Whenever we discuss the authentic regional cuisines of India’s cold desert, which is Ladakh, our minds abruptly start flashing up the images of sumptuously made momos and thukpa. In recent years, social media has also played a paramount role in popularizing these dishes among the people. However, in the flamboyant world of social media, certain traditional culinary gems of Ladakh have been overshadowed, the food that is not merely regional cuisine but cultural motifs of this heavenly land, which are imbued with symbolic meanings, resonating with daily life and religious practices of the region.
Ladakh which is often referred to as the ‘Land of High Passes,’ is not only famous for its heavenly beauty but also for a rich variety of cultural symbols that it stands for. Among its cultural motifs, two culinary elements stand out conspicuously: Gur-Gur Cha (butter tea) and Tsampa (roasted barley flour). The savoring flavor of butter tea complements with Tsampa and dried cheese, creating a perfect combination. In Ladakhi culture, these beverages transcend the everyday function as sustenance and assume symbolic roles in spiritual ceremonies, offerings, and rituals.
“If there is anyone who drinks more tea than the British,
it is the Tibetans”
-Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
Freedom in Exile: The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama features the above statement as articulated by revered Tenzin Gyatso, whose remark perfectly encapsulates the deep-rooted fondness Tibetans have for tea, and it is from their rich culinary traditions that the unique art of making butter tea emerged.
The origin of butter tea goes back to the Tibetan plateau, where it was initially made to serve the pragmatic purpose of giving hydration, warmth, and nutritional value to the inhabitants living in such a harsh, bone-chilling environment of the Trans-Himalayan zone. In Tibetan society, tea is prepared in a unique way in which only salt and dri butter are used, without adding milk, which is the staple ingredient of making tea in most of North India.
The quality of butter acts as the harbinger of the fine taste of butter tea, making conscientious preparations a requisite aspect of its appeal. Over the centuries, butter tea travelled across the Himalayan region, acclimatizing itself to the natural and cultural landscape of places like Bhutan, Nepal, Ladakh, and parts of Mongolia.
Gur Gur Cha: A Brew That Comforts the Soul
Butter tea, which is also known as Gur-Gur Cha in Ladakhi, gets its name from the idiosyncratic voice of the churning that is made during its preparation. Ladakhi butter tea over time by adapting itself to the regional environment and the locally available ingredients. Traditionally, Tibet used yak butter and brick tea imported from China, while Ladakh incorporated locally available resources such as domestic butter sourced from cows or dzo, which is a hybrid between yaks and domestic cattle. In Ladakh, butter tea is often consumed with a brown-colored appetizer called khambir (bread).
The preparation process: A Ritual in Itself
The preparation of butter tea is as distinctive as the drink itself. Traditionally, the list of ingredients encompasses tea, leaves, water, butter, and salt, which are combined in a chandong, a tall wooden churn. This process demands patience, skill, and rhythm to be amalgamated to create a creamy, frothy consistency. The tea leaves are boiled for hours to extract their rich flavor, which is then meticulously blended with butter and salt to create the final beverage. Additionally, in certain cases, milk, honey, or spices like cinnamon are also added to ameliorate the texture and taste of the butter tea.
In Ladakh, butter tea is traditionally served in the chung, a small wooden or metal often with a lacquered or polished finish. Wealthier houses may use silver bowls or cups while Clays are also used for brewing and serving the butter tea, particularly in rural or ceremonial spaces, while wooden ladles are used to serve tea from large containers. In contemporary times, comfort and pragmatism have taken a front seat, promoting the use of ceramic cups, thermos flasks, and stainless tumblers that offer durability and also keep the tea warm for longer period of time.
An Elixir for Survival
As discussed earlier, butter tea is made of three ingredients: butter, salt, and tea leaves. Butter provides requisite fats and calories to keep the body warm, especially during the extremely cold winter months of Ladakh. Salt provides the necessary electrolytes to the body that are lost due to dryness caused by high-altitude regions. For nomads of Eastern Ladakh, Changas, butter tea, is their go-to meal as they are even more exposed to extreme harsh living conditions, while tea leaves are used to add delectable taste to the tea, making a perfect amalgamation of nutrition and taste.
A Spiritual Sip
Butter tea not only facilitates survival among Ladakhis, but it also represents rich socio-cultural traditions of Ladakh. Buddhist monks and nuns often consume butter tea during protracted sessions of meditation and chanting of mantras in various monasteries across Ladakh, such as Hemis, Thiksey, and Lamayuru Gompa. In these monasteries, butter tea is also used as an offering to venerate the Buddhist deities. The practice of offering this drink represents the utter devotion, humility, and purity on the part of the practitioners.
