Ladakh’s Traditional Ties With Buddhist Tibet

Ladakh is a remote area in the western Himalayan region. In spite of the huge mountain ranges, Ladakh had developed into an active and important religious, cultural and commercial relation with many areas including Buddhist Tibet. Ladakh along with Sikkhim, Bhutan and Mustang in the Himalaya continuous to be practiced Tibetan Buddhism as a living religion, as it has been for thousands years. This study traces the deep historical relationship between Ladakh and Buddhist Tibet. I have used the term Buddhist Tibet to indicate the time period that is before Chinese occupy Tibet. I would like to express my gratitude for the assistance I have received from various people and institutions researching and writing this book. This book have mainly grown out of a dissertation that I wrote at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. Few articles that I have already published are also included in the book. I have also used some data that I have collected for the undergoing research project at Richen Shah Center for West Himalayan Cultures at Islamic University of Science and Technology, (IUST) Awantipora, Kashmir.