Ladakh: history
Contents |
A summary, till 1908
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
The history of Ladakh, until its conquest by Raja Gulab Singh in the
first half of the nineteenth century, is intimately connected with Tibet,
with which country it still holds commercial and re-
ligious relations. Stories are told of invasions in the
seventeenth century by the neighbouring Baltis, sometimes successful,
sometimes repulsed. About the end of the seventeenth century the
Ladakhis called in the aid of the governor of Kashmir to repel the
Sokpos, a Mughal tribe. Help was promptly given, and the Sokpos
were driven out of Ladakh, after which it paid tribute to Kashmir.
Prior to annexation by the Uogras, the government of the country was a mild form of monarchy. The ruler was called Gialpo or king, but the real power rested with the minister or Kahlon. The only check on the latter was the widespread authority of the monasteries. The chief of these is Himis Gompa, on the left bank of the Indus, 18 miles above Leh. This monastery, which contains 400 to 800 monks and nuns, stands at the head of a wild glen and covers a con- siderable space of ground. An important festival, called the Himis Tsheshu, is held annually on the tenth day of the fifth month (about June 7), when the whole country-side flock to the monastery and witness the weird devil-dance of the Buddhist Lamas. A constant spectator is the Gialpo of Ladakh. The monastery is believed to contain great wealth, and the treasure is kept under guard in order to prevent its being carried over the border to Lhasa. The chief shrine is faced entirely with silver plate. Its treasure-house has small vases filled with pearls, turquoises, and lubies, said to be of value.
Ancient History
Migration Routes
U.Sudhakarreddy, June 28, 2026: The Times of India
Hyderabad : Skeletal remains recovered from a cave in Ladakh have yielded the first ancient DNA evidence of the varied populations that moved through the high-altitude region during the Middle Ages, revealing maternal genetic links to East Asia, Central Asia and South Asia.
Scientists from the Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, along with researchers from institutions across the country and the Archaeological Survey of India, reconstructed six complete mitochondrial genomes from seven skeletal remains found in the Old Lady Spider cave at Chitkan village in Kargil.
Radiocarbon dating placed the individuals between AD 536 and AD 585. The genetic evidence indicates most were migrants or had maternal ancestry connected to distant regions, while one individual appeared to have deep local roots. The study, ‘The Old Lady Spider Cave Skeletons in Ladakh Have Diverse Maternal Genetic Origin’, was published in the journal iScience on June 19. The Old Lady Spider cave, also known as the Lady Spider cave, is believed to have served as a dwelling, rest stop or landmark for caravan traders travelling through Ladakh. Located between the Karakoram and Himalayan ranges, the region connected South Asia with East and Central Asia through routes associated with the Silk Route.
The researchers found that people who occupied the cave did not belong to a single homogeneous population. Their mitochondrial DNA, inherited through the maternal line, represented lineages associated with several regions.
The results point to multidirectional migration rather than movement from a single source. The cave appears to have brought together people with maternal ancestry connected to East Asia, Central Asia, South Asia and areas now forming parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
While most of the analysed individuals showed signs of migrant ancestry, one sample was identified as a predominantly local resident. The lineage had ancestral roots in the region extending back about 9,657 years. The contrast between the individual and other cave occupants indicates that locally rooted communities interacted with people arriving through long-distance migration and trade networks. The findings also suggest an amalgamation of Buddhist, Muslim and Central Asian cultural influences, reflecting the movement of people through the Trans-Himalayan Corridor.
Archaeological evidence had earlier pointed to settlement, trade and cultural change in Ladakh. However, genetic evidence from its ancient inhabitants was not available. Previous studies had largely examined present-day populations, whose genetic composition has been shaped by later mixing and genetic drift.
The new study sought to overcome this gap by directly examining DNA preserved in ancient human remains.
Prehistory:
‘Ladakh was an ocean’
2023 findings
Anand Bodh, Oct 19, 2023: The Times of India
SHIMLA: The discovery of coral reef fossils, including intricate structures of coral colonies, in Burtse area of Ladakh offers a glimpse into the region's geological past comprising an ancient underwater world and the incredible biodiversity that once thrived in this area.
Geologist Ritesh Arya has unearthed coral reef fossils at 18,000 feet above sea level at Burtse in the Eastern Ladakh Himalayas.
The Himalayas, famous for their towering peaks, are thought to have formed through the collision of the Indian Plate with the Eurasian Plate. The discovery of coral reefs suggests an entirely different past for this region."These findings have the potential to redefine our understanding of the region's past. Ladakh, famous for its high-altitude desert landscapes, might have been a different geological entity, one that was home to vibrant marine life, coral reefs, and beaches," he said on the eve of the World Fossil Day, which is celebrated on October 19.
Arya said that coral reefs are not only geological wonders but also repositories of earth's climate secrets as they contain a record of past climate conditions, including sea surface temperatures and sea level fluctuations. The study of these coral reef fossils promises to unlock invaluable insights into earth's climate history and enhance understanding of climate change.
As we celebrate the World Fossil Day in this remote and inaccessible region, we are reminded of the preciousness of the earth's geological history and the necessity to safeguard these natural wonders for future generations, he added.
