?Ladakh Jammu and Kashmir • India
Lake Tso Moriri in Ladakh
Map of Kashmir with Ladakh highlighted in red[α]
Coordinates: 34°08′N 77°33′E / 34.14, 77.55
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area	45,110 km² (17,417 sq mi)[β]
Largest city	Leh
Population • Density	270,126 (2001) • 6 /km² (16 /sq mi)[1]
Language(s)	Ladakhi, Urdu
Infant mortality rate	19%[2] (1981)
Website: leh.nic.in

Coordinates: 34°08′N 77°33′E / 34.14, 77.55

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 in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir 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. ( Dogri: जम्मू और कश्मीर Urdu: جموں و کشمیر is the northernmost state of India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Indian Standard Time ( IST) is the time observed throughout India and Sri Lanka, with a Time offset of UTC+530. UTC+530 is the Timezone for Indian Standard Time Sri Lanka Time The geography of India is diverse with landscape ranging from snow-capped mountain ranges to deserts plains rainforests hills and plateaus Leh ( was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. The Constitution of India envisages Hindi as the primary official language to be used by the Union Government, with English as the subsidiary official language The Ladakhi language is the predominant language in the Ladakh region of the Jammu and Kashmir state of India. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised Infant mortality is defined as the number of deaths of Infants (one year of age or younger per 1000 live births A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. The Tibetan script is an Abugida of Indic origin used to write the Tibetan language as well as the Dzongkha language, Ladakhi language The Wylie transliteration scheme is a method for transliterating the Tibetan script using the keys on a typical English language Typewriter. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised ( Dogri: जम्मू और कश्मीर Urdu: جموں و کشمیر is the northernmost state of India. The Kunlun Mountains ( Mongolian: Хөндлөн Уулс is one of the longest Mountain chains in Asia, extending more than 3000 Km. The Tibetan people are indigenous to Tibet and surrounding areas stretching from Central Asia in the North and West to Myanmar and China Proper ^[3] It is one of the most sparsely populated regions in Kashmir. Historically, the region included the Baltistan (Baltiyul) valleys, the Indus Valley, the remote Zangskar, Lahaul and Spiti to the south, Ngari including the Rudok region and Guge in the east, Aksai Chin in the east, and Nubra valleys to the north over Khardung La in the Ladakh mountain range. Baltistan (بلتستان, also known as بلتیول (Baltiyul in the Balti language, is a region in northern Pakistan,bordering Xinjiang Baltistan (بلتستان, also known as بلتیول (Baltiyul in the Balti language, is a region in northern Pakistan,bordering Xinjiang The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd Zanskar is a subdistrict or Tehsil of the Kargil district which lies in the eastern half of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Rudok is a small town on the Ladakh frontier of Tibet. Rudok is picturesquely situated on the side of a hill standing isolated in the plain near the east end of Lake Pangong Guge was an ancient kingdom in Western Tibet. The kingdom was centered in present-day Zanda County, within Ngari Prefecture of Tibet Nubra Valley is situated about 150 km north of Leh, the capital town of Ladakh, India. Khardung La ( la means pass in Tibetan) (elevation 5359 m is a high Mountain pass located in the Ladakh region Jammu and 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 in Central Asia on the other side of the Kunlun range across the Karakoram Pass in the far north. Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir History of Jammu Many historians and locals believe that Jammu was founded by Raja Jamboolochan in 14th century BC. Baltistan (بلتستان, also known as بلتیول (Baltiyul in the Balti language, is a region in northern Pakistan,bordering Xinjiang DO NOT ADD THE FLAG OF EAST TURKESTAN TO THIS ARTICLE *** THIS ARTICLE IS ABOUT A GEOGRAPHICAL AREA AND Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south The Karakoram Pass (5540 m or 18175 ft is the highest pass on the ancient caravan route between Leh in Ladakh and Yarkand in the Tarim Basin Running southwest to northeast, the Altyn Tagh converges with the Kunlun range in Kashmir which runs southeast to northwest forming a "V" shape which converges at Pulu. The geographical divide between Ladakh in the highlands of Kashmir and the Tibetan Plateau commences in the vicinity of Pulu and continues southwards along the intricate maze of ridges situated east of Rudok, wherein are situated Aling Kangri and Mavang Kangri and culminates in the vicinity of Mayum La. Rudok is a small town on the Ladakh frontier of Tibet. Rudok is picturesquely situated on the side of a hill standing isolated in the plain near the east end of Lake Pangong

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. Tibetan civilization boasts a rich culture Tibetan culture is greatly influenced by Tibetan Buddhism which is reflected through arts and ritual practices Tibetan Buddhist In the past Ladakh gained importance from its strategic location at the crossroads of important trade routes,^[4] 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 Indian Government has successfully encouraged tourism in Ladakh although the strong Indian military presence shows that it still remains a disputed territory, between India and Pakistan and India and China. Ladakh ( Ladakhi lad̪ɑks Hindi: लद्दाख़ Urdu: لدّاخ Hindi ləd̪

The largest town in Ladakh is Leh. Leh ( was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India A majority of Ladakhis are Tibetan Buddhists and the rest are mostly Shia Muslims. Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including ^[5] 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. A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India. ^[6][7]

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Flora and fauna 4 Government and politics 5 Economy 6 Transport 7 Demographics 8 Culture 9 Education 10 See also 11 Notes 12 References 13 Further reading 14 External links

History

Main article: History of Ladakh

Rock carvings have been found in many parts of Ladakh, showing that the area has been inhabited from the Neolithic times. Information on Ladakh before the birth of the kingdom (10th century is scarce The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos ^[7] Ladakh's earliest inhabitants consisted of a mixed Indo-Aryan population of Mons and Dards,^[8] who find mention in the works of Herodotus,^[γ] Nearchus, Megasthenes, Pliny,^[δ] Ptolemy,^[ε] and the geographical lists of the Puranas. The Mon ( Mon language: မန် or မည် မွန်လူမျိုး‌ mùn lùmjóʊ Thai: มอญ are an Ethnic group from The Dards are an ethnic group predominantly found in Afghanistan, Kashmir Valley, Kargil, and Northern Areas of Pakistan Controlled Kashmir Herodotus of Halicarnassus ( Greek: Hēródotos Halikarnāsseús) was a Greek Historian who lived in the 5th century BC ( 484 BC&ndash Nearchus (or Nearchos) (c 360 - 300 BC was one of the officers a Navarch, in the army of Alexander the Great. Megasthenes (Μεγασθένης ca 350 BC - 290 BC was a Greek traveller and Geographer. Gaius or Caius Plinius Secundus, ( AD 23 – August 25, AD 79 better known as Pliny the Elder, was an ancient Author Claudius Ptolemaeus ( Greek: Klaúdios Ptolemaîos; after 83 &ndash ca For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" ^[9] Around the 1st century, Ladakh was a part of the Kushana empire. The Kushan Empire (c 1st &ndash 3rd centuries) was a Bactrian state that at its cultural zenith Circa 105 &ndash 250 Buddhism came to western Ladakh via Kashmir in the 2nd century when much of eastern Ladakh and western Tibet was still practising the Bon religion. Bön ( is the oldest spiritual tradition of Tibet. Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, has recognized the Bön tradition as the fifth principal spiritual The 7th century Buddhist traveler Xuanzang also describes the region in his accounts. See also Xuanzang (fictional character Xuanzang ( pronounced Shwan-dzang) was a famous Chinese Buddhist Monk, scholar traveler ^[στ]

