Sneak Preview

High up in the shadow of the world’s highest peaks is a land of mythical beauty, Ladakh- a land where vividly coloured mountains rise up dramatically on all sides, dwarfing the crystal rivers and shimmering glaciers which make their way through the barren land. A land that is arid and harsh, but also one of the most beautiful anywhere on earth; a land of warm, friendly people and a cultural heritage that is nothing short of amazing.

Once a little-known and even less visited part of Kashmir, but today a destination that’s topping all the popularity charts when it comes to tourism-- Ladakh is exquisitely lovely and relatively unspoilt, and beckons the looking-for-new-horizons traveller. For those who have seen and done it all- Ladakh guarantees an experience one will not forget.

Khardung La (la means pass in Tibetan) in Ladakh, is regarded as one of the highest motorable road in world, with an estimated elevation of 5359 meters or 17,582 feet.

Since Ladakh is situated at an altitude of almost 3500mts, high altitude sickness is a very real problem and that is why it is recommended that your first 24 hours in Ladakh is spent resting.

Ladakh is also known as ‘Land of Many Passes’ because for centuries caravans of various traders carrying pashmina shawls, spices, saffron and opium, passed through Ladakh.

Two sports vastly popular amongst Ladakhis are Archery and Polo. Frequent competitions are held across Ladakh during summers which are accompanied by drinking chhang (the local barley beer), music and dance.

It is interesting to know that Ladakh does not receive any water from the rain for almost 300 days in a year. The main source of water in the region is the melted water from the snow which is carried down by smaller streams and is used for irrigation. The farmers prefer melted snow water for their crops instead of rain water.

Ever wondered why

the women wear so much jewellery while working in fields or why the traditional dress gonchas worn by Ladakhis have capacious sleeves? The reason behind is that centuries ago, Ladakh was a part of the fabled Silk Route, and it was wealthy enough therefore, the Marauding armies would sweep down out of the blue on villages and loot and ravage them. The best way to escape was to make sure that one carried one’s most valuable possessions all the time and the capacious sleeves of the goncha were perfect for carrying articles for personal use. Whereas the women wore their jewellery so that even if they had to flee while working in the fields, the loss would not be that much.

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Historically Speaking

Rock engravings and archaeological finds indicate that the early inhabitants of Ladakh living here for thousands of years were nomadic tribals or Changpas from the Tibetan plateau. They were later joined by Buddhists from northern India called the Mons, in the 4th and 5th centuries AD by the Indo-Aryan Dards.

Migrating along the course of the Indus, the Dards introduced irrigation and settled cultivation into this region. The Muslim Baltis came in from Central Asia to settle around Kargil. In Roman times, Ladakh was a major trading centre on the Silk Route between China and the Mediterranean. The first independent kingdom that consolidated the entire region was established in the 9th century. At the same time, Buddhism was introduced in the region by great teachers like Padmasambhava (Guru Rimpoche). Towards the end of the 10th century, Ladakh came under the rule of the Thi dynasty, which established its capital at Shey. The Thi rulers built great forts and palaces, and also shifted their religious order more towards Tibetan Buddhism with its strong tantric aspects. In 1533, Soyang Namgyal established the Namgyal dynasty,

which extended its empire up to the outskirts of Lhasa. The capital was shifted to the more strategically located Leh, where the descendants of the Namgyal dynasty still live. In the late 16th and 17th century, Ladakh was invaded by the Muslim Baltis.

In the tumultuous years after India’s independence, Ladakh also experienced some of the fiercest battles. In 1950, Chinese troops occupied Aksai Chin, which they claimed to be part of China. Their army marched deep into Ladakh, building roads and bridges without the knowledge of Indian authorities to link Tibet with Xinjiang. Though contested by India, the territorial dispute has never been settled. In 1962, China launched a full-scale war on India, with Ladakh as one of the fronts. In the aftermath of this war, Ladakh grew in importance as a military base. Due to its sensitive location, Ladakh remained closed to foreigners till 1974, when it was opened up for tourists from abroad. The aspirations of the distinctly different Ladakhis led to creation of Autonomous Hill Council within Jammu & Kashmir in 1995. Local councillors with greater decision-making powers govern this council, with its headquarters at Leh. Today, Ladakh has been rediscovered, not as a trade link, but a land of amazing beauty and antiquity.

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