Location:
Ladakh, J&K
Significance: Capital Of Ladakh.
Main Attractions: Bazaar, Old Town, The Leh Palace,
Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, Shanti Stupa, Ecology Centre, Sankar
Gompa
Best Time To Visit: June To September
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As one approaches Leh for the first time, via the sloping seep of dust
and pebbles that divide if from the floor of the Indus Valley, one
will have little difficulty imagining ho
w the old trans -Himalayan traders must have felt as they plodded in
on the caravan routes from Yarkhand and Tibet: a mixture of relief at
having crossed the mountains in one piece, and anticipation of a
relaxing spell in one of central Asia's most scenic and atmospheric
towns.
Spilling out of a side valley that tapers north towards eroded
snow-capped peaks, the Ladakhi capital sprawls from the foot of a
ruined Tibetan style palace - a maze of mud-mud brick and concrete
flanked on one side by cream-coloured desert, and on the other by a
swathe of lush irrigated farmland.
History of Leh
Leh only became regio
nal capital in the 17th century, when Sengge Namgyal shifted his court
here from Shey, 15-km southeast, to be closer to the head of the
Khardung La-Karakoram corridor into China. The move paid off: with in
a generation, the town had blossomed into one of the busiest markets
on the Silk Road. During the 1920s and 1930s, the broad bazaar that
broad bazaar that still forms its heart received more than a dozen
pony- and camel-trains each day.
Leh's prosperity, managed mainly by the Sunni Muslim merchants whose
descendants live in its labyrinthine old quarter, came to an abrupt
end with the closure of the Chinese border in the 1950's. One after
the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971, when India rediscovered the
hitherto forgotten capital's strategic value, did its fortunes begin
to look up. Today, Khaki-clad Jawans (soldiers) and their families
from the nearby military and air force bases are the mainstay of the
local economy in winter, when foreign visitors are few and far
between.
Welcoming Tourists
Undoubtedly the most radical shake-up, however, ensued from the Indian
government's decision in 1974 to open Ladakh to foreign tourists. From
the start, Leh bore the brunt of the annual invasion, as busloads of
backpackers poured up the road Srinagar. Twenty or so years on, though
the main approach is now via Himachal Pradesh rather than Kashmir, the
summer influx shows no sign of abating.
Leh is doubled in size and is a far cry from the sleepy Himalayan town
of the early 1970's. During July and August tourists stroll shoulder
to shoulder down its main street, most of whose old style outfitters
and provision stores have been squeezed out by Kashmiri handicraft
shops, art emporiums and Tibetan restaurants.
The Town Attractions
Leh has nonetheless retained a more tranquil side, and is a pleasant
place to unwind after a long bus journey. Attractions in and around
the town itself include the former Palace and Namgyal Tsemo Gompa,
perched amid strings of prayer flags above the narrow dusty streets of
the Old Quarter.
A short walk north across the fields, the small monastery of Sankar
harbours accomplished modern Tantric murals and a thousand beaded
Avalokitesvara (also spelt as Avalokiteshvara) deity.
Leh is also a good base for longer day trips out into the Indus
Valley. Among the string of picturesque villages and Gompas within
reach by bus are Shey, site of a derelict 17th century palace, and the
Spectacular Tikse Gompa. Until one has adjusted to the altitude,
however, the Only sightseeing one will probably feel up to will be
from a guesthouse roof terrace or garden, from where the snowy summits
of the majestic Stok-Kangri massif (6,120m), magnified in the crystal
clear Ladakhi sunshine, look close enough to touch.
Sankar
Gompa
This is small but more interesting place to visit than the Leh Gompa
and can easily be visited on foot. The Sankar Gompa is an under Gompa
of Spitok Gompa. At the most only 20 monks live here and few are
permanently in residence although the monastery itself is fairly
active. Thus the Gompa is only open to the public from 7.00 am to
10.00 am and from 5.00 to 7.00 pm. It is, however, well lit, so an
evening visit is worthwhile. At these times the monks will welcome the
visitors and may offer one yak butter tea, 'Tsampa' and boiled and
spiced mustard plant.
Jami
Masjid
When one had enough of the bazaar,
head past the new green and white painted Jami Masjid at the top of
the street, and follow one of the lanes that lead into the old town.
Apart from the odd electric cable, nothing much has changed here since
the warren of flat roofed houses, crumbling 'Chortens', 'Mani' Walls
and narrow sandy streets was laid down late in the 16th century -
least of all the plumbing.
Chamba Temple
One place
definitely worth walking through the putrid smelling puddles to visit,
however, is the Chamba temple. It's not easy to find on your own; ask
at the second row of shops on the left after the big arch for the key
keeper (gonyer), who will show you the way. Hemmed in by dilapidated
medieval mansions, the one roomed shrine houses a colossal image of
Maitreya, the Buddha to come, and some wonderful old wall paintings.
 Leh
Palace
The old palace of the kings of Ladakh overlooks the town from the
southwest slope of the Tsemo hill. It has eight storeys and was built
by King Sengge Namgyal in the 16th century, at much the same time as
the famed Potala of Lhasa - which it resembles. The damage to the
palace, one side is gaping open, stems from the Kashmiri invasions of
the last century. Like the Shey palace the Leh palace still belongs to
the Ladakhi royal family, who now live in their palace in Stok.
Leh Gompa
The Leh Gompa stands high above the palace and also overlooks the
ruins of the older palace of the King of Tagpebums. The Red Gompa also
known as Namgyal Tsemo Gompa was built in 1430 by King
Gvags-Pa-Bum-Ide and has a fine three-storey high seated Buddha figure
flanked by Avalokitesvara on the right and Manjushri on the left. In
all there are three Gompas at the top of the hill, the topmost one is
in a very ruined condition but offers extremely fine views over Leh
and the surrounding countryside. To the right of the palace one can
see a Buddha painted on the rocks, a remnant of an earlier monastery.
