The beauty of Ladakh had not only mesmerized tourists and explorers from around the world it had been one of the prized shooting destinations of blockbuster Bollywood flicks. Movies like 3 Idiots, Lakshya, Jab Tak Hai Jaan had been immortalized by amazing shots taken in various parts of Ladakh. Among these movies the fame of 3 Idiots had been outstanding.
Rancho's School (Druk White Lotus School), Shey, Ladakh
The 3 Idiots Shot at Druk White Lotus School (Courtesy: 3 Idiots, Raj Kumar Hirani & Vidhu Vinod Chopra)
3 Idiots - The Idiotic Wall Scene
I hope none of us have forgotten the spine tickling scene of the 3 Idiots movie. Farhan, Raju, Pia and Chatur (Silencer) had reached Rancho's school at Ladakh looking for his whereabouts. Chatur decides to loosen up taking a school wall until he realizes that he is at the receiving end tasting an electric shock courtesy the witty kids of Rancho's school.
3 Idiots - The Idiotic Wall Scene (Courtesy: 3 Idiots, Raj Kumar Hirani & Vidhu Vinod Chopra)
Way to Rancho's School from Thiksey Monastery (Courtesy: Google Maps 2017) Reaching Rancho's School
Having the flavor of this memorable movie scene right in front of your eyes was a treat of its kind and we enjoyed it a lot. After leaving Thiksey it was just an eight minutes ride to reach the famous Rancho's school.
Visitor Centre Rancho's School (Druk White Lotus School), Shey
Hassan Ji parked the car right behind the visitor centre. We had to register our names for the guided tour into the school campus. As another tour was already on the move, we got some time to explore in and around the visitor centre.
A small cafeteria - "Rancho's Café" was located right next to the visitor centre. A small billboard with the characters from the movie was more than enough to draw the attention of any tourist.
Way beyond the cafeteria was a long playground with a beautiful monastery like assembly building lying to our left. The architecture of this mansion was breathtaking and the traditional Tibetan designs made it an all adorable sight from the other end of the playground.
Rancho's School..amazing views The guided tour
Our trance was soon cut short with one of the school staffs waving us back to the visitor centre for the guided tour. We hardly had seven people in our group excluding our guide. She was working as a PR officer and her warm welcome gestures assured that we would be having an enjoyable tour for the next few minutes.
Druk White Lotus School or Rancho's School was introduced to educate children of Ladakh based on traditional Tibetan values and culture empowering them to face the challenges of the new millennium. The architecture of the campus is unique of its own where each building had been mastered on eco-friendly architectural designs.
Rancho's School..amazing schoolscape
The Self-Sustaining, Go-Green Campus
Although the campus had once been severely washed away by a deadly flash flood in the past, we found that at present there were hardly remains of the massacre. Each building had its unique name and amazing architecture.
It was a pleasant information that the campus followed self-sustainable resources and championed go-green practices to facilitate healthy living for the students.
The Idiotic Wall
The most prized venue of the campus is the famous Idiotic Wall immortalized by the 3 Idiots "electric shock" scene. The wall which had already taken its repute in the "Hall of fame" is painted featuring the 3 Idiots theme courtesy the artistic talents of the school. The Idiotic wall is a prized spot for Selfies and Group shots.
My Selfi Moment at the Idiotic Wall Epilogue
Reliving a 3 Idiot moment with Selfies and wonderful shots of the campus was fun. Our 9 year kid had a blast of a time running and playing around. And so were we. The aura of the nature around the campus was truly breathtaking and it rocked our senses. Looking at us strolling back to the car parking Hassan Ji put on the ignition keys. It was time for us to move to next spot, the Sindhu Ghat.