Ladakh's Cultural and Traditional Adaptation to its High Latitude Harsh Climatic Environment and Challenges Ahead Due to it's Recent Life Style and Climatic Changes

Abstract

Ladakh region is one of the most remote and sparsely populated regions situated in the Indian State of Jammu & Kashmir, covering an area of 80, 000 sq. km and ranging in elevation from 2600 m to 7670 m. it is the largest and highest located district in India. Being a cold desert, there is a saying that a person who has his head in a sun and his feet in a shade will endure both sun-stroke and frost bite at the same time, this extreme weather as well as climatic temperatures variation makes life very difficult in Ladakh. In summer the temperature is 20℃ to 27℃ whereas the in winter the temperature drops to -20℃ to -27℃ and in areas like Zanskar it drops below -40℃. For centuries Ladakh region has enjoyed a stable economy based on self reliance mainly through its subsistence agricultural economy growing mainly barley, wheat, vegetables, and plantations and remaining from livestock within the duration of short summer season of 6 to 7 months in a year. But over the past few decades especially from 1970's when Ladakh was opened to the outside world, Ladakh's self reliance stable economy has shifted to dependence on outside forces, mainly the presence of large army and huge influx of foreign tourist, has lead to an uncontrollable money and materialistic driven economy in the present scenario.'Change' and 'Development' are inevitable but it does not have to necessary the adaptation of western and modern culture having the notion of materialistic culture of having a job and buying what you need, leaving behind the culture of having concept of producing it yourself . The recent changes like huge influx of rural to urban migration, gradual life style changes increased tremendous pressure in local resources like water, energy and food security due to high increase in the per capita demand and consumption of these resources. On the other hand impact of climate changes like receding of glaciers, depletion of ground water resource and environment degradation due to excessive use of fossil fuels has lead to a serious threat to the existence of traditional and cultural livelihoods of the people of Ladakh.