-Written and photographed by Rinchen Angmo

Seasons, they come and go, just like the thoughts in my mind. Even feelings come and go, but they stay a while longer than thoughts do. Yellow leaves, do they make me think of different songs?

Somehow even when I’m not in my homeland, my mind invariably registers different months vis-à-vis the seasons of my homeland. May, there will be apricot blossoms in Ladakh; June, the weather in Ladakh will be pleasant; October, the leaves will turn yellow; December, it will be very cold in Ladakh. That’s why no matter where I am, my mind always understands different months through the lens of the different seasons of Ladakh. 

So what about Autumn? Since I seldom get to be in my homeland during autumn, I really like the season. The ethereal look of the leaves. The branches sparkling. The cold breeze. The way the leaves make your thoughts wander.

Okay, maybe I’m romanticizing this a little too much. But, anyway. 

During autumn, all the trees in Ladakh turn yellow; ushering in nature’s preface to winter. And what a preface it is: glittering leaves fluttering on poplar, willow and other trees. As can be seen in the pictures posted here; these were taken in October, 2020. 

Many amongst the older generation of Ladakh don’t like the yellow leaves of autumn. They prefer the fresh green leaves of summer, just as they prefer the greenery that summer brings. 

With every generation, circumstances vary and so do tastes and lenses of evaluation; just like the leaves that change colour.

So, it is autumn now and the leaves in Ladakh must be yellow or yellowing. So that is why I must write about those yellow leaves because it is important to know that leaves have different colours and they make the world beautiful.