Perak is a unique and traditional Ladakhi headdress worn by local women. Perak is symbol of social status and rank — typically belongs to queens and ladies belonging to aristocracy. The tradition is passed-on to the daughters for decades now in Ladakh.
Perak is composed of a strap of leather studded with semi-precious stones, such as lapis lazuli and turquoise. The polished chunky turquoises stones have roughly the size of 75cm x 20cm.
Ladakhi women wear the Himalayan jewelry during wedding also. It adds to the grace and beauty of the Himalayan and Tibet brides. It is believed that the headdress brings peace and tranquility in life.
Alright, a small story behind the portrait of the Ladakhi woman in Perak. As I keep telling, I’m a lazy and lucky street photographer – who doesn’t like travelling but has interest in cataloguing diverse humans. I spotted the tribes from Ladakh in Surajkund Mela last year. They were performing Ladakhi folk song and dance in the public event.
A word for the street photographers who’re like me – can’t travel but have interest in capturing diversity. Look for the events, public, private doesn’t matter, in your city. Become part of the event, as-if you always belonged there. So that the administration can’t object. In fact, with your sincerity and storytelling, you can help them understand how you’re adding value to the event.
Well, this portrait of Ladakhi women in Perak headdress prompted me to do a little more research. So, when I visit Ladakh next time, I’ll find out how’s Perak assembled. The place where you can find people working on the jewelry is Mangyu village in the Sham region of Ladakh.
