Shristi Banka calls Ladakhi people welcoming, says trip taught her not to take comforts in life for granted

Shristi Banka, founder and CEO of Banka CFO loves travelling. Last year, the financial services boss visited Leh-Ladakh for ten days with a group of friends and her family. She told ET Panache, "The monasteries in Leh are perched on high hills and are home to monks where they keep their Buddhist heritage intact and alive. I even did mountain biking in the mighty Himalayas along the course of Stakna to Spituk in Leh which was completely awe-inspiring. I did the treacherous Chadar Trek for two days which was a wonderful experience in itself and was entirely raw, rugged, and wild. This was definitely a holiday that changed my life."

The 24-year-old visited Lamayuru, Alchi, Zanskar, Chilling, Rumbak, Hemis National Park, several monasteries and nearby areas like Stakna Monastery, Basgo Monastery, Spituk Monastery.

The warmth of living in homestays of Ladakh equipped with very basic amenities and the Ladakhi toilet systems at temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius made Banka realise many things. "I understood the extent to which we take the comforts of our lives for granted. In spite of the daily hardship, the Ladakhi people are extremely welcoming and face each day with a warm smile. In essence, it’s entirely possible to strip us off our luxuries and still be able to lead a contented and peaceful life," she said.

In the pursuit of spotting the elusive snow leopards, Banka and her fellow travellers started a day’s hike from the entrance of Hemis National Park to reach Rumbak Valley. "Making way through powerful blizzards and sub-zero temperatures, the snow leopard expedition did not give us a glimpse of the animal itself. But the determination it took for us in that wilderness to reach the top, in search of the snow leopard, was a liberating moment. The entire trek was nothing short of ethereal and brought a sense of zen to me. If you have the will power, you can conquer the most difficult situations, much like we conquered those snow-covered mountains," she shared.


The one place that has been on Banka's bucket list since a long time is Maasai Mara in Kenya.

"I would love to see the wild cats such as cheetahs, lions, leopards, majestic elephants, gazelles, wildebeest, living and hunting in their natural habitat. The extra-ordinary landscapes of Africa and their vastness and beauty make me want to definitely go there soon," she ended.