Jubin Nautiyal: We need policies in place to make humans coexist with nature in places such as Ladakh

Singer Jubin Nautiyal who has been winning our hearts with his soulful music and melodious voice, is currently on a solo road trip across Leh-Ladakh. His social media feed has been giving everyone a glimpse of the adventurous yet beautiful time he is having while travelling through some of the highest motorable mountain passes in the country.
Speaking about his impromptu trip he shares, “I had come here to shoot for a music video, but I decided to stay back and rent a bike to do a solo road trip across Ladakh.This time, I took out time to go visit the monasteries, magnetic hill, lakes and the pristine Pangong Tso. I think India is very lucky to have a part of it in its territory. I feel, there are mountains and oceans, and then there is Ladhak – a third kind of terrain.” He shares how mesmerized he was being at Pangong lake, “I didn’t have words to process the beauty of that place. It is divine, has a story and has so much character. People of Ladakh are also very helpful and sweet. Looking at them, I felt how people can be so content with whatever they have around. Out here, even water is a problem at times, but these people are not driven by money."


As the mountains have been having landslides and bad weather alerts, we asked Jubin if he has faced any difficulty so far. To this he replies, “The whole thrill of riding through Ladakh includes the limitations it offers, the challenge it presents to all the riders. I find it akin to real life, where we face many hurdles on the path to our goal or destination. So if this place gives me some sunburns, I wear it like a victory scar that I got from taking up the challenge of riding through difficult terrain.”
However, keeping the ever changing weather conditions in the mountains, he puts in a word of caution for all the riding enthusiasts to keep backup and safety. “The best and safest way to ride through this place is to come along with a good group of riders, complete with a support truck and expert mechanic. Then, there will be no hassle of carrying your luggage, and there will always be back up in case something goes wrong.

As the singer hails from the mountain state of Uttarakhand, he is well aware of the environmental disasters the hilly regions are facing lately. Presenting his thoughts about the man-nature conflict in the area he shares, “I do understand that increased human activity causes disturbances to fragile ecosystems such as Ladhak, Spiti, Sikkim and other northern towns, but I feel it is not the only reason. I have been to some similar places like this such as Switzerland, where they have managed to find harmony along with tourism. What we really need to do is make enough supportive policies to make human activity co-existent with the terrain. Need to find ways to protect the mountains and their fragile ecosystem while giving humankind a chance to experience these surreal places. I really hope the government recognizes the need for these policies and infrastructure in hill stations to restore the balance of these places,” he concludes.