Leh

Leh is a district in the Union Territory of Ladakh. Formerly, it was a district in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Leh with an area of 45110 Sq Km makes it largest district in the country in terms of area. It is situated between 32 degree to 36 degree North Latitude and 75 degree to 80 degree East Longitude. The district is bounded by Pakistan occupied Kashmir in the West and China in the north and eastern part and Lahul Spiti of Himachal Pardesh in South East. The district lies on the rain shadow side of the Himalayan, where dry monsoon winds reaches Leh after being robbed of its moisture in plains and the Himalayan mountain. The district combines the condition of both arctic and desert climate. Therefore, it is often called “ Cold Desert”.

Leh district comprises of Leh town and 112 inhabited villages and one un-inhabited village. The total projected population of Leh is 1.17 lacs.

There is one tehsil and six blocks in this district.

History

The present Leh district was, in ancient days, a part of Greater Ladakh spread over from Kailash Mansarover to Swaat (Dardistan). Not much information is available about the ancient History of Ladakh. However, reference about the place and its neighbourhood in Arab, Chinese and Mongolian histories gives an idea that in the 7th Century A.D fierce wars were fought by Tibet and China in Baltistan area of the Greater Ladakh.

In the 8th century A.D Arabs also jumped into these wars and changed their sides between China and Tibet. Around this period, the ruler of Kashmir, Laltadita conquered Ladakh. In the 8th Century A.D itself, the Arabs conquered Kashghar and established their control over Central asia which embraced Islam in the 9th century and thus a buffer state came into being between Tibet and China, terminating the hostilities between the two warring countries. The greater Ladakh also fell into peices.

The ancient inhabitants of Ladakh were Dards, and Indo-Aryan race from down the Indus. But immigration from Tibetmore than a thousand years ago largly overwhelmedthe culture of the Dards and moped up their racial characters. In eastern and central Ladakh, todays population seems to be mostly of Tibet origin. Budhism reached Tibet from India via Ladakh. The area was the stronghold of Budhism before Islam reached Ladakh.

A thousand years ago before the contol of Tibets rule, Raja Skitde Nemagon, ruled over Ladakh which was known as Muryul (Red Country), as most of the mountains and the soil in Ladakh wears a red tinge.

In the 10th Century A.D Skitday Nemagon, along with a couple of hundred men, invaded Ladakh where there was no central authority. The Land was divided in small principalities, which were at war with each other. Nemagon defeated all of them and established a strong central authority. Those days Shey, was the capital of Ladakh became to be known as Nariskorsoom, a country of three provinces. The present Ladakh was divided into two provinces while the third comprised western Tibet. The area of western Tibet slipped away from the kingdom but was reunited in 16th Century A.D. by the famous Ladakhi ruler Sengge Namgyal. Ladakh was an independent country since the middle of 10th century.

In the post-partition senario, Pakistan and China illegally occupied 78,114 sq. km and 37,555 sq.km of the state, respectively while the remaining part of the state acceeded to India. Pakistan also illegally gifted 5180 sq.kms of this area to China. Ladakh, comprising the areas of present Leh and Kargil districts, became one of the seven districts of the State. In 1979 when the reorganisation of the districts was carries out, the Ladakh district was divided into two full fledged of Leh and Kargil.

Politics

Assembly constituencies and their areas after delimitation order of 2008
The above Order for the State of Jammu and Kashmir is as per the details given in Order No. 1 of the Delimitation Commission, Jammu and Kashmir notified in the Central and the State Gazettes on 27th April, 1995.

47 Nobra Vidhan Sabha Constituency - PCs 1-Udmaroo, 2-Panamil, 3-Khardong, 4-Turtuk in tehsil Leh.

48 Leh Vidhan Sabha Constituency - PCs 5-Tanchey, 6-Leh (Khas), 7-Chuchot, 8-Thiskay, 9-Marchilong, 10-Igoo, 11-Kungyam, 12-Fiang, 13-Bazgo, 14-Saspol, 15-Temisgam, 16-Lamaryouru, 17-Skurbuchan in tehsil Leh.

Places of interest
Leh Palace, Hemis, Alchi, Spituk, Phyang, Shey, Thikse, Jama Masjid, Leh, Masjid-e-shah-e-hamdan, Drogpa, Nubra valley