Leh,
the main town of the region, is dominated by Sengge Namgyal's
ine storey Palace, a building in the grand tradition of Tibetan
architecture, said to have inspired the famous Potala in Lhasa,
which was built half a century later. Above it,on Namgyal Tsemo,
the peak overlooking the town, are the ruins of the earliest royal
residence at Leh, a fort build by King Tshi Namgyal in the 16th
Century. The associated temples remain intact, but they are kept
locked except during the morning and evening hours when a monk
toils up the hills from Sankar Gompa to attend to the butter lamps
in front of the images.
Down in Bazaar, the main sites to visit are the Jo-khang, a modern
ecumenical Buddhist temple, and the imposing mosque dating from
the late 17th Century almost opposite. But the pleasures of Leh
are not confined to the purposeful visiting of sites. For locals
and visitors alike, a stroll along the main bazaar, observing
the varied crowd and peering into the curio shops in an entrancing
experience. A particularly charming sight is the line of women
from nearby villages sitting along the edge of the footpath with
baskets of fresh vegetables brought for sale to the townspeople.
Chang Gali behind the main bazaar, is less bustling but has intriguing
little shops selling curios and jewellery, and further on are
the labyrinthine alleyways and piled -up houses of the old city,
clustering around the foot of the palace hill. In the other direction,
down from the bazaar , are the stalls of the tibetan traders where
you can bargain for pearls , turquoise, coral, malachite, lapis
lazuli and many other kinds of semi precious stones and jewellery,
as well as curiously carved yak-horn boxes, quaint brass locks
, china or metal bowls, or any of a whole array of curios.
Too far from a stroll, not far enough to be called trek, there
are several attractive destinations within a 10 km radius of Leh.
Sabu , a charming village with a small gompa, nestles between
two southward strectching spurs of the ladakh range about 09 kms
away. In the same direction, but nearer town, is Choglamsar, with
the Tibetan refugee settlement including a children's village,
a handicrafts centre devoted largely to carpet-weaving , and the
Dalai Lama's prayer ground, Jiva tsal. Some 8 kms on the Srinagar
road is the turning for Spituk Gompa and village. One of the Gompa's
main features is the chapel dedicated to the Goddess Tara, with
twenty -three images of her various manifestations.
CHOGLAMSAR
The
original Choglamsar village is situated on the bank of Indus river.
The new Tibetan refugee camp just off the main road from Leh,
which is important center for Tibetan Culture, History and Buddhism.
Tibetan children village has library, Medical center, Traditional
Handicraft shop and study center. Around one Km from TCV towards
Hemis the central Institute of Buddhist studies, the study center
for Tibetan Buddhism and Ladakhi culture has Tibetan painting
and sculpture school, library with good collection of books.
STOK PALACE
MUSEUM
Around
14 Kms from Leh, across the Choglamsar bridge. The Stok Palace
was built by King Tsespal Tondup Namgyal in 1825. The present
Royal family resides at Stok Palace.The Stok Palace Museum has
vast collection of thankas, traditional clothing and ornaments
from Royal family. The Gurphug monastery is 1 Km from the Palace
and this is the branch of Spituk monastery. The festival called
"Guru Tsechu" take place on the 9th and 10th days of the first
month of Tibetan Lunar Calendar.
SHEY PALACE
Shey,
15 Km south of Leh, was constructed by the first king of Ladakh,
Lhachen Palgyigon and of successive kings. Around 12 Ft. Shakyamuni
Buddha's statue made by copper guilt is the largest in the region,
built by Deldan Namgyal in 1633 is a funerary memorial to his
father, king Singee Namgyal. There is another statue of the Buddha
three stories in height at dresthang down the castle. Stone carving
and many chortens are scattered around the Dresthang Gompa. On
the 30th day of the 1st Tibetan month celebrates shey rul-lo and
on the 10th day of the 7th Tibetan month the festival of Shey
Surb-lo is held.
