Kingdom of Ladakh, or Little Tibet - lost in the Indian Himalayas, a high-mountain region sandwiched between China and Pakistan. It was here, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, that I most clearly felt what real Tibet is, the culture, religion and traditions of which have been miraculously preserved in Ladakh for more than a century. Unlike, by the way, from central Tibet, whose appearance is gradually losing its authenticity due to the cultural expansion of China. Thousand-year-old Buddhist monasteries, ancient rituals, Tibetan villages here peacefully coexist with the Muslim culture of Kashmiris and Hindus from the plains of the country.

But even those who are not at all interested in history and Eastern religions will gain a lot of impressions in Ladakh. Space landscapes, camels and yaks, alpine lakes, snowy peaks of the Himalayan peaks allow you to literally jump into heaven. After all, the average height of the Ladakh kingdom is more than 3,000 meters above sea level, and some settlements and roads are above 5,000 meters!

The main thing is to prepare mentally and physically so that you don’t feel dizzy from extreme heights and fantastic impressions.

How to get there

Ladakh is located in the northernmost state of India Jammu and Kashmir. And no matter where you are heading here, your path will run through. How to fly to the Indian capital is described in detail. But then the most interesting begins, since the road to Ladakh gives emotions almost more than Ladakh itself.

By plane

It would seem that the most convenient way to get to Ladakh is by plane to the capital of the region - city ​​of Leh(or "Le"). Direct flights lasting about an hour and a half are operated by many Indian airlines (Vistara, Jet Airways, GoAir, AirIndia). Average prices range from 90 to 180 USD (5,000-10,000 RUB) one way.

It is traditionally better to monitor tickets in a few months, as back-to-back prices will soar to 250-350 USD (15,000–20,000 RUB) one way. But do not rush to buy air tickets, because this method seems optimal only at first glance.

I advise you to at least get there ground transport because:

The city of Leh is located at an altitude of 3500 meters above sea level. Any climber will tell you that it is best to climb gradually. More than once I met people who arrived in Ladakh by plane and for the first 2 days barely moved their legs, or even simply lying in a layer in the room due to mountain sickness. And the road by car (with a smooth climb, overnight stays and sightseeing at intermediate points) will take you at least 2-3 days, which will allow the body to acclimatize.

Yes, back to Delhi (subject to availability of funds), I advise you to fly by plane to admire the views of the Himalayas from above. But to deprive yourself of the pleasure of driving at least in one direction along one of the most high-mountainous and beautiful roads in the world - I consider it blasphemy!

By bus/car

Manali-Leh highway was one of my main goals, for which I generally went to Ladakh. The route passes through 4 highest mountain passes in the world (the most dangerous - Rohtang - 3978m, the highest - TangLang - 5325m).

To a quiet tourist the village of Manali in the foothills of the Himalayas, it is easy to get overnight by bus from. The price ranges from 10 to 25 USD (600-1500 INR, Indian rupees), depending on the class and the availability of air conditioning.

In Manali, at an altitude of 2000m, surrounded by centuries-old pines, visible snow caps of 8-thousanders and a meditative atmosphere, I recommend spending a couple of days for acclimatization. At the same time, buy a ticket for a tourist minibus to Lech. On it from the subtropics you find yourself in the "open space" of the Tibetan highlands!

All 500 kilometers of this way, my body was torn apart by opposite feelings: either to admire the fantastic, constantly changing landscapes outside the window, or to close my eyes for fear of falling into the abyss at the next dashing maneuver of the Hindu driver, or to fall into oblivion from motion sickness and attacks of mountain sickness. But everything is real for a person with average physical training. I’ll tell you later how to minimize the effect of “mining” on the body. In chapter"Safety".

Commercial minibuses leave Manali at 2-3 am, and arrive as lucky (considering road repairs, avalanches and traffic jams caused by this on the serpentine). Usually 15-20 hours of travel. The price ranges from 20 to 30 USD (1200-2000 INR) one way. If you are traveling with a large group, then you can rent an entire jeep with a driver (from 300 USD per car) and stop for a photo wherever your heart desires.

There is also an option 1.5 times cheaper on a public bus (with an overnight stay in the village of Keylong), but it is better to comprehend the “conveniences” of Indian “bass locales” in less extreme conditions (for example, on the Delhi-Manali stretch).

FINAL COMPARISON:

• Plane Delhi-Leh = 100-170 USD (6000-11000 INR)
• Bus Delhi-Manali + minibus Manali-Leh = 30-55 USD (1800-3500 INR)

There is another specific option - road Le-Srinagar-Delhi. The way to Srinagar is not so extreme in terms of road quality compared to the Manali Le highway and no less beautiful. But keep in mind that the city of Srinagar is located in a turbulent border region with Pakistan and armed conflicts are not uncommon here. Fall 2016 bus service with Srinagar was generally stopped due to terrorist activity, which forced your humble servant to return from Ladakh by the same route.

Clue:

Ladakh - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow - 2:30

Kazan - 2:30

Samara − 1:30

Yekaterinburg - 0:30

Novosibirsk 1:30

Vladivostok 4:30

When is the season. When is the best time to go

The harsh climate of Ladakh directly affects transport accessibility region, and, accordingly, for the period of visit by tourists. In winter, here is a real pole of cold and deserted. And in the summer - not only quite comfortable time for mountain hiking, but also relative freedom from crowds of tourists (given the remoteness and vastness of the lands of Ladakh).

"Dead" season (November-April)

Between November and April mountain passes at the entrances to Ladakh it is covered with snow and the road is simply closed. Therefore, the only way to get to the kingdom in winter is by plane. The temperature at this time of the year can reach -30 ° C, and housing for tourists, as a rule, is not heated. Yes, and most residents already in October begin to gather to work in warm climes (in the same Goa or).

High season (May-October)

With the first rays of the spring sun, Ladakh literally comes to life. Flowering trees and green pastures in this stone-mountainous desert are beginning to please the eye, and open roads attract tourists. During the peak season (July-August) during the day, a comfortable temperature is above +20 ° C, but at night do not hesitate to ask the owner of the hotel / guesthouse for an extra blanket, as the thermometer can drop to zero.

There is practically no rain in this area, but you should be careful with the mountain sun - your face in Ladakh can easily get burned. So stock up on sunscreen, and also buy yourself some protective masks (given the rocky terrain, it is quite dusty here, especially when moving).

conditional areas. Descriptions and Features

The capital of Ladakh, the city of Leh, is a real transit point for those who later move to explore the monasteries, mountain paths and lakes of Ladakh. The city center can be divided into 3 parts:

If we talk about the places close to Leh, adapted for the traveler, then the entire infrastructure is mainly concentrated around:

• the largest monasteries: Tiksi, Hemis, Likkir, Lamayuru, etc.
• mountain lakes: Pangong Tso, Tso Kar and Tso Moriri.

What are the prices for holidays

Everything in Ladakh is 30-50% more expensive than in lowland India. And this is not greed, because the cost of delivering goods to this remote region costs a pretty penny.

Housing

Booking a room in advance (as in any other part of India) is completely optional here. Unless, it will be relevant to do this on the first night, so that those tired from the road do not settle in the first expensive hotel that came across (which I did to my misfortune). You can book a room in advance at. Of course, unlike the rest of India, renting a room for 3 USD (200 INR) will not work here. Compare accommodation prices.

Average prices:

• for a normal double with hot water and wi-fi - 9-13 USD (600-800 INR) (on booking sites - from 15 USD);
• for a room in a good hotel - from 15-20 USD

They are not traded here as willingly as in flat India, but at the beginning / end of the season the price can be brought down. For example, this beautiful room with mountain views at Chow Guest House (Changspa area) at the end of September 2016 cost me 7 USD (450 INR) at the end of September 2016, and upon renewal - 6 USD:

Food

I have always considered a bottle of water and a bowl of rice as an indicator of prices in India:

• 1 liter of water: in Ladakh - 30 INR (20 INR national average).
• serving of rice: in Ladakh – 80 INR (50 INR national average)

Fruits are all imported, so they are more expensive.