Other Leh Gompas
There are a number of lesser Gompas in the old town of Leh - such as
the Guru Lakhang to the left of the palace, beneath the large Chorten.
The Chamba Lakhang, south of the palace, and the Chenrezig Lakhang, to
the southeast, are similarly less famous since they contain little of
interest compared to other more splendid Gompas around Leh. In the
centre of Leh the Buddhist association of Ladakh in 1957 built the new
monastery or Gompa Soma or Jokhang. It contains an image of the Buddha
Sakyamuni that was brought form Tibet. Meetings of the Buddhist
association are held in this monastery.
Leh Fort
The Leh fort, built by Zorawar Singh, contains three temples but
cannot be visited because it is within the military camp area.
 Shanti
Stupa
A relatively new addition to the rocky skyline around Leh is the
toothpaste white Shanti Stupa above Changspa village, 3-km west of the
bazaar. Inaugurated in 1983 by the Dalai Lama, the "Peace
Pagoda", whose sides are decorated with gilt panels depicting
episodes from the life of the Buddha, is one of several such monuments
erected around India by a "Peace Sect" of Japanese
Buddhists.
The Ecology Centre
Five minutes' walk north of the main bazaar, the Ecology centre
(Monday-Saturday 10.00 am - 5.00 pm) is the headquarters of LEDeG (the
Ladakh Ecological Development Group) - a local non governmental
organization that aims to counter the negative impact of western style
"development" by fostering economic independence and respect
for traditional culture. This involves promoting
"appropriate" technologies such as solar energy, encouraging
organic farming and cottage industries, and providing education on
environmental and social issues through village drama, workshops and
seminars.
The garden hosts an open-air exhibition of solar gadgets, hydraulic
pumps, water mills and other ingenious energy saving devices that have
proved successful throughout Ladakh. There's also a small library, and
a handicraft shop, selling locally made clothes, 'Thangkas', T-shirts,
books and postcards.
Special Screenings
Try to catch a screening of LEDEG's short video Ancient Futures:
Learning from Ladakh (Monday-Saturday 4.00 pm), shown to a minimum of
ten people, which gives an insightful account of Ladakhi culture and
the sweeping changes of the past thirty years, many of them direct
results of tourism. The film is an excellent introduction to the
civilization, traditions and serves ecological and cultural problems
facing Ladakh.
Secmol
Secmol (The Student's Educational And Cultural Movement Of Ladakh)
was founded in 1988 by Ladakhi university students through a
problematic educational system. At present the curriculum, devised in
Srinagar and taught in Urdu and English, does not cover subjects of
local relevance. In the hope of maintaining pride in Ladakh's
traditions, SECMOL teaches local history and runs workshops on
handicrafts, agriculture and technology. Volunteer help from TEFL
qualified visitors is appreciated at the summer schools run just
outside Leh. If one likes to help, or want to meet members of SECMOL,
write in advance (To - SECMOL, Chubi Katpa, Leh), or drop into their
office on the northern outskirts of town (Monday-Saturday 2.00-6.00
pm), ten minutes' walk up the hill from Ali Shah's Postcard Shop.
The
Bazaar And Old Town
After settling into a hotel or guesthouse, most visitors spend their
first day in Leh soaking up the atmosphere of the bazaar. Sixty or so
years ago, this bustling tree lined boulevard was the busiest market
between Yarkhand and Kashmir. Merchants from Srinagar and the Punjab
would gather to barter for Pashmina wool brought down by nomadic
herdsmen from western Tibet, or for raw silk hauled across the
Karakorams on Bactrian camels. These days, though the street is awash
with kitsch curio shops and handicraft emporiums, it retains a
distinctly central Asian feel. Clean shaven Ladakhi Lamas in sneakers
and shades rub shoulders with half bearded Baltis from the Karakoram
and elderly Tibetan refugees whirring prayer wheels, while now and
again, snatches of Chinese music crackle out of the shopkeepers
transistor radios. At the bottom of the bazaar, women from nearby
villages, stovepipe hats perched jauntily on their heads, sit behind
piles of vegetables, spinning wool and chatting as they appraise the
passers by.
Atmosphere Of Shopping
Even if one is not hopping for trekking supplies, check out the
provision stores along the street, where bright pink, turquoise, and
wine-red silk cummerbunds hang in the windows. Inside, sacks of
aromatic spices, dried pulses, herbs and tea are stacked beside boxes
of license, soap and spare parts for kerosene stoves.
Accommodation
in Leh
Leh is absolutely glutted with accommodation, most of it refreshingly
neat, clean and excellent value. Budget travellers in particular are
in for a treat. Most of the town's reasonable guesthouses are
immaculately whitewashed traditional houses, set on the leafy
outskirts, with sociable garden terraces that look onto green fields.
Rooms in Leh's mid range hotels come with en suite shower toilets and
piped hot water, while upmarket accommodation is limited. Off-season,
prices can be slashed by as much as sixty percent.
Rooms in family houses, grouped in three main areas, account for the
bulk of Leh's plentiful budget accommodation. Karzoo and Suku,
northwest of the main street, are very central but become tourist
ghettos during high season; if one is after peace, quite, idyllic
countryside and mountain views, head for Changspa village, fifteen
minutes' walk west of the Bazaar. More in the thick of things are the
mainly Muslim houses of the old town. Crouched in the shadow of Leh
palace, these are inexpensive and full of atmosphere.
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