Ladakh

Cold Desert of Ladakh
Engulfed by the Karakoram and Kunlun Mountains in the north and the Great Himalayas in the south, Ladakh is a cold high altitude desert ravaged by long freezing winters and piercing hot summers. Also traversed by the Ladakh and Zanskar Range from northwest to south east, it is cut by the rivers Indus and Zanskar and their tributaries which freeze to depths of several feet in winter.

The Himalayas block the monsoons from reaching Ladakh, and the melting snow remains the major source of water. The monotony of the largely bleak and barren terrain with an average height of almost 19,700 feet is broken by green patches around the wet areas along the river valleys and lakes. Temperatures fluctuate between -3 degrees to 30 degrees in summer, and frost bites and sun strokes during the season are not unusual. As a tourist, you need to be prepared with the right clothing for the warm days and chilly nights.

The Past
With its physical features resembling Tibet, Ladakh is sometimes referred to as “Little Tibet”. Buddhism has been prevalent in Ladakh since the 2nd century, but the religion took root only after the invasion by Nyima Gon of Tibet in the 9th century. During the 400 year rule of this dynasty the Bon faith followed till then was phased out. The Buddhist philosophy is deeply imbedded in Ladakh and has resisted attempts to large scale conversion by Islamic invaders from Central Asia between the 13th and the early 17th century. Ladakh underwent considerable fragmentation during this period, till King Bhagan established his rule and established the Namgyal dynasty. The region experienced phases of Mughal, Tibetan and Dogra rule till the mid-19th century, finally merging with the Indian Union in 1947.

People and Culture of Ladakh
The Tibetans, Mons, Baltis and Dards constitute the majority in Ladakh. A sizeable number of Kashmiris involved in trade are also based here. The Dards are an Aryan race and believed to be indigenous to Ladakh. While they stand apart from the Tibeto-Mongols with their Indo-European features, centuries of Tibetan influence has over-ridden their culture to a large extent. They are concentrated in five Drogpa villages. The Ladakhis speak a range of Ladakhi dialects in addition to Urdu, Hindi and English.