Question

What is Ladakh Known as?

Answer 1

Hint: Ladakh is a Union Territory in the north India within the area known as the Trans-Himalaya, (the lands beyond the Himalaya: Tibet, Xinjiang and northern Pakistan). It has a settled population of 2.74 lakhs. People are a mixture of Buddhists and Muslims in the region. Buddhists are the majority along the Chinese border in the east and a small majority overall, while Muslims in the north and west have the majority. As most of the tourist attractions are in the east and directly linked to Tibetan Buddhist culture, visitors are likely to see more of the Buddhists.

Complete answer:
 For nine centuries, Ladakh was an independent kingdom, but influenced by Tibet and the neighbouring Muslim region. Linguistically, Tibetan is very closely related to Ladakhi. Tibet has always been where Ladakhi Buddhists will go for higher religious education, which has meant that the Ladakhi’s have made a much shorter trip to the Tibetan monasteries in India since the integration of Tibet into China. In Ladakh, the largest town is Leh, followed by Kargil, each of which has a district headquarters. The Leh district comprises the river valleys of the Indus, Shyok and Nubra. The Kargil district comprises the valleys of the Suru, Dras and Zanskar rivers. The river valleys are the main inhabited areas, but the mountain slopes still sustain the pastoral Changpa nomads.

Ladakh's strategic position at the crossroads of important trade routes has gained significance in the past, but after the Chinese authorities closed the borders between the Tibet Autonomous Region and Ladakh in the 1960s, foreign trade, with the exception of tourism, has decreased. The government of India has been effectively promoting tourism in Ladakh since 1974. The Indian military maintains a strong presence in the area since Ladakh is part of the strategically significant Kashmir region.
Ladakh is the northernmost area of the country with some of the highest mountains. Not only are the passes the tallest in India, but they are considered the world's tallest passes. Not just a few, but 20 passes make Ladakh home, which makes it the Land of High Passes. "La" means passes and "Dhak" means multiple, and hence Ladakh is referred to as the "Land of High Passes. “it is also known as little Tibet as it is indeed a neighbour of Tibet with similar cultural aspects. It is also known as ‘The moon land’.

Note :The relationship between Buddhists and Muslims in Ladakh has deteriorated over the last couple of decades - probably due to the dynamic positions of groups as minorities in relation to each other. Buddhists in Ladakh are the majority. Ladak has also become a battleground between Indian and Chinese troops over the territory. More than 20 troops from India are killed during these conflicts. Major issues are in the area known as Pangong Tso and its northern banks where the attacks initially happened.