In the 8th century, Ladakh was involved in the clash between Tibetan expansion pressing from the East and Chinese influence exerted from Central Asia through the passes, and suzerainty over Ladakh frequently changed hands between China and Tibet. Hemis Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery ( Gompa) of the Drukpa Lineage located in Hemis, Ladakh (within the Suzerainty (ˈsjuːzərənti RP or /ˈsjuːzəreɪnti/ RP) (/ˈsuːzərənti/ GA) is a situation in which a Region or people is a In 842 Nyima-Gon, a Tibetan royal representative annexed Ladakh for himself after the break-up of the Tibetan empire, and founded a separate Ladakh dynasty. During this period Ladakh underwent Tibetanization resulting in a predominantly Tibetan population. The dynasty spearheaded the "Second Spreading of Buddhism" importing religious ideas from north-west India, particularly from Kashmir. ^[ζ]

Faced with the Islamic conquest of South Asia in the 13th century, Ladakh chose to seek and accept guidance in religious matters from Tibet. The Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent mainly took place from the 11th to the 17th centuries though earlier Muslim conquests made limited inroads into the region beginning For nearly two centuries, till about 1600, Ladakh was subject to raids and invasions from neighbouring Muslim states, which led to weakening and fracturing of Ladakh, and partial conversion of Ladakhis to Islam. ^[5][9][7]

King Bhagan reunited and strengthened Ladakh and founded the Namgyal dynasty ^[η] which survives even today. Lhachen Bhagan was a Basgo king who united Ladakh in 1470 by overthrowing the king of Leh The Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh was founded by Bhagan, a Basgo king who reunited Ladakh by overthrowing the king of Leh The Namgyals repelled most Central Asian raiders and temporarily extended the kingdom as far as Nepal,^[7] in the face of concerted attempts to convert the region to Islam and destroy Buddhist artifacts. ^[7][5] In the early 17th century efforts were made to restore destroyed artifacts and gompas, and the kingdom expanded into Zangskar and Spiti. Ladakh was, however defeated by the Mughals, who had already annexed Kashmir and Baltistan, but it retained its independence. The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most

In the late 17th century, Ladakh sided with Bhutan in its dispute with Tibet, which resulted in an invasion by Tibet. The Kingdom of Bhutan (buːˈtɑːn is a Landlocked nation in South Asia. Kashmiri help restored Ladakhi rule on the condition of that a mosque be built in Leh and that the Ladakhi king convert to Islam. This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Treaty of Temisgam in 1684 settled the dispute between Tibet and Ladakh, but its independence was severely restricted. In 1834, the Dogras under Zorawar Singh, a general of Ranjit Singh invaded and annexed Ladakh. The Dogras are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group in South Asia. They live predominantly in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir but also in adjoining Zorawar Singh Kahluria (1786-1841 was born in a village of Kahlur State (also called Bilaspur from its capital in modern Himachal Pradesh, India Maharaja Ranjit Singh (ਮਹਾਰਾਜਾ ਰਣਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ also called "Sher-e-Punjab" ("The Lion of the Punjab" (1780-1839 was a A Ladakhi rebellion in 1842 was crushed and Ladakh was incorporated into the Dogra state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Namgyal family was given the jagir of Stok, which it nominally retains to this day. In Pakistan and India, a Jagir was a small territory granted by the ruler to an army chieftain in fairly short terms usually of three years but not extending beyond Starting from the 1850s, European influence increased in Ladakh — geologists, sportsmen and tourists started exploring Ladakh. In 1885, Leh became the headquarters of a mission of the Moravian Church. This page is about the Moravian Church globally For information about the church in a particular geographic area use the links at Organisation below

At the time of the partition of India in 1947, the Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh was undecided whether to accede to the Indian Union or to Pakistan. The Partition of India was the partition of the British Indian Empire which led to the creation on August 14, 1947 and August 15, The word Mahārāja (also spelled maharajah) is Sanskrit for "great king" or " High king " (a Karmadharaya from mahānt Hari Singh ( 30 September 1895, Jammu &ndash 26 April 1961, Mumbai) was the last ruling Maharaja of the Princely The Indian government sent troops into the princely state after the ruler signed the Instrument of Accession. The Instrument of Accession In 1949, China closed the border between Nubra and Xinjiang, blocking old trade routes. Nubra Valley is situated about 150 km north of Leh, the capital town of Ladakh, India. Xinjiang ( Uyghur: شىنجاڭ Shinjang;; Postal map spelling: Sinkiang; Turkish: Sincan, Sincan Uygur Özerk In 1955 China began to build roads connecting Xinjiang and Tibet through this area. It also built the Karakoram highway jointly with Pakistan. The Karakoram Highway (KKH is the highest paved international road in the world India built the Srinagar-Leh highway during this period, cutting the journey time between Srinagar to Leh from 16 days to two. ^[7] The entire state of Jammu and Kashmir continues to be the subject of a territorial dispute between India on the one hand and Pakistan and China on the other. The Kashmir conflict refers to the Territorial dispute between India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Kargil was a scene of fighting in the wars of 1947, 1965, 1971 and the focal point of a potential nuclear conflict during the Kargil War in 1999. The Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, sometimes known as the First Kashmir War, was fought between India and Pakistan over the region of Kashmir from The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of Skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between India and Pakistan. The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a major military conflict between India and Pakistan. The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July The region was bifurcated into Kargil and Leh districts in 1979. In 1989, there were violent riots between Buddhists and Muslims. Following demands for autonomy from the Kashmiri dominated state government, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council was created in 1993. The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC created under the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Act, 1995 following demands of Ladakhi people

Geography

Main article: Geography of Ladakh

Ladakh is the highest plateau of the Indian state of Kashmir with much of it being over 3,000 m (9,800 ft). Ladakh is the highest altitude plateau region in India (much of it being over 3000 m straddling the Himalayan and Karakorum mountain ranges and the upper The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit ^[5] It spans the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges and the upper Indus River valley. Karakoram is a mountain range spanning the borders between Pakistan, China, and India, located in the regions of Gilgit, Ladakh, and The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd Historical Ladakh includes the fairly populous main Indus valley, the more remote Zangskar (in the south) and Nubra valleys (to the north over Khardung La), the almost deserted Aksai Chin, and Kargil and Suru Valley areas to the west (Kargil being the second most important town in Ladakh). Nubra Valley is situated about 150 km north of Leh, the capital town of Ladakh, India. Khardung La ( la means pass in Tibetan) (elevation 5359 m is a high Mountain pass located in the Ladakh region Jammu and Aksai Chin ( Simplified Chinese: 阿克赛钦 Traditional chinese: 阿克賽欽 Hanyu pinyin: Ākèsàiqīn Hindi: अकसाई The Suru valley is a valley in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, which is drained by the Suru River (Indus, a tributary of the Indus river Before partition, Baltistan (now under Pakistani administration) was a district in Ladakh. Skardu was the winter capital of Ladakh while Leh was the summer capital. Skardu ( Urdu: سکردو is the principal town of the region Baltistan and the capital of Skardu District, one of the districts making up Pakistan's

