WINTER IN LADAKH

Well friends i am writing on this blog after a long time.Friends people usually visit Ladakh during summer season mostly,but i want to tell you people that Ladakh is also amazing to visit during the winter also.I am sure you gonna like it .During winter Ladakhi people have quite ample time to relax after a hard summer working season.It is during winter most of the marriages takes place and you will get a chance to see some local Ladakhi weddings.It is also time to celebrate Losar (Ladakhi New year) which come in the winter.On the eve of Losar their is a lot of celebration and people go to meet relative friends for greetings.There are many other traditional festivals which comes during the winter.
The game of ice hockey is also very popular sport here,so you can get the chance to see some exciting matches. Number of tournament are organized in which people take participation with great interest your visit will definitely make the game develop in a much bigger way.One of the good news is that the government is building a new ice hockey stadium which would be completed in short time hopefully.This will boost the game on a very large scale.
Winter is also time to play some traditional games like archery and polo etc.In ladakh polo is almost played with great love.We have a long association with this game.The Indian Army is playing a great role in keeping this traditional game alive in Ladakh. But one sad thing is that the youth of Ladakh is not taking interest in these tradional games.The Balti People of Ladakh have given some of the finniest player to Ladakh,many of the balti peole play the game for Army teams.The polo is played in various places like Kargil, Drass, Leh polo ground, Chuchot etc.People here love this game.The game of archery is also very popular among the local people.
In each Village the game is played by the local in a festive manner.
Hope you would love to see some amazing thing in Ladakh during this winter season.
wel come all.
Ju-lay

GET READY TO EXLORE LADAKH !!!!!

Jullay salam

To all, i hope many of you are planing to visit various place this summer.Well what to do to run away from the heat prevailing in most part of India ??what about LADAKH , I hope many of you have planed a refreshing trip to Ladakh.Friends it is the right time to visit Ladakh.Friends you will be amazed to know that the temperature of Ladakh is presently at an average of 10 to15 degree at day time and 5 to 8 degree at night.Ladakh is almost turning to lush green where water is available.People have already started working in their fields.The snow are melting slowly filling Indus with fresh icy water.Most of the field work take place during the summer and all the farmer rest during the long winter.In Ladakh most of the farming is organic farming,all the family members work together.Neighbors are also very helpful as a helping hand is always extended with a warm feelings.People are very happy to welcome guest. So what are you thinking get your backpacks ready to trek some amazing places at Ladakh.

Leh women become self-reliant

Leh (Jammu and Kashmir), (ANI): Many self-help groups in Choshut village of Leh are working on various social issues to help women become self-sufficient.
Shashi Self-Help Group, one of the oldest self-help groups in the region, had started with only six members and now at present, there are more than 15 women members working in the group.
Shashi self-help group is actively promoting local handicrafts. The group is also conducting workshops and giving training to women of different villages. The group is also promoting local handicrafts at the district level and at the state level.
“We are working for the last five years in this village and we have seen a lot of improvement in the lifestyle of the villagers. Nowadays, we are educating villagers about the health and hygiene. Our self-help group is working with various government agencies to improve our village standards as compared to other villages in the region,” said Amina Khatoon, president of Shashi Self -Help Group.
The group also help women to make decorative home items. These handicraft goods are sold in the Leh market and income earned is later used for the benefit of the society.
The group is finding it difficult to get raw materials for handicrafts, as it is not available in the Ladakh region.
“I learned to make handicraft goods from my friend from south India. I was there for a year and later I joined self-help group in my village. Later, I became an instructor of the group. At present more then 15 women of the group were trained to make handicrafts, from where they can earn some income. Here in Ladakh, we can’t get raw materials for making handicraft goods. We are looking for the alternative source from where we can get raw material here in Leh,” said Zara Bano, Instructor of a self-help group.
The self-help groups are also working on several social issues such as keeping the entire village and schools clean. The groups are also helping government health workers during their visits to the village, such as during pulse polio drive and educating villagers to improve their living standards. (ANI)

rail in leh !!!

The ambitious and strategically crucial project to link mountain-locked Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir with rest of the country by
train has moved a step closer to fructification with the Railways finalising the feasibility report in this regard. The first rail link is proposed to be between Leh and Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh and six passenger trains and nine goods trains are planned on the 498 km-long section. "The feasibility report of Leh-Bilaspur rail link project is almost ready and it will be submitted to Railway Ministry shortly for scrutiny. After the scrutiny, the report would be sent to the Planning Commission before being sent to Parliament for final approval," said a senior Railway Ministry official involved with the feasibility study. The project is strategically crucial as it is part of India's efforts to improve infrastructure in the border region considering that China has already built a rail link to Tibet. China has also improved connectivity with Pakistan via the Karakoram highway which runs close to the Indian border. The proposed Leh rail project came up for discussion at the Army Commanders' Conference here recently in the context of improving supply lines along the border like China has done. According to the study, the Leh-Bilaspur project, which is estimated to cost about Rs 22,000 crore, 6,000 passengers are expected to travel daily in the section, once the line is operational.