The average price for a cheap lunch in a local eatery starts from 1.5 USD (100 INR), for a good lunch in a tourist cafe - 3-5 USD (250-300 INR)

Excursions

The price for a standard excursion day (departure to the monasteries or lakes adjacent to the city of Leh) is about 15-25 USD (1000-1500 INR). Local travel agencies, as a rule, set a general price for renting a jeep with a driver, and the task of recruiting people is already in your interest.

Main attractions. What to watch

Nature and Buddhist religion are the 2 main components of the Himalayas and 2 main objects of study for tourists.

If you did not come to Ladakh as part of a group with a personal Russian-speaking guide, in the purchase organized excursions little meaning. I quoted the prices above, keep in mind that the driver will actually be your guide. And reading everything yourself, having reached by bus or a ride, will be more effective than his couple of slurred comments in English.

Top 5

And now about everything in order.

Churches and temples. Which are worth a visit

The loyalty of the Indian government to Buddhist culture has made it possible to preserve the thousand-year-old Tibetan monasteries in Ladakh in their original form. Most of them are located at a distance of up to 100 km from Leh, which allows you to see 2-3 temples in detail in 1 day.

To become a spectator of the morning services (which start at 6-7 am), you can stay overnight and even eat not only in nearby guest houses, but also in the monastery itself, including for free. However, for this you need to let the monks know that you are really interested in their culture, and not just decided to save money.

Of the 4 monasteries where I asked for an overnight stay, I was refused only two, since at that time Buddhist festivals were held in them, and all the places were occupied by pilgrim monks from other regions. Entrance to most monasteries is also free, or it costs no more than 1 USD (50 INR).

The most interesting are the following monasteries:

• She, Tiksi, Stakna, Hemis, Stok (east of Leh, towards Manali)
• Spituk, Likir, Alchi, Diskit and Lamayuru (west of Leh towards Srinagar)

Tiksi Monastery (XV century, 20 km from Leh)

The largest and most beautiful monastery in Ladakh is, in fact, a copy of the famous palace of the Dalai Lama. it whole city, whose narrow streets stretch upwards - to the main building of the monastery, where services are held (in Indian, "pujas"). Climbing to the top, I tell you, is not easy.

Inside 2 floors is occupied by a 15-meter statue of Maitreya Buddha - the largest for the monasteries of Ladakh. And from the roof of Tiksi, a magnificent view of the Indus River valley opens up.

Hemis Monastery (11th century, rebuilt in the 16th century, 45 km from Lech)

The birthplace of one of the Kagyu Buddhist schools. It is famous for the fact that here, it seems, they found the Tibetan Gospel, according to which Jesus, before the beginning of the sermon in Palestine, wandered on Tibetan land, gaining wisdom from the ancient lamas.

Stakna Monastery (XVI century, 25 km from Leh)

A small monastery between Hemis and Tiksi, where I happened to spend the night, spending the whole night talking with young monks in their cell.

It is in these, not the most popular places, that I recommend that you stay in order to fully feel the "zen" in silence and without crowds of tourists.

Likir Monastery (XI century, 58 km from Leh)

The appearance of Likir, located in a beautiful mountain gorge, is further adorned with a gilded Buddha statue under open sky.

And on the territory of the monastery there is a small monastic school for boys, whose funny games can be watched in the evenings.

Alchi Monastery (X century, 68 km from Leh)

Although the outside of Alchi does not arouse admiration (small one-story buildings in the river valley), it is the oldest of the monasteries I visited. The frescoes of Alchi are the oldest in Ladakh. Just think, they are over 900 years old!

It is to preserve this relic that photography is prohibited here, but if you are careful and without a flash, then you can try.

Museums. Which are worth a visit

There are few museums as such in Ladakh: in Leh there are mineral museum(The Himalayas are rich in unique fossils). And those who are fond of military history can go to Indian Armed Forces Museum. After all, the state of Jammu and Kashmir is the eternal subject of disputes between India, Pakistan and China. The main mosque of Leh, not far from the main street Main Bazar, will also be interesting for inspection. But, of course, from secular institutions, in the first place is the residence of the ancient Tibetan kings.

Leh Palace

Built in the 16th century, the palace, traditionally for such structures, rises above the entire city. In this 9-storey building (there is still no higher in all of Ladakh) for 2 centuries royal people lived. From the outside, the palace is not particularly beautiful, but from its roof a curious view of the seething life of Lech opens up.

The restoration of the premises was undertaken quite recently, and there is nothing special to do inside. But the entrance fee is already charged 3 USD (200 INR). One way or another, it will be interesting to climb up to the walls of the palace for free. After all, in addition to the main road, making a detour, many pedestrian lanes lead to it, in which I got lost more than once, looking at the life of the locals.

Shanti Stupa and viewpoint

On the opposite side of the palace, you can look at the city from a recently built stupa. 500 steep steps are more difficult than climbing up to the Royal Palace, but the view from here opens up on a larger scale. I recommend coming to the stupa at dawn or at sunset. Right at this moment rocky mountains, snow caps of the Himalayas and the city valley play with amazing colors.

natural attractions

Lake Pangong Tso (150 km southeast of Leh)

The most fantastic landscapes in the Himalayas can be presented to you by alpine lakes. The purest blue water, merging with the sky, surrounded by snowy peaks, grazing herds of yaks - a real primeval relaxation! Pangong Tso on the border with China is the most popular of these lakes. It is because of the proximity of the “Celestial Empire” that tourists must issue a permit worth 7.5 USD (500 INR). Permission to visit the border area is issued at any travel agency in Lech. Then you can choose: either go on your own on a local bus, shaking all day for 4 USD (270 INR) one way. Or use the services of travel companies that send minibuses there for 30 USD (2000 INR) round trip. It will be more convenient, since the bus schedule (3 times a week) involves 2 nights on the lake, and the minibus is a more time-efficient route with one overnight stay. Accommodation: ranging from small Spartan rooms to renting tents.

Lakes Tso-Kar and Tso-Moriri (150 and 200 km from Leh towards Manali)

The most remote lake, Tso Moriri, by and large is no different from Pangong. The main advantage is the presence of hot geysers along the way. But Tso-Kar Lake is located almost on the Manali-Leh highway, so you can drive to it on the way to Ladakh (if you rented a jeep entirely).

Magnetic Hill (30km west of Leh)

Right on the Leh-Srinagar highway, you can observe a unique gravitational phenomenon. A car that stops at a certain line, at first glance, begins to roll uphill, and not downhill. In fact, this is just a joke for tourists and there is no magnetic anomaly here. Due to the mountain landscape, the illusion is created that the road goes uphill, although in fact it is the other way around - a slight descent.

Food. What to try

The cuisine of Ladakh is an unusual mixture of Tibetan, Indian and Kashmiri-Muslim dishes with pseudo-European ones. Traditionally, Asians are not good at cooking European dishes, so it is best to eat the prevailing Tibetan cuisine here.

Famous Tibetan manty dumplings "Mo-mo" although they are not cheap by Indian standards (from 2 USD per serving), they are mandatory for use. There are both vegetables and meat. For compulsory testing also - Tibetan bread "Tsampa" barley flour tea with milk and yak butter and noodle soup "Thukpa".

Holidays

Religious festivals and demonstration shows of ancient rites for tourists in Ladakh are held regularly (both in Leh itself and in nearby monasteries). To find out which of them you fall on by the dates of your trip, go to the state Leh Tourist Office(Jammu & Kashmir Tourist Reception Office) in the very center on Old Leh Road. The main thing to see in Ladakh is Tibetan mystery "Tsam"(or - "Cham") - the famous ritual dances of monks in masks.

It is noteworthy that most religious festivals designed specifically for local residents, and not tourists (and, accordingly, more authentic), are held in late autumn / early spring, that is, “on the verge of the season”.

And if you are very lucky (like me) - your arrival may coincide with national holiday Naropa, held every 4 years by analogy with the famous Hindu Kumbh Mella. This is a kind of religious "open-air", where local high-ranking lamas read sermons on the stage instead of rock stars!

A real find for a travel photographer, because this event brings together Tibetans from all over the Himalayas. I managed to see enough of the wonderful grandparents in national costumes.

