En el estado de Kashmir & Jammu, donde el rombo del subcontinente se cierra con un nudo, los rincones se estrangulan y las fronteras desaparecen, la India comprime su talla de gigante en un mínimo espacio de montañas y desiertos entre las costuras del Tibet y de Pakistán.
A un lado, el límite difuso de línea discontinua juega al escondite con los lectores de atlas y mapas para nunca estar donde se espera y acabar siempre en un lugar diferente. Los afilados acentos del Karakorum atraviesan el tamiz de Cachemira sin apenas advertir el cambio de lengua, raza o religión. Al otro extremo, el Tibet se derrama por encima de las vallas e invade las tierras ocres de Zanskar y Ladakh sin encontrar apenas resistencia. En ese cruce de caminos, la India deja de serlo y no puede evitar vivir permanentemente en casa del vecino.
Y en Ladakh, entre chortens, gompas y cumbres, perduran costumbres curiosas que sorprenden al visitante desprevenido.
Los gigantes ponen los dedos de sus pies a secar al sol después de cada aguacero.
Los camiones se sueñan barcas y circulan bajo los puentes.
Las piedras abren agujeros para tragarse a los lobos.
La colada se tiende en las cumbres de las montañas.
(Ladakh, agosto de 2006)
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CUSTOMS (LADAKH, INDIA)
In the state of Jammu & Kashmir, where the subcontinent's diamond is closed with a knot, the corners are stragulated and borders disappear, India compresses its giant size in a tiny space of mountains and deserts between the seams of Tibet and Pakistan.
On a hand, the vague boundary of broken line plays hide and seek with the atlases and maps readers to never be where expected and always ends in a different place. Karakorum's sharp accents cross the sieve of Kashmir hardly noticing the change of language, race or religion. At the other hand, Tibet spills over fences and invades Zanskar and Ladakh's ocher lands finding little resistance. At this crossroads, India ceases to exist and can not help but living permanently in a neighbour's house.
In Ladakh, among chortens, gompas and peaks, remain odd customs that surprise the unaware visitor.
Giants lay their toes in the sun to be dried after each shower.
Trucks think they are boats and travel under the bridges.On a hand, the vague boundary of broken line plays hide and seek with the atlases and maps readers to never be where expected and always ends in a different place. Karakorum's sharp accents cross the sieve of Kashmir hardly noticing the change of language, race or religion. At the other hand, Tibet spills over fences and invades Zanskar and Ladakh's ocher lands finding little resistance. At this crossroads, India ceases to exist and can not help but living permanently in a neighbour's house.
In Ladakh, among chortens, gompas and peaks, remain odd customs that surprise the unaware visitor.
Giants lay their toes in the sun to be dried after each shower.
Stones open holes to swallow up the wolves.
The laundry is hung on the tops of the mountains.
(Ladakh, August 2006)
(c) Copyright del texto y de las fotos: Joaquín Moncó
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