Hi there,
It’s been almost two month since I penned down anything. This year the weather had been been on the extreme side. Until June the weather was much cold wondering when the warm days would begin? July until mid August it was mostly cloudy and wet and much rainfall not seen for last one decade?
Ancient Leh
Then began the warm weather which too was on the extreme side very hot. H H the 14th Dalai Lama stayed for one and half month. He gave teaching at the Jevestal or the Peace garden near Choglamsar. Huge numbers of people attended the discourse and he gave initiation of Bodhisattva Avaloketeshvara!
He also gave initiation of white Tara in his lower Ladakh sojourn to Khalatse. Hundreds of devotees came allover lower Ladakh to his teaching. The weather was perfect and thousands of elderly people got the blessing of his holiness a rare opportunity!
teaching at Jevestal Choglamsar
This year we find the number of domestic tourists have come down due to issue related with Go Airways. But there has been a spurt in the arrival of the international tourists. Many of the foreign tourists were seen trekking in Ladakh while the domestic tourists taking car safari to Nubra valley, Pangoong Lake and Changthang rally to Tsomoriri.
Ladakh famous for its ancient monasteries and unique culture seem to entice the visitors. Many young domestic tourists ask questions regarding type of Buddhism we have here. They are also interested in the history of the region.
Lamayuru Gompa
Although our Kingdom was very tiny but it remained fairly independent for a millennium until 1834 when it was run over by the Dogra forces of Jammu.
Its history begins from the 10th century A.D with coming of Tibetan origin King by the name of dPalgigon who was the eldest of the three royal siblings of the King of western Tibet Skilde Nyimagon who arrived in this region during early 10th century A.D.
King Skilde Nyimagon
A persistent Yughur invasion during this time in history led to the last Chief of Gya to seek the support of western Tibetan King to crush the Yughur invasion which led to offering of the Indus valley space near present Shey village to this King of Tibetan origin his ancient fort exist above the summer Palace of King of Ladakh.
The English archaeologist Sir Alexander Cunningum who complied the history of Ladakh during 1842-46 namely ‘Ladakhs Gyalrabs’ or ‘The Royal Chronicles of Ladakh’ had set Ladakh on the path of research and interests in the mid 19th century followed by the Moravian Pastor A H Francke who published the ‘History of Western Tibet’.
Sir Alexander Cunningum
These history books led many western and European Scholars to visit Ladakh in the 19th and early 20th century and make their own writings later on.
A H Francke
Ladakh remained under the rule of the Dogras for 113 years until the independence of India in 1947 when some 550 more princely States in India signed for New and Democratic India.
In a fickle of moment history changed just like a new season the life of yore ended in the dawn of modernity! People allover the country enjoyed the first fresh air of freedom from a millennium of bondage and suffering? Bye for now.