Exploring the Ladakhi culture

Precious Rongmei, TIMESOFINDIA.COM, TRAVEL TRENDS, LADAKH Updated : Mar 1, 2023, 15:29 IST

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Cham dance at Lamayuru Gompa

The largest and the oldest gompa in Ladakh is also one of the best places to see Ladakhi culture. And by culture, we mean the vibrant cham dance here. See the monks perform the traditional cham dance.
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Cultural celebrations at Diksit Gompa

Diksit Gompa is also one of the best places to get the full Ladakhi cultural experience. Don’t miss the Diksit Gustor festival (October 24). From people dressed in their traditional best to the cham performances, the festival showcases the best of Ladakhi tradition and culture.
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Traditional goncha

This traditional attire is worn by both men and women. Gonchas are coats mostly made of wool. They are a big part of the Ladakhi culture. They are mostly paired with traditional tipis (hats), yogar and lokpa (traditional ornate capes). In pic: Ladakhi women in Nubra Valley.
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Community dining

It is not uncommon to see small community dining scenes. Of course, why dine inside when you can soak up the sun and be surrounded by stunning scenery? In picture: a village scene from Lamayuru.
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Traditional handicrafts

If you are visiting Ladakh and chance upon village folks spinning wool, take some time to admire the art. It’s quite rare to see these days. In pic: hand-spun wool.
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Pashmina and more

Hand-spun wool brings us to the next important thing – the source. Ladakhi people use a lot of pashmina, yak and sheep wool. The pashmina goats and yaks are some of the most common livestock in Ladakh. They are culturally important.
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Gur-Gur chai

The famous butter tea of Ladakh is also known as gur-gur chai. It’s a churned tea, so the name comes from the sound of churning. Gur-gur…
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