Traditions and lifestyle of people in Ladakh

India is a land of diverse cultures and traditions. In every part of the world, we find something unique and there is a lot to learn and adopt. Similarly Ladakh has a touch of Tibetan culture and you can notice it. If you know Tibet, you will feel the similarity between the two places.

The traditions, culture, lifestyle and cuisines are all influenced by Tibetan and Buddhism culture. Their culture is very rich and attractive. Everyday lives of Ladakhi people are around Gompa or Monasteries which is considered to be a crucial part of their culture.

There is an array of festivals the entire year and people celebrate it with great enthusiasm.
Losar, Hemis Tsechu, Saka Dawa are some of the major festivals. People involve themselves in making jewellery of stone, woollen weaving and painting on the walls of monasteries. Both laymen and monks do mural paintings on the walls of monasteries.

Their lifestyle is very simple, peaceful and calm. They celebrate their local festivals with great enthusiasm and enjoy. The people are rooted in their cultures and lifestyle. Their daily lifestyle is something rare to watch as the people are very passionate about everything. They mainly speak Ladakhi, Urdu, Tibetan and Balti.

Their costumes, cuisines, music, dance and lifestyle depict their traditions very clearly. Mean wear Goucha which is a long woollen robe. Women also wear a similar type of robe known as Kuntop and Bok. There is a hat that both men and women wear known as Perak.

You will find people doing farming and relying on agriculture for their income. Near mountain areas, sheep rearing is also done. A lot of earning is from tourism also but it is seasonal. The tourist season is from April to July.

Their rich culture and heritage include dance and music of their traditions. Chham is the most famous dance form and it signifies the victory of good over evil. Monks in Monasteries also perform Chham with the Tibetan instruments.

As you know a lot of Ladakh’s culture is influenced by Tibetan culture, their music is also almost similar to them. It involves religious chanting of holy recitations of sacred texts. It is accompanied by resonant drums and low sustained syllables.

Fairs are also very famous in Ladakh. People attend those fairs with a lot of excitement. Some of the famous fairs are; Losar, Sindhu Darshan, Yuru Kabyat, Dishkit Kabyat and Ladakh Polo Festival.

Archery is a famous and renowned sport in Ladakh. Playing sport becomes a reason for people to come together and enjoy. They dance, play, drink and play. With the archery competition, they play musical instruments like surna and Daman.

They meet and greet people with a lot of respect and they are fulfilled with love.  They greet them in their local languages. You should know some of the basics of their language. They greet by saying Nato Deleks which means Good Morning, Thu-chi-che which means Thank You and Ta-shi-de-Leh means Hello.

Knowing about their culture and lifestyle would help you plan your trip. If you have an idea about their cuisines and cultures, it will be easy for you to plan everything. Everything is very attractive in Ladakh and so you would literally stick by them.

So next vacation, pack your bags to Ladakh and plan your amazing trip with MyTravaly. Don’t forget to share your fascinating experience with us.

This story is written by Vedanshi Kumar: Content Writer-Team Head, MyTravaly