Ladakh: The skies over Ladakh recently transformed into a breathtaking natural canvas when vibrant, rainbow-like clouds appeared above the region’s rugged mountains and glaciers.
The unusual spectacle was captured by yoga teacher Prerna Dalal, who photographed the colourful clouds while travelling through Ladakh. Her images, later shared on Instagram, drew attention online for their striking pastel shades.
Patches of clouds appeared to glow in delicate tones of pink, green, blue and violet, creating an almost dreamlike appearance against the stark Himalayan landscape.
A rare play of light in the clouds
The phenomenon seen in the photographs is known as cloud iridescence, a natural optical effect that can make clouds display multiple colours.
It occurs when sunlight interacts with tiny water droplets or ice crystals within clouds. Light is diffracted as it passes around these small particles, producing shifting bands of colour that can resemble the appearance of a rainbow.
Unlike a conventional rainbow, cloud iridescence does not require rain and can appear directly within or around clouds when the atmospheric conditions are favourable.
Stunning sight captured over Ladakh
Dalal said she initially did not understand what she was seeing when she noticed the unusual colours while taking a drone shot over the glaciers.
The photographs show the colourful patches standing out against Ladakh’s high-altitude terrain, where vast mountains and glaciers provide a dramatic backdrop.
The combination of the region’s clear skies, intense sunlight and cloud formations helped create an especially striking visual display.
The sight quickly attracted admiration online, with viewers describing the unusual clouds as “mesmerising” and marvelling at the natural colours.
Nature creates another unforgettable view
Ladakh is known for its dramatic landscapes and clear high-altitude skies, but rare atmospheric phenomena such as cloud iridescence can add an unexpected dimension to the region’s natural beauty.
For those fortunate enough to witness it, the fleeting colours serve as a reminder of how sunlight, clouds and atmospheric conditions can combine to create extraordinary scenes without warning.
The rainbow-like clouds may have lasted only briefly, but the photographs have preserved a spectacular moment in Ladakh’s ever-changing Himalayan skies.