LADAKH

                              LADAKH, J&K, INDIA 

Ladakh, the land of jagged peaks and barren landscape is alluring and awe-inspiring. Hidden behind this harsh and forbidding façade is an ancient civilization and captivating people. Beyond the old frontiers lies the land of wilderness with its unaltered character and overwhelming natural beauty beckoning the more intense and adventurous of travelers. This awesome wildness and magic belongs to that great land of towering mountains and Buddhist simplicity-Ladakh.

The largest of the 10 provinces of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh is bordered by the Karakoram chain of mountains in the north and the Himalayas in the south. With the great Indus flowing right through Ladakh, the province is divided into Leh, the capital, Nubra, Zanskar, lower Ladakh and Rupshu. The many distinctive features of Ladakh are its uplands, craggy, barren cliffs and plateaus. Governed by a climate that provides about 50mm of rainfall each year, Ladakh is cold and dry. One, therefore, will be faced with a long and bitter winter of frozen landscape but yet very beautiful, and a short, hot summer when the precious glaciers melt.

With stunning views and adorning the ethereal surroundings, Ladakh is one of the most beautiful places in India. A conglomeration of small villages and monasteries, Ladakh deeply enthralls visitors. No doubt everyone who visit this place wants to take a piece of this “heaven on Earth” with them. Whether it is curios and souvenirs or Kashmiri Pashmina shawls, stoles or rugs, there are plenty of things one can shop for in Ladakh.

Some of the most popular items with tourists are carpets, dry fruits and various small Tibetan souvenirs. Besides shawls and rugs, one can purchase diverse handicraft items such as prayer wheels, Buddhist masks and Thangka paintings. Moreover, Tibetan silver jewelry and Ladakhi jewelry with turquoise also fairly attract travelers.