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Leh was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, which is now Leh 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. It is at an altitude of 3650 meters (11,970 feet).

The palace, known as Leh Palace, was built by King Sengge Namgyal in the 17th century, but was later abandoned when Kashmiri forces besieged it in the mid-19th century. The royal family moved their premises to Stok Palace. The Leh Palace is nine storeys high; the upper floors accommodated the royal family, the stables and store rooms are located in the lower floors.

According to 1981 Census 81.18 % of Leh's population is Buddhist, 15.32 % Muslim, 2.99 % Hindus, 0.27 % Sikh and 0.23% Christians. 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.

The existence of Tibetan Buddhism and Islam in Leh resulted in conflict between the two religions. Mosques and Buddhist Gompas were destroyed whenever a religious war was initiated. Because the main Mosque, Jama Masjid 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. The Dalai Lama's made a visit to Leh in August 2003 to temples and mosques, and made a speech to stress religious pluralism among locals, to promote religious harmony.

The mosque in Leh is a Sunni Muslim mosque. It was constructed under the threat of military action by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb which prompted King Deldan Namgyal to build the mosque in 1661. The mosque reflects a mixture of Islamic and Tibetan architecture and can accommodate more than 500 people.

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.

Pictures

• A panoramic view of Leh valley from the Shanti Stupa
• Leh Bazaar prior to 1871
• View of Leh
• The ruined Royal Palace at Leh
• Leh, capital of Ladakh ca. 1857
• Shanti Stupa, constructed in 1983 by the Japanese
• Leh Palace
• Leh Mosque
• Old Market

Further Reading

• Lonely Planet: Trekking in the Himalayas (Walking Guides)

External links

• Leh at Wikitravel
• Leh Ladakh Travel
• Population Figures
• Indian Government website of Leh
• Images of Ladakh encompassing Leh by User:Pipimaru
• Facts and Figures of Leh
• Ladakh Muslims At A Glance: Islam in Ladakh
• City of Leh Thrives as Oasis of Peace in Kashmir
• Ladakh: Rapport n~1
• Daily excelsior...state
• Religious groups in Ladakh
• International Association for Ladakh Studies 11th colloquium Leh, 21-25 July 2003
• History, Regions, Places of Interest and Climate of Leh Ladakh
• Jullay.com Community portal of ladakh

34°10′N 77°35′E / 34.167°N 77.583°E / 34.167; 77.583

• Cities and towns in Jammu and Kashmir