Swim Across

Humans civilisations have grown by coming together of great civilisations. Exchange of cultures have made us grow and understand our world better; when humans from different cultures meet and share lives, barriers are broken. Leh is fortunate to have lived a long history of Silk route trade bringing together Punjabis, Kashmiris, Central Asians, Tibetans and Chinese in this roof of the world. Amidst this sea of travellers, the local population grew and benefitted from the world around. Leh has grown tremendously in last 20 years and tourism has changed the lives of people. While communication has grown, and one can reach Leh under 1 hour from Delhi; today, the multi-cultural ethos of Leh find itself challenged. The division of ‘us’ and ‘them’ is seen evidently and migrants-Kashmiris, North Indians, Nepalis, white or blue collar doesn’t fit in the modern Ladakhi narrative. The migrant working class is unable to find a voice in this new Ladakhi narrative of blue skies and wide lakes, pashminas and heritage buildings which is built on the hard work of themselves.

The second part of the residency is to travel to Turtuk, the last Indian village on the Pakistani border. This special place has changed hands from Pakistan to India in 1971, Pakistanis became Indians. We have traveled many times to this village and understood that people have so many stories to tell! Stories of borders, separations and belongings. We will travel to this oasis looking over the Pakistani mountains, questioning the ideas of nationalism, borders and partition.