From Wolf Traps To Stupas: Ladakh’s Journey Of Forgiveness Through Shandong
What once represented defense and death has, in recent years, been transformed into something far more profound, a gesture of remembrance, forgiveness and heritage.
Published : August 14, 2025 at 7:47 PM IST
By Rinchen Angmo Chumikchan
Leh: For centuries, Shandongs, deep stone traps designed to capture wolves, were scattered across the rugged landscapes of Ladakh. They stood as symbols of survival, built by herders to protect their livestock from predators in an unforgiving environment.
But what once represented defense and death has, in recent years, been transformed into something far more profound, a gesture of remembrance, forgiveness and heritage. Guided by conservationists, religious leaders and village communities, these silent remnants of the past are being turned into stupas and mani-stone sites. The shift marks not only a change in how Ladakhis view their relationship with wildlife but also a broader journey of cultural reflection.
Karma Sonam, Project Coordinator, Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), reflected on the changing relationship between people and wildlife in eastern Ladakh. He explained that nearly five decades ago, livestock formed the backbone of local livelihoods, with many families working as agro-pastoralists.
He says, “At that time, wild predators such as wolves and snow leopards caused major livestock losses. In retaliation, people relied on traditional methods like Shandong and Gordung, in the latter, a bone was kept with a heavy stone. Among these, Shandong was the most commonly used.”
He added that the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), along with the Snow Leopard Trust (SLT) team, has documented these practices through a detailed survey. “We recorded around 94 Shandongs across Ladakh, except in Nubra and Zanskar. Each site has been mapped with GPS coordinates and digitised. In many villages, we also looked into how actively Shandongs were used and found that they were still in practice until about 15 years ago. Today, however, most stand abandoned.”
Sonam further explained how communities have been rethinking the role of Shandongs. He recalled that in 2016, scientist Dr Charudutt Mishra suggested engaging people through religious sentiments and dialogue. “We discussed with the communities that instead of destroying Shandongs, we could preserve them as heritage for future generations,” Sonam says.
He described how the traps were traditionally linked to the seasonal movement of livestock and predators. Karma Sonam says, “In our pasturelands, when herders moved their animals, wolves also shifted accordingly. Herders, being very observant, built Shandongs in areas where wolf movement was highest.”
According to him, the practice required collective effort from villagers. “People would take turns to monitor the Shandong and feed the goat or sheep, which acted as live bait. Two people usually stayed on duty. If the wolf wasn’t trapped immediately, they had to keep the bait animal alive, feeding and watering it until the wolf eventually fell in,” Sonam explains.
He added that even the design of the structure reflected local ingenuity. “A rope tied to a utensil was lowered to give water to the goat or sheep. The Shandong itself was built deep and steep, with slanting walls, so that once a wolf was trapped, it could not escape alive,” he says.
Sonam recalled how the community sought guidance on transforming Shandongs from sites of killing into symbols of peace. “We consulted Rangdol Nima Rinpoche, a religious head about the Shandong, where many wolves were once killed and asked how it could be turned into a holy site,” he said. The response was deeply symbolic. “He advised us to build a Changchub Chorten, an enlightenment stupa, because two lives are lost in every Shandong, the bait animal and the wolf itself,” Sonam explains.
The idea was taken to the villagers and Chushul emerged as the first to volunteer. Sonam says, “There was a lot of unity among the people there. Chushul had around four Shandongs and in 2018 the first stupa was built in the village.”
For the community, the effort served two purposes, to preserve Shandongs as heritage for future generations and to seek forgiveness for the past. The movement soon spread. He adds, “In 2019, another stupa was built in Gya village and now people circumambulate these stupas.” Sonam shared the sentiments of local herders who reflected on this change. “They told us, ‘We feel good now. Earlier we killed many wolves without awareness, but now we ask for forgiveness.’”
Looking back on his childhood, Sonam recalled how deeply ingrained the practice of trapping wolves once was. “I remember helping my fellow villagers kill wolves when I was a child,” he says quietly. “Now I am 60 years old and things have changed so much.”
That change is visible in the transformation of Shandongs into symbols of peace and reflection.Karma Sonam explains, “So far, we have built Changchub Chortens in nine villages, first in Chushul, then in Gya, Hemya, Shara, Khardong, Markha inside Hemis National Park, Tharuk, Domkhar Phu in Kurambek, and the ninth one in Phobrang in Data village.” The initiative has also taken creative forms in villages where stupas could not be constructed.
“In some places where there were several Shandongs, we engraved mani stones on the sites instead,” he says. According to him, the effort has already made a significant impact. “Out of 94 Shandongs, we have neutralised 22 at the community level. And there are still many Shandongs in Kargil as well.”
The effort to transform Shandongs into stupas has relied heavily on community participation and traditional craftsmanship. Karma Sonam pointed out that much of the work has been carried out by a local mason. “Our mason, Sonam Jolden, from Kyagar in Nubra, has been with us from the very beginning, along with his assistant,” he says.
The stupas are built in the old style, using locally made materials. “We construct them from traditional mud bricks,” Sonam explains. “Each stupa costs around Rs 70,000 to 80,000 to build. All the manpower comes from the community and the consecration is also done collectively.” He added that the size and structure are modest but meaningful. “The stupas are about four and a half feet tall and most of the expense goes into the relics,” he says.
Konchok Stanzin, Councillor of Chushul reflected on how widespread the use of Shandongs once was. “Earlier, Shandongs were used in almost every village of Ladakh to control the wolf population,” he said. The shift, he explained, came through the initiative of the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF). “NCF has been running the project of transforming Shandongs into stupas for many years and the work began in Chushul,” he adds.
With changing laws and attitudes, the practice has been redefined. Stanzin says, “Now we cannot do this because of the Wildlife Act. Instead, it has become a way of asking forgiveness for the past. People have also been given awareness about this”. He also pointed to the economic changes that reduced reliance on the old method. “Earlier there was very little compensation for livestock loss. Now, people get better compensation and the practice of trapping wolves is no longer there,” he says.
According to him, spiritual guidance played an important role in the transition. Stanzin recalls, “When we first started, Bakula Rangdol Nima Rinpoche created awareness among the people and motivated the youth. We repaired the sites and preserved them.” He added that memories of the old practice still remain alive in oral histories. “All the herders who are 60 or 70 years old have many stories to tell about Shandongs,” he says.
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