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Ladakh (Tibetan script: ལ་དྭགས་; Wylie: la-dwags, Ladakhi IPA: [lad̪ɑks], Hindi: लद्दाख़, Hindi IPA: [ləd̪.d̪ɑːx], Urdu: لدّاخ; "land of high passes") is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent. It is one of the most sparsely populated regions in Kashmir.
Ladakh, the Persian transliteration of the Tibetan La-dvags, is warranted by the pronunciation of the word in several Tibetan districts.
Historically, the region included the Baltistan (Baltiyul) valleys, the Indus Valley, the remote Zangskar, Lahaul and Spiti to the south, Aksai Chin and Ngari, including the Rudok region and Guge, in the east, and the Nubra valleys to the north.
Contemporary Ladakh borders Tibet to the east, the Lahaul and Spiti to the south, the Vale of Kashmir, Jammu and Baltiyul regions to the west, and the trans–Kunlun territory of East Turkistan to the far north. Ladakh is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and culture. It is sometimes called "Little Tibet" as it has been strongly influenced by Tibetan culture.
In the past Ladakh gained importance from its strategic location at the crossroads of important trade routes, but since the Chinese authorities closed the borders with Tibet and Central Asia in the 1960s, international trade has dwindled except for tourism. Since 1974, the Government of India has successfully encouraged tourism in Ladakh. Since Ladakh is a part of the Kashmir dispute, the Indian military maintains a strong presence in the region.
The largest town in Ladakh is Leh. A majority of Ladakhis are Tibetan Buddhists and the rest are mostly Shia Muslims. Some Ladakhi activists have in recent times called for Ladakh to be constituted as a union territory because of its religious and cultural differences with predominantly Muslim Kashmir.
| Ladakh |
Ladakh
– the land of high passes –
is the Trans – Himalayan zone
that marks the boundary between the
peaks of the western Himalayan and
the vast Tibetan Plateau. Since it
was opened up to tourism in 1974 Ladakh
has been known as 'the Moon land',
'Little Tibet', and even 'the last
Shangri La'. The high culture of Ladakh
is Buddhist, with its close culture
and trading connections with Tibet.
This particularly evident in the most
populated region of Leh and the Indus
valley, with its many whitewashed
gompas (monasteries) and forts perched
on top of sugarloaf mountains. Padum,
the capital of the more remote Zanskar
valley shares this Buddhist heritage.
Likewise, ancient gompas and tiny
white washed villages are found in
the depths of this rugged, arid mountains
cape. |
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Ladakh Information |
| Area |
97,000 sq Km
out of which nearly 38,000 sq. Km are
under Chinese Occupation since 1962
|
| Altitude |
Leh 3505 m, Kargil 2750 m |
| Temperature
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| Summer |
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| Winter |
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| Rainfall |
15cm, 6" (annual average) |
| Best Season |
Mid May- Mid August |
| Clothing |
Cotton & light woollens in summer
and heavy woollens including down-filled
wind proof upper garments in winter.
|
| Population |
Approx. 2.40 lakh in the 2 districts
of Leh & Kargil. |
| Languages |
Ladakhi including Balti / Purgi, Shina
or Dardic, Urdu / Hindi |
|
| How
to Reach |
| Air
|
Indian
Airlines, Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways
operate regular flights to Leh from Delhi
and Shuttle services to Srinagar & Jammu
and to Chandigarh. Leh airport is 6 kms.
away from City centre.
On the Kargil-Leh highway
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| Road
|
The main
overland approach to Ladakh is the 434 Kms
Srinagar-Leh highway (open May/June to October).
This historic road passes through Kashmir’s
picturesque countryside till Sonamarg (86
Km) before ascending the Zojiala pass (3,529m).
It connects the most populous parts of Ladakh
including Kargil Town (205 Km) where the
journey has to be broken for the nigh.