The mountain ranges in this region were formed over a period of 45 million years by the folding of the Indian plate into the more stationary Eurasian Plate. The India or Indian Plate is a Tectonic plate that was originally a part of the ancient continent of Gondwanaland from which it split off eventually The Eurasian Plate is a Tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia (a landmass consisting of the traditional Continents of Europe The drift continues, causing frequent earthquakes in the Himalayan region. ^[θ][10] The peaks in the Ladakh range are at a medium altitude close to the Zoji-la (5,000–5,500 m or 16,000–18,050 ft), and increase towards south-east, reaching a climax in the twin summits of Nun-Kun (7000 m or 23,000 ft). The Nun Kun mountain Massif comprises a pair of Himalayan peaks Nun, 7135 m (23409 ft and its neighbor peak Kun, 7077 m (23218

The Suru and Zangskar valleys form a great trough enclosed by the Himalayas and the Zangskar range. Rangdum is the highest inhabited region in the Suru valley, after which the valley rises to 4,400 m (14,436 ft) at Pensi-la, the gateway to Zangskar. Rangdum is a Valley situated 3657 m above the Sea level, in an isolated region of the Suru valley in the Ladakh region in the state of Jammu Pensi-la is a mountain pass in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, which is known as the Gateway to Zanskar. Kargil, the only town in the Suru valley, was an important staging post on the routes of the trade caravans before 1947, being more or less equidistant, at about 230 kilometres from Srinagar, Leh, Skardu, and Padum. A caravan ( Persian: کاروان is a group of people traveling together often on a trade expedition Srinagar ( Dogri: श्रीनगर Urdu: سرینگر Kashmiri: سِرېنَگَر श्रीनगर is the capital of the disputed state Leh ( was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India Skardu ( Urdu: سکردو is the principal town of the region Baltistan and the capital of Skardu District, one of the districts making up Pakistan's WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Padum (also spelt Padam) is the largest town and administrative centre of Zanskar Tehsil The Zangskar valley lies in the troughs of the Stod and the Lungnak rivers. The region experiences heavy snowfall; the Pensi-la is open only between June and mid-October. The Indus river is the backbone of Ladakh. All major historical and current towns — Shey, Leh, Basgo, and Tingmosgang, are situated close to the river. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Shey is a town in Ladakh that has the old summer Palace of the kings of Ladakh Leh ( was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Basgo is a historical town situated on the bank of the Indus river in Ladakh. Tingmosgang is a town on the bank of Indus river in Ladakh. The town has a palace and the monastery over a hillock

The Ladakh range has no major peaks; its average height is a little less than 6,000 m (19,700 ft), and few of its passes are less than 5,000 m (16,400 ft). The Ladakh Range is a segment of the Karakoram Range that extends southeastward for 230 miles (370 km from the mouth of the Shyok River in the Ladakh The Pangong range runs parallel to the Ladakh range about 100 km northwest from Chushul, along the southern shore of the Pangong Lake. The Pangong range is a mountain range in the northern Indian region of Ladakh that runs parallel to the Ladakh range about 100 km northwest from Chushul Pangong Tso (or Pangong Lake; Tso: Ladakhi for lake is a Lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 4250 m (13900 ft Its highest range is 6,700 m (22,000 ft), and the northern slopes are heavily glaciated. The region comprising the valley of Shayok and Nubra rivers is known as Nubra. The Karakoram range in Ladakh is not as mighty as in Baltistan. ^[ι] North of the Karakoram lies the Kunlun. Thus, between Leh and eastern Central Asia, there is a triple barrier — Ladakh range, Karakoram range, and Kunlun. Nevertheless, a major trade route was established between Leh and Yarkand. Yarkent (Yarkand County ( Chinese 莎車县 Pinyin: Shāchē; يەكەن|Yerkent|Yərkənt; Turkish: Yerkent which means 'ground city' also

Ladakh is a high altitude desert as the Himalayas create a rain shadow, denying entry to monsoon clouds. For the Australian television series see Rain Shadow (TV series. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months The main source of water is the winter snowfall on the mountains. Recent flooding of the Indus river in the region has been attributed either to abnormal rain patterns, or the retreating of glaciers, both of which might be linked to global warming. ^[11] The Leh Nutrition Project, headed by Chewang Norphel, also known as the 'Glacier Man', currently creates artificial glaciers as one solution for this problem. ^{[12] [13]}

The regions on the north flank of the Himalayas — Dras, the Suru valley and Zangskar — experience heavy snowfall and remain virtually cut off from the rest of the country for several months in the year. Summers are short, though they are long enough to grow crops in the lower reaches of the Suru valley. The summer weather is dry and pleasant. Temperature ranges are from -3 to 30  °C in summer and from -20 to 15 °C in winter. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. ^[14] It is the coldest inhabited place in the world after Siberia. ^[15] The proportion of oxygen is less than in many other places at comparable altitudes because of lack of vegetation. There is little moisture to temper the effects of rarefied air. Ladakh lies in the Very High Damage Risk cyclone zone. ^[16]

Flora and fauna

Main article: Flora and fauna of Ladakh

The wildlife of this region was first studied by Ferdinand Stoliczka, an Austrian/Czech palaeontologist, who carried out a massive expedition in the region in the 1870s. The flora and fauna of Ladakh was first studied by Ferdinand Stoliczka, an Austrian / Czech Palaeontologist, who carried out a massive Ferdinand Stoliczka ( June 7, 1838 – June 19, 1874) was a Moravian Palaeontologist For the history of these states before 1804 see Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, and articles on each of the component countries. Czechs (Češi ˈt͡ʃɛʃɪ archaic Čechové) are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic Palaeontology redirects here For the Scientific journal, see Palaeontology (journal. Vegetation is extremely sparse in Ladakh except along streambeds and wetlands, on high slopes, and in irrigated places. ^[17]

