{"id":33880,"date":"2026-11-04T16:18:04","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T10:48:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wowentrepreneurs.in\/index.php\/2026\/11\/04\/sacred-art-of-ladakh-fading-treasures-highlights-the-need-to-preserve-endangered-buddhist-art\/"},"modified":"2026-11-04T16:18:04","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T10:48:04","slug":"sacred-art-of-ladakh-fading-treasures-highlights-the-need-to-preserve-endangered-buddhist-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wowentrepreneurs.in\/index.php\/2026\/11\/04\/sacred-art-of-ladakh-fading-treasures-highlights-the-need-to-preserve-endangered-buddhist-art\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Sacred Art of Ladakh: Fading Treasures\u2019 highlights the need to preserve endangered Buddhist art"},"content":{"rendered":"
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New Delhi [India], November 4: <\/strong>Through evocative photography and scholarly insights, Shreekant Somany\u2019s book captures the <\/strong>artistic treasures of Ladakh\u2019s historic sites, preserving a visual record of a heritage that stands at a risk of being lost forever.<\/p>\n

Industrialist, explorer, photographer and author Shreekant Somany<\/strong> unveiled Sacred Art of Ladakh: Fading Treasures<\/em> to New Delhi at an event held at Bikaner House on Friday<\/strong>. Published by Niyogi Books<\/strong>, the visually evocative coffee-table book documents Ladakh\u2019s sacred Buddhist art, architecture and spiritual traditions<\/strong>, drawing attention to a fragile cultural legacy that faces the threat of deterioration and irreversible loss.<\/p>\n

The project grew out of Somany\u2019s nine journeys to Ladakh over more than four decades<\/strong>, beginning with his first visit in 1981<\/strong>. During these travels, he witnessed fading pigments, water-damaged murals and deteriorating plaster threatening artworks created by generations of unknown artists. Photography consequently became more than a means of artistic expression; it became a way of preserving a visual memory of treasures that may otherwise be lost<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The book brings together evocative photography and scholarly insights from 16 sacred and historic sites<\/strong>, including Lamayuru, Mangyu, Sumda, Wanla, Thiksey, Hemis and Leh Palace<\/strong>. It documents the region\u2019s ancient monasteries, rock-carved statues, murals, sculptures, palaces, caves and forts, including sites that remain little known beyond the region.<\/p>\n

Through this publication, Somany seeks to raise awareness of Ladakh\u2019s fading artistic and spiritual traditions<\/strong> and encourage their preservation for future generations. Reinforcing this commitment, he has pledged the entire royalty from the book\u2019s sales to initiatives dedicated to safeguarding this invaluable heritage<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The book also introduces readers to the symbolism and iconography of Buddhist art<\/strong>, offering insights into the historical and cultural influences reflected in the artworks. At the same time, it underscores the urgency of documenting and preserving a heritage increasingly threatened by time, weather and deterioration.<\/p>\n

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The New Delhi gathering brought together voices from photography, Buddhist thought and cultural preservation. Rajiv Mehrotra<\/strong>, writer, documentary filmmaker and Honorary Secretary and Trustee of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, attended as Chief Guest<\/strong> and unveiled the book at the New Delhi programme. Lama Thupstan Paldan<\/strong> was the Guest of Honour<\/strong>, while veteran photographer Ashok Dilwali<\/strong> attended as Special Guest<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The event also marked the occasion for Whispers of the Himalayas: A Dialogue in Photography & Painting<\/em>, an exhibition by Shreekant Somany and Rita Jhunjhunwala<\/strong>. Bringing photography and painting into dialogue, the exhibition explores the Himalayan world through its landscapes, memories and cultural expressions. The works evoke a world that is both timeless and fragile, offering visitors an opportunity to engage with the region through two complementary artistic mediums.<\/p>\n

The exhibition will be open to visitors from 31 October to 3 November 2026, between 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM<\/strong>, at the Art Gallery, Bikaner House, Pandara Road, New Delhi \u2013 110003<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

By documenting Ladakh\u2019s sacred art and bringing its stories to a wider audience, Sacred Art of Ladakh: Fading Treasures<\/em> seeks to create greater appreciation for a cultural legacy whose preservation remains increasingly urgent.<\/p>\n

About Shreekant Somany<\/h3>\n

Shreekant Somany<\/strong> is an industrialist, explorer, photographer and patron of the arts. As Chairman and Managing Director of Somany Ceramics Limited<\/strong>, he has spent over five decades<\/strong> building one of India\u2019s leading ceramic and building-solutions companies. His photographic work, exhibited in India and abroad, reflects a deep engagement with culture, craftsmanship and the passage of time.<\/p>\n

If you object to the content of this press release, please notify us at pr.error.rectification@gmail.com. We will respond and rectify the situation within 24 hours.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New Delhi [India], November 4: Through evocative photography and scholarly insights, Shreekant Somany\u2019s book captures the artistic treasures of Ladakh\u2019s…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33881,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[18],"class_list":["post-33880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wowentrepreneurs.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wowentrepreneurs.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wowentrepreneurs.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wowentrepreneurs.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wowentrepreneurs.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33880"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wowentrepreneurs.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33880\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wowentrepreneurs.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wowentrepreneurs.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wowentrepreneurs.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wowentrepreneurs.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}