The other land approach
is the 473 km Manali-Leh road (open July-September)
which runs across 5 passes, the lowest being
Rohtang-La (3,878 m) and the highest Taglang-la
(5360-m). J&K State Road Transport Corporation
(J&K STRC) operates regular bus services
between Srinagar and Leh/Kargil while HP
Tourism Operates coaches on the Manali-Leh
route. Taxis are easily available from Srinagar
and Manali for visiting Ladakh. |
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| In and around Leh
|
| Leh
Palace |
| Leh
Palace, looking for the entire world like
a miniature version of the Potala in Lhasa,
Tibet, Leh Palace was built in the 17th
century, but is now deserted and dilapidated.
The palace is just an amble up any old laneway
at the back of the mosque. |
| Namgyal
Tsemo Gompa |
| Namgyal
Tsemo Gompa, built in 1430, contains a fine
storey high Buddha image and ancient manuscripts
and frescoes. The steep laneway starts from
the road to the Leh Palace. |
| Sankar
Gompa |
Sankar
Gompa, this interesting little gompa, which
belongs to the Gelukpa order, has electric
lighting so an evening visit is worthwhile.
Upstairs is an impressive representation
of Avalokitesvara (Chenresig, the Buddhist
deity of Compassion) complete with 1000
arms and 1000 heads, a library, and great
views from the roof. |
Shanti stupa |
| Shanti
stupa, looming impressively, especially
at night-time when it is well lit up, this
stupa (Buddhist religious monument) was
built by a Japanese, Indian-based man whose
intention was to spread Buddhism by building
temples throughout the world. |
| Hemis
Gompa |
Hemis
Gompa, also known as Chang-Chub-Sam-Ling
(or the Lone place of the Compassionate
person), Hemis Gompa, which belongs
to the Drukpa order and was founded
in the early 17th century, is 45 km
from Leh. The gompa has an excellent
library, well preserved frescoes,
showing some Kashmiri influence, and
good Buddha figures.
Shey Gompa
Shey Gompa, 15 km from Leh, Shey was
the former summer palace of the kings
of Ladakh. The gompa is partially
used, and is being restored. There
is a small libraryand a collection
of thangkas, and some stupas and mani
walls nearby.
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| Phyang
|
| Not
far past Spituk, a long, roughish track
off the main road leads to the pretty village
of Phyang. Mani walls lead to the little-visited
gompa which was built around the 15th century
by king Tashi Namgyal, and now houses about
45 monks who belong to the Kagyupa order.
There's a bronze Buddha statue reputedly
almost 1000 years old, and some huge thangkas,
one of which is unrolled once a year during
the annual Phyang Festival held around July
/ August. |
| Likir |
| Located
5 km from the main road, just before Saspul,
is another magnificent gompa, overlooking
the village of Likir. Known as the Klu-Kkhyil
(water spirits) Gompa, it was founded in
the 14th century, and was the first gompa
in Ladakh known to have been built under
the direction of Tibetan monks. |
| Alchi
|
A busy
village with several good places to stay
and eat. It is a pretty place, especially
at the end of summer when villagers are
harvesting, and is worth staying to break
up the long haul between Leh and Kargil
or Srinagar. One of the more enjoyable aspects
of the Alchi Gompa is that it is the only
one in the Ladakhi region on flat ground,
so no knee breaking climbing is involved.
The gompa was founded in the 11th century
by the Great Translator, Ringchen Zangpo,
on his return from India, which accounts
for the Indian and particularly, Kashmiri
influences. |
| Lamayuru |
|
It comes as a surprise
to find that Lamayuru is a scruffy
little place. But it is completely
overshadowed by one of the most famous
and spectacularly set gompas in Ladakh.
The gompa, part of the Kagyupa order,
is not as interesting as others; it's
location that makes it special. The
oldest known gompa in Ladakh, dating
back beyond the 10th century, it has
been destroyed and restored several
times over the centuries. |
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