The fauna of Ladakh have much in common with that of Central Asia in general and that of the Tibetan Plateau in particular. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Exceptions to this are the birds, many of which migrate from the warmer parts of India to spend the summer in Ladakh. For such an arid area, Ladakh has a great diversity of birds — a total of 225 species have been recorded. Many species of finches, robins, redstarts (like the Black Redstart) and the Hoopoe are common in summer. The Black Redstart ( Phoenicurus ochruros) is a small Passerine Bird that was formerly classed as a member of the Thrush family (Turdidae The Hoopoe (ˈhuːpuː Upupa epops is a colourful bird that is found across Afro-Eurasia, notable for its distinctive 'crown' of feathers The Brown-headed Gull is seen in summer on the river Indus and on some lakes of the Changthang. The Brown-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus is a small Gull which breeds in the high plateaux of Central Asia from Turkmenistan to Changthang simply meaning Northern Plateau in Tibetan is a high altitude Plateau western and northern Tibet and in eastern Ladakh, with vast highlands Resident water-birds include the Brahminy duck also known as the Ruddy Sheldrake and the Bar-headed Goose. The Ruddy Shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea, is a member of the Duck, Goose and Swan family Anatidae. The Bar-headed Goose ( Anser indicus) is a Goose which breeds in Central Asia in colonies of thousands near mountain lakes The Black-necked Crane, a rare species found scattered in the Tibetan plateau, is also found in parts of Ladakh. The Black-necked Crane, Grus nigricollis also known as Tibetan Crane is a large bird and medium-sized crane at 139 cm (55 in long 235 cm (7 Other birds include the Raven, Red-billed Chough, Tibetan Snowcock and Chukar. Raven is the common name given to the largest species of Passerine Birds in the Genus Corvus. The Red-billed Chough or Chough (ˈtʃʌf chuff) Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, is a Bird in the Crow family it is one of only two species The Tibetan Snowcock ( Tetraogallus tibetanus) is a Snowcock in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds The Chukar, Alectoris chukar is a Eurasian upland gamebird in the Pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, The Lammergeier and the Golden Eagle are common raptors here. The Lammergeier or Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus ("Bearded Vulture-Eagle" is an Old World vulture, the only member of the genus The Golden Eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos) is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere

The Bharal or "blue sheep" is common in the Himalayas, ranging from Ladakh to as far as Sikkim. The bharal or Himalayan blue sheep, Pseudois nayaur, is a caprid found in the high Himalayas of Nepal, Tibet, Sikkim ( Nepali:, also Sikhim) is a Landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas It is the least populous state in India The ibex is found in high craggy terrain of Europe, North Africa, and Asia, and numbers several thousand in Ladakh. An ibex, commonly called by its French name bouquetin also called Steinbock in German an individual of any of several species of wild mountain goats (genus The Tibetan Urial sheep is a rare sheep that numbers about a thousand. Found at lower elevations, mostly in river valleys, it competes with domestic animals. The Argali sheep is a relative of the Marco Polo sheep of the Pamirs with huge horizontal curving horns. Marco Polo sheep ( Ovis ammon polii) is a subspecies of sheep, specifically of Argali, that takes its name from famed explorer Marco Polo The Pamir Mountains are located in Central Asia and are formed by the junction or Knot of the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and They number only a couple hundred in Ladakh. The endangered Tibetan Antelope, (Indian English chiru, Ladakhi tsos) has traditionally been hunted for its wool ^[ιβ], shahtoosh, valued for its light weight and warmth and as a status symbol. "Chiru" redirects here For the Indian actor see Chiranjeevi. Shahtoosh (also written Shatush) - a Persian word meaning "Pleasure of Kings" - was the name given to a specific kind of Shawl, which was A status symbol is a visible external denotation of one's social position and indicator of status. The habitat of the extremely rare Tibetan Gazelle is near the Tibetan border in southeastern Ladakh. The Kyang, or Tibetan Wild Ass, is common in the grasslands of Changthang, numbering about 1,500 individuals. There are about 200 Snow Leopards in Ladakh, especially in Hemis High Altitude National Park. The snow leopard ( Uncia uncia) sometimes known as the ounce, is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia from Afghanistan Northern Hemis National Park (or Hemis High Altitude National Park) is a high altitude National park in the Eastern Ladakh region of the state of Jammu Other cats in Ladakh are even rarer than the snow leopard, the lynx, numbering only a few individuals, and the Pallas's cat, which looks somewhat like a house cat. A lynx is any of four medium-sized wild cats. All are members of the Genus Lynx, but there is considerable confusion about the best way to classify The Tibetan Wolf, which sometimes preys on the livestock of the Ladakhis, is the most persecuted, reduced to just about 300. There are also a few brown bears in the Suru valley and the area around Dras. The Brown Bear ( Ursus arctos) is an Omnivorous Mammal of the family Ursidae, distributed across much of northern Eurasia and The Tibetan Sand Fox has recently been discovered in this region. The Tibetan Sand Fox ( Vulpes ferrilata) is Species of true fox endemic to the high Tibetan Plateau in Nepal, Among smaller animals, marmots, hares, and several types of pika and vole are common. Marmots are members of the Genus Marmota, in the Rodent family Sciuridae (squirrels Hares and jackrabbits are Leporids belonging to the Genus Lepus. Pikas are small hamster-like animals with short limbs rounded ears and short tails A vole is a small Rodent resembling a Mouse but with a stouter body a shorter hairy tail a slightly rounder head and smaller ears and eyes

Government and politics

Ladakh comprises two districts of Jammu and Kashmir: Leh and Kargil. ( Dogri: जम्मू और कश्मीर Urdu: جموں و کشمیر is the northernmost state of India. Leh is one of the two districts located in Ladakh, the other being the Kargil District to the west in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Kargil ( Hindi: कारगील; kərɡɪl is a district of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India. They are each governed by a Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, which are based on the pattern of the Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council. The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC created under the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Act, 1995 following demands of Ladakhi people Gorkha Hill Council (GHC previously known as Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council (DGAHC and originally known as Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC is These were created as a compromise solution to the demands of Ladakhi people to make Leh district a union territory because of its religious and cultural differences with Kashmir. In October 1993, the Indian government and the State government agreed to grant each district of Ladakh the status of Autonomous Hill Council. This agreement was given effect by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Act, 1995. The council came into being with the holding of elections in Leh District on August 28, 1995. The inaugural meeting of the council was held at Leh on September 3, 1995. Kargil followed Ladakh's footsteps in July 2003, when the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council - Kargil was established. ^[18] The council works with village panchayats to take decisions on economic development, healthcare, education, land use, taxation, and local governance which are further reviewed at the Block Headquarters in the presence of the Chief Executive Councilor and Executive Councilors. The Panchayat is a South Asian Political system. ‘Panchayat’ literally means assembly ( yat) of five ( panch) wise and respected elders chosen ^[19] The government of Jammu and Kashmir looks after law and order, judicial system, communications and the higher education in the region. Ladakh sends one member (MP) to the Lok Sabha (lower house of the Indian parliament)although internationally Ladakh is still a disputed territory between India and Pakistan. The Lok Sabha (also titled the House of the People, by the Constitution) is the directly elected Lower house of the Parliament of India The Parliament of India (or Sansad) is the federal and supreme Legislative body of India. The current MP from Ladakh in the current Lok Sabha is Thupstan Chhewang of the Ladakh Union Territory Front (LUTF). Thupstan Chhewang (born 1 September, 1947) is a member of the 14th Lok Sabha of India. Ladakh Union Territory Front is a political party in Jammu and Kashmir in India.