Safety. What to watch out for

The main thing to be afraid of in Ladakh is not people, wild animals or natural disasters, but the reactions of your own body to extreme heights from 3500 to 5500 m. I wrote above about how the choice of transport can affect altitude sickness. In addition, try to sit down at the beginning of the bus cabin so that nausea from mountain serpentine does not add to mountain sickness. Secondly, help your body with medicines: from vitamin C, plenty of water and aspirin for prevention, and ending with Diacarb tablets in case of serious headache attacks. Ayurvedic Indian tablets "Ashvagadanda" and banal ginger helped me to ventilate the lungs in conditions of oxygen starvation. Well, give your body a break: for example, it’s not worth going from Leh (3500 m) on the very first day to Pangong Lake (4350 m).

There is much less crime here than in any Indian state. And the only fear, in addition to high-altitude overloads, remains the territorial proximity to the troubled Kashmir. But the military, whom you will meet here constantly, can only be thanked for maintaining calm in Ladakh.

Things to do

In addition to spiritual and natural mysteries, mountains always attract travelers with active recreational activities.

Trekking in the mountains

Hiking routes of any complexity lasting from 1 day to one and a half weeks will be organized for you at any travel agency in Lech. If you can go on a one-day trek without spending the night on your own (from any monastery and village in the Indus Valley), then it is better to hire an escort for long trips with tents deep into the mountains so as not to get lost. Also in Ladakh there are several Russian-speaking travel agencies and guides (hiking routes, excursions, photo tours), which are easy to find on the Internet. Although the nature of Ladakh is unusual, it is quite similar, so I recommend limiting yourself to a trek with 1-2 overnight stays.

Among the popular destinations I will highlight:

• treks in the Hemis valley
• hikes from Leh and Lamayuru to the Zanskar Range
• treks to outlying monasteries (eg Ridzong)
• climbing to the base camp of the top of Stok Kangri

Rafting

Rafting on mountain rivers (Indus is a little easier, and Zanskar is more difficult) can also be arranged by any travel agency in Lech. The duration of rafting and kayaking varies from small 1-2-hour walks to 5-day expeditions.

Camel rides

In the Nubra Valley there is a real alpine desert! You can feel the contrast of snowy peaks and white dunes, sitting on two-humped beauties, in the villages of Khundar and Dixit.

Souvenirs and shopping. What to bring as a gift

Leh souvenir shops sell traditional Tibetan items and Buddhist ritual items. And this can be done the cheapest way in India, since it is from Ladakh that souvenir products are further distributed to the markets of Delhi and Goa.

From main:

Visiting Indians haggle more than proud Tibetans. The most expensive souvenirs are at the monasteries and in shops on the main street of Leh Main Bazar. To save money, I recommend visiting a small souvenir market on Changspa Road.

How to move around the region

There are no railways so high in the mountains, so travel is only by road and horse-drawn transport or on foot. Although Ladakh seems harsh and deserted, in fact, in terms of movement, not everything is as scary as it seems at first glance.

Taxi and public transport

For some reason, there are no motor rickshaws in Ladakh (unlike the rest of India), and a taxi by Indian standards is quite expensive: a couple of kilometers around the city - 2-3 USD (150-200 INR). And taxi trips to nearby monasteries are completely uneconomical. Public transport much cheaper: from 1 USD (from 50 INR for an hour trip) and goes to all the main monasteries in the area.

But there is a much more interesting and economical way to travel in Ladakh…

Hitch-hiking

This section can be safely called the “mentality of the Ladakhians”, because, despite the expensive gasoline, the traveler will always be helped in this region. In no corner of the world, hitchhiking has not seemed so easy and convenient to me. From being able to stop a motorcycle for short trips around the city, to 100-kilometer hauls and heart-to-heart conversations with Kashmiri truckers.

Transport rental

Ladakh is a real motorcycle tourist destination. On the same "road of death" Manali-Leh, many lovers of a two-wheeled horse tend to drive. Unlike car rental (which you almost never see in the highlands, and I would not recommend it to you without a local driver), there are many motorcycle rental points (full-fledged, not low-powered scooters) in both Leh and Manali. But keep in mind - only experienced bikers can conquer high mountain passes on the iconic Anfield.

Ski holidays

5 things to do in this region

1. Drive to Ladakh by land, crossing passes above 5000 m.
2. Stay overnight at a Buddhist monastery
3. Go hiking in the Himalayas or spend the night on the shores of an alpine lake
4. Try the famous Tibetan Mo-mo dumplings
5. Buy a warm sweater made of real angora or yak wool

The heat had been over forty for several days. We lived in tourist center Delhi Paharganj in a cheap room without air conditioning, so we could fully experience the beauty of the Indian summer.

