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LADAKH

LOCATION: Jammu and Kashmir,India.

LARGEST CITY: Leh.

MAIN CITIES: Leh ,Kargil.

LANGUAGES:Tibetan, Hindi, Balti.

WEATHER AND TERRAIN OF LADAKH:

ELEVATION: With an average elevation of 10000 feet above sea level, the ladakh plateau is subject to an arid and cold climate.

TERRAIN: Four mountain ranges span the breadth of the plateau, which going north from south are Himalayas, Zanskar, ladakh and Karakoram Ranges

Ladakh ("land of high passes") is a region in Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir that is inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descents.It is one of the most sparsely populated regions in Jammu and Kashmir and its culture and history are closely related to that of Tibet. Ladakh is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and culture.

History

For centuries ladakh was traversed by caravans carrying textiles, spices, raw silk, carpets, dyestuffs, narcotics, etc. Heedless of the land’s rugged terrain and apparent remoteness, merchants entrusted their goods to relays of pony transporters who took about two months to carry them from Amritsar to the Central Asian towns of Yarkand and Khotan. On this long route, Leh was the midway stop, and developed into a bustling entrepot, its bazars thronged with merchants from distant countries.The Kargil War of 1999, codenamed "Operation Vijay" by the Indian Army, saw infiltration by Pakistani troops into parts of Western Ladakh, namely Kargil, Dras, Mushkoh, Batalik and Chorbatla, overlooking key locations on the Srinagar-Leh highway. Extensive operations were launched in high altitudes by the Indian Army with considerable artillery and air force support. Pakistani troops were evicted from the Indian side of the Line of Control which the Indian government ordered was to be respected and which was not crossed by Indian troops. The Indian government was criticized by the Indian public because India respected geographical co-ordinates more than India's opponents: Pakistan and China.

Geography

The valley of Ladakh is situated at quite a high altitude, which varies from one place to the other. Infact, the geographical location of Ladakh ranges from 9,000 ft (2,750 m) high at Kargil to 25,170 ft (7,672m) high at Saser Kangri, in the Karakoram Range. Due to its high altitude, Ladakh experiences a very cold climate, where even the summer temperatures rarely exceed 27 deg C. Due to the high altitude of Ladakh the air is very thin and makes the heat of the sun very severe.

As far as the geography of Leh Ladakh is concerned, the region abounds in physical beauty. Encircled by the Karakoram in the north and the Great Himalayas in the south, it presents a picturesque sight. Now a high-altitude desert, Ladakh was covered by an extensive lake system, at one point of time. The remnants of this system are still found on its southeast plateau of Rupshu and Chushul, in the drainage basins or lakes of Tso-moriri, Tso-kar and Pangong-tso. However, snowfall still remains the main source of water in Ladakh.[Truly a striking place, the deep blue Tso (lake) Kar in eastern Ladakh and its salt-sprinkled beaches. Because it is surrounded by mountains with no natural outlets and was once much larger in area, the lake is brackish. Large salty deposits sit underwater like slush (we put our feet in) and gives a frost-like covering of the surrounding plain.]

Flora and fauna

Ladakh is an extremely cold and dry desert with rocky and uneven terrain. The harsh climate and low temperatures limit the number and type of vegetation found here. There are certain narrow valleys in the region which are quite fertile. Here, certain plants and agricultural crops are grown. Apart from this, greenish patches of vegetation can be seen round the riverbanks and along the snow line, certain varieties of willow groves, wild roses and herbs are grown.

One of the important attractions of ladakh is Nubra valley. Nubra is a tri-armed valley located to the north east of Ladakh valley. Diskit the capital of Nubra is about 150 km north from Leh town, the capital of Ladakh district, India. Local scholars say that its original name was Ldumra (the valley of flowers). Like the rest of the Tibetan Plateau, Nubra is a high altitude cold desert with rare precipitation and scant vegetation except along river beds. The villages are irrigated and fertile, producing wheat, barley, peas, mustard and a variety of fruits and nuts, including blood apples, walnuts, apricots and even a few almond trees.The kiang, or Tibetan wild ass, is common in the grasslands of Changthang, numbering about 2,500 individuals. These animals are in conflict with the nomadic people of Changthang who hold the Kiang responsible for pasture degradation.

Culture

The greatest events of the ladhaki calender, the tse-chu festival. Around the temple the traditional culture is flourished,with sharp cheeked men and girls selling necklaces and statues of the Buddha,mystical scrolls and even CD 's.There is a temple or also called as Gompa.Dikshit Gompa was present on the slope rising above.Inside the temple 's great courtyard , masked lamas raised their feet up and down in a slow , colourful set of meditative movements and dances representing scenes from the life of Padmasambhava , the eight century Indian reformer who brought Tantric Buddhism to Tibet .Ladakh seem mostly committed to protecting the apparently self sustaining traditional world .Ladakhi food has much in common with Tibetan food.A dish that is strictly Ladakhi is skyu, a heavy pasta dish with root vegetables. Tea in Ladakh is traditionally made with strong green tea, butter, and salt.

External link

https://geckoworkshops.com/leh-and-the-gompas-of-the-indus-valley/