Although on the whole there has been religious harmony in Ladakh, religion has tended to get politicized in the last few decades. As early as 1931, Kashmiri neo-Buddhists founded the Kashmir Raj Bodhi Mahasabha that led to some sense of separateness from the Muslims. Kashmir Raj Bodhi Mahasabha was an organization founded by Kashmiri neo- Buddhists in 1931 The bifurcation of the region into Muslim majority Kargil district and Buddhist majority Leh district in 1979 again brought the communal question into fore. The Buddhists in Ladakh accused the overwhelmingly Muslim state government of continued apathy, corruption and a bias in favour of Muslims. On these grounds, they demanded union territory status for Ladakh. In 1989, there were violent riots between Buddhists and Muslims, provoking the Ladakh Buddhist Association to call for a social and economic boycott of Muslims which went on for three years before being lifted in 1992. Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA is an organization in Ladakh concerned with interests of Buddhists in Ladakh The Ladakh Union Territory Front (LUTF), which controls the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council - Leh, demands union territory status for Ladakh. Ladakh Union Territory Front is a political party in Jammu and Kashmir in India.

Economy

For centuries, Ladakh enjoyed a stable and self-reliant agricultural economy based on growing barley, wheat and peas, and keeping livestock, especially yak, dzos (yak-cow cross breed), cows, sheep and goats. The yak ( Bos grunniens) is a long-haired Bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Qinghai - At altitudes of 3,000 to 4,300 m (10,000 to 14,000 ft), the growing season is only a few months long every year, similar to the northern countries of the world. Animals are scarce and water is in short supply. The Ladakhis developed a small-scale farming system adapted to this unique environment. The land is irrigated by a system of channels which funnel water from the ice and snow of the mountains. The principal crops are barley and wheat. Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for Rice was previously a luxury in the Ladakhi diet, but, subsidised by the government, has now become a cheap staple. ^[5]

At lower elevations fruit is grown, while the high altitude Rupshu region is the preserve of nomadic herders. Rupshu is a valley in southeast Ladakh on the Leh-Manali highway. In the past, surplus produce was traded for tea, sugar, salt and other items. Two items for export are apricots and pashmina. The Apricot ( Prunus armeniaca, "Armenian plum" in Latin syn Pashmina refers to a type of fine Cashmere wool and the Textiles made from it Currently, the largest commercially sold agricultural product is vegetables, sold in large amounts to the Indian army as well as in the local market. Production remains mainly in the hands of small-landowners who work their own land, often with the help of migrant labourers from Nepal. Naked barley (Ladakhi: nas, Urdu: grim) was traditionally a staple crop all over Ladakh. Growing times vary considerably with altitude. The extreme limit of cultivation is at Korzok, on the Tso-moriri lake, at 4,600 m (15,100 ft), which are widely considered to be the highest fields in the world. Tsomoriri (Official name Tsomoriri Wetland Conservation Reserve is a High Altitude Lake (HAL in Ladakh, India. ^[5]

In the past Ladakh's geographical position at the crossroads of some of the most important trade routes in Asia was exploited to the full. Ladakhis collected tax on goods that crossed their kingdom from Turkestan, Tibet, Punjab, Kashmir and Baltistan. Turkestan (literally meaning "Land of the Turks" is a region in Central Asia, which today is largely inhabited by Turkic peoples. Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Punjab ( ਪੰਜਾਬ پنجاب, पंजाब پنجاب also Panjab (پنجاب meaning "Land of the Five Rivers") (c This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir Baltistan (بلتستان, also known as بلتیول (Baltiyul in the Balti language, is a region in northern Pakistan,bordering Xinjiang A minority of Ladakhi people were also employed as merchants and caravan traders, facilitating trade in textiles, carpets, dyestuffs and narcotics between Punjab and Xinjiang. A dye can generally be described as a Colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied The term narcotic (ναρκωτικός is believed to have been coined by the Greek physician Galen to refer to agents that benumb or deaden causing loss Xinjiang ( Uyghur: شىنجاڭ Shinjang;; Postal map spelling: Sinkiang; Turkish: Sincan, Sincan Uygur Özerk However, since the Chinese Government closed the borders with Tibet and Central Asia, this international trade has completely dried up. ^[7][20]

Since 1974, the Indian Government has encouraged a shift in trekking and other tourist activities from the troubled Kashmir region to the relatively unaffected areas of Ladakh. The word 'hiking' is understood in all English-speaking countries but there are differences in usage This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir Although tourism employs only 4% of Ladakh's working population, it now accounts for 50% of the region's GNP. ^[7] Extensive government employment and large-scale infrastructure projects — including, crucially, road links — have helped consolidate the new economy and create an urban alternative to farming. Subsidised food, government jobs, tourism industry, and new infrastructure have accelerated a mass migration from the farms into Leh town.

Adventure tourism in Ladakh started in the 19th century. By the turn of the 20th century, it was not uncommon for British officials to undertake the 14-day trek from Srinagar to Leh as part of their annual leave. Agencies were set up in Srinagar and Shimla specialising in sports-related activities — hunting, fishing and trekking. Shimla [ʃɪmla] ( Hindi: शिमला originally called Simla, is a city in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh Hunting is the practice of pursuing Animals for Food, Recreation, or Trade. For the computer security term see Phishing. Fishing is the activity of catching Fish. The word 'hiking' is understood in all English-speaking countries but there are differences in usage This era is recorded in Arthur Neves The Tourist's Guide to Kashmir, Ladakh and Skardo, first published in 1911. ^[20] Today, about 30,000 tourists visit Ladakh every year. Among the popular places of tourist interest include Leh, Drass valley, Suru valley, Kargil, Zangskar, Zangla, Rangdum, Padum, Phugthal, Sani, Stongdey, Shyok Valley, Sankoo, Salt Valley and several popular trek routes like Manali to Ladakh, the Nubra valley, the Indus valley etc. Leh ( was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India Kargil ( Hindi: कारगील; kərɡɪl is a district of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Zanskar is a subdistrict or Tehsil of the Kargil district which lies in the eastern half of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Zangla is a town in Zanskar Tehsil of Kargil district, in the Indian state Rangdum is a Valley situated 3657 m above the Sea level, in an isolated region of the Suru valley in the Ladakh region in the state of Jammu WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Padum (also spelt Padam) is the largest town and administrative centre of Zanskar Tehsil Phugthal is a monastery in Ladakh, located on the mouth of a cave on the mountain face of a lateral gorge of a major tributary of the Lungnak (Lingti-Tsarap River Stongdey is a Monastery situated 18 km to the north of Padum, on the road to Zangla, India. The Shyok Valley is the valley of the Shyok River situated in Ladakh. Sankoo is a township 42 km south of Kargil located in a bowl shaped valley drained by large tributary streams of the Suru River, the Kartse and the The Salt Valley is a wide open area in Rupshu. The valley has a length of about 20 km and a maximum width of about 7 km Manali, (alt 1950 m or 6398 ft in the Beas River Valley, is an important hill station in the Himalayan mountains of Himachal Pradesh Nubra Valley is situated about 150 km north of Leh, the capital town of Ladakh, India.

