38. Exploring Ladakh – spending time in Leh

When flying into Ladakh it is advisable to spend a few days in Leh initially to acclimatise yourself. However, if you are driving in, it is imperative that you carry a couple of cans of oxygen, in case you have problems on the way. It is extremely dry and sunny so it is a good idea to come equipped with creams and sunscreens and shades. But do not be lulled into throwing off your woollens because the afternoon sun is beating down on you. We were advised by the locals to keep our jackets on at all times.

The capital of Ladakh, Leh is fast becoming one of the major tourist destinations of India. The tourist season is from May to September, the rest of the year being very cold. Long ago, Leh was an important halt on the Silk Route, today, it is a very important military base because on one side of Ladakh is China and on the other, Pakistan. However, I found it to be one of the safest places to travel, especially for women. The most important religions practiced are Budhism and Islam and the languages spoken are Ladakhi (which is a Tibetan dialect) and Hindi.

We got two lazy days in Leh (doctor’s orders) as we got struck by altitude sickness. We had to get admitted in the local, SNM Government Hospital. But, we had a Good Samaritan, Razia, owner of the Nezer Guest House, take care of us.  

Razia visiting us at the SNM Govt. Hospital

I like to just go around getting a feel of a place I’m visiting for the first time. While in Leh we spent the time walking around, exploring the market and generally chatting with the local people.  Our hotel, Nezer Guest House, was on Old Leh Road which met up with the Main Street, which is the main market of Leh, about a furlong ahead. Of course, even walking that short distance on the hill roads was quite an exercise for us. Ahead of the Kaalchakra celebrations for which the Dalai Lama was in town for a couple of days, Leh was getting spruced up. The Main Street was completely dug up and pipelines being laid. 

Nezer Holiday Inn

MAIN STREET BAZAAR

In the market you will see shop after shop selling Tibetan antiques and trinkets made of yak bones or shawls and scarves made of pashmina and yak wool. Some amount of bargaining is possible. There are quite a few small eating places on the main street.  We were not feeling up to experimenting too much so we ate once at a North Indian café called Neha Snacks, recommended by a friendly shop keeper and had fantastic sweets like besan laddoos and kalakand at the Amritsar Sweets. One must of course try the Ladakhi cuisine. We only managed to have the Thukpa, which is basically a vegetable-noodle soup. 

Selling dried apricots and other dry fruits

While on the Main Street you can see :

LEH MOSQUE 

This historical sunni mosque was built in 1667-68 AD by the then ruler of Ladakh, Deldan Namgyal, under the threat of military action by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, .  Built in a mix of Muslim-Ladakhi style the mosque is said to be able to house 500 people.

 

Leh Mosque

SOMA GOMPA

 Opposite the State Bank branch and ATM you can see the Soma Gompa (monastery). It was built by the Ladakh Budhist Association in 1957. It has a beautiful statue of Joyo Rinpochey (crowned Buddha).

Joyo Rinpochey

We took a half day city tour which covered the following places:

HALL OF FAME

Situated near the Leh airfield the Hall of Fame is a Museum cum Memorial for the brave Indian soldiers who lost their lives in the Indo-Pak wars. It is maintained by the Indian Army and displays captured arms and ammunitions, pictures and biographies of the martyrs and also information about Ladakh.

SPITUK GOMPA

This monastery was constructed in the 11^th century AD by Od-Ide and was visited by Lotsava Rinchen Zangpo, the great translator. It is about 7 km to the SW of Leh town.
 

Spituk Gompa

Giant ornate prayer wheel.

A quiet moment with the Lama

ANCIENT LEH PALACE

The Gate to The Ancient Palace

Ancient Leh Palace

 

About The Palace

NAMGYAL TSEMO

This Gompa was built by King Namgyal in 1430 on a peak of the same name. It has a 3 storey high statue of Maitreya (future Budha) and single storey high statues of Avalokeswara and Manjushri.

Namgyal Tsemo

SHANTI STUPA

The Shanti Stupa was built at Changspa and inaugurated by Dalai Lama in 1985.

Shanti Stupa

In a full day tour you also see the following, but since we were going to pass those on our way to Pangong Tso we decided to see these later.

THIKSEY MONASTRY

This is a Tibetan Budhist Monastry, resembling the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. The Potala Palace was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama till the present (the 14^th ) Dalai Lama fled to Dharamshala in India during the 1959 Tibetan uprising. It is a huge complex 12 storeys high 19kms outside Leh city.  It houses a 49 feet high Maitreya (future Buddha), statue within a temple built in 1970 to commemorate the visit of the 14^th Dalai Lama.
 

Thiksey Gompa

SHEY PALACE (GOMPA)

This 17^th century  Gompa used to be the summer palace of the Kings of Ladakh (hence the name). It is situated about 15 kms outside Leh city and is mostly in ruins now. It has a 12mts high seated Buddha image.

CONFLUENCE OF THE ZANSKAR AND INDUS RIVERS

The green waters of the Zanskar meet the muddy waters of the Sindhu to form the Indus, which then flows out to Pakistan.

MAGNETIC HILL

On the way back about 30 kms from Leh on the Leh-Srinagar national highway we saw the Magnetic Hill also called the ‘Gravity Hill’ because it is mistakenly believed that the hill has strong magnetic properties ie. strong enough to pull cars uphill. Actually it is only an optical illusion which makes one think a car is rolling uphill. 

We touched base in Leh after each of our trips out. The guest house keeps rooms available for you and Aijaz, the owner, is constantly monitoring your well being with the very reliable drivers who take you for the trips out. However, I understood that tourists should listen to the advice of the drivers regarding timing and weather conditions, because suddenly a very comfortable trip can take an ugly turn if you have not reached your destination in time.

IN PASSING 

A Pied Crow. I had first seen it in Ghana

                                                         

A Gentle Ladakhi Cow -"may I come in please"

Check out the full trip http://justtravelmusings.blogspot.in/2014/07/exploring-ladakh.html

****************************************************************