Summary

Stone Pastures tells the story of a nomadic family living on the Himalayan plateau of Chantang, Ladakh. In this cold high-altitude desert, the most inhospitable of environments, father Sonam, mother Phuntsok, old uncle Tsewang, and the boys Padma and Kunsang struggle rearing pashmina goats. This struggle contains a paradox: Ladakh’s gritty, rocky conditions give rise to the finest of materials, pashmina wool. Produced by the nomads’ goats as a warm undercoat, this is the raw material for luxurious Kashmiri shawls, and the family’s only source of income.