For many centuries Ladakhs lifestyle remained the same - a modest life in the community in the barren landscape of a high altitude desert based on buddhist religion mixed with old animistic ideas. The household had a strong importance in the daily life which was pervaded by spirituality. The old kingdom was protected by high passes covered in snow for most of the year and not many influences were coming from the outside world - not even during the time when Leh, capital of Ladakh, was an important town at the crossroads of trading.

For some decades Ladakh had to open itself to the world, first due to being conquered by the indians and thus becoming part of this country, then in 1961 as a base for military movements towards China and Pakistan and then in 1975 on account of the arrival of the first tourists. Since then there have been a lot of changes in the society, some obvious like the enormous traffic on the roads, some more hidden like the disappearing of men in the middle age-group from the villages because they serve for military, work for the gouvernment in the town or in tourism business. But still there is the old life going on in the gompas which does not seem to have changed for hundreds of years, the farmers living according to the seasons and the buddhist philosophy based on the community and not the individual.

In the following photos you will find both aspects of the present-day Ladakh - sometimes both in one picture, sometimes emphasis placed on one or the other.