Before the advent of Buddhism in Ladakh, the local people were follower of the animistic Bon religion (Tibetan religion). Rock carvings in different areas of Ladakh also indicate that the area has been populated at one time. The very first inhabitants of Ladakh were anthropologically a mixed Indo-Aryan population of Mons and Dards, and they are mentioned in Greek historians’ writings as well as in the geographical lists of the Puranas. Inscriptions in Ladakh also suggest that the rulers of the region would call themselves descendants of Nyatri Tranpo, who was the first king of Tibet and ruled around 2000 years ago.
Brief History of Ladakh
The earliest layer in the population of Ladakh, the Land of High Passes, probably comprised the Dardic. Herodotus twice mentions a people called Dadikai, first along with the Gandarioi, and again in the catalogue of king Xerxes’s invasion of Greece.
Herodotus mentions the gold-digging ants of Central Asia, a story also noted by Nearchus, Alexander’s admiral, and by Megasthenes in relation to the Dardic people.It is believed that ‘Aryan’ Dards originally inhabited Ladakh and followed Bon Chos (the Bon Religion).
The firm historical records from Ladakh come from the 1st century CE onwards. At this time Ladakh was a part of the Kushan empire. Kushan Emperor Kanishka constructed a stupa at Sani named as Kanika in Zanskar valley. The recovery of a Kharosthi inscription of Wema Kadphises near the Khalatse bridge shows that in around 2000 years ago, Ladakh was a part of the Kushan Empire. Buddhism was introduced in Ladakh by king Surendra of Kashmir region .
During the Kushan rule, Buddhism grew very fast in Ladakh. Fa-Hien gives us a picture of the flourishing state of Buddhism in Ladakh. Buddhism was later patronised during the time of Dharmaraja and Lotsava Zangpo. Dharmaraja is also credited with the construction of first palace in Ladakh.
Its ruins are on the top of the present Shey palace. As discussed, from the knowledge of inscriptions, the Ladakhi kings call themselves as the generation of Nyatri Tranpo, who was first king of Tibet (200 or 300 BC). In 900 CE, their dynasty branched off from the Central Tibetan dynasty under Langdarma who ruled Western Tibet which consisted of Ladakh, Purang, Guge, Zanskar, Lahoul and Spiti. One of the successors of Langdarma was King Nyimigon (975-1000 CE), who had 3 sons among whom he divided his kingdom:
Lha Chen Palgyigon and his successors ruled Ladakh till 1500 CE.
Lha Chen Rgyalpo (1100-25 CE): built the first real Lamasery in Ladakh.
Lhachen Utpala (1125-1150 CE) united the forces of Upper and Lower Ladakh, subjected all the vassal chiefs and even conquered a new province, Lowo, east of Purang King Lhargyal who ruled Ladakh from CE 1250-75 was the follower of Buddhist God Vajrapani. He ordered a discourse on Vajrapani to be copied in gold. This is the first record of the introduction of Lamaism literature in Ladakh.
Lha Chen Gyalbu Rinchin or Rinchina (1325-1350 CE) (We already have studied about Rinchina in previous sections). Other Rulers who ruled Ladakh were: Sultan Shihab-ud-Din of Kashmir (1354-73 CE), Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin (1420-70 CE) of Kashmir, Mirza Haidar Dughlat conquered Ladakh in 1533 CE on behalf of Sultan Said Khan of Kashgar.
NAMGYAL DYNASTY
Year 1470 saw the rise of a new dynasty in Ladakh called the Namgyal dynasty came into power in Ladakh.
Trashi Namgyal (1500-30 CE), son of Lha Chen Bhagan, built the first royal palace at Leh, on the top of the Namgyal tsemo Hill, when he ascended the throne.
Tsemo Namgyal: ascended the throne of Ladakh in 1530 CE, was a great conqueror. He subdued the Chiefs of Kulu and even conquered the region of Baltistan.
King Sengge Namgyal: He ascended the throne of Ladakh in 1616 CE.He granted land at Hemis to the Buddhist monk Stag Tsang Raspo, who established the famous Hemis Monastery in 1630 CE. Sengge Namgyal built three Mani Walls in Ladakh and one in Zanskar. Besides, he built many chortens. Leh Palace also known as Lachen Palkar Palace is a former royal palace overlooking the city of Leh, Ladakh. It was constructed c. 1600 by Sengge Namgyal.
Mughal Emperor Akbar conquered Ladakh and Baltistan in the year 1597 CE. In the year 1632 AD, in the reign of Shahjahan, Ladakh was again conquered by Zafar Khan, the Mughal Governor of Kashmir. Zafar Khan captured the king of Ladakh and the ruler of Ladakh was forced to submit.
KING NYIMA NAMGYAL
King Nyima Namgyal (1680-1720 CE): During his reign, the art of printing was introduced in Ladakh from China and the blocks printing of six Lamaist books of painting were engraved in Ladakh. In 1751 CE, when the Jesuit Desideri passed through Leh on way to Lhasa and Nyima Namgyal was the first King, for a long time, under whom there was no warfare and peace was established in the region.
