May May Lay, May May Lay || Stanzin Thangjuk Domkhar

Tashi Stanba
Tashi Stanba, a centenarian from Domkhar village in Ladakh, is one of the last surviving traders from an era when Ladakhi merchants ventured into Baltistan to sell tsa (salt), bal (wool), and pul (soda). While Tashi's father, Aba Chamba, bought salt at the annual salt markets in Chemrey and Sakti, his elder brother preferred traveling to the remote Changthang region to acquire wool. Among all the goods brought by the Ladakhi traders, salt was in particularly high demand in Baltistan.

On his maiden trip to Khaplu in Baltistan, Stanba, along with his elder brother and four companions, set out with seven donkeys loaded with Tsa, Bal, and Pul. They traveled via the Achinathang-Hanu Phu-Chorbat La route, passing through an area where the Turtuk Chu (Shyok River) meets another river before reaching Khaplu. The journey from Domkhar to Khaplu took seven days. Along the way, they stopped at a Sandog, which had a large goat population. There, they purchased a goat, which they later feasted on upon reaching Khaplu.

Upon reaching Khaplu, they set up a base at a Brangsa near the town, where the Baltis greeted them with food. In return, the Ladakhi traders offered salt as gift. Tashi recalled an interesting tradition in Baltistan: when the Baltis received salt from Ladakh, they would swallow a handful in one go. In his case, the locals consumed an entire cupful of salt in one gulp. The demand for Ladakhi salt was high, and the Baltis often competed for a share of the limited supply. Each morning, the Ladakhi traders would rise early to finish their meal before the Baltis arrived, as their bustling presence stirred up dust and made cooking more difficult.

During his stay in Khaplu, Tashi Stanba and his companions had the unique opportunity to witness a polo match featuring the local chieftain, known as the Cho, who they were told was a descendant of Buddhist ancestors. They learned that the Khar (fort) in Khaplu housed copies of the Kangyur and Tangyur, sacred Buddhist texts that served as a reminder of their heritage. After the match, when the Ladakhi traders were trying to find their way back to the Brangsa, the Cho came to their aid and guided them home. Stanba and the other traders spent about ten days in Khaplu, returning with Phating (dried apricots), dried mulberries and Mar (butter). Although Tashi Stanba cannot recall the exact year or his age at the time of his visit to Khaplu, he distinctly remembers that it occurred during the Dogra rule.

Balti traders frequently visited Domkhar, Sham, and other parts of Ladakh. According to Tashi Stanba, over 100 Baltis would pass through Domkhar each year, traveling to various parts of Ladakh to sell butter and Doltok (stone utensils) of different sizes. These goods were carried on wooden frames called Kis-Kis, which were strapped to their backs. When the Baltis grew tired, they would remain standing but rest by placing a stick under the Kis-Kis to relieve the load. Some Balti traders could carry up to 50 Battis (each Batti weighing about 2 kg) of butter at once, selling them for Rs 2.5 per Batti in Domkhar. The Baltis exchanged Doltoks for barley, using a unique method: they filled each selected Doltok to the brim to determine the quantity of barley for the final exchange.

In his youth, Tashi Stanba operated a small shop in Domkhar, selling essentials like matchboxes, Pakphey (wheat flour), and Marnak (mustard oil). To stock his shop, he frequently traveled to Kashmir, visiting places like Batamaloo where he purchased Marnak for Rs 5 per tin. On one occasion, when they were stuck in Kashmir due to the closure of traffic to Ladakh,Stanba and his companions sought help from Sonam Nurbo Sahib, who was then a minister in the Jammu and Kashmir government. Thanks to his intervention, they were escorted to Kargil, and from there, a police vehicle took them till Khalatse.

Tashi Stanba attributes much of Ladakh's development to the 19th Ven. Bakula Rinpoche and Sonam Nurbo Sahib. He believes that through the efforts of Bakula Rinpoche and Nurbo Sahib, Ladakh saw significant progress, including the arrival of airplanes. He remembered seeing an airplane for the first time and offering Chak (a salutation) to express his gratitude to both Ven. Bakula Rinpoche and Nurbo Sahib.