Located at the extreme North of India, Ladakh has always had close cultural and trading connections with Tibet. Buddhism is spread all around Ladakh so deeply that one can himself feel it. The geographical Inaccessibility to this region has done wonders for Ladakh. It has helped in preserving the Culture that is Unique and frozen in past. The stark landscape, the bare-Rocked desert, Eroded gullies twisted into wired startling shapes by the winds, filled with snow, rising like a brooding giant stands the Mountains Nanga Parbat and the peak of Mount Goodwin and Austin (All over 7925 Mts) Ladakh is divide into Five broad divisions according to the river’s flows in this region:
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1. Suru Valley
2. Zanskar Valley
3. Indus valley |
4. Nubra Valley
5. Drass Valley |
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Facts & figures
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| Ladakh - The Land Of High Passes |
| Capital |
Leh |
| Area |
97872 Sq.Kms |
| Population |
About 100,000 Inhabitants |
| Religion |
BUDDHIST & ISLAM |
| Best Season |
Mid June to Mid September |
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Click to Enlarge View |
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Ladakh is one of the Major Tourist attractions, Remaining closed for over Six Months. Ladakh brings a great joy and Attraction to the tourists in summers. Manali- Leh Road drive which passes through one of the Most desolated Areas of the Country, over the Four passes and along the Second highest road in the world, This 480 Kms of Journey takes you through the Highest Lakes and brings great scenic Beauty.
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| Ladakh (The Land of Celebrations) |
Ladakh is a land that abounds in awesome physical features set in an enormous landscape and, therefore it appears beautifully desolate and remote. Yet over the centuries, it has imbibed diverse ethnic, religious, cultural influences through the many missionaries’ explorers and traders who traversed its windswept plateaus and deep Valleys. In the process it has been able to Evolve and inherit a rich culture, which survives even today as a living heritage of the Western Himalayas.
This heritage finds manifestation in the region’s monuments, monasteries, art and oral literature, fairs and festivals and in the time-honored tradition of collective celebration of various events. , Here every occasion-Marriage, Birth, Farming and harvesting, even the Flowering of Plants-is celebrated with great Fanfare, marked with feasting, dancing and singing of folk Songs that form part of its rich culture. In summer, most village hold colorful archery festivals and thanksgiving events, while in winter is the period in which most of the religious festivals and social and cultural events are held
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| THE MONESTIC FESTIVAL (A Carnival of Life) |
Among the many social and cultural events of Ladakh, the Annual festivals held in the Buddhist Monasteries constitute the most important part of the religion’s living heritage. These festivals are held to commemorate the founding of particular Monastery or the birth Anniversary of its patron Saint, or major events in the history and Evolution of Tibetan Buddhism. Thousand of people turn out to attend these festivals in their traditional dress, making every event a carnival of colour. For the local people, participation in these festivals serves the dual purpose of attaining religious merits and social Entertainment, While for the visitors they afford an opportunity to experience the richness of the Religious and cultural heritage of Ladakh
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| The Mystic Dances: |
The core events of the monastic festival is “CHHAMS”, a highly choreographed sacred dance Drama performed by the lamas to the accompaniments of mystic music played on the Monastic orchestra. These Dances are performed not only to symbolizes the destruction of evil spirits and dramatize the illusoriness of life, but also as ritual offerings to the tutelary deities ( Yi-dam) of the monastery and guardians of the faith. A select group of lamas of the monastery, dressed in brightly patterned brocade robes, performs the dance in the Monastery courtyard called “CHHAM-RA”. The dancers wear various kind of masks some Fierce and Grotesque, others berugn and pleasing. These re-present various divinities from the Buddhist pantheons, most of which found in the statue form in the “Gon-khang”- the room dedicated to the guardian divinities in major monasteries. Some of the masks may be even represent famous character from Historical episodes of Tibetan fables. The more fearsome ones represent various forms of the protector of the religion (Dharmapalas) actually Buddha’s and Bodhisattvas in their wrathful tantric form. Other represents local guardian divinities, originally GODS and DEMONS of the pre-Buddhist “Bonpo” and “shamanist” belief system that were tamed and integrated into the Buddhist pantheon by “PADMASAMBHAVA” founder of Tibetan Monasticism.The monastic festival is usually held over a period of 2 days. The first day is meant for the ceremony of SER-KYEM or gold liberation. The day begins with the performance of the special prayers by the lamas of the monastery before its main protective deity (YI-DAM).
Wonderland Treks & Tours Private Limited is having following special chosen programmes for its valued Clients in Ladakh region, apart from this we also organize the tailor-made trips according to the liking and choice of the clients.
For any Tailor-made requirement you can email us at: wonderland.enquiry@gmail.com
- Padam Lamayuru Trek: 19 Days
- Shingola-Padum Trek: 20 Days
- Stok to Hemis Via Markha Valley: 17 Days
- Stok to Lamayuru Trek: 17 Days
- Hemis to Rupshu Valley Trek: 19 Days
- Nubra Jeep Safari: 15 Days
- Drokpa Adventure Safari: 15 Days
- High Passes & Lakes Safari: 17 Days
- Nayoma Safari: 15 Days
- Great Himalayan Jeep Safari: 15 Days
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