Transport

Ladakh was the connection point between Central Asia and South Asia when the Silk Road was in use. The Silk Road, or Silk Routes, are an extensive interconnected network of Trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East South and Western Asia with the The sixty-day journey on the Ladakh route connecting Amritsar and Yarkand through eleven passes was frequently undertaken by traders till the third quarter of the 19th century. Amritsar (ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ meaning The Lake of the Holy Nectar, is the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar District in the state ^[4] Another common route in regular use was the Kalimpong route between Leh and Lhasa via Gartok, the administrative centre of western Tibet. Gartok is a trade-market of Tibet, situated on the bank of the Indus on the road between Shigatse and Leh, to the east of Simla. Gartok could be reached either straight up the Indus in winter, or through either the Taglang la or the Chang la. Beyond Gartok, the Cherko la brought travelers to the Manasarovar and Rakshastal lakes, and then to Barka, which is connected to the main Lhasa road. Cherko la is a mountain pass in Tibet, and forms the watershed between Sutlej and Indus rivers Lake Manasarovar or Lake Manasa Sarovar Hindi: मानसरोवर झील Tibetan: མ་ཕམ་གཡུ་མཚོ། Mapham Yutso Lake Rakshastal ( officially: La'nga Co; Tibetan in Wylie transliteration: lag-ngar-mtsho; Chinese: 拉昂错 Pinyin These traditional routes have been closed since the Ladakh-Tibet border has been sealed by the Chinese government. Other routes connected Ladakh to Hunza and Chitral but similarly, there is currently no border crossing between Ladakh and Pakistan. Hunza ( Urdu: ہنزہ was a former Princely state in the northernmost part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan, which existed until 1974 Chitral or Chatrāl (چترال is basically translated into "field" in the native language Khowar.

In present times, the only two land routes to Ladakh in use are from Srinagar and Manali. Travelers from Srinagar start their journey from Sonamarg, over the Zoji la pass (3,450 m, 11,320 ft) via Dras and Kargil (2,750 m, 9,022 ft) passing through Namika la (3,700 m, 12,140 ft) and Fatu la (4,100 m, 13,450 ft. Namika la (el 3700 m is a high Mountain pass in the Himalaya in India on the Srinagar-Leh highway. ) This has been the main traditional gateway to Ladakh since historical times. However, with the rise of militancy in Kashmir, the main corridor to the area has shifted from the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh route via Zoji la to the high altitude Manali-Leh Highway from Himachal Pradesh. The Leh-Manali Highway is a Highway in India connecting Leh and Manali. Himachal Pradesh ( Hindi: हिमाचल प्रदेश Punjabi: ਹਿਮਾਚਲ ਪ੍ਰਦੇਸ਼ pronounced) is a state in the The highway crosses four passes, Rohtang la (3,978 m, 13,050 ft), Baralacha la (4,892 m, 16,050 ft), Lungalacha la (5,059 m, 16,600 ft) and Taglang la (5,325 m, 17,470 ft), and is open only between July and mid-October when snow is cleared from the road. Rohtang Pass (el) 51 KM from Manali is a high Mountain pass that connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahul and Spiti valleys of Himachal Pradesh Bara-lacha-la (also known as Bara-lacha Pass, el 5045 m/16400 ft Lachulanga la (el 5059 m is a mountain pass on the Leh-Manali highway. There is one airport in Leh, from which there are multiple daily flights to Delhi on Jet Airways, Air Deccan, and Indian, and weekly flights to Srinagar and Jammu. Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population Jet Airways is an Airline based in Mumbai, India. It is the country's second-largest international airline after Air India and the largest Indian Airlines or Indian ( Hindi: इंडियन एयरलाइंस or इंडियन was an airline based in Delhi India and focused primarily

Buses run from Leh to the surrounding villages. There is about 1,800 km (1,100 mi) of roads in Ladakh of which 800 km (500 mi) is surfaced. ^[21] The Manali-Leh-Srinagar road makes up about half of the road network, the remainder being spurs off it. Manali, (alt 1950 m or 6398 ft in the Beas River Valley, is an important hill station in the Himalayan mountains of Himachal Pradesh Leh ( was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India Srinagar ( Dogri: श्रीनगर Urdu: سرینگر Kashmiri: سِرېنَگَر श्रीनगर is the capital of the disputed state Ladakh is criss-crossed by a complex network of mountain trails which, even today provides the only link to most of the valleys, villages and high pastures. For the traveler with a number of months it is possible to trek from one end of Ladakh to the other, or even from places in Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh ( Hindi: हिमाचल प्रदेश Punjabi: ਹਿਮਾਚਲ ਪ੍ਰਦੇਸ਼ pronounced) is a state in the The large number of trails and the limited number of roads allows one to string together routes that have road access often enough to restock supplies, but avoid walking on motor roads almost entirely.

Demographics

Ladakh has a population of about 260,000 which is a blend of many different races, predominantly the Tibetans, Mons and the Dards. The Tibetan people are indigenous to Tibet and surrounding areas stretching from Central Asia in the North and West to Myanmar and China Proper The Mon ( Mon language: မန် or မည် မွန်လူမျိုး‌ mùn lùmjóʊ Thai: มอญ are an Ethnic group from The Dards are an ethnic group predominantly found in Afghanistan, Kashmir Valley, Kargil, and Northern Areas of Pakistan Controlled Kashmir People of Dard descent predominate in Dras and Dha-Hanu areas. The residents of Dha-Hanu, known as Brokpa, are followers of Tibetan Buddhism and have preserved much of their original Dardic traditions and customs. Dah Hanu is the main village of the Dards of the Ladakh District of the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir. The Brokpa community is an Dardic community residing in the Dha-Hanu valley in Ladakh. The Dards around Dras, however, have converted to Islam and have been strongly influenced by their Kashmiri neighbours. The Mons are descendants of earlier Indian settlers in Ladakh. They work as musicians, blacksmiths and carpenters.

Unlike the rest of Jammu and Kashmir which is mainly Islamic, most Ladakhis in Leh District as well as Zangskar Valley of Kargil District are Tibetan Buddhist, while most of the people in the rest of Kargil District are Shia Muslims. Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including There are sizeable minorities of Buddhists in Kargil District and of Shia Muslims in Leh District. There are some Sunni Muslims of Kashmiri descent in Leh and Kargil towns, and also Padum in Zangskar. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Leh ( was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Padum (also spelt Padam) is the largest town and administrative centre of Zanskar Tehsil Zanskar is a subdistrict or Tehsil of the Kargil district which lies in the eastern half of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. There are a few families of Ladakhi Christians, who converted in the 19th century. Among descendants of immigrants, there are small numbers of followers of Hinduism, Sikhism, and the Bon religion, in addition to Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Bön ( is the oldest spiritual tradition of Tibet. Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, has recognized the Bön tradition as the fifth principal spiritual Most Buddhists follow the tantric form of Buddhism known as Vajrayana Buddhism. Tantra ( Sanskrit: तन्त्र; " Weave " denoting continuity) tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and Shias are mostly found among the Balti and Purig people. The Balti are a people of Tibetan descent with some Dardic admixture whose population of 300000 is found in northern Pakistan as well as scattered Ladakhis are generally of Tibetan descent with some Dardic and Mon admixture. The Changpa nomads who live in the Rupshu plateau are more closely related to Tibetans. Since the early 1960s nomad numbers have increased as Chang Thang nomads from across the border flee Chinese-ruled Tibet. There are about 3,500 Tibetan refugees from all parts of Tibet in Leh District. However, since 2000 some nomads, notably most of the community of Kharnak, have abandoned the nomadic life and settled in Leh town. Muslim Arghons, descendants of Kashmiri or Central Asian merchants and Ladakhi women, mainly live in Leh and Kargil towns. The Arghons are the descendants of immigrants from Yarkand and Kashmir that have intermingled with the local Ladakhi community residing mainly in Leh and Like other Ladakhis, the Baltis of Kargil, Nubra, Suru Valley and Baltistan show strong Tibetan links in their appearance and language, and were Buddhists until recent times. Balti ( بلتی) is a Language spoken in Baltistan, in the Northern Areas of Pakistan and adjoining parts of Jammu and Kashmir

