Ladakh, with its uplands, craggy cliffs and plateaus presents a unique and barren landscape. It lies at altitudes ranging from 2750 m (9000 ft) at Kargil in the west to over 7600 m (25000 ft) in the Karakoram range.
This is because there is very little vegetation here, because of the harsh climate with only 50mm of rainfall each year. This region is cold and dry. It has a long and bitter winter, when you see a frozen landscape which is yet beautiful, and a short, hot summer when glaciers melt. In all, it is a land of wilderness with a character that remains pure, with a predominant Budhist simplicity and has overwhelming natural beauty. In the short warmer months, you can sight fields of beautiful, exotic flowers such as the iris and larkspurs, growing in natural abundance.
To enjoy Ladakh, it is important to familiarize yourself a little with the culture of its people, as their isolation has given them a lifestyle which is unique. Ladhak abounds with Buddhist monasteries ‘ gompas’, which are a central force in rural, local life. Its priest or ‘lamas’, as they are called, are involved in education, medication and many such social activities, besides holding several religious celebrations and ceremonies. These monasteries may be either of the Mahayana or the Hinayana sect of Buddhism most gompas are built so that they perch precariously on lone rocks or craggy mountain faces There must be close to 5,000 lamas in Ladakh.
With a total population of less than 150,000, the people of Ladakh belong to a variety of races such as the Hunja, Daradas, Mons and Droks. The latter have the distinction of being survivors of pure Aryan stock and the men of this race are called Drokpas. You will be fascinated by the strange headgear of their smiling women—the ‘ perak’ .It is made from the skin of a black lamb, and studded with a dazzling variety of turquoise and precious stones
Most of the local people are farmers. They grow a specific variety of barley, known as ‘girm’ and employ an animal called the ‘dzo,’ a hybrid between the yak and cow, which is hardy enough for the climate of Ladakh, to plough their fields..During the long winter months, they utilise their time indoors to produce the famous pashmina and other varieties of wool derived from sheep, goats and yak that are in plenty. The yak is an animal that is synonymous with Ladakh..
The district capital of this region, Leh, has a history dating back to the 17th century, when King Sengge Namgyal shifted his court here from Shey (15 km southeast) to be closer to the head of the Khardung La-Karakoram corridor into China. Very soon, the town blossomed into one of the busiest markets on the Silk Route |