For my partner Misha, the journey was coming to an end - he was going to fly away the day after tomorrow. But such a banal alignment did not suit me - back in Nepal, having learned about the impossibility of returning to my homeland through China (the only crossing on the Nepalese-Tibetan border was closed due to an epidemic), I began to think about the option through Pakistan and Iran. But upon arrival in Delhi, having learned about the high cost of visas for these countries, and, more importantly, after a week spent at a temperature of + 43-45, my desire to visit the Arab countries gradually evaporated - according to rumors, the heat there was no less, but quickly slip through them it was not interesting, better another time. As compensation for the continuous breakups, I decided to go to Ladakh before flying home - this area in the extreme north-west of India is part of the Tibetan plateau, sandwiched between the main Himalayan range and the Karakorum. At the same time, there was a chance to visit interesting mountain valleys Kashmir and Kullu. Leaving some things at the hotel and saying goodbye to Misha, I moved to the New Delhi railway station, fighting off velo- and auto rickshaws along the way, excitedly reacting to the white mister walking and with a backpack.
I was late for the arrival of the train, so that the trump recumbents on the upper shelves were already occupied. There were relatively few people for the third-class carriage - it was possible to sit quietly and read a book. But I did not succeed in immersing myself in the story of the seven-year adventures of G. Harrer in Tibet - curious Indians began to ask their standard questions and simply practice with me in English language. So a couple of hours passed, and then suddenly the controller appeared. Unexpectedly - because for the third grade this phenomenon is rare, I have not met before. The Indians showed the tickets, but I prepared to haggle over the amount of the fine for not having one, but then something strange happened - the controller asked for my documents and, glancing briefly at the passport, gave it to me and left. I was happy and at the same time wondered how I managed to get off so easily. Passengers came up with the idea that I had a train pass glued into my passport (in India there are even passes for airplanes) and began to examine my foreign passport with interest. I did not dissuade them from this delusion. Subsequently, one of my comrades suggested that the controller simply did not want to deal with me about stowaways, but he had to leave without losing face in front of the other passengers - so he went for a little trick. Well, that's a perfectly reasonable version. In Jammu, the winter capital of the state of Jammu & Kashmir, I arrived early in the morning, after 15 hours of travel. There are no special sights here, and I immediately proceeded to the bus station - I decided to take a bus a little, and then start stopping. Then in Udampur, trying to find my way to Srinagar in the intricacies of the streets, I eventually made a circle and returned to the bus station - apparently, starting at some point, the locals decided that since a person, and even more so a foreigner, needs to go to another city, then show him where the buses leave from. Well, I reasoned - this is fate - a bus is a bus, and I took a ticket for another 20 km. Then they managed to stop the passenger car for several kilometers, and then, together with its driver, catch an army truck with hay. The truck driver was a Sikh and spoke good English, which is generally uncharacteristic for drivers. At first he wanted to drive all night without stopping and arrive in Srinagar in the morning, but there was a small breakdown - a wheel was pierced. While they were repairing, we decided to get some sleep and resume movement after dawn. I was assigned to sleep on a bed right under the open sky - however, the night was warm and clear. After the Jawarhar tunnel, the Kashmir valley began directly. It became a little cooler, mountain landscapes appeared, the bottom of the valley was buried in greenery. By lunchtime, the driver was parked. Actually, he was going to Leh, the capital of Ladakh, but I wanted to spend a couple of days in Kashmir, so I turned down his offer to go further together. I got to the city center by minibus, and then another “hotel offerer” pulled me out. I did not think for a long time and went with him to watch his boat. The main attraction of Srinagar - Dal Lake - quite big lake, along the banks of which there are several hundred hotels in the form of boats (houseboats). The boat can reach a length of 20m and contain up to 4 rooms with a living room and a dining room. Most of them are decorated in the English style of the 19th century. For 500-700 rupees, you can rent a room that is simply luxurious in my opinion. Many people live in these houseboats without leaving for several days - food can be ordered to the room. The taxis are shiraks - covered boats with soft "sofas". I chose a cheap room for 100 rupees. ($1=46Rs) The rest of the first day in the capital of Kashmir was devoted to visiting Shankaracharya Hill. Previously, this hill was called Takht-i-Sulaiman (Solomon's throne) and had a Buddhist temple on its top, built even before our era. Now there is a more modern Hindu temple (not particularly interesting) and a TV tower. From the hill there is a beautiful view of Dal Lake. The next day I decided to see the most famous city mosques - Pather Masjid (17th century), Jama Masjid (14th century) and Shah Hamdan Mosque (14th century). Two local teenagers undertook to act as guides. We also went with them to the Hari Parbat fort (16th century). They didn’t want money for a guide from me - it doesn’t even look like the inhabitants of India. By the way, Kashmiris are even more friendly (and accordingly intrusive) and disinterested than ordinary Indians. With their first representative, Rafik, I met on the second day of my stay in Delhi, walking around Paharganj. He invited me to his house to chat and treat me with Kashmiri tea, at the same time he told me about his business - the carpet trade. The next morning, I made arrangements for an excursion on a shikara. In five hours we visited a couple of islands, drove to a nearby lake, swam in a labyrinth of canals (just like some kind of Venice), watched from ten meters how hawks hunt for fish. The only thing that prevented you from enjoying life was all sorts of merchants who swim up to you and try to sell you all sorts of rubbish, from toilet paper to saffron and jewelry. After the tour, walking along the embankment, I met a local businessman, Ali. He invited to visit him for tea, at the same time showing his collection of jewelry and other goods that he sells. His family owned three stores - in Srinagar, Leh and Goa. Pebbles, I must say, made an impression. Ali also offered to live in his house. I decided to move to the enrollment the next day. By the way, during the three months of my travels, I was offered a ticket only once - in Nepal, not far from Kathmandu, when I returned late at night from a walk to ancient temple Vajra Jogini. Then I was forced to refuse to spend the night (on the clay floor near the fire). promised Misha to return the same day. In general, from communication with Ali, I was left with an ambivalent impression. What was his main driving motive - traditional hospitality or a cleverly veiled desire to "do business" - remained a mystery to me. At the end of his offer to buy something from him and sell it in Moscow, allegedly four times more expensive, they began to bother. Quite exotic options were also offered - for example, I give him a tent, and as compensation, through friends in travel agencies, he organizes cheap water or mountain trekking for me. I spent two days with this family. During this time, we visited the local museum of local lore and the gardens of the Mughal (Mughal) emperors in the vicinity of the city. Like other Kashmiris, Ali and his family were Muslims, but moderate - women did not wear a veil and in general there was no particular religiosity in them. By the way, I did not notice any extremism in Kashmir, all this is nonsense. Not to say that everything is fine and calm there, but at least not more dangerous than in Moscow. A few years ago, this state really had a very tense situation, but now everything is almost back to normal, tourists have returned to popular resorts. True, the army is there on every corner. I left Ali not without some relief. Drove a little on the bus, then stopped the truck to Sonamarga. Relaxed by an overly successful hitchhiking on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, I did not warn the driver about the money - as a result, I had to pay 30 rupees. It was evening, and it was necessary to solve the problem of lodging for the night. I opted for a tent. Some strange people did not allow me to go further than the checkpoint at the end of the village, arguing that it was supposedly unsafe further. I had to climb the slope above the village and spend the night in the forest under a huge pine tree. By the way, before that I spent the night in a tent only twice on this trip. The first time was in the place Auli in the Indian Himalayas, the second in Annapurna Base Camp. In the first case, I observed from the window of the tent the second highest mountain in India, Nanda Devi (7817), in the second, the southern face of Annapurna (8091). In the morning, for two hours, it was not possible to catch any transport, so I decided to go on foot. From the point of view of hitchhiking, this is of course stupid - driving is always faster than walking - but I raved about the obsession: firstly, to enter Tibet on foot, and secondly, standing on the Zoji La pass (it was only 15-20 km away) to observe in the west, the flowering valley of Kashmir, and in the east, the lifeless stone desert of Ladakh. Looking ahead, I’ll say that I would be brutally broken off, because. The pass is a plateau several kilometers long, and the nature of the terrain does not change suddenly. Having walked halfway to the pass, at the next post I got into a conversation with the soldiers. They asked me for Russian coins for their commander's collection, and in return they stopped an army ammo truck for me on its way to Leh. The truck was part of a huge convoy, about a hundred cars. The column moved very slowly, stopping every hour. Despite the end of June and the relatively low altitude (3529), there was a lot of snow on the pass, the road practically went along a tunnel dug in the snow. Until the evening we reached a military camp 15 km beyond the pass, where we stopped for the night. After eating a standard army dinner, I went to bed on the top bunk of the truck. In the morning, the driver began demanding beer and chicken for lunch as fare. I excused myself by saying that the soldiers who put me up to him promised that they would take me in a military truck for free. But the driver and I never reached an understanding on this issue, and I left in the next more or less large city so as not to create tension. After all, trudging along in that truck and spending the night again in the dust of the camp on a cramped shelf did not turn me on very much, even despite the free army food. Then, while riding a bus 40 km to Mulbek, he crossed an imaginary border separating the Muslim and Buddhist parts of the state. Putting up a tent on the bank of the river, I went for a walk around the village. Its main attraction is carved into the rock in the first century BC. statue of the coming Buddha (Maitreya). The real Tibetan landscapes have already begun - small oases of greenery in the river valleys around the villages, on the rocks above which you can see ancient Buddhist monasteries (gompas), and around the stone desert of various shades - from pale brown, ocher, to almost purple. In the morning it turned out that I set up a tent in a swamp, I had to spend an hour drying things :) Then, leaving my backpack in a restaurant, I went to explore the monasteries. The climb took about an hour. The gompas turned out to be destroyed and were of no particular interest, but they offered a wonderful view of the valley and mountains. Having gone down, I caught another truck. His driver turned out to be from Madras and hardly understood either English or Hindi. We crossed two passes with him, making a stop at highest point route (Fatu La, 4094) for photography. In Kalsi he turned to the military base, and I went to sleep on the banks of the Indus. I woke up from a heart-rending cry of “Helo”, but decided not to succumb to this provocation and not look out of the tent. A peasant approached me at breakfast and began to explain with gestures that he wanted money from me for setting up a tent supposedly on his territory. Why the hell, I thought, because I did not sleep in his wheat field, but next to him on the grass. Pretending that I did not understand sign language, I ignored his requests. I wanted to get to the capital of Ladakh on the same day, but the hitchhiking didn’t work out, so after lunch (such that it was hard to walk later :) I got on the bus. There were no empty seats in the cabin, I had to sit on the roof. However, there was also a crowd. Rooftop riding was not for the faint of heart. The rear of the bus bounced on every bump, and had to make significant efforts not to fly away. In