A section of Chansa with the Thap (centre) remodelled as a library

A 15-minute walk from Leh Market on the main Tukcha road leads you to Raku House, a three-storey structure that sits under the gaze of the mighty Himalayas. Built 150 years ago, the abandoned house is one of the few vestiges of Ladakhi architecture, with Chotkang, an ornate prayer room on its top floor and Ba-nga, a traditional granary within the premises. Step inside and you will find youngsters, including four students from Mumbai’s Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), engrossed in creating sketches of the property, brushing the dust off Thap, a traditional stove used for heating water and cooking, and remodelling parts of the house — all so that they can complete its restoration to set up the first youth culture centre in Ladakh.