Leh : Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena unveiled Sacred Art of Ladakh: Fading Treasures, a coffee-table book documenting the region’s Buddhist art, architecture and spiritual heritage.
Authored by industrialist, explorer and photographer ShreekantSomany, the book was unveiled at The Grand Dragon Ladakh in Leh. Published by Niyogi Books, it brings together photographs and scholarly insights covering 16 sacred and historic sites across Ladakh.
The book documents monasteries, murals, sculptures, rock-carved statues, palaces, caves and forts at places including Lamayuru, Mangyu, Sumda, Wanla, Thiksey, Hemis and Leh Palace.
Speaking on the occasion, Saxena said the book goes beyond photography by documenting Ladakh’s cultural and artistic heritage at a time when many of its historic artworks are increasingly vulnerable to age and environmental conditions.
He commended Somany for bringing the region’s sacred art and traditions to a wider audience and emphasised the need for collective efforts to preserve the heritage for future generations.
The book is the result of Somany’s nine journeys to Ladakh spanning more than four decades, beginning with his first visit in 1981. During his travels, he documented fading pigments, water-damaged murals and deteriorating plasterwork that threaten artworks created by generations of largely unidentified artists.
Somany said his photography was intended not only to capture Ladakh’s landscapes and cultural traditions but also to preserve a visual record of heritage that could otherwise disappear.
“Ladakh has drawn me back repeatedly not only for its landscape, but for the depth of faith, artistry and history held within its monasteries and monuments,” Somany said, adding that the book was an effort to encourage greater appreciation and preservation of the region’s vulnerable heritage.
The book also explores the symbolism and iconography of Buddhist art while highlighting the impact of time, weather and deterioration on the region’s cultural legacy.
Somany has pledged the entire royalty from sales of the book towards initiatives aimed at safeguarding Ladakh’s heritage.
Somany, Chairman and Managing Director of Somany Ceramics Limited, is also an explorer, photographer and patron of the arts. His photographic work has been exhibited in India and abroad and focuses on culture, craftsmanship and heritage.
