Ladakh — Culture,
Heritage & Language
Pangong Lake, monasteries, Himalayan desert
Introduction
Ladakh, the 'Land of High Passes', is a cold desert in the trans-Himalayas. Centuries-old Buddhist monasteries, Pangong's blue waters and high-altitude passes like Khardung La draw travellers and trekkers.
Quick Facts
Capital
Leh
Largest City
Leh
Official Language
Hindi, English
Formation Date
31 October 2019
Area
59,146 sq km
Population
300,000+
Region
North
Type
Union Territory
Language
Hindi and English are official; Ladakhi (Bhoti) and Purgi are widely spoken; Urdu remains common in Kargil.
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Traditional Dress
Goncha or Kos is the traditional Ladakhi robe; women wear Perak headgear studded with turquoise. Kargil's Balti community wears more Central-Asian inspired attire.
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Festivals
Hemis Festival (masked dances), Losar, Sindhu Darshan, Galdan Namchot, Phyang Tsedup, Stok Guru Tsechu and the Ladakh Festival in September.
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Cuisine
Thukpa, Momos, Skyu, Chhutagi, Tigmo, Tsampa (roasted barley flour), Butter Tea (Gur-Gur Cha) and Khambir bread.
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Literature
Oral epics like Kesar Saga, monastic Tibetan-Buddhist literature; modern Ladakhi writers like Tashi Rabgias.
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Art Forms
Thangka painting, Pashmina from changthang goats, Cham mask dances, Tibetan rugs and silver-and-turquoise jewelry.
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Historical Importance
Independent Buddhist kingdom from the 10th century; came under Dogras in 1834; part of J&K until reorganization into a separate UT in 2019.
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