The Old Town Leh, Ladakh

in Module

Published on: 24 April 2020

Tashi Morup and Rigzin Chodon

Tashi Morup is Projects Director of the Ladakh Arts and Media Organisation, Leh. He has worked as a journalist and ran his own weekly newspaper ‘Magpie’. His areas of research include water and glaciers and the impact of development and tourism mainly in Leh town, and music. Tashi has published several articles in national and international books and journals.

Rigzin Chodon is a Research Associate at the Ladakh Arts and Media Organisation, Leh. She received her doctoral degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University. Her research focuses on the study of the history of Moravian Missionary newspapers in Ladakh and Kyelang in Lahoul in the early twentieth century.

The historic Old Town of Leh is generally called Kharyog (mKhar-yog), referring to the residential houses and community spaces directly below the seventeenth century Leh Palace. The Old Town bears testimony to the architectural heritage and socio-cultural history of Ladakh, which demonstrates an indigenous aesthetic as well as links to Central Asia, Tibet and Kashmir. This module provides a historic overview of the Old Town, accompanied by an allied article that discusses the significance and legacy of the Leh Palace, under which the Old Town lies. This is followed by two photo essays on Dosmoche, an annual religious festival held in Leh, and the changing face of the Old Town and bazaar; and finally, a short film that gives a glimpse into the structure and architecture of the Old Town.

This module is in collaboration with the Ladakh Arts and Media Organisation (LAMO).