Ladakh: The Wonderland- A Geographical, Historical and Sociological Study

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LADAKH THE WONDERLAND, is the outcome of well over two years intimate and affectio nate contact with its people and over a decade of scholarly study by the author It the blends first hand field experience with considerable textual knowledge.

The Geographical location of LADAKH makes it most challenging and fascinating to a visitor The physical descriptions here, have been personally verified, cross checked, and modified by the author.

Nature has gifted LADAKH with the most wonderful mountain ranges, the sparkling rivers and the scintillating lakes which add to the beauty of the country side and serve as on Oasis in this vast and freezing high altitude desert.

Fauna of LADAKH over-flows with an exotic variety of animals, and birds, Buddhists dominate the area, but Muslims and Christians also live there and all the communities live In complete harmony.

"KIL-CHHA" the ancient name of LADAKH, was first mentioned by the famous Chinese pilgrim FA-HIAN who visited this land in the year 399-400 AD. In the 13th Century, MARCO POLO visited LADAKH while on his way to KASHMIR, and described this area in the most logical terms. All Sher of BALTISTAN (West) Invaded LADAKH, In the 16th Century. He plundered LEH, the capital town, barbarously destroyed the Holy relics of Lord BUDDHA, the Holy books and the historical records. HUAN-TSANG, the 7th Century, famous traveller of China visited this land of the changing colours. He described LADAKH in the most enchanting manner.

LADAKH witnessed blood baths during the 18th Century from invaders coming from China and Baltistan. In the middle of the 19th Century LADAKH was finally conquered by one of the greatest generals of Maharaja Gulab Singh of JAMMU and KASHMIR viz. General Zorawer Singh who made this land an integral part of India. The readers will find themselves transported, through its descriptions, into the picturesque land of LADAKH, for long shrouded in mystery. It is an invitation to come to learn about a marvellous people, holy, mysterious, brave and humble.

Brigadier Teg Bahadur Kapur. AVSM: IA has had a brilliant career in the Indian Army. He was commissioned in 1942, in the 9/19 Hydera bad Regiment, now the Kumaon Regiment. During the world war 11, he fought in the then NWIP of India, North Africa, Burma, Malaya, Singapore, Indonesia and Indo-China.

After the Independence of the Country. He saw action in the Jammu and Kashmir operations during '47 48 and 1949. In 1959-60 he commanded an Indian Force in the UNEF at the GAZA Strip. In 1965 he fought in Baltistan and north-west Ladakh. He was Chief of Staff of the International Control Commission, Indo-China from Sep. 1967 to 1968.

In 1969, he took over as Director of Ceremo- nials and Welfare at the Army HQs and held this post up-to Dec. 1978. He was awarded the honourable wound medal during J & K operations, U.N. Peace medal in 1960 and another peace medal of the Inter- national Control Commission of Indo-China in 1968. He was decorated with AVSM. in Nov 1972 for distinguished services of an exceptio- nal order. He has already authored three books.

I am making a sincere effort to describe, to the best of my ability, the wonderland that is Ladakh. I was priviledged to come to know this marvellous region in a most intimate way, and since 1948 I have been closely involved in many capacities with this very fascinating region.

My close association with Ladakh culminated in a glorious tenure there as Commander from 1965 to 1967. To get this Command was a god-sent opportunity to come to know the land of my dreams in depth and I immediately became engrossed in the mysteries of this land of snowy mountains.

My study of the geography, history, and the habits and customs of the people was acquired first hand through field experience, by talking with the humble and holy people and helping them in any way that I could do so. In return they took me into their confidence and showered me with love and knowledge I was always at close quarters to see exactly the kind of life they led, and what beliefs they held. I trust that this information would be very valuable to our sociologists and anthropologists, more so since to go there is now very difficult even though some parts of it are open to tourists. These people however do not get more than a very superficial glance at the realities of Ladakh. The areas in which I did my study are till today out of reach for any but military personnel, most of whom were not involved with the people there as deeply as I was, for my interest in Ladakh dated back to over two decades prior to my posting there. The history of Ladakh was given to me by the Lamas there by their very own mouths. Later I checked this from Archival documents and found that there was a remarkable similarity between the two but they were by no means iden- tical. This is the first time then that a historical account of Ladakh, as told by Ladakhis is being written. This would certainly be of great interest to our historians. Finally the geographical descriptions of this book were personally checked out by me in the years of Command in Ladakh. Later I cross- checked these data and found that there had been some rather serious mistakes made about the same which later I had to correct.

However this work is mainly for those, who like me, fell in love with this most magnificently isolated and picturesque land, but are not able to go there personally for some time to come. I invite them to travel with me, through this work, to a land most marvellous, and also with the people both holy and humble.

**Contents and Sample Pages**