With its mountainous landscapes, snow-capped peaks, wind eroded volleys, icy deserts and ancient Buddhist monasteries, this last Shangri La is attracting a growing number of tourists Surely one of the major reasons why this mountainous beauty — declared a Union territory in 2019 — has been a bone of perpetual contention between India and Pakistan is its unmatched scenic beauty which has earned it the appellation of Switzerland of Asia. While its immediate neighbor, the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been a hotbed for political contentions, violence and unrest, the Buddhist majority of Ladakh and Zanskar region is a calm haven for tourists despite its proximity to Kargil (which borders PoK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir)) and China. Not surprisingly, given the resurgent worldwide interest in Buddhism this ‘moonscape’, ‘little Tibet’, and ‘the last Shangri La’ is attracting a rising number of domestic and foreign tourists. With its mountainous landscapes, snow-capped peaks, wind eroded valleys, icy deserts, ancient Buddhist monasteries where gentle monks spin prayer wheels in time-honoured tradition, Ladakh (pop. 300,000) recorded more than 500,000 tourist arrivals in 2022 — an impressive inflow, considering the region is accessible by road for only six months of any year. During winter, roads are blocked by heavy snowfall and the only access is by air with flights from Delhi and Srinagar, weather permitting. The airport — Kushok Bakula Rimpochee — is in Leh. Several private airlines ply flights from Jammu, Srinagar, Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, and Kolkata. The newly planned under-construction Zojila tunnel which is a Rs 25,000 crore project is envisioned to establish an all-weather connectivity between the Union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. It is also likely to boost tourism even in the lean season. Contemporary Ladakh comprises the Buddhist dominated Leh and Nubra valleys and the Muslim dominated Kargil and Suru valleys. The region sprawls over an area of 59,146 sq. km and constitutes a basin surrounded by the Great Himalaya Range in the south-west, the eastern Karakoram range to the north, and the Stok range in the south-east. Moreover, Ladakh hosts several great lakes including the Pangong Tso, the world’s largest brackish water endorheic lake. However, visitors, especially foreign visitors, should note that given Ladakh’s proximity to China and Pakistan, access to certain parts of the region is restricted and a special permit is required from the district magistrate in Leh to visit some distant areas. The earliest inhabitants of Ladakh were the Khampa nomads who grazed their yaks on its high pastures. Permanent settlements along the river Indus were established by the Mons, Buddhist pilgrims on their way from India to Mt. Kailash in Tibet. Tsongkhapa, a Tibetan pilgrim introduced a new Buddhist order in Ladakh known as Gelupka, headed by the first Dalai Lama at the end of the 14th century. In the years following, the Balti-Kashmiri armies launched a series of attacks on Ladakh and in the early 16th century King Ali Mir of Baltistan defeated the nomadic tribes and annexed the region. But…
