Exploring the Rich History of Ladakh

Ladakh, the "The Land of High Passes," boasts a rich history. Let's divide Ladakh's history into three eras to understand better what transpired.

• Ancient

• Medieval 

• Modern

The initial inhabitants of Ladakh were the Mons and Dards, both of Aryan descent. The Mons originated from present-day Himachal Pradesh, while the Dards came from present-day Gilgit. The Gya-Meru region was the first to be inhabited by them.

The Mongols, nomads from Tibet, gradually gained power over the Mons and Dards. Ladakh was then split into several small kingdoms, each ruled by a prince or Cho. 

The first King of Ladakh, Skyilde Nyima Gon, was a direct descendant of Tibetan emperors and one of the two claimants to the Tibetan throne. During Lhachen Utpala's reign, he conquered Kullu, making Ladakh the dominant power in the Western Himalayas. 

The mid-15th to mid-16th century saw repeated invasions of Ladakh, including ones by the Kashmiris under Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin and the Uighurs under Mirza Haider. During this time, the Namgyal Dynasty was founded with its capital at Basgo, unifying Upper and Lower Ladakh. 

Additionally, during this time, Sengge Namgyal built the nine-story Leh Palace and the Hemis Monastery. In 1679, Tibeto-Mongol forces under Galdan Tsewang invaded Ladakh, but the Ladakhis defeated the enemy with help from the Mughals. The peace treaty signed at Tigmosgang resulted in Ladakh losing Ngaris Skorsoom. 

During this time, Ladakh was invaded by the Dogras. Under Dogra rule, Ladakh which included Baltistan was administered by appointed governors known as Wazirs. British officials referred to Ladakh as the "Suez Canal of Central Asia" and Leh as its "Port". The Dogras maintained the existing aristocracy by conferring new titles and responsibilities upon them.

At the time of the Partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, the princely states were given three options: to join India and Pakistan or remain independent. Jammu and Kashmir, ruled by Hari Singh, chose independence. 

However, when tribal raiders invaded the state, Hari Singh joined India. The raiders got close to Leh, but a local defence force held them off until the Indian troops arrived via an airstrip that was quickly constructed. 

In the aftermath of Indian independence, Kushok Gyalsras Bakula Rinpoche, a direct descendant of the last independent king of Ladakh, became a leading figure in the region. Despite being part of the Indian Union, Ladakh faced neglect from the government in Srinagar, which Rinpoche actively spoke out against in his 1952 speech to the State Legislative Assembly. 

In 1974, the Indian government opened Ladakh for tourism, sparking a transformation in the region's social, cultural, and economic landscape. 

After intense negotiations, the Indian government agreed to establish Autonomous Hill Councils in both Ladakh districts. However, only Leh district accepted the offer. The state government initially refused to give the Council any substantial powers, but in 2002, with a change in state government leadership, some powers were granted. 

On August 5th, 2019, the Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was revoked by the Indian Parliament. The state was divided into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory and Ladakh Union Territory.