Exploring the Ladakhi culture

We can’t be the only ones who jump at the opportunity to visit Ladakh. There is something about Ladakh, isn’t it? Is it the landscape, the thrill of adventure or the culture? Or is it everything combined? There is something for everyone in Ladakh. Long and thrilling road trips and challenging treks for the adventure lovers, and monastery visits and festivals for those curious about culture, tradition and art. There’s no dull moment in Ladakh.

The largest and the oldest gompa in Ladakh is also one of the best places to see Ladakhi culture. And by culture, we mean the vibrant cham dance here. See the monks perform the traditional cham dance.

Diksit Gompa is also one of the best places to get the full Ladakhi cultural experience. Don’t miss the Diksit Gustor festival (October 24). From people dressed in their traditional best to the cham performances, the festival showcases the best of Ladakhi tradition and culture.

This traditional attire is worn by both men and women. Gonchas are coats mostly made of wool. They are a big part of the Ladakhi culture. They are mostly paired with traditional tipis (hats), yogar and lokpa (traditional ornate capes). In pic: Ladakhi women in Nubra Valley.

It is not uncommon to see small community dining scenes. Of course, why dine inside when you can soak up the sun and be surrounded by stunning scenery? In picture: a village scene from Lamayuru.

If you are visiting Ladakh and chance upon village folks spinning wool, take some time to admire the art. It’s quite rare to see these days. In pic: hand-spun wool.

Hand-spun wool brings us to the next important thing – the source. Ladakhi people use a lot of pashmina, yak and sheep wool. The pashmina goats and yaks are some of the most common livestock in Ladakh. They are culturally important.

The famous butter tea of Ladakh is also known as gur-gur chai. It’s a churned tea, so the name comes from the sound of churning. Gur-gur…