Leh India

Situated at the height of about 3,505 meters above sea level, Leh is the most beautiful and easily accessible place in Leh Ladakh India. Leh is the most common entry point to Ladakh region. Leh serves as the ideal base to tourists traveling Leh Ladakh India. Leh has a number of beautiful monasteries and historical monuments that are the biggest draw to Leh. The rugged terrain with snow covered mountains in the backdrop under the clean blue-sky form a stunning picture perfect postcard. Leh is an ideal place for trekking and mountaineering. Its beautiful trekking trails and majestic mountains invite an intrepid traveler to explore the barren beauty that lay scattered in and around Leh.

History
The town is dominated by the royal palace, known as Leh Palace. This was built by King Sengge Namgyal in the 17th century, but was later abandoned when Kashmiri forces besieged it in the mid-19th century. The royal family moved their premises south to their current home in Stok Palace on the southern bank of the Indus. The Leh Palace is nine storeys high; the upper floors accommodated the royal family, the stables and store rooms are located in the lower floors.

The old mosque below Leh Palace is a Sunni Muslim mosque. It was constructed under the threat of military action by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb which prompted King Deldan Namgyal to build the mosque in 1661. The mosque reflects a mixture of Islamic and Tibetan architecture and can accommodate more than 500 people.

Leh was an important stopover on trade routes along the Indus Valley between Tibet to the east, Kashmir to the west and ultimately between India and China.

Demographics
According to 1981 Census, 81.18 % of Leh District's population is Buddhist, 15.32 % Muslim, 2.99 % Hindus, 0.27 % Sikh and 0.23% Christians. The Muslim presence dates back to the annexation of Ladakh by Kashmir, after the Fifth Dalai Lama attempted to invade Ladakh from Tibet. Since then, there has been further migration from the Kashmir Valley due firstly to trade and latterly with the transfer of tourism from the Kashmir Valley to Ladakh.

As of 2001 India census, Leh town had a population of 27,513. Males constitute 61% of the population and females 39%, due to a large presence of non-local labourers, traders and government employees. Leh has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 65%. In Leh, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Religious coexistence
The existence of Tibetan Buddhism and Islam in Leh resulted in conflict between the two religions. Mosques and Buddhist Gompas were destroyed whenever a religious war was initiated. Because the main Mosque, Jama Masjid and the Gompa Soma are situated not very far from one another, broadcasting of the Muslim prayers and Buddhist prayers have resulted in a cold war between these two communities. The Dalai Lama made a visit to Leh in August 2003 to temples and mosques, and made a speech to stress religious pluralism among locals, to promote religious harmony.

The Christian community in Leh were converted from Tibetan Buddhism by German Moravian missionaries who first established a church in 1885.

Get in
There are two roads in to Leh, one from Manali in Himachal Pradesh in the south, and one from Srinagar in the west. Both routes are equally spectacular in different ways, and both are time consuming with winding, narrow roads, and numerous military checkpoints.

The main advantage of taking the road from Srinagar, covering a distance of 434 km (270 mi), is that it runs at a lower altitude, and thereby reduces the risk and severity of altitude sickness. It is also open longer - normally from the beginning of June to October - and follows the traditional trade route between Ladakh and Kashmir, which passes through many picturesque villages and farmlands. The disadvantage is that it passes through areas of higher risk of militant troubles. It takes two long days, with an overnight stop in Kargil. Tickets cost Rupees 370/470 on ordinary/deluxe buses.

The route from Manali to Leh, covering a distance of 473 km (294 mi), is one more commonly taken by tourists. It takes two days, normally with an overnight stop either in Kyelong (alt. 3096) or in tent accommodation in Sarchu (4253) or Pang (4500). Making the first stop in Keylong reduces the risk of altitude sickness (AMS). It traverses one of the highest road passes in the world and is surrounded by wild rugged mountains. The scenery is fantastic, though it is definitely not for the faint hearted. This historical trade route was linked to Yarkhand and was severed by the India-China war in 1962, and later was transformed in to military supply road. Reliable access is limited from mid-June to end-September, as it is blocked by snow for rest of the year.

Places to visit
For such a historic site and popular tourist destination, Leh has surprisingly few tourist sights:

• The former Palace of the King of Ladakh (admission 100rps). The most noticeable building in Leh, the palace was built in the 17th century, and now undergoing restoration. There's not much to see on the inside, but there are good views outside.
• Buddhist temples:
    Namgyal Tsemo Gompa - above the Palace, built 1430, is only open from 7AM-9AM during the morning puja.
  
    Soma Gompa - just around the corner from Main Bazar, it's a large modern gompa. It's also the location of the Ladakhi Buddhist Association, a conservitive political orginisation, with ties to Hindutva groups.
  
    Karma Dupgyud Choeling - monastery in the Karma Kagyu tradition
• The small mosque
• Shanti Stupa: built by a Japanese Buddhist group. This modern stupa is somewhat kitschy, but still worth a visit.

Most travellers use Leh as a base to visit the numerous Gompas (Buddhist monistaries) of Ladakh