Suru: the valley leading to Zanskar - J&K - India
A high Himalayan valley where climate and daily survival are intertwined, revealing the endurance of its people.
A REMOTE SHIITE VALLEY — SURU, INDIA
In the high Indian Himalayas, between the Muslim and Buddhist worlds, the Suru Valley lies under the austere influence of Iranian Shi’ism. During the working season, most men leave for lower India, leaving the valley’s daily life and economy in the hands of women, children, and the elderly.
The narrow, 180 km route to Zanskar opens only when the snow melts. Villagers survive on minimal crops, shaped by geography, tradition, and now the distant effects of climate change. Under the glacier of Nun-Kun, melting ice silently signals the fragility of the ecosystem and the far-reaching impact of global actions.
These photographs capture both the stark landscape and the quiet endurance of the people sustaining life in such harsh conditions.