The principal language of Ladakh is Ladakhi, a Tibetan dialect that is different enough from Tibetan that Ladakhis and Tibetans often speak Hindi or English when they need to communicate. The Ladakhi language is the predominant language in the Ladakh region of the Jammu and Kashmir state of India. Tibetan refers to a group of languages spoken primarily by Tibetan peoples who live across a wide area of eastern Central Asia bordering South Asia as well as by overseas Educated Ladakhis usually know Hindi/Urdu and often English. Within Ladakh, there is a range of dialects, so that the language of the Chang-pa people may differ markedly from that of the Purig-pa in Kargil, or the Zangskaris, but they are all mutually comprehensible. Due to its position on important trade routes, the racial composition as well as the language of Leh is enriched with foreign influences. Traditionally, Ladakhi had no written form distinct from classical Tibetan, but recently a number of Ladakhi writers have started using the Tibetan script to write the colloquial tongue. Administrative work and education are carried out in English, although Urdu was used to a great extent in the past and has been decreasing since the 1980s.

The Total Birth Rate in 2001 was 22. 44, while it was 21. 44 for Muslims and 24. 46 for Buddhists. Brokpas had the highest TBR at 27. 17 and Arghuns had the lowest at 14. 25. TFR was 2. 69 with 1. 3 in Leh and 3. 4 in Kargil. For Buddhists it was 2. 79 and for Muslims it was 2. 66. Baltis had a TFR of 3. 12 and Arghuns had a TFR of 1. 66. The Total Death Rate was 15. 69, with Muslims having 16. 37 and Buddhists having 14. 32. Highest was for Brokpas at 21. 74 and lowest was for Bodhs at 14. 32. ^[22]

Year	Leh District			Kargil District
	population		sex ratio	population		sex ratio
1951	40,484	—	1011	41,856	—	970
1961	43,587	0. Leh is one of the two districts located in Ladakh, the other being the Kargil District to the west in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Kargil ( Hindi: कारगील; kərɡɪl is a district of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India. 74	1010	45,064	0. 74	935
1971	51,891	1. 76	1002	53,400	1. 71	949
1981	68,380	2. 80	886	65,992	2. 14	853
2001	117,637	2. 75	805	115,287	2. 83	901
Census was not carried out in Jammu and Kashmir in 1991 due to militancy Population followed by percent of change Sex ratio expressed as females per 1000 males

The sex ratio for Leh district has declined from 1011 females per 1000 males in 1951 to 805 in 2001, while for Kargil district, it has declined from 970 to 901. ^[21] The urban sex ratio in both the districts is about 640. The adult sex ratio reflects large numbers of (mostly male) seasonal and migrant labourers and merchants. About 84% of Ladakh's population lives in villages. ^[23] The average annual population growth rate from 1981–2001 was 2. 75% in Leh District and 2. 83% in Kargil district. ^[21]

Culture

Ladakhi culture is similar to Tibetan culture. A stupa (from Sanskrit and Pāli: m स्तूप stūpa, literally meaning "heap" is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist Tibetan civilization boasts a rich culture Tibetan culture is greatly influenced by Tibetan Buddhism which is reflected through arts and ritual practices Tibetan Buddhist Ladakhi food has much in common with Tibetan food, the most prominent foods being thukpa, noodle soup; and tsampa, known in Ladakhi as ngampe, roasted barley flour. The cuisine of Tibet is quite distinct from that of its neighbours since only a few crops (not including Rice) grow at such high altitude Thukpa ( is a Tibetan noodle soup usually served with meat It is popular in Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, and also in the state of Tsampa ( is a Tibetan staple foodstuff, particularly prominent in the central part of the country Eatable without cooking, tsampa makes useful, if dull trekking food. A dish that is strictly Ladakhi is skyu, a heavy pasta dish with root vegetables. As Ladakh moves toward a cash-based economy, foods from the plains of India are becoming more common. Like in other parts of Central Asia, tea in Ladakh is traditionally made with strong green tea, butter, and salt; it is mixed in a large churn and known as gurgur cha, after the sound it makes when mixed. Butter tea, also known as po cha ( "Tibetan tea" cha süma ( "churned tea" Mandarin Chinese: su you cha ( 酥[[wiktionary Sweet tea (cha ngarmo) is common now, made in the Indian style with milk and sugar. Most surplus barley produced is fermented into chang, an alcoholic beverage drunk especially on festive occasions. ^[24]

The architecture of Ladakh contains Tibetan and Indian influences, and monastic architecture reflects a deeply Buddhist approach. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The Buddhist wheel, along with two dragons, is a common feature on every gompa (including the likes of Lamayuru, Likir, Tikse, Hemis, Alchi and Ridzong Gompas). Gompa and ling are ecclesiastical Fortifications of learning lineage and Sadhana (that may be understood as a conflation of a fortification a Monastery Lamayuru is a Tibetan Buddhist Gompa (monastery in Kargil District, Western Ladakh, situated on the Srinagar - Kargil - Leh road 15km east of Likir is a small town located in Ladakh, which is part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India. Hemis is a town in India 40 km southeast of Leh in Ladakh, well known for the Hemis monastery that was established in 1672 AD by king Senge Nampar Alchi is a village in Leh district of Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir in Himalayan region situated at the bank of Indus River Many houses and monasteries are built on elevated, sunny sites facing south, and in the past were made of rocks, earth and wood, but are now more often concrete frames filled in with stones or adobes.

