Original subtitles

Is this yak wool ? - No it's sheep wool.

So you were a cook in the Indian Army ?

Yes, I served as a cook.

Then in the war you were captured ?

Yes, I was captured by the Chinese Army in 1962

I was kept in prison for six months

Then I was released.

Didn't you have problems getting back to nomadic life ?

Sure, I have problems I feel cold here

You see, we don't have any money, so we have to survive somehow

If you have money you can simply open a shop and sit back

poverty forces us to wander on these mountains

How do you survive in the harsh climate here ?

What can one do? It's a necessity. This is our work

We don't have regularjobs, so we graze & rear sheep

When they grow old, we sell them to butchers

if we sell 15 - 20 of them, we break even

what does Changthang Plateau mean to you ?

Changthang means the land of less people

where there are no people, no villages, that is Changthang

just an empty space

Please have some sir, Please why don't you begin ?

Have some more No.. No.. I'll have tea

What? Are you through ? No No I'll Have some more

no, no what are you saying, Gaurav ?

Where will I find Chang pa nomads ? The ones living in tents

you will find the Changpas near Khargyam

If you want the pure ones the really good ones

you have to go to Khargyam

just don't go beyond Sagga

Beyond Sagga is China

if cross over you will be immediately shot dead

Don't laugh, I'm notjoking

Is the track to Khargyam motorable ? - Yes it is

What is your name ?

My name ? Sanam Sanam ?

Sanam Tsering

His name is Sonam & yours is Sanam ?

yes Sanam Phulchok Sanam...

This is too much, I can't eat so much.

Its nothing you have to travel up to Chusul, just eat up

Don't make a fuss You're a young man

You'll get tired going around in the mountains

When was this Photo clicked ?

Many years ago there was this foreigner who took it

Then he sent it to us by post

I heard he was a village headman

Yes he was He had more than 200 tents under him

My father helped many who ran from Tibet during the war

The lndo-China War ?

Yes in the year 1965

He gave refuge to almost 25 families

& they did quite well here under his leadership

Others would say "there is no grass here please don't come"

But my father said "We'll be happy to have you here"

He was so good even the Dalai Lama had heard his name.

He died at the age of eighty five

But he did a lot of good work in his life

What do you say for '|aa|' in English ?

Red It's' called red.

And for 'Kaala' is it 'Bilik' ? Black yes it's black

'Safed' is White

And for 'Hara' ? Green yes green

The grass is green

Sky is blue Blue...

Blue is 'nee|a'

What do you call the 'Hanmen' above ?

'Bada|' ? Thats called cloud. Cloud...

Sir, when did you buy this coat?

twenty five years ago.

How much did it cost you ?

I paid thirty thousand Rupees

Thirty Thousand ? thats quite expensive

And how many wolf skins were used to make this coat?

That I can't say, I don't know.

I bought it from Tibet..

I mean I bought it from China from a trader.

You've been living for so long in the mountains

You have no dearth of money

Your children own houses, vehicles...

So why do you choose to live in the grasslands ?

Its not that easy to quit this

I was born in a Rebo In the midst of goats & sheep

I feel stifled in a house I am happy to be with my flock

You inherited your father's Rebo Also the family deities

But I don't think your son is interested in being a herdsman

I am not at all happy about it.

lwould have been happy If Urugan was here with me

But what can I do ? He doesn't like being a herdsman

But I'm much happier to live in the open.

A Changpa's life is with his animals. What else can he do ?

If you don't have money you can sell the wool

In a few months you'll have money

We cannot go and work for others We are not used to it

If you grow up among sheep & goats drink fresh milk, eat curd,

then you know what real happiness is

Is this your mug ?

Yes .. yes I'll join you after recording this.

You don't want tea ?

Yes, yes just give me a minute

When will the money be paid ?

The money will be given much later For now his word is enough.