ELLECTION IN LADAKH

Leh constituency, which is slated to go to polls in first phase on November 17 has many unique features which may find no comparison in the rest of country.
Even as this constituency boasts of the highest and farthest polling booths in the country, another unique feature is that the Leh segment comprises of the most sparsely populated polling booth in the country, where the polling staff and security personnel outnumber the voters.
This unique polling station is Thukjay Gompa situated at the height of 14000 feet from the sea level and around 350 kilometres from the district headquarters of Leh.
This polling station is the second highest polling station after Anlay Fu which is situated at an altitude between15000 to 16000 feet from the sea level. Janjak polling booth has the distinction of being the farthest polling station.
According to District Election Officer (DEO), Leh, Ajit Kumar Sahu, Thukjay Gompa polling station has only 5 voters and this is the only polling station in the State which has such a lowest voters and where the polling staff and security personnel outnumber the electorates.
To reach this polling station well before the day of polling—November 17, four polling staff and equal number of security personnel will have to cover a distance of around 350 kilometres for two days, Mr Sahu said, adding in case of weather disturbances, the polling staff and security personnel will have to be airlifted to ensure that the electorates of Thukjay Gompa can exercise their right to cast votes in the Assembly elections.
Like other polling stations, the polling staff and security personnel to be deputed for Thukjay Gompa will have to stay put at the polling station for the whole day even if all the five electorates exercise their right to franchise within minutes of beginning of polling.
According to the District Election Officer, who is also District Development Commissioner, Leh, Sumdo Polling Station has second lowest voters after Thukjay Gompa. This station has 17 electorates including 8 male and 9 female.
In the tally of polling stations with lowest voters, Ullay and Demohok fall at third place with both having 23 votes each. While Demohok has 10 male and 13 female electorates, the Ullay polling station has 13 male and 10 female voters.
These polling stations are followed by Mukleb which has 30 electorates—14 male and 16 female. Out of total 183 polling stations in the Leh Assembly segment, these five polling stations have the distinction of having less electorates.
But these polling stations are receiving equal importance from the Election Department which has decided to deploy adequate polling staff and security personnel.

VIDEO LADAKH

experiance a bit of LADAKH...................
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=NR7f-ajbf3s

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=hqgoUxpQook

Governor inaugurates Ladakh festival

Governor, N N Vohra, has stressed that development of high quality infrastructure is essential for making tourism a sustainable avocation in Leh region. He expressed satisfaction that during the preceding year, a tourist arrival of 50,000 was recorded, 60 per cent among whom were foreigners.
Inaugurating Ladakh Festival at a scintillating function at Leh, the Governor observed that the State Government supported the need for relaxation in granting Inner-Line Permits to foreign tourists in Ladakh and opening of more tourist circuits, particularly in Nyuma, Nubra and Khalste in the region, in view of growing influx of tourists. He added that this matter is presently under consideration of the Central Government.
The Ladakh Festival is being organized since 1985 to showcase the virgin scenic splendour of the region which is popularly known as the "Land of Endless Discovery".
The Governor also observed that the issue of the opening of the route through Damchuk for border trade and pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar through Ladakh is being pursued with the Centre by the State Government.
After taking over as Governor of the State, this was first visit of Mr Vohra to Ladakh. He announced that the Government was working on introducing three new events relating to wild life, a film festival and an agri-expo. He also stressed for bringing Ladakh's scenic beauty and adventure potential on the international tourist canvas.
In his inaugural address, the Governor reiterated commitment of the State Government for stepping up the tempo of development in the Leh region, particularly in the infrastructure sector. He announced an additionality of Rs 10 crores to Leh district's annual plan 2008-09, currently pegged at Rs 60 crores.
Highlighting importance of power sector in the development context of Leh, the Governor observed that the preparatory work for taking up mini hydel projects through the Public Private Participation (PPP) route will be expedited and the work on the geo-thermal project at Puga will be initiated and completed on a time bound basis. Indicating that Nimo-Bazgo Project is likely to be completed by 2011-12, he stressed for required transmission and distribution elements being timely put in place.
Earlier, the Governor held a meeting with the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council and was briefed by Chewang Dorjee, Chief Executive Councilor of the Council about the developmental scenario.
A number of issues were discussed in the meeting including, inter alia, amendment to the LAHDC Act so as to give more powers to the Council, particularly relating to its administrative control over the staff. The Governor took a serious note of the large number of vacancies in Health and Engineering Departments and ordered immediate arrangements for filling up the vacancies.