PADUM
Once
capital of the Zanskar valley, lies on top of a hill at the far
end of the Lungnak valley. The majority of its 400 - 500 inhabitants
are Muslims who are engaged in trading. At the eastern border
of Padum, a suspension bridge cross over the Tserap Lingti Chu.
From there a path leads along its right bank, and further along
the river Zanskar, towards Tonde and Zangla. To the southwest,
slightly above Padum, lies the Monastery of Stagrimo, which can
be reached in 15 minutes. The monastery of Stagrimo belongs to
the Drukpa Kagyupa order and is presently the home of about 30
monks.
State
Express
101, Bhanot
House, 17, Community Centre,
Gulmohar Enclave Extn., New Delhi - 110049, India Tel: 91-11-26855483, 26852712, 26524006 Fax: 91-11-26868552, 24351351 E-Mail:statexp@del2.vsnl.net.in
Leh,
the main town of the region, is dominated by Sengge Namgyal's
ine storey Palace, a building in the grand tradition of Tibetan
architecture, said to have inspired the famous Potala in Lhasa,
which was built half a century later. Above it,on Namgyal Tsemo,
the peak overlooking the town, are the ruins of the earliest royal
residence at Leh, a fort build by King Tshi Namgyal in the 16th
Century. The associated temples remain intact, but they are kept
locked except during the morning and evening hours when a monk
toils up the hills from Sankar Gompa to attend to the butter lamps
in front of the images. 
entrancing
experience. A particularly charming sight is the line of women
from nearby villages sitting along the edge of the footpath with
baskets of fresh vegetables brought for sale to the townspeople.
Chang Gali behind the main bazaar, is less bustling but has intriguing
little shops selling curios and jewellery, and further on are
the labyrinthine alleyways and piled -up houses of the old city,
The
original Choglamsar village is situated on the bank of Indus river.
The new Tibetan refugee camp just off the main road from Leh,
which is important center for Tibetan Culture, History and Buddhism.
Tibetan children village has library, Medical center, Traditional
Handicraft shop and study center. Around one Km from TCV towards
Hemis the central Institute of Buddhist studies, the study center
for Tibetan Buddhism and Ladakhi culture has Tibetan painting
and sculpture school, library with good collection of books.
Around
14 Kms from Leh, across the Choglamsar bridge. The Stok Palace
was built by King Tsespal Tondup Namgyal in 1825. The present
Royal family resides at Stok Palace.The Stok Palace Museum has
vast collection of thankas, traditional clothing and ornaments
from Royal family. The Gurphug monastery is 1 Km from the Palace
and this is the branch of Spituk monastery. The festival called
"Guru Tsechu" take place on the 9th and 10th days of the first
month of Tibetan Lunar Calendar.
Shey,
15 Km south of Leh, was constructed by the first king of Ladakh,
Lhachen Palgyigon and of successive kings. Around 12 Ft. Shakyamuni
Buddha's statue made by copper guilt is the largest in the region,
built by Deldan Namgyal in 1633 is a funerary memorial to his
father, king Singee Namgyal. There is another statue of the Buddha
three stories in height at dresthang down the castle. Stone carving
and many chortens are scattered around the Dresthang Gompa. On
the 30th day of the 1st Tibetan month celebrates shey rul-lo and
on the 10th day of the 7th Tibetan month the festival of Shey
Surb-lo is held.
Once
capital of the Zanskar valley, lies on top of a hill at the far
end of the Lungnak valley. The majority of its 400 - 500 inhabitants
are Muslims who are engaged in trading. At the eastern border
of Padum, a suspension bridge cross over the Tserap Lingti Chu.
From there a path leads along its right bank, and further along
the river Zanskar, towards Tonde and Zangla. To the southwest,
slightly above Padum, lies the Monastery of Stagrimo, which can
be reached in 15 minutes. The monastery of Stagrimo belongs to
the Drukpa Kagyupa order and is presently the home of about 30
monks.
State
Express