Hospitality in every Cup
The act of serving butter tea is synonymous with the sense of hospitality in Ladakhi culture. While serving butter tea, it is customary for the host to continuously refill the cup of the guest before it is empty. Allowing a cup to run dry is considered impolite as it is insinuated to be impolite, signaling a lack of care or respect. Guests, in turn, often leave behind a small quantity of tea in the cup as an amicable signal to the host that they feel famished, preventing the cup from being refilled further.
The simple act of serving guests with butter tea in such a warm and welcoming manner encapsulates the broader Indian tradition of “Atithi devo bhava,” where guests are treated no less than the god itself. Apart from this, the regional festivals like Losar (Tibetan New Year) or local harvest festivals are also incomplete without the butter tea being served with other Ladakhi dishes, bringing good fortune and positivity.
Tsampa: From Ancient fields to Ladakhi plates
Tsampa is another culinary heritage of Ladakh. It is a flour made of roasted barley which is one of the rarest crops that can be grown in the extremely high attitude regions. It is adopted as a staple food because of its high nutritional value of carbohydrates, protein, and fiber.
The origins of tsampa goes back to ancient Himalayan regions, especially the Tibetan plateau where barley have been growing despite its harsh environment. The archaeological evidence articulates that barley cultivation in the Himalayan region dates to around 1500 BCE. The word ‘tsampa’ comes from the Tibetan term for roasted barley, pointing to its rich Tibetan influence. Its assimilation in Ladakhi society was result of its intimate geographical, cultural, and thriving trade relations with the Tibet.
Being a part of the Tibetan plateau itself, Ladakh shares a similar environment with Tibet, and its inhabitants are inspired by the similar spiritual elements of Tibetan Buddhism, incorporating many culinary traditions from Tibet, including the consumption of tsampa as staple food. Over time, tsampa, more than just a dietary practice, gets embedded into the socio-cultural life of Ladakhis.
Making Tsampa: A tradition rooted in simplicity
The process of making tsampa firstly includes filtering of barley grains manually, followed by roasting of grains until they acquire a golden-brown hue. These roasted grains are then ground into a fine flour using traditional stone mills, emphasizing the age-old techniques making food. It is mostly consumed as a breakfast meal in dry form; in other cases, it is being kneaded with water, yogurt, or milk into dough-like balls, often called ‘paba.’ Its versatility encapsulates the simplicity of Ladakhi life, where basic and minimal resources are used efficaciously by its inhabitants in an ingenious manner. Its adaptability allows it to be consumed either as a quick snack or a hearty meal. Additionally, Tsampa’s lightweight and nonperishable nature makes it ideal for the nomadic lifestyle.
In Ladakh, tsampa is traditionally served in wooden bowls, known as dzompa, are popularly used to mix tsampa with butter tea or water to form an eatable dough. The act of blending is either done manually or with wooden or bone spoons. In modern Ladakhi households, the preparation of tsampa is done in stainless steel bowls and spoons. For the purpose of storing, airtight containers, often made of glass or plastic, are now commonly used. Holistically, the process of preparation and consumption of tsampa reflects strong sense of community and rich cultural identity of the inhabitants of Ladakh.
Essence of spirituality
Like butter tea, the significance of tsampa as a culinary tradition goes beyond its pragmatic health benefit, as it is also used as an offering to respected deities, who guide all the sentient beings in their path to achieve enlightenment, protecting them from the malevolent influence of evil spirits. During tantric ceremonies, monks make tormas, which are made of tsampa. It is imperative to note that during the Yuru Kabgyat festival, celebrated at Lamayuru monastery, monks toss it in the air as a symbolic act of promoting good fortune and prosperity.
Sacred Motifs on Ladakhi Utensils
The utensils used for serving various appetizers or dishes in Ladakh are rich in symbolism. They represent the sophisticated artistic traditions and craftsmanship, making them stand out gracefully. The two most recurring motifs presented in utensils are the lotus flower and different types of geometric patterns. On brass or silver utensils, these motifs are mostly engraved, etched, or raised on the surface of the utensils. On the wooden bowls, they are often carved or painted, with a focus on maintaining symmetry and uniformity.
Floral Whispers & Symbolism:
- Purity amidst Adversity: The lotus represents the inner power to stay true to one’s pure soul, protecting oneself from the depraved world characterized by evil and negative tendencies.
- Enlightenment: The symbolism of lotus is associated with spiritual path of enlightenment, representing the transition from mud standing for ignorance to bloom representing spiritual awakening.
- Buddhist Theology: In the sacred Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, there are three bodhisattvas who acquire venerated positions in Buddhist cosmology. One of them is Avalokiteshvara, also known as bodhisattva of compassion, is associated with this symbol.