addition, a man was sitting in front, who periodically gave commands such as "air raid". At this command, it was necessary to bend down as much as possible, otherwise you could get in the face with a branch, and sometimes with electric wires, which sometimes swept a few centimeters above the heads of passengers. All this added spice, but distracted from admiring the mountain landscapes. After a while we caught up with another bus and drove all the way to Le, one by one overtaking each other. The women on the roof of that bus sang songs all the way, and each overtaking was accompanied by a long hoot from both sides. As a result, as a result of a two-hour traffic jam (!) - due to a breakdown of a truck in an army convoy - we arrived in Le already after dark. I lost my bearings a little and went out far enough from the city center, because of which I had to climb over some kind of fence and put up the tent again. Only here, in Tibet, for the first time on this journey, I finally felt complete freedom. There were no schedules, check-outs, partners - nothing that could tie you to the time or the need to somehow coordinate actions. If you want - you stand and vote, you're tired - you go to eat / save / catch a bus. You just give in to your desires and the passage of time. In Ladakh, I really enjoyed the Tibetan cuisine, which I discovered in Nepal. Mutton momo and veg thukpa were especially popular with me. Momo is a type of large dumplings, and tukpa is a Tibetan soup. What in India and Nepal is called the word soup is garbage, one water with a smell, but tukpa - real food:) My second obsessive thought was getting into the monastery. For this purpose, Leh & Tsemo (red) Gompa were chosen, standing close to each other on a hill overlooking the city. Went there with a backpack. It turned out that Leh Gompa is just ruins, but in Tsemo Gompa there is a three-meter statue of Buddha. To look at it, you need to ask the monk in the next building for the keys. But as it turned out, now no one lives in this monastery and there are no rooms for this. Therefore, I agreed with the monk that I would leave my backpack with him until the evening, while I myself would go for a walk. Just below these gompas is the Leh Palace. In the XVI, this residence of the Ladakh royal family was built as a copy of the Potala - winter palace Dalai Lama in Lhasa, but numerous wars with the rulers of Kashmir in the XIX century. did their job. The entrance to Leh Palace for foreigners is as much as 100 rupees, so I peeled off the rock and entered the palace from the other side. In those few minutes, until I was set on fire and kicked out, I was convinced that this palace, especially considering the price of the ticket, is a brazen swindle of tourists. There is absolutely nothing interesting inside - only dust, dirt and holes in the floor, the impression is as if you were at a construction site. I also visited the active Sankar Gompa monastery, but its most interesting part - the hall with the image of Avalokiteshvara with a thousand hands and heads was closed to the public. Another noteworthy place is Shanti Stupa, somewhat reminiscent of the Japanese Peace Pagoda in Lumbini. Sitting at the stupa and dangling their legs over the cliff, a crowd of Europeans watched the sunset over the mountains of Zanskar. It was already dark when he returned for a backpack, and found only a note with a message that the monk had gone to sleep in Sankar Gompa (so that's where he had to go to fit in!) and would be here only tomorrow afternoon. The situation was pretty stupid. There was nothing left to do but go to the hotel - spending the night on the street without bivouac equipment or at least warm clothes was not at all a buzz. The next day, when I went to the Ladakh Ecological Development Center, I was surprised to learn that just a few kilometers from Leh for another 4-5 days every morning the Dalai Lama would give lectures to a wide range of the public. The backpack was rescued from prison only after 5 hours, when I went to look for this monk myself. In the evening I got to Choglamsar’a, but they didn’t let me in the field where the Dalai Lama lectures, camping is not provided there. In the morning, when I came to a lecture (or sermon, I don’t know how to be more precise), I found a crowd of several thousand people on a field the size of a stadium. The Dalai Lama spoke in Tibetan, but there was simultaneous translation into English in a specially designated corner for Europeans. However, I still did not understand anything. I wanted to see the Dalai Lama back in April, in Dharamsala, but then I arrived there a week later than necessary. Now, to be honest, the whole event made less of an impression on me than I expected. Further on the way to Manali, I stopped at the Shey and Tiksey monasteries. Shey Gompa and the adjoining summer palace of the kings of Ladakh were dilapidated, but Tiksi turned out to be a large monastery, one of the buildings of which contained a good collection of paintings and a ten-meter Buddha statue. Next to the ticket office there was a poster mentioning the site (!) of the monastery and the “registration rules”, which stated that women were not allowed to spend the night here, and men should contact the monastery authorities directly. However, my ultimate goal that day was different - the famous Hemis. This one of the oldest and largest monasteries in Ladakh is a popular tourist place during the festival, which this year fell on July 9-10. I arrived there on the 2nd and had to break off with this mega-entertainment. In the courtyard of the monastery, I turned to two monks with a request for lodging for the night. One of them took me to his dwelling. After the question “do I like this room”, he asked how much I would pay him, and after the answer “nothing”, he had such an ugly face, like a child who has been deprived of candy. Then excuses began like “of course you can spend the night here if you want, and so, but tomorrow I will wake you up at five in the morning, I have to go to Le, etc.” In general, I decided not to strain the dude and went to sleep in the yard, concluding for myself that the tourism business can ruin even a Buddhist monk. Having examined the monastery in the morning, I returned to the highway and soon caught a truck to Manali, in which 5 people were already driving. But, having learned that I was going to drive to the very end, the driver reduced his enthusiasm and dropped me off in the next village, where after a couple of hours I another car. I had to climb into the back, where five locals and two Europeans were already sitting, the Israeli Yoshi and the Swede Dunas. God, it was dusty in there! I put down my backpack and carefully sat on it, trying not to touch anything. These same guys have already played homeless people in full, lounging on foam. It was shaking very strongly in the back - at times I bounced about 10 centimeters on a backpack. Dunas said that they met Yoshi on a bus to Lech and then went together on one of the trekking six-thousanders. In the meantime, we quietly passed Taglang La - this is the second highest automobile pass in the world (5328m). The first has a height of 5606m and is also located in Ladakh. On a 100 km stretch to the next pass, there is only one settlement - the Pang military camp, where we stopped for the night. At the checkpoint in front of the camp, for some reason, the driver lied that there was no one in the back. We had already spread out in the back, when the police came and dragged us out of there to check our passports. There was a long trial. They wanted to arrest the driver on suspicion of terrorism. A particularly aggravating circumstance in the eyes of the policeman was that the driver was a Sikh, and in his words "a Sikh would rather die than tell a lie." We excused ourselves and the drivers for a long time, as a result, our passports were taken away from us and a showdown was scheduled for the morning. At the same time, we were ordered to leave the truck and spend the night in one of the large tent tents intended for truckers. We gave our driver some money as compensation for the inconvenience caused, although by and large he himself was to blame for this situation. And then there was a meeting with an Indian hippie (!) At first we didn’t even take him for an Indian, he looked more like a European and spoke English better than Hindi. There was something unreal about this meeting. Sitting under an unusually starry sky (after all, the height of 4500 makes itself felt), we drank vodka, smoked and talked on all sorts of interesting topics. It turned out that this dude, as part of a group of bikers, was returning from the very highest pass that they conquered on motorcycles. In the morning it turned out that everything that happened yesterday was true. The bikers left, we took our passports from the police, who strictly forbade us to ride in trucks. Yesterday's driver was nowhere to be found, and I don't know how this story ended for him, but I think they just let him go, perhaps with a fine. Having reached the cafe, which was out of sight of the police, we began to catch the bus. But they all charged unrealistic prices, and in the end we agreed to catch a paid truck, setting a charge limit of 100 rupees per person. After a while, I managed to do it. All subsequent checkpoints were on foot - the drivers dropped us off in advance and we dealt with the police ourselves. Now the logic of actions of yesterday's driver became clear to me. In principle, it is not forbidden to transport foreigners in trucks along this highway, but it is highly discouraged - the police put all sorts of obstacles to this, apparently believing that white people should not drive in such conditions, although it is worth noting that driving in a truck cab is more comfortable than in the cabin of an ordinary bus. And, apparently, the driver decided not to contact the police, believing that he would blow it, but he was mistaken. In general, the Le Manali track is very difficult. People travel less than 500 km in 2 or even 3 days, crossing passes at 5300, 5000, 4900 and 4000m. More than half of the route is not paved and the shaking along the way is very strong. In the Le Valley, military camps are on every corner, a consequence of the border conflict with China. In Manali, one of the most popular mountain resorts in India (there are even opportunities for skiing and paragliding), we arrived at three in the morning and immediately went to the old part of the city to look for a hotel. On the third attempt, we managed to get a room for three. The return to civilization was marked by a global wash. In general, there is something to see and where to walk in Manali, but we arrived here already during the monsoon period, so the weather was not conducive to walking around the surroundings. We limited ourselves to visiting the local temple of the 16th century and testing Israeli cuisine. Having spent a lot of money in three days in Manali, he moved further down the Kullu valley, already alone. First I went to Nagar - there, in addition to the castle of some local prince, turned into a hotel, there is also a house-museum of Roerich. It was quite amusing to observe in the Indian Himalayas a noble estate of the 19th century, as well as a museum with all sorts of balalaika nesting dolls. Roerich was clearly not a fool - in such a chic place he reclaimed his estate! If not for the vast thickets of marijuana, it would resemble some Pushkin mountains. Books of the Roerich Society (in Russian) were also sold there. I got acquainted with one pamphlet about the dangers of meat, alcohol, drugs and pornography. It was written on it "the book is distributed free of charge", but the Hindu seller of the Russian language did not know and did not fall for this tops. Further, my path lay in Chandigarh - a young Indian city, built on a European model with wide streets, parks and a rectangular layout. I visited a couple of museums in it, a rose garden containing about a thousand species of roses, and Rock Garden. This is a rather strange, but funny building with many waterfalls, sculptures and just stones of all sorts of bizarre shapes. Arriving in Delhi at the old railway station, on the way to Paharganj I came across a huge puddle. First, the depth was ankle-deep, then knee-deep, then I walked along the curb dividing the street into two lanes. When standing on the curb also became knee-deep, he was interrupted by a few meters - a place for turning cars. To overcome them, it was necessary to plunge into a puddle already up to the waist. Then I broke down and took a rickshaw. The sight was simply amazing - rickshaws pulling their bikes standing waist-deep in water, carts pulled by cows with almost one head sticking out of the water. The picture was complemented by drizzling rain and tons of garbage floating in this puddle with an area of ​​​​probably a quarter. Having bought a plane ticket, the only thing I managed to do was visit the largest mosque in Asia - the Delhi Jama Masjid, and run through souvenir shops to spend the rest of the money. A day later I was already in Moscow. This is how this Asian epic ended corny. Initially, I planned a long and gradual return home by land, but in the end I was transported to my homeland with the help of a magical device called an airplane. However, now I don't regret it at all. Denis Rozhkov.