The music of Ladakhi Buddhist monastic festivals, like Tibetan music, often involves religious chanting in Tibetan or Sanskrit, as an integral part of the religion. The music of Tibet reflects the cultural heritage of the trans-Himalayan region centered in Tibet but also known wherever ethnic Tibetan groups are found in Chant (from Old French chanter) is the Rhythmic speaking or Singing of Words or Sounds often primarily on one or two Tibetan refers to a group of languages spoken primarily by Tibetan peoples who live across a wide area of eastern Central Asia bordering South Asia as well as by overseas Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical These chants are complex, often recitations of sacred texts or in celebration of various festivals. A festival is an event usually and ordinarily staged by a local community which centers on some unique aspect of that community Yang chanting, performed without metrical timing, is accompanied by resonant drums and low, sustained syllables. A drum kit (also drum set or trap set) is a collection of Drums Cymbals and sometimes other Percussion instruments such as cowbells Religious mask dances are an important part of Ladakh's cultural life. The Hemis monastery, a leading centre of Drukpa Buddhism, is a centre for an annual masked dance festival. Hemis is a town in India 40 km southeast of Leh in Ladakh, well known for the Hemis monastery that was established in 1672 AD by king Senge Nampar Drukpa (disambiguation The Drukpa ( Tib. འབྲུག་པ / ’brug pa) Druk ~ "dragon" pa ~ "person" — or Drukpa Kagyu The dances typically narrate a story of fight between good and evil, ending with the eventual victory of the former. ^[25] Weaving is an important part of traditional life in eastern Ladakh. Both women and men weave, on different looms. ^[26] Typical costumes include Gonchas of velvet, elaborately embroidered waistcoats and boots, and hats. The Ladakh festival is held every year in September. Performers, adorned with gold and silver ornaments and turquoise headgears throng the streets. Monks wear colourful masks and dance to the rhythm of cymbals, flutes and trumpets. The Yak, Lion and Tashispa dances depict the many legends and fables of Ladakh. Buddhist monasteries sporting prayer flags, display of 'thankas', archery competitions, a mock marriage, and horse-polo are the some highlights of this festival. Prayer flags are colorful panels or rectangular cloths often found strung along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas to bless the surrounding countryside or for other ^[27]

Archery is a popular sport in Ladakh. Archery festivals are held during the summer months in villages. These are competitive events, to which all the surrounding villages send their teams. The sport is conducted with strict etiquette, to the accompaniment of the music of surna and daman (oboe and drum). Polo, the other traditional sport of Ladakh is indigenous to Baltistan and Gilgit, and was probably introduced into Ladakh in the mid-17th century by King Singge Namgyal, whose mother was a Balti princess. ^[28]

A feature of Ladakhi society that distinguishes it from the rest of the state is the high status and relative emancipation enjoyed by women compared to other rural parts of India. Fraternal polyandry and inheritance by primogeniture were common in Ladakh until the early 1940s when these were made illegal by the then government of Jammu and Kashmir, although they still exist in some areas. In Social anthropology and Sociobiology, polyandry ( Greek: poly - many andros - man refers to a form of polygamous Primogeniture is the Common law right of the Firstborn son to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings Another custom was known as khang-bu, or 'little house', in which the elders of a family, as soon as the eldest son has sufficiently matured, retire from participation in affairs, and taking only enough of the property for their own sustenance, yield the headship of the family to him. ^[5]

Education

Traditionally there was little or nothing by way of formal education except in the monasteries. Usually, one son from every family was obliged to master the Tibetan script in order to read the holy books. ^[5] The first school providing western education was opened by the Moravian Mission in Leh in October 1889, and the Wazir-i Wazarat^[ιε] of Baltistan and Ladakh ordered that every family with more than one child should send one of them to school. This order met with great resistance from the local people who feared that the children would be forced to convert to Christianity. The school taught Tibetan, Urdu, English, Geography, Sciences, Nature study, Arithmetic, Geometry and Bible study. ^[8]

According to the 2001 census, the overall literacy rate in Leh District is 62% (72% for males and 50% for females), and 58% in Kargil District (74% for males and 41% for females). ^[29] Schools are well distributed throughout Ladakh, but 75% of them provide only primary education. 65% of the children attend school, but absenteeism of both students and teachers remains high. In both districts the failure rate at school-leaving level (class X) had for many years been around 85–95%, while of those managing to scrape through, barely half succeeded in qualifying for college entrance (class XII. Structure There are broadly four stages of school education in India namely primary upper primary secondary and higher secondary (or High school) ) Before 1993, students were taught in Urdu till they were 14, after which the medium of instruction shifted to English. In 1994 the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) launched 'Operation New Hope' (ONH), a campaign to provide 'culturally appropriate and locally relevant education' and make government schools more functional and effective. The Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL is an organisation founded in 1988 aimed at reforming the educational system of Ladakh ^[30] The ONH works with the government, the NGOs, the teachers and the village communities. By 2001, ONH principles were being implemented in all the government schools of Leh District, and the matriculation exam pass rate had risen to 50%. A government degree college has been opened in Leh, enabling students to pursue higher education without having to leave Ladakh. ^[31] The Druk White Lotus School, located in Shey is aimed at helping to maintain the cultural traditions of Ladakh. The Druk White Lotus School is located in Shey, Ladakh, high in the Indian Himalaya. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Shey is a town in Ladakh that has the old summer Palace of the kings of Ladakh

See also

• Polyandry in Tibet
• Tourism in Ladakh
• Baltistan
• Tibet
• Geography of Ladakh
• Wildlife of Ladakh

Notes

References

Further reading

External links

Ladakh People's Portal. ladakhtimes. com. Retrieved on June 06, 2006. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Marathon in Ladakh - The Great Tibetan Marathon Ladakh District. Leh-Ladakh. Community Portal of Ladakh. Jullay. com. Retrieved on June 06, 2006. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Official website of Government of Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir Tourism. Photo Galleries of Ladakh. Sights and people of Ladakh. Retrieved on January 07, 2007. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Ladakh. Wikitravel. Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide. Retrieved on June 06, 2006. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Ladakh Pictures. Retrieved on June 06, 2006. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Images of Ladakh. Retrieved on March, 2007. Events in March American Red Cross Month Fire Prevention month ( The Philippines) Women's History Month ( United Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Many useful resources including a number of full text historical works. Silk Road Seattle. Retrieved on June 06, 2006. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Pictures of Leh and Ladakh. Ladhaki people seen by two amateur photographers. Retrieved on March 07, 2007. Events 161 - Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius dies and is succeeded by co-Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Sustainable development and appropriate technology issues. The Ladakh Project. Retrieved on February 25, 2007. Events 138 - The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Improvement of rural people livelihood in cold desert areas of the Western Himalayas. International NGO Network & 20 years experience of GERES in Ladakh. Retrieved on June 04, 2007. Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Pictures, Ladakh motorcycle-tour. Photos, History, Regions, Places of Interest and Climate of Ladakh(A Ladakhi travel Company). Retrieved on June 06, 2006. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Official site of the Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh. Retrieved on June 06, 2006. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Ladakh, pictures of people, landscapes and more. Retrieved on November 22, 2006. Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Spiritual Ladakh Picture Gallery. Volunteer in India : Ladakh. India's Little Tibet: Ladakh - A mystic land of adventure Retrieved on January 02, 2007. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Photographs of Ladakh monuments Trans-Himalayan Mural Art WanderingScapes: travel blog with tales and pictures from Ladakh (2007) Feringhee: The India Diaries: Comprehensive 2007 Ladakh blog

---

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic