Ladakh

Ladakh

Land of the Pure
Ladakh, a land which can be described only in speculative expanse. Geographical, historical and human factors have endowded this region, known earlier as Manyul - the land of men - with its unique character and place in the World.

Wild flowers bring colour to this valley as spring takes over

Ladakh has often changed names, all of which give a good description of the conditions prevailing in the region: Ladwags-land below the mountain passes; Bladwags: land of the lama; Maryul: the red country; Muah Ris bSsor Gsum: land to the west of Tibet. In the West it is sometimes referred to as Moon country and Little Tibet. Rather a long list of names for an area of 59,000 square kilometres having one of the lowest population densities in the world: 2 inhabitants per kilometre, 59,000 square kilometres of rocky desert, apparently inhospitable mountains, a world of bewitching silence, framed in a parallel fashion by two of the most imposing mountain ran ges, the Karakorams to the North, the Himalayas to the South.

If you fly from Srinagar, Delhi or even Jammu, you discern, hidden in this bewildering corridor of immensity, some green patches, some clusters of life. They seem to have been placed near young and powerful rivers, the Shayok, Siachen, Zanskar and Indus, to contrast harmoniously with the austere magnificence of the Ladakhi landscapes.

Resplendent bust of Buddha at Thiksay monastery

Getting down at Leh, the capital, stretching out its human canvas between the Indus and the mountains, or while crossing Zoji La on the road from Srinagar, the traveller is primarily moved by a single emotion. Yes, his eyes, he feels, are much too small; the altitude combined with the absolute purity of the air, the mountains of varied colours, seeming to be covered with a sheet of steel, cut through a blue of an intensity dreamt up by a serene goddess. A world before which one has to relearn how to loo k, with the large wide-eyed gaze of a wonderstruck child.

The Tsomo Riri Lake

Ladakhi women in traditional finery

Ladakh has a rich landscape, peopled with different ethnic groups. The source of the Indus is in Tibet and it enters into Ladakh through Chantang, the region of the Changpah nomads. These are fiercely independent people, proud of their wanderings in th e Himalayas. Most of them are Tibetan refugees, living on the raising of yaks, sheep and particularly goats whose wool, treated in a special manner,

takes on the magic conjured by the name pashmina, also called Cashmere. This precious article is sold in Leh, in the Indus valley where the, inhabitants, belonging to the Tibeto-Mongoloid race have been sedentary since 13 centuries. Continuing this journey along the Indus, we meet with the Zanskar, coming down from the heart of the Himalayas. It is the valley marking the border between Ladakh and Kashmir. Further to the west, the land of the Drogpahs (Dards) opens up its doors. These Aryans come f rom Baltistan and they belonged to the kingdom of Gilgit. Just five Dard v illages belong to Ladakh; they present to our eyes an extraordinary world, which gives one a feeling of living through a meeting with the story of humanity.

The morning sun sets the high peaks aflame

To the north of Leh is a road which seems to never stop rising ever higher, an astral quest. This is the Beacon Highway, the highest road in the world. Khardong La offers to our gaze a forbidden valley: Nubra. Here the Siachen meets the Shayok to prese nt to the guardians of the Karakoram an expanse of greenery contrasting remarkably with the rest of Ladakh. The inhabitants of Nubra offer to modern travellers the hospitality reserved in earlier times for the caravans on the silk road which came to this rich oasis to replenish their supplies.

Minus 30'C, minus 40'C are normal temperatures for practically all Ladakhis. The wind blows over the valleys with its crystalline sounds and the men seek a little warmth around their voluminous stoves. Yet another contrast is that summer is short but ho t. That is when the Ladakhis set to work ardently in their fields. Then barley, the staple cereal out of which tsampah (flour) is made, vegetables and fruits receive their fullest attention.

Buddhist monks blow on these long traditional horns as part of the ritual

"Ladakh is truly a self-sufficient land, producing all that it needs except tea", says Major Gompertz in Magic Ladakh. This self-sufficiency is based essentially on an economy of small agricultural communities dependent on glacial torrents which, in wild and joyous tumult, come and meet the large Himalayan rivers. Desert conditions have forced the farmers of these celestial lands to develop unique irrigation systems. Canals draw water from far inside the mountains to guide them towards the fields which have been terraced to facilitate the work of the precious liquid. They sink into the rock, forming labyrinths stretching over several kilometres, a challenge to man, taken up 1500 years ago. The Ladakhis cannot develop the production of yak cheese as i s done in Nepal for their herds are too small. Products made from fresh milk are therefore important. Each family owns some goats, cows and dzos (yak-cow). The herds follow the mountain paths and return in the evening to the quiet villages, or they mov e to new pastures for a summer between sky and earth.

*Masked dancer*	*A buddhist monk immersed in contemplation*	Knitting, weaving, cabinet-making, painting ... these crafts have an important place in traditional Ladakhi society. In summer, in the shady regions by the Indus and in Nubra, wool is spun and winter blankets are woven. As soon as wintry weather arrives , the clicking of needles accompanies the gentle growl of the heating stove. The dress of the men, a long robe of cotton or wool, the goncha, is dark, but those of the women are
veritable masterpieces in blue, red and gold. Embroidered dresses and the ceremonial headgear, the perak, cover the resplendent backs with hair covered with turquoise. It is difficult to establish when Buddhism was introduced into Ladakh. It is however definite that its first influence dates back to the start of Christian era or just a little before that, under the reign of the Emperor Ashok. It is not astonishing the refore that stories based of the lives of the Buddha are the predominant theme of the traditional theatre. Drama is an essential part of the Ladakhi heritage. These stories, it is said, were related by the Enlightened one and they depict his numerous li ves before he became a Bodisattva. Among the numerous tales the story of the Prince Nor bZang and his companion Yid hPhrog, a magnificent goddess, is the most famous one. The drama is so popular here that the plays, even in the smaller villages are enacte d several nights in succession.

This stream offers an errie spectacle of form and colour

The ladakhis, draped in the most beautiful beribboned costumes, dance to the tune of the darnun and the surna (drum and flute). These dances are seen at every marriage, every anniversary. The movements are slow, simple and they give room for expression o f the personality of the dancer, male or female, allowing him to reveal his self assurance, his shyness or his nervousness. Ribbons of silk float before the different viewers, all united in their love of movement. The dances present above all to the publi c an occasion for meditation. Each of the dances is preceded by a homage paid in gestures to the triple jewel (we note here the universal trinity): the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. It is then divided into three parts, the rhythm quickening before the end when the happy Ladakhis break into gentle applause.
At the start of the Christian era, Ladakh was a no man's land. A few nomads spent the following centuries leaving few traces on this windy land. But the

Dards of Baltistan, guided by the path of the Indus, decided to lend some touches of green to its banks.
The Mons of the Kulu Valley (Himachal Pradesh) came and occupied the southern part of the area. In the 10th century, Skilde Numagan, driven out by his brother, the King of Tibet, invaded Maryul, bringing in the Mongoloid element now predominant in the L adakhi population. This became the starting point of a dynasty that lasted for 8 centuries. In 1842, Wazir Zorawar Singh invaded Ladakh. Since then it forms part of India.

The recurring theme of the different successions was a definite religious fervour which brought to Ladakh its host of monasteries, gompas and chortens. Even though the feudal system was the norm, there was no formal army, and hen ce the people could easily overthrow a dishonest noble or a tyrannical officer.

The rare black necked cranes

However, to conquer a new territory or to put up a defence against foreign attacks, some battalions were formed. The fairly numerous lamas have always played an important role in Ladakh. During the eight centuries of independence, the Buddhist spirit dom inated the whole of life. It inspired many men and women to give up secular life. It was normal and perfectly accepted by the Ladakhis that a king exchange his crown for a lama's robe.

Sports time at Leh

Family life has its roots deeply embedded in the secular strata. Adapted to the geographical conditions which do not enable any extension of the cultivable area, it has led to a control in births through the rare custom of polyandry.
Indian law forbade this custom 40 years ago, but it requires a longer duration of time than that for such a mode of life to disappear. This system is still predominant in the villages.

The eldest son inherits the land and gets married. Unable to become independent, his brothers remain on the land and share the bed of his spouse. Although monogamy was never forbidden, it was subjected to so much economic pressure that it always remain ed marginal. Polyandry implies a single mistress of the house. Quarrels therefore do not exist with other women, nor with the brothers. Only the daughter-in-law/parents-in-law relationship could be strained as a result of recurrent emotional matters. The social laws of the Ladakhis give an effective answer to this scourge. Soon after the birth of the first grand-child, when it is established that the couple is fertile, the young grandfather brings together his family circle for a departure ceremony du ring which he officially bequeaths his lands to his son. The grandparents then withdraw to another house on the family estate and cultivate their own land as long as they can.
The harmony existing between the brothers and their wife remains a mystery to the external observer. Ladakhi law recognises the husband as the real husband and father. The others are called Little Fathers by the children. Yet there is no tension. The Lada khis have therefore, out of necessity, developed a great sense of discipline, of civility, perhaps also of restraint...
Before 1974, the only caravans crossing through Ladakh were those travelling along the silk road. Today, other groups are discovering the infinity of these high lands, for less commercial reasons. These are the tourists.
Some figures of the Ladakhi pantheon are to be encountered during the Dur mdrod (festival) of the gompas. The most famous is the one at Hemis. During 2 to 3 days, the monks are transformed into gods and goddesses, wearing the mask s which represent these divinities. They teach generations of lamas, and since the last 30 years, every Ladakhi, the celestial life.
No journey to Ladakh would be complete without a respectful visit to one of these Himalayan cathedrals dedicated to the gods of the upper plateaux. An atmosphere of peace pervades the being, a serene calm invades it. Then the frescos, the tangkas can trul y move us, much more intensely than if they were in the midst of other treasures within a museum, or in a city drawing room.

GETTING THERE

LEH
By Air:
From June to September, 3 to 5 flights Delhi-Leh. Reservation should be made well in advance. It is a most beautiful flight above the Himalayas.
By Road
The Manali-Leh road is open in summer. A long but magnificent (2 days) one. Buses run on this road.
Accommodation
Hotels of all categories are found in Leh

DAH HANU
A 5 hour journey by taxi, from Leh, to cover 150 km
There are 5 bus services per week; information avialable at the road staion; some of them are not direct.
Accommodation
There are 4 guest houses at Dah; they belong in fact to peasants who are letting out their winter quarters. There is a possibility of camping a little before the village.
Permit
Permits can be obtained from the office of the District Magistrate at Leh near the Polo Ground. It is valid for a week for a minimum of 4 persons. There are no charges for the permit.