Ladakh is part of Tibet, which as a result historical events became part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. This name literally translates as "la" - the pass and "dakh" - the country.
This area, with a total area of ​​86,904 km 2 , is located between the Gilamaev ranges in the south and the Karakoram ranges in the north. East Turkestan begins immediately after Karakorum. Ladkah borders with Tibet in the east, in the south with the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh (Lahul and Spiti region), and in the west with Balistan, Jammu and the Kashmir valleys. Since 1979, Ladakh has been administratively divided into two districts - Leh and Kargil.

Weather in Leh, Ladakh.

Since we work in Ladakh every summer, the issue of weather is one of the most significant for us and for our travelers.
We recommend watching weather forecasts in Leh on these sites: Weather in Leh or Weather in Leh (Meteon news).

Map of the Ladakh valley.

The culture and nature of Ladakh has so much in common with Tibet that it is often called “Little Tibet” for this. This area is practically the second home of Buddhism, since during the Chinese Cultural Revolution in Tibet itself, most of the monuments of Buddhist culture were destroyed. Geographically, Tibet and Ladakh begin to separate north of the Nepalese town of Pulu. A further division goes south, passing through a massive maze of ridges east of Rootog, ending at La Mayum.

Being located at the crossroads of trade routes and being part of the Great Silk Road, Ladakh often played an important strategic role in the past. After the western borders with China were closed, international trade in the area declined. To date, one of the most profitable budget items in Ladakh is tourism. Since 1974 this area has been open to the public. foreign tourists, and the Indian government is actively engaged in the development of tourism in the region. The place of concentration of tourists and travelers in Ladakh is its capital, Leh (Leh).

Ladakh is the highest Indian plateau. Its elevation changes are from 2750 m above sea level in Kargil to 7672m in Sasir-Kangri. To the north of the Ladakh range to the very foot of the Karakorum, the fertile valleys of the Nabra and Shiok rivers extend. They share the common name Nabra. It can be reached by road from Leh through the Kardung La pass (5600m). This pass is considered the highest automobile pass in the world.

Between the Great Himalayan Range and the Zanskar Range there is an area called Zanskar. It is so significant and extensive that often its name sounds to define the whole of Ladakh as a whole. Surrounded on all sides by high mountains, Zanskar was cut off from civilization for centuries. This is where history was made. The inhabitants of this area existed quite independently due to the presence of both fertile valleys and alpine pastures. The Zanskar River flows here, giving its name to the entire region. It collects the waters of several of its large and many small tributaries, through a narrow and deep gorge leaves its valley and below the Lech flows into great river Ind.

The only way of communication between Zanskar and Ladakh is the ring road through the Penzi La pass (4400m). Most of the communication with Zanskar is carried out along the caravan trails laid over many centuries, which lead to Ladakh, Lahol and the southwestern foothills of the Himalayas.

The climate of Ladakh combines both the conditions of the Arctic and the desert. For this it is called the "cold desert". In winter, the temperature here drops to -40 o, and in summer it rises to +35 o.

History of Ladakh.

The first people on the territory of Ladakh appeared in the Neolithic times. This is evidenced by numerous cave paintings. In the works of Herodotus, Nearchus, Megasthenes, Claudius Ptolemy and Pliny the Elder, the most ancient population of these lands is mentioned as part of the Indo-Aryans, Mons and Dards. These peoples are also mentioned in the geographical lists of the Purana. In the 1st century A.D. Ladakh was part of the Kushan kingdom, and in the 8th century AD. he fell under the rule of Tibet, expanding its possessions to the West. At the same time, Chinese influence was spreading through Central Asia in these territories.

In the 7th century AD. Songtsen Gampo, the Tibetan ruler, married two princesses - Wencheng (daughter of the Chinese emperor Taizong) and Bhrkuti (daughter of the Nepalese king Amshuvarman). Both princesses were Buddhists. They brought Buddhist texts and religious objects with them to Tibet. Later, Padma Sambhava played an important role in the spread of Buddhism in Tibet. Today he is revered here along with the Buddha.

But in the 9th century, King Langdarma abandoned Buddhism, adopted the ancient Bon religion and restored all the privileges of the Bonn priesthood. Thus, all the efforts of two centuries of Buddhist teaching came to naught.

After the collapse of the Tibetan Empire, in 842, Ladakh was captured by a representative of the Tibetan ruling dynasty, Nyima-Gon. He founded the kingdom of Gut in Western Tibet and became the founder of the Ladakh dynasty.

After his death, the kingdom was divided between his three sons into parts of Ladakh, Zanskar Spiti and Purang Guk.

The first Ladakhian kings ruled their region from the capital She, and the territory of the kingdom included the upper regions of the Indus River valley. Under the patronage of the grandson of Nyama-Gon, the monk-king Khore, there was a revival of Buddhism in Western Ladakh. King Khore's second religious name was Lha-Lama Yeshe-O. Soon he transferred power over the kingdom to his youngest son Songnge, and he, along with his two eldest sons, became a monk, joining the Buddhist order.

King Khore understood that it was necessary to revive the religion in Tibet, which was threatened with complete decline. For this, he needed dharma teachers and good translators of sacred texts. On his orders, about twenty able young men went to Kashmir to study Sanskrit, but only two returned, and the rest died on the way. One of the young men who returned was Rinchen Zanpo, who became an eminent Buddhist. It is with him that the appearance of the earliest monastery of Ladakh, Alchi, which dates back to the 11th century, is connected. Rinchen Zanpo was a great scientist, artist, religious figure and even a builder. Together with Indian pandits, he was engaged in the translation into Tibetan of many Sanskrit texts. Among them were also the sacred writings Kanjur and Tanjur.

Rinchen Zanpo spread the teachings of the Buddha, built temples, monasteries, shrines and stupas throughout the country. According to legend, he laid the foundations of 108 monasteries throughout his life.

In the XIII century AD. the threat of Islamic conquest hung over Ladakh, and his government had to focus on Tibet in matters of religion.

By the 15th century, Ladakh was again divided between two rulers. The first of them, Gragspa Bum Ide, established his capital at Leh, and his brother Gragspa Bum made Thingmosgang his capital. Later, the grandson of one of them, Bhagan, would unite Upper and Lower Ladakh into one kingdom and become the founder of the Namgyal dynasty.

Muslim raids into Ladakh were made regularly until 1600, and this led to the weakening of its internal forces and the conversion of a large part of its population to Islam.

But representatives of the Namgiyal Dynasty were able to withstand attacks from Central Asia and even expanded the territory of their state to the east as far as Nepal.

The greatest ruler of Ladakh was Singe Namgyal. He managed to annex Zanskar, Spiti, as well as Nubra, Dras, Ruthog, the kingdom of Gug, Purang, Upper Kinnaur, Upper Lahaul, Purig and the lower Shyok valley to Ladakh.

