People & Culture of Ladakh

Over centuries, isolated cultures have developed in the Himalayas. Some valleys which long remained unknown for political and geographic reasons , have retained a unique character. To the west ,Ladakh , Spiti and Lahaul are typical examples of isolated valleys which have preserved their Buddhist heritage. Apart from the Tibet ,Ladakh is one of few regions where Tibetian Buddhism still survives. Until a few years ago, Ladakh was one of the very few places that had not been affected by the Western monoculture that had spread across the entire world.
The original population is Dards, and Indo-Aryan race from down the Indus. But immigration from Tibet, perhaps a millennium or so ago, largely overwhelmed the culture of the Dards .The faces and physique of the Ladakhis, and the clothes they wear, are more similar to those of Tibet and Central Asia than of India. Ladakh is a desert,Coupled with the high altitude, Due to which it has extremely harsh environment. therefore, the people have had to recognise that Nature has limits. In order to survive, they have developed traditions which enable them to live in harmony and balance with their natural environment. According to 1981 census Ladakh has total population of about 1,40,000, & has density population of 2 persons per square kilometer, which one of the lowest in the world.today's population seems to be mostly of Tibetan origin. Further west, in and around Kargil, the people's appearance suggests a mixed origin. This land has an interesting mixture of diverse ethnic and cultural groups. They have embraced Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and Hinduism. The Ladakhi people are known for their humanity , honesty & Friendly nature.This may have something to do with the fact that if you lived in these barren and inhospitable surroundings, any new face, even that of a stranger, is more than welcome. In the past , Ladakh and Spiti established close relations with Lhasa , which explains why today their architecture and way of life are very similar to that of the people of central Tibet . With the Tibet and Xingjiang regions of China to the east and north - west , and Pakistan to the west , Ladakh occupies a key strategic position. For this reason , it was barred to visitors for more than 25 years before being opened to tourism in 1974.