Artistic Placement:
Typically, the lotus flower motif is carved or engraved into the rims, bases, or centers of the implements to aesthetically enhance them. In butter tea bowls, the motif may be depicted in a bloom giving vision to the idea of enlightenment. In tsampa plates, the lotus is typically carved in bud form suggesting the potential for spiritual elucidation. As well, these designs may be featured with swirling waves, clouds, endless knots, or other geometric borders to emphasize them.
The Language of lines
Ladakhi traditional utensils often portray simple motifs of lines and geometric patterns. These patterns are comparatively simpler as compared to more organized symbols like the lotus flower but carry deep socio-cultural and spiritual values. Geometric designs often act as borders or background elements that emphasize the beauty of primary motifs that are already discussed.
Types of Patterns:
- Parallel or straight lines are commonly illustrated along the edges or the rims of plates and bowls. The linear lines provide a clear structure and form of symmetry to the base design. The zigzag patterns are employed to portray the abstract concept of movement or agility. Additionally, geometric forms like diamonds and triangles are illustrated in repeated patterns, which represent the concept of stability and balance. Concentric circles or radial patterns are also shown to signify eternity, oneness, and wholeness.
Symbolism:
- Harmony with Nature: The portrayal of basic geometric forms such as circles and triangles represents the Buddhist concept of the interdependence of all life with universal order or power.
- Protection and Continuity: The recurring geometric patterns, like lines or chevrons, are thought to create a protective border to keep the negative energies out of the sacred aura surrounding the utensils.
Artistic Placement:
- Borders: Geometric lines or patterns are usually featured along the edges or bases of utensils, channeling the movement of the eye towards the central motifs.
- Backdrop design: in some designs, geometric patterns serve as the background in a subtle way to emphasize the aesthetic look of pious symbols like the lotus or endless knot.
- Standalone Design: To highlight the minimalistic look of utensils, geometric patterns can also be depicted as the primary decorative design, emphasizing the sophistication of the simplicity.
Bridging Tradition, Tourism, and Contemporary Culinary Trends
In popular culture, both butter tea and tsampa are shown in various documentaries and vlogs that are focused on exploring Himalayan or, especially, Ladakhi culture and cuisine. Dalai Lama, through his biographical work, explains his fondness for this drink, articulating how butter tea, which is found in Tibet, cannot be made or found anywhere else in the world. In the contemporary period, these beverages attract a large number of tourists who are keen to have a taste of authentic food from Ladakh. For instance, there is a popular Lala’s café situated in the Leh market that serves as a cultural hub, amalgamating Ladakhi oral traditions and crafts with its rich culinary traditions. Through showcasing craft objects, organizing storytelling sessions, and workshops on traditional culinary practices like butter tea and tsampa, the café offers tourists an opportunity to learn the recipes of these cultural beverages of Ladakh.
Conclusion
Butter tea, tsampa, and the featured cultural motifs on the utensils of Ladakh represent the rich cultural values and symbolism associated with them. Though they have a strong root in Tibetan Buddhism, the cultural legacy of butter tea and tsampa in Ladakh is beyond one such faith. Apart from Buddhists, many Muslim families of Ladakh relish these beverages, especially in mixed-cultural or eclectic spaces like Leh, modifying them according to their taste and culinary preferences. For instance, after the tiring day of fasting during Ramadan, Muslims also consume tsampa and butter tea as their iftar meal. This shared culinary practice represents the collective identity of the inhabitants of the region, not as Buddhists or Muslims but as ‘Ladakhis.’ Therefore, both butter tea and tsampa encapsulate the age-old culinary heritage of Ladakh.
References:
- Dalai Lama XIV. (1998). Freedom in exile: The autobiography of the Dalai Lama. Little, Brown Book Group.
- Rizvi, J. (1990). Ladakh: Crossroads of high Asia (New ed.). OUP India.
- Chowdhury, A. R. C. R. (n.d.). Tibetan Butter Tea. Times of India Travel. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/ladakh/tibetan-butter-tea/ps53172083.cms
- Sonia, & Sonia. (2020, August 27). Tibetan Tea Drinking Culture and customs | Hello Tea Cup. Hello Tea Cup | a Tea Blog, Expert Tea Guides. https://helloteacup.com/2020/03/20/tibetan-tea-drinking-culture-and-customs/
- Kaur, J. (2022, May 2). Khambir with butter tea: the staple Ladakhi breakfast that is warm and delicious. Slurrp. https://www.slurrp.com/article/khambir-with-butter-tea-the-staple-ladakhi-breakfast-that-is-warm-and-delicious-1651462811853