But since it was not easy to manage such a large territory, over time the empire began to decline. During the reign of Delegs Namgyal, Mongol-Tibetan detachments raided the lands of Ladakh, which reached Bazgo, the capital of those times. The siege lasted for about three years, and the government of Ladakh had to turn to Kashmir for help. As a result, fierce fighting began at Bazgo, and the Mongol-Tibetan troops were defeated. For the assistance provided in Tingmosgang, a tripartite agreement was signed, according to which the borders of Ladakh in Tibet were determined. These boundaries still exist today. The parties also signed a trade pact. He allowed the government of Ladakh to send annual caravans to Lhasa, which would include tribute of gold, textiles and saffron for the Dalai Lama. Oncoming caravans from Lhasa delivered tea to Leh. Such exchanges continued until the 19th century. Another important element of partnership between the regions was the wool of pashmina goats. Ladakh granted a monopoly to Kashmiri merchants on it. The production of handkerchiefs and shawls from this wool has become a very developed and profitable industry.

The Namgiyals ruled in Ladakh until 1834, when the Dogris, who were part of the Punjabi Sikh state, captured it. The troops were led by Ranjit Singh. This was followed by a decade of uprisings and riots, as a result of which, according to the Leh Agreement, Ladakh became part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Since the 1850s, Ladakh has been under the European influence of Great Britain, which controlled the lands of Jammu. In 1885, in the center of Ladakh, in Leh, a local mission of the Protestant Moravian Church was founded.

During the partition of British India in 1947, Hari Singh, the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, pondered for a long time whether to join Pakistan or India. As a result, an agreement was signed on the accession of the state to India. In 1949, the border between the Nubra Valley and Xinjiang was closed by China. Thus, the ancient trade route was blocked. In 1955, the Chinese authorities began building a road connecting Xinjiang and Tibet. Also, the Karakorum Highway was built by the joint forces of Pakistan and Tibet. India, in turn, built a highway along the border connecting Srinagar and Leh. Thus, the road between these cities was reduced from eight days to two.

The state of Jimmu and Kashmir, together with its constituent Ladakh, has always been the subject of various territorial conflicts. The Kashmir conflict is the result of a territorial dispute with Pakistan, and in 1999, during the Kargil War, a nuclear war almost broke out here. 1989 was marked by large-scale clashes between Muslims and Buddhists.

In 1993, with the aim of gaining greater independence for Ladakh, the Ladakh Autonomous Mountain Development Council was formed.

population of Ladakh.

Ladakh is one of the most sparsely populated areas in Central Asia. Its population is about 260 thousand people and is represented by both peoples of Tibetan and Indo-European origin. Most of them are Buddhists, the rest - with a few exceptions - Shiite Muslims. Most Ladakhis are Tibetans, Mons, Dards, Balti. The Balti of the Nubru, Suru, Kargila valleys have close linguistic ties with the Tibetans and were Tibetans until the New Age.

The majority of Ladakhis in Zanskar and Leh district are Tibetan Buddhists, while Kargils are mostly Shia Muslims. There are a number of Kashmiri Sunnis in Leh and Padum in Zanskar, and there are several hundred Nurbakhshiya Muslims in the Balti villages. Christianity is practiced here by less than 40 Ladakh families. It was adopted by them in the 19th century.

Also in this territory there are a small number of Hindus and Sikhs, as well as followers of Bon.

Recently, nomadic Tibetans have moved to the Rushpu plateau, who since the early 60s fled from Tibet, occupied by the Chinese, to Indian Ladakh. Of these, about 2,000 settled in Leh and other cities. About 3,500 refugees settled in the Lech district.

Peoples of Dardic origin predominate in Dras and Dha-Khanu. The Brokpas, followers of Buddhism who have preserved the old Dardic traditions, live in the Dha-Khanu area. Dras is predominantly Muslim and has a strong Kashmiri influence.

According to the 2001 census, 47.4% of the region's population is Buddhist, 45.9% Muslim and 6.2% Hindu. Representatives of other religions divided the remaining 0.5% among themselves. In the districts of Leh and Kargil, the population is evenly distributed, with the population of Leh being 77% Buddhist, and Kargil being 80% Muslim.

About 84% of Ladakhis live in villages.

The very first settlers in this highland region were nomads from the Tibetan highlands. They came here with their herds of goats, sheep and yaks. Their descendants are called changpa. They still live in the Chang Thang area. Today, these are the main suppliers of milk, butter, cheese and meat in the region. But their main income is the trade in the thin undercoat of goats, pashma. It is from it that in the valleys of Kashmir they make pashmina - shawls known to the whole world.

Mons settled next in Ladakh and became landowners. There are very few of them left here, but some musicians and artisans today call themselves descendants of real Mons.

And then the Dards appeared on these lands, which are considered the descendants of the great Aryans. Representatives of the purest Aryan race today live in three villages near the border with Pakistan in the Lamayuru valley at the confluence of the Shiok and Indus rivers, northeast of Kargil - Da, Khanu and Durchiki. These dards are called drok-pa. They have their own special culture and their own language - gorse-skat, or daru. Its roots go back to Sanskrit. And if the drok-pas themselves understand the language of the Ladakhians, then the Ladakhians do not understand the language of the gift. The Drok-pa religion resembles the Bon religion in its traditions. The Aryans of the Drok-pa tribe are unique both racially and culturally. Unlike the Mongoloid Ladakhians, they have a purely Aryan appearance. Their curious cultural feature is the complete rejection of the products that the cow provides. That is, they not only do not eat its meat, but they do not even eat milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt. The clothes of the Aryans also differ from the clothes of the rest of the Ladakhis. Both men and women wear headdresses that are decorated with red wild strawberry flowers, physalis. This flower protects from evil spirits and brings wealth. In all forms of art, drok-pas use the symbols of the swastika and the sun. They can be seen on decorations on houses, and on household utensils. They also use many astronomical and natural symbols. Today, their representatives number about 2 thousand.

Other Dards who managed to preserve their traditions are called drugpa, which means “nomad” in Ladakhi and Tibetan. Muslim Dards live in Dras, who converted to Islam about three centuries ago, and Dards from Da and Khanu managed to preserve their traditions, despite the fact that they adopted Buddhism.

Another branch of the Dards are representatives of the Shina peoples, the Minaro (or Brokpa in Ladakhi) ethnic group. They live in the Dah Khanu valley southwest of Leh (163 km). It is believed that the minaro are the descendants of the first wave of Indo-Europeans, who first came from Chilas to the lands north of India. Minaro religion is an animism close to Bon with the influence of Buddhism. Like the Pakistani Gilgits, the Minaro speak an archaic form of the Shina language. These are representatives of the European race. The peculiarities of their culture is that they do not eat poultry and milk for religious reasons, but they are very fond of lamb. The amount of lamb on the brockpa table is a measure of a person's well-being.

The main language of the region is Ladakhi, which is a branch of the Tibetan language. Some Ladakhis also know Hindi, Urdu, and sometimes English. Ladakhi has many dialects (Chang-pa, Purig-pa, Zanskar), but they are all mutually intelligible.

Culture of Ladakh.

Over the centuries, under the influence of Tibet and India, its architecture has developed in Ladakh. Wood, stone and earth were used in the construction of houses and monasteries. But today Ladakhis prefer to fill the clay cells of the walls with stones and unbaked bricks.
In the center of each village there is a monastery, a gompa.
In translation, gompa sounds like a place for meditation.
In almost every gompa there are Buddhist wheels with images of dragons. Around the monasteries you can often see multi-colored lungta flags. Translated from Tibetan, "lungta" means "horses of the wind." It is believed that they, having special images, spread troubles, illnesses and misfortunes to the wind and bring good luck, happiness, health and longevity.
In addition to ancient monasteries and unique nationalities, Ladakh is also known for its religious festivals.

Hemis Monastery annually hosts a dance festival in ritual masks, dedicated to the birthday of the great guru Padmasabhava. Such dances reflect the struggle between good and bad elements. During the dances, the monks play tambourines and flutes. The festival is held, depending on the calculations of the servants of the monastery, in June or July. This holiday is most grandiosely celebrated every year of the monkey according to the eastern calendar.

Similar Buddhist festivals are held almost monthly in different monasteries of Ladakh. In addition, the Ministry of Tourism of the region holds a Ladakh festival every September in Leh and Nabra. Its program includes traditional masked dances, archery competitions, as well as polo, singing, music and saber dancing.

