| The itinerary of the average tourist to Ladakh
begins with a tour of Leh, ancient
capital
and present-day Principal Township
of Ladakh.
It invariably includes day-return visits
to a selection of monasteries located
along
a stretch of the Central Indus Valley,
between
the spectacular monastery of Lamayuru
in
the west and the prestigious establishment
of Hemis in the east. Some take to
trekking
along the lateral valleys, especially
in
Markha, but few venture out of the
confines
of the Central Indus Valley, which
represents
Ladakh's heartland. However, during the last decade a gradual change in the tourist's perception of Ladakh has come about, thanks to the growing mystique of the Himalayas and a burgeoning interest in adventure tourism worldwide. As a result of this change in perception there has been a steady increase in the number of tourists to the western flank of Ladakh, which comprises several river valleys. Chief among these are the spectacular valleys of Suru and Zanskar, nestling along the foothills of the main range of the Greater Himalayas; the smaller lateral valleys of Drass and Wakha-Mulbek, as also of Chiktan (still in the restricted zone) constitute important subsidiaries. Drained and formed by the southeastern tributaries of the high Indus, these valleys constitute the district of Kargil. This region once formed part of the erstwhile kingdom of Ladakh. In fact, it is believed to have been the first region to be inhabited by the early colonizers of Ladakh--the Indo-Aryan Monks from across the Himalayan range, the Darads from the extreme western Himalayas, and the itinerant nomads from the Tibetan highlands. Also, its valleys, by virtue of their contiguity with Kashmir, Kashtwar and Kulu, served as the initial receptacles of successive ethnic and cultural waves emanating from across the Grate Himalayan range. Thus, while the monks are believed to have carried north Indian Buddhism to these highland valleys, the Darads and Baltis of the lower Indus Valley are credited with the introduction of farming and the Tibetans with the tradition of herding. The settlements that evolved as a result of intermixing of these elements-ethnic, occupational and cultural--now serve as home to a synthetic micro-society of J&K State. As the region receives comparatively a higher degree of humidity in the form of heavy winter snowfall due to the contiguity of the snow covered wall of the Greater Himalayas, the vegetation here is more luxuriant than in Eastern Ladakh. The upper Suru Valley, in particular, has extensive alpine pastures that attract large flocks of the herdsmen from the Jammu hills every summer. |
LADAKH FESTIVAL, LADAKH SEPTEMBER The Ladakh Festival Showcases Ladakh's age-old traditions and customs, its cultural heritage and the performing arts over a period, stretching over fifteen days. Events include Horse Polo, Archery etc.  Ladakh Festival (1-15 September) |
|
Contact |
Ababeel Tours & Travels Srinagar-190015 Kashmir (India) Phone:(+91) 194-2437781 Cell: 9858374933 E-mail:ababeelkashmir@gmail.com |