Jigmet Palmo
Ladakh the living museum in the northernmost region of Jammu and Kashmir had always caught the imagination of tourist from far-flung areas of the world. Apart from its beauty, Ladakhi culture has its place of prominence in the world. And Ladakhi kitchen traditionally known as t’apts’ang or tchansa is an important feature of Ladakhi houses. Visitors get stunned with the sublime beauty of such a kitchen.
Ladakhi kitchen consists of dazzling variety of pots, bowls, plates, and cups made of brass and copper that are placed on big wooden carved shelves traditionally known as Lhangs. All the pots, plates, and cups are of either functional or decorative in nature but mostly they are functional. Large decorated iron stove traditionally known as Sol-thabs is the most attractive and conspicuous part of the kitchen which enhances the beauty of the whole a kitchen. Its sides are decorated with Buddhist symbols and other motifs of Buddhist icons. In rich familes iron stove is made up of gold coated sheet and made by local blacksmiths.
Ladakhi kitchen is usually so large and that it functions as kitchen cum living room. Kitchen also functioned as storeroom in ancient times as its thick walls remained cool during hot summer season.
While entering the kitchen early in the morning one’s nose inhales the aroma of the incense traditionally known as spos or juniper.
Ladakh is rich for its traditional motifs like dragon, eight auspicious symbols, swastika etc which are so common in ladakh. Low-table (chok-tse) and mat Traditionally called as bzhuks-dan are embellished with such Buddhist motifs and are placed around the walls. “ka” the polished and engraved pillar in the centre of the room functions not only as a beam but is also used for varied purposes like churning of milk etc.
“NAMPHE” the roasted barley flour is being used immensely in everyday life while kashmiris call it sattu. It is taken either raw or cooked .During the hot summer season or on some festive occasion there is hectic activity while serving chang along with Namphe. Sometimes it is mashed along with butter tea and taken in the form of kholak. While cooking it gives a new taste. Dishes like paba, snamthuk etc are also prepared. The most favorable food remains mok mok (steamed), Timok (well it originated from Tibet). It is a twisted bread which is steam cooked.Another Ladakhi specialty is the Thukpa(noodle) and Thenthuk. The main ingredients are wheat flour dough, mixed vegetables and some pieces of mutton or yak meat. Vegetable thenthuk is a common modern day option. Local bread (khambir, skurshuk, thaltaks etc) are being preferred. Rice preferred less in ladakh.
DIARY PRODUCT
Dairy products like milk locally known as (oma), curd (zho), butter milk (tara), cheese (churpey), butter (mar) etc are of daily use. Most of the population in Ladakh depend on the agriculture and domestic means.
“CHANG” (roasted barley beer) is used immensely in Ladakh. Chang -a local beverage is taken during the festive occasions and sometimes in the religious events also, no such event is held without chang. In winter, kitchen is the warmest place one can find in the house and one loves to be in the kitchen because it is the place where every family member lives and gathers.
During winters, people spend their time in gossiping narrating folk tales (srung), weaving (t’aktches), knitting (la-ches) spinning of wool (k’alches). Kitchen always remain the most essential part of the every houses of Ladakh. It is the place of learning and sharing and that is why the practice of oral tradition of folk still goes are during the winter in the far flung areas of the Ladakh.
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