The music of Ladakh is similar to Tibetan. It can often be heard at Buddhist holidays. Religious chants are most often performed in Tibetan and Sanskrit.

During the holidays, Ladakhis wear their national costumes, the best headdresses, decorated with gold, silver, and turquoise. A typical Ladakhi costume consists of a corduroy gonchas, embellished waistcoats and a hat.

Calendar of Buddhist mystery-festivals in the monasteries of Ladakh.

In winter, hockey is popular among the locals in Ladakh. Also, Ladakhis enjoy playing cricket, polo, borrowed from the Balti, and doing archery.

The cuisine of Ladakh is not much different from the Central Tibetan. Its main dishes are thukpa noodle soup and tsampa, the main part of the diet of Tibetans. Tsampa is basically barley flour cakes with Tibetan tea and yak butter. Although barley flour itself is also called here. Real Ladakhi dish - skyu - pasta with root vegetables. From alcoholic beverages Changa, which is made from barley, is popular here. It is it that Ladakhis most often use on holidays. And, of course, Ladakhis today also eat imported food.

An integral part of the Ladakhi culture is weaving. Both women and men weave here.

Previously, in Ladkha, polyandry of the fraternal (fraternal) type was a common custom. This custom allowed a woman to be in a marital relationship with all the brothers in the family at once. Children born in such marriages were considered common and inherited property according to seniority. Despite the fact that in 1940 the government of Jammu and Kashmir banned this form of marriage, some Ladakhi families still practice polyandry.

Another Ladakhi family custom, khang-bu (translated as “little house”), is also interesting. According to him, when the eldest son in the family grows up and becomes able to take responsibility for the family, the father of the family should, taking with him only the necessities for life, move to a separate house.

Local residents also still have a tradition of sending one of their sons to be monks. Therefore, there are always enough ministers in the monasteries.

Ladakh, also called Little Tibet, because of the similarity of culture, relief,geographic and religious features. Ladakh is located in the north of India, in the states of Kashmir and Jammu, from the north it is surrounded by the Kunlun mountains, and from the south by the Himalayas. Ladakh is not a typical India, with many poor people, beggars, dirt and a wide variety of temples. An interesting question arises - Why are there no poor people in Ladakh? That they live richer than other regions of India, definitely not rich. The fact is that even in summer it is cold at night in Ladakh, and therefore it is simply not possible to lead a beggarly lifestyle here. Well, as a consequence, the absence of the poor and the poor. Ladakh is predominantly Buddhist, although there are many Muslims, you will not find beggars here, and you will not be particularly pestered at every turn.

Leh is the capital of Ladakh, chief administrative and cultural city region. Located at an altitude of 3500 meters above sea level, in general, Ladakh itself is a high-mountain region, the lowest point is at an altitude of 3000 meters. So when planning your tours in Leh (Ladakh), take into account the moment of acclimatization, experts recommend spending a couple of days in hotels, especially for those who arrived in Leh by plane. You will have a headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and possibly vomiting. This applies to everyone, but due to the individual reaction to the highlands, the intensity of pain will be different for everyone.

Season in Ladakh from June to mid-September.

Leh (Ladakhk) can be reached in three ways:

1) Airplane. Planes to Leh fly from Delhi and other major cities India. Tickets cost from $100 one way, but depending on the season, the cost can increase to $200-250 for a one-way ticket. It is also worth considering that the dates and times of the planes can be transferred due to weather conditions, just do not forget that this is India.

2) The road Srinagar - Kargil - Leh, also takes an average of 10-14 hours by jeep back, for those who are thirsty for a special extreme, you can try the bus. The cost of a seat in a jeep is 1000 rupees, one way, the road is in relatively good condition.

3) The third and most extreme way to get to Ladakh is the Manali - Leh road. The Manali - Leh road, one of the highest mountain roads in the world, runs at an altitude of 3500 - 5600 meters above sea level. It is a common situation here to get stuck for a couple of days in the alpine desert, lifeless and wild, those travelers who choose this option should be prepared for this kind of surprise, for the locals, this is not even a surprise at all. The ticket price is from 1500 rupees, the journey takes 18-24 hours, if everything is fine, and then you can fantasize.

Attractions Leh, Ladakh

Ladakh attractions:

First of all, this is Leh, with its sights, the city is relatively small but very peculiar, well suited for visiting tourists. Here you will find many mini hotels, guesthouses, hostels, cafes, restaurants where you can eat relatively inexpensive national Tibetan cuisine, shops and souvenir shops, Internet cafes, and they also have the opportunity to call abroad. Also on the streets of Lekh there are many travel companies that offer all kinds of tours around Ladakh, from a couple of hours to tracks for 6-8 days, also in travel companies you can rent bicycles, motorcycles.

Leh attractions: there are several Buddhist temples in Leh, it will also be interesting to walk around the green area of ​​Leh, where it is so unusual to see a lot of streams and green trees. The area contrasts strongly with other areas of Lech, where people live in stones and there are practically no trees, it seems that this is not an ordinary residential area, but a ghetto.The main attractions of Ladakh are located outside of Leh. Among them it is worth highlighting:

Ladakh is a region in the northernmost state of India, Jammu and Kashmir. Ladakh is the highest plateau in India, the elevation difference is from 2750 meters at Kargil to 7672 meters at Sasir Kangri. It is located on the border with two mountain ranges - the Karakorum and the Great Himalayas, and is also crossed by two mountain ranges - the Ladakh and Zanskar ranges. The region is inhabited by Indo-Europeans, Tibetans; is one of the most sparsely populated regions of Central Asia.

Article: Ladakh

The land of Ladakh is considered mysterious and full of secrets. Due to the similarity of nature and culture with Tibet, Ladakh is sometimes called "Little Tibet".
It is known that the territory of Ladakh has been inhabited since the Neolithic, this is confirmed by numerous finds, as well as cave drawings. Buddhism spread here in the 2nd century. From the 8th century, Ladakh fell into the sphere of influence of Tibet. In the 13th century, faced with the threat of Islamic conquest, Ladakh chose Tibet as a religious stronghold, but until 1600, Muslims regularly attacked Ladakh - hence part of the Islamic population appeared. The history of Ladakh also remembers the alliance with Bhutan against Tibet in the 17th century, and the Temisgam peace treaty between Ladakh and Tibet; and the Namgyal Dynasty. In 1947, during the partition of British India, an agreement was signed to annex the territory to India.
In the past, this region played a strategically important role, being located at the crossroads of trade routes. The Great Silk Road also passed here. However, the economy was shaken by the closure of China's western borders. Today one of the most important sources of income for the region is tourism; Indian authorities are actively developing this particular area.
To date, it is Ladakh that has become the second homeland of Lamaism, one of the branches of Buddhism. This happened due to the fact that Tibet, having fallen under the expansion of China in the 50s, lost most of its unique monuments of Buddhism.
In general, the culture of the region is primarily associated with architecture, which was greatly influenced by the same architecture of Tibet; however, the Indian influence is also great. Many monasteries have been erected here, the location of which is very unusual - on ledges high mountains, at the edges of the gorges. The Ladakh monasteries are called "gompa", which can be translated as "deserted, secluded place". Gompa is the indispensable center of any village. The ancient tradition of the inhabitants to send one of their sons to the monastery ensures the number of monasteries.
In addition to architecture, Ladakh is famous and attractive for tourists with traditional religious festivals. For example, the Hemis monastery is the venue for the annual Festival of masked t "" ants.
Most Big City Ladakh - Leh (Leh). Mostly the inhabitants of Ladakh are Buddhists, the rest are Shia Muslims.
They say that the most best time to visit this corner of the Earth - a traditional masked dance festival; then Ladakh reveals all its magic. People in fancy shiny jewelry and colorful headdresses crowd the streets. Exotic monks in colorful masks dance to the incredible rhythm of flutes and trumpets. The amazing legends of Ladakh are told through dance. Ancient monasteries are decorated with colorful flags and flags. Archery and polo competitions are held everywhere. The unique smell of the unique cuisine of Ladakh hangs in the air.
Handicrafts and genuine antiques are eye-opening.
Thiksi Monastery, Shanti Stupa, Naropa Cave, Alchi Monastery, Nimu village and many other sights of the region are of constant interest. huge amount tourists.