AMAZING PICS: Stunning Leh-Ladakh landscapes

We invited Varun Gupta to hold a live exhibition of his Leh-Ladakh pictures on Rediff ZaraBol. Here are some breathtaking pictures he shot and shared with us.

Varun Gupta is part of Travelling Lens, a company that organises workshops and expeditions in the awe-inspiring landscape of Ladakh. Even as you read this, Gupta and his team are somewhere in the unexplored area of Indian Baltistan that was opened to tourists only last year and is quite a long drive away from Leh.

Just before he left, Gupta held a live exhibition of his photos from Leh-Ladakh on Rediff ZaraBol. Here are some of the pictures he showcased and talked about:

First up is this picture of the Shanti Stupa a Japanese-styled peace pagoda that watches over the entire Leh valley and can be seen from all corners.

Varun Gupta hosted this live exhibition of his Leh-Ladakh pictures on Rediff Zarabol. Are you a photographer and want to exhibit your pictures on ZaraBol? Simply write into zarabol@rediffmail.com and we will get back to you!

Next we have a photo of the dancing skeletons from the Mask Dance Festival at Karsha. This is one of the most colourful events to photograph, Varun Gupta told us.

This one is shot inside the Alchi Monastery. "Alchi is one of the oldest monasteries in Ladakh. The amazing frescos are truly an amazing sight," Gupta wrote.

Here's yet another photo from the Karsha Mask Dance festival.

This amazing landscape was shot at Sarchu, which lies halfway between Manali and Leh. The photo along with the next one is part of Gupta's personal work and part of an exhibition called 'In Search of Solitude'

Another one from the Solitude series...

This is the Leh Palace! You can see it anywhere in the old town of Leh. It towers above!

Varun Gupta wrote: "This is one of my first photos in Ladakh in 2006, shot during the early morning prayers at Thikse Monastery. You will be treated to an amazing mix of drums, chanting and horns. Monks both young and old live in the Thikse complex. These prayers happen everyday, so whenever you do visit Ladakh definitely get up early and witness this."

This isn't from some sci-fi flick. These are star trails over Rangdum shot on a two-hour exposure on Fuji Velvia on a Nikon F3 film camera.

Pangong Lake! You can never have enough of seeing and photographing this amazing lake!" Varun Gupta wrote in.

The Laughing Lady... shot at Mulbek.

Finally, we close with this picture of the Sand Dunes at Hunder in Nubra Valley.