Culture of Ladakh has been considerably influenced by the Buddhism mostly. Ladakh has the variation in religion with different cultures. This seems to have come about due to a unifying and centralizing tendency in religion and partly because of the line of kings and the ancient Tibetan dynasty who ruled Ladakh for long centuries.
Religious Painting of Ladakh
The religious painting is a living tradition of Ladakh. Every gesture of the paintings has a symbolic meaning which has no room for individual interpretation. There is equivalence about the murals in almost all the Gompas. The artifacts evoke an awe inspiring effect to the people who envision them. "Thangkas" is an important form of arts and culture in Ladakh. This type of Indian painting, is made on soft cloth where different mythological characters of Tripitaka are drawn with natural colours.
Textiles in Ladakh
Ladakh is also popular for the textile industry. Here the woolen textiles are spun and woven in the villages. Ladakh`s most famous product is the warm soft winter under-coat of the pashmina goat known as `shawl-wool`. The decorative metal craft is another important craft in Ladakh. The silk attires and the fine Pashmina shawls from Kashmir are also included among the art and crafts of Ladakh. Carpets are manufactured according to the Tibetan technique. The embroidery on Ladakhi carpets involves crewel-work, stylized flower patterns and Tibetan-style geometrical borders.
Music and Literature of Ladakh
The Ladakhi people are brilliant in dance, music and literature. The music of Ladakh ("lha-rnga") has its long evolution. The literature is truly inspired from Buddhism ideals more than Islam. Ladakh was exposed to cultural influences other than those of Tibetan Buddhism. Ladakh also hosts the religious dance-dramas in the festive times.
Festivals in Ladakh
Ladakh Harvest Festival, Sindhu Darshan Festival, Losar Festival, Dosmoche Festival, Hemis Festival are also celebrated with great enthusiasm and delectation.
Art and Architecture in Ladakh
The art and architecture of Ladakh is comprised of composite culture and ethnicity. Leh Palace and the Gompas show the unity in architectural splendour. The beautiful monasteries scattered in Ladakh like the Thiksey Monastery, Alchi Monastery, Spituk Monastery, Phugtal Gompa, Phiyang monastery and Lamayuru monastery are worth the appraisal of the visitors, for the beautiful portrayal of architectural skills.
Cuisines of Ladakh
The great dish of Ladakh called `haute cuisine` shows traces of Chinese influence. Cuisine of Ladakh is largely dependent on noodles and meat-filled dumplings.
