Leh town
|
|
Viewofleh.jpg
Leh_Bazaar.jpg
Leh is the capital of the former Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, which is now a district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The town is still dominated by the now derelict Royal Palace, which resembles a mini-Potala Palace.
Although Leh is a largely Buddhist town, a substantial Sunni Muslim minority do exist. 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.
This resulted in conflict between the two religions. Mosques and Buddhist Gompas were destroyed whenever a religious war was initiated. Owing to the fact that the Mosque and the Soma Gompa 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.
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.fr:Leh