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Ladakh History

This city of Ladakh has a very proper history dating back to 900 years. As a kingdom, Ladakh was an independent kingdom with the rulers from the dynasties of the Kings of old Tibet.

The kingdom’s glorious period was during the early 17th century under the famous king Singge Namgyal, whose area extended across Spiti and western Tibet right up to the Mayum-la, beyond the sacred place of Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.

With the passage of time, and as this place was politically very stable,it was recognized as the best trade route between Punjab and central Asia.For quite a lot many centuries, this city was used as the route by the traders and caravans carrying textiles, spices, raw silk, carpets, dyestuffs, narcotics, etc.

Inspite of the rough terrain and the cronic remotness,merchants entrusted their goods to the pony transporters who instead took about two months to deliver the same at the needed address.The only stop on this entire trip was Leh which with the passage of time, developed into a bustling trade center.

The famous PASHMINA (better known as Kashmere) is also from this city of Ladakh which comes through Leh to Srinagar where the skilled artisans convert into shawls which are famous through the world for their softness and warmth.

It is said that this was the trade which spelt the doomsday for this kingdom.This city attracted the envious attention of the then ruler Gulab Singh of Jammu in the early 19th century who sent is general Zorawar Singh to invade Ladak in the year 1834 ad. A bloody war followed for a decade, which ended with a cease-fire.

During the British Rule,the city of Ladakh along with the neighbouring city of Baltistan,was incorporated into the state of Jammu and Kashmir.But after a century, this union was again broken and this time, Baltistan became a part of Pakistan where as Ldak remained as a part of India.


Ladakh History, Ladakh Tourism
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