haunting. The insides of the gompas, which are home to red-robed monks, are a bright contrast to the stark, ochre and grey landscape in which they are located. Ladakh is a forgotten piece of Tibet, decked out in a riot of colours with intricate murals and bright, golden-hued Buddhas.