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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.
Ladakh
is a land abounding in awesome physical features, set in an
enormous and spectacular environment. Bounded by two of the
world's mightiest mountain ranges, the Karakoram in the north
and the Great Himalayas in the south, it is traversed by two
other parallel chains, the Ladakh Range and the Zanskar
Range.
 Dras,
Zanskar and the Suru Valley on the Himalaya's northern flanks
receive heavy snow in winter, this feeds the glaciers from
which melt water, carried down by streams, irrigates the
fields in summer. For the rest of the region, the snow on the
peaks is virtually the only source of water.
For nearly 900 years, from the middle of the 10th century,
Ladakh was an independent kingdom, its ruling dynasties
descending from the kings of old Tibet. The kingdom attained
its greatest geographical extent and glory in the early 17th
century under the famous king Singge Namgyal, whose domain
extended across Spiti and western Tibet right up to the Mayum-la,
beyond the sacred sites of Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.
General Information
Area:
97,000 sq Km
out of which nearly 38,000 sq. Km are
under Chinese Occupation since 1962.
Population: Approx. 2.40 lakh in the 2 districts
of Leh & Kargil.
Languages: Ladakhi including Balti / Purgi, Shina or
Dardic, Urdu / Hindi.
Ethnic composition: Mongoloid/Tibetan, Dardic and
assorted Indo-Aryan elements.
Temperature:
Summer 25oC 8oC, Winter (-) 5oC (-) 5oC
Rain-fall: 15cm, 6" (annual average)
Clothing: Cotton & light woolens in summer and heavy
woolens
including down-filled wind proof upper garments in
winter.
Altitude: 3505 meter
STD Code: 01982
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.
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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