Leh: On 21 June, when people rolled out their mats to mark International Yoga Day, Ladakh’s capital Leh woke up to an eerie silence — the result of its first Sunday curfew, imposed due to the rising cases of the novel coronavirus.
Shops remained shut and all passenger and commercial vehicular movement were barred throughout the day. The only disruptions were the Indian Air Force’s sorties, tearing across Leh’s skies every few minutes.
On the road, Indian Army’s trucks and buses moved men and equipment around the town as check posts at every 20 metres ensured no civilian vehicular movement.
Amid all of this, beyond Leh’s city limits, Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal put out his yoga mat and performed asanas against the spectacular backdrop of the Himalayan mountains behind.
Over the course of the past week, Ladakh has been fighting on two fronts. On the one hand is a virus that is spreading its tentacles across the small union territory with cases of the novel coronavirus reaching 836 as of 20 June. But 149 of the cases were recorded on Friday and Saturday alone, prompting the local administration to reimpose lockdown restrictions.
On the other hand is the conflict with China raging in Eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley, where 20 Indian soldiers were killed last Monday.
For locals, fighting the combined might of the coronavirus and border face-off with China has meant days of uncertainty writ with nervousness.
