The Lure of Ladakh

The Stok Palace Heritage Hotel entices visitors to Ladakh with its richarchitecturalbeauty in turn offering a fabric of regal Ladakhi lifestyle.

- Amita Sarwal

Spectacularly jagged, arid, stark mountains embrace the magical Buddhist ex-kingdom of Ladakh, most of which forms the highest plateau in Jammu & Kashmir, lying over 3,000 mts. Strategically located at the crossroads of important trade routes of the past, it now welcomes tourists.

Picture-perfect gompas, (Tibetan Buddhist monasteries) their interiors dramatically awash with colourful murals, Mani walls or stone tablets intricately inscribed with ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ are set amid whitewashed stupas and statuary of countless bodhisattvas. Bright, fluttering prayer flags share their spiritual messages metaphorically, while prayer wheels spinning clockwise, release more eloquent mantras.

As with everything that strives to encompass the grandeur and beauty of nature, the landscapes of Ladakh achieve a sense of agelessness as they envelop the nurturing echoes and silence of eons gone by. Among all this ethereal wonderland, standing majestically on a hill, is the Stok Palace. A stayover here offers experiential royal Ladakhi living where one can recharge one’s batteries, and rejuvenate and reconnect with one’s inner self.

‘Though Ladakh is a well-known destination and Stok Palace a recognised landmark, the primary challenge at the outset was to market this boutique palace heritage hotel to the right audience. Especially since the guests have access to the private quarters of the royal family, it had to be discretionary – yet accessible to them,’ says Sowmya Rao Vijaymohan, Partner at Rare India & Tres Rare.

Where Royalty resides