TRADITION AND CULTURE OF LADAKH?

TOP 7 TRADITIONAL CLOTHES TO BUY IN LADAKH

1. GONCHA:

Ladakh is a prominent tourist destination- its been and will be for decades to come. People are searching for things to wear in that climatic conditions and the contact creator are despirate to show off those stuff to the viewers. People usually want to experience the feel in ladakh but are unaware or are out of reach from the real local feel that comes throught their culture and survival skills. 

Tourists that come in ladakh have to go shop for cloths that are not friendly to the environment but people in ladakh have been surviving with destroying the nature with factories to make them clothes to survive the harsh temp. Local people in ladakh do that by wearing GONCHA that are made from animals skin and hair and are environment friendly.

It was aso presented by Mayank Kaul & Monisha Ahmed presents traditional Ladakhi dress at Lakme Fashion Week

2. KOS KAR:

Kos Kar is exceptionally warm and rugged. They are made of sheep wool and skin turned upside down. Similarly, their robust shoes, handmade of animal skin and felts protect the Changpas from chilling cold, treacherous terrains, while assisting them walk on cold deserts of the eastern highlands.It has a great market in north pole.

3.Perak:

There is this story that women in their young age collected precious beautiful blue stones that took them decades to find. Then during the day of their marriage they presented them on their wedding day. The more beautiful they looked or the more amazed the audience were, the more rich would she and the groom be considered. They are then gifted from generation to generation.

The unique ornament is inlaid meticulously with blue turquoise stones on a padded base, while its edges are embellished with silver charms and coral trinkets. Needless to say, Perak is considered a status symbol of the possessing family, and it’s passed from mother to her daughter as an inheritance. It’s said when tracing the owners, a few of still existing Perak could reveal a complete lineage of the families, stretching deep into the historical times.

4. Jugin(famous in muslim community):

This is some thing that the arabs would admire. In the Muslims communities, the Perak is replaced by Jugin. The women adorn themselves with Jugin, especially on their wedding day. The ornament consists of a block of gold with tassel of pearls hanging from her forehead, followed by a beautifully designed see-though drape with embroidery which covers her face and back. 

5. Gau or Kau (Ladakhi amulet):

Well, the next precious piece of jewellery we bring to you is the Gau or Kau. It’s a hexagonal or octagonal golden amulet of the size of a fist, enamelled with precious stones and pearls along a fine and intricate design. Pema-lab-tse is a play on its design, which emulates butterfly. Women across Ladakh cherish Pema-lab-tse for its feminine and delicate attributes.

6: Gha-ram Tibi and Ser-po Tibi (Zanskari cap):

Zanskar lies to the south, a Buddhist majority region with almost similar to rest of Ladakh. Their wardrobe is no different than those we have recounted, except for the women’s peculiar caps. They preferred Gha-ram Tibi, a warm cap made of coarse material of yellowish hue which can also be made in different colours. Ser-po Tibi is made of Nambu, a felt made of wool. The community has in recent years moved back to Ser-po Tibi as a mark of reclaiming their identity. The cap is prepared fully in the region and has a distinct characteristics of Zanskar.

7. Pashmina:

In the not too distant past, only wealthy aristocrats and merchants could afford to own a Pashmina product. It was a mark of the owner’s status. Pashmina wool provides tremendous warmth and yet is super light and delicate. You can imagine why it was so appreciated in the chilling temperatures of Ladakh!

Today, Ladakh markets offer various products made of Pashmina wool – shawls, stoles, gloves, blouses, socks, blankets and even caps. The real Pashmina is so fluid that an entire product can pass through the width of a finger ring!

Famous dry fruits of ladakh: It prevents cancer, prolongs life and does not add weight

1. Ladakh Apricot:

More popularly known as “lal khubani” or “jardalu”, these apricots from Ladakh is the most common fruit of the Ladakh province in Northern India. Their vibrant orangish red colours, sweet and sour taste make them special in their own way. They have velvety skin and flesh, not too juicy but definitely sweet and smooth. They are free from cholesterol and saturated fats. These apricots are treated with sulphur dioxide in compliance with FDA standards, so as to maintain their colour and shelf life.

2. Balti Apricot: 

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is a deciduous stone fruit grown in the temperate climate. India is not a leading producer country, but produces an appreciable quantity of apricot. The country fosters 84 genotypes including 15 commercially important genotypes. However, a large part of the fruit is wasted because of various reasons viz. unorganized market, lack of post-harvest technologies and unpredictable demand-supply. The present review comprises characteristics of the fruit, kernel and extracted oil with their aspects for value addition, packaging, storage, marketing aspects and future prospects. It also covers major growing areas of the country, botanical description, ecology, maturity, ripeness, physiology and promising cultivars of the region. Physical, chemical and functional characteristics of the fruit are reviewed. Value addition deals mainly with the products viz. dehydrated apricot, chutney, instant chutney powder and frozen fruit besides canned fruit, nectar, pulp juice, jam, infant drinks etc

3.  Other Dry fruits:

Not just apricot you can find cashew , badam, raisin,  the kernel of the apricot is also consumed and marketed by locals. The seed with the sweet kernel is consumed as dry fruit and make for a good market price of Rs 500-1000/kg while the seed with bitter kernel is used for oil extraction.

4. Apricot oil:

Apricot oil (locally called tseghumar) is a multipurpose oil with a peculiar apricot flavour and is sold at a remarkable price of Rs 1000-3000 per litre. Traditionally, the oil is extracted from the semi-roasted kernels by crushing them in a large wooden mortar, locally termed as Thorn, followed by heating and compressing them with few drops of water on a flat stone, called as Tsigg.

Effects of apricot on your body

Apricots will not get you fat, and they are especially recommended to people who want to lose weight. They also help in the treatment of various infections, prevent heart disease, repair damaged tissues, reduce the level of bad cholesterol and stimulate the development of teeth and bones.

To maintain bone health, a number of minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, manganese, copper and iron, are needed, and the apricot contains a huge amount of it. Therefore women who have entered menopause should consume apricots as much as possible since they contain a lot of calcium in order to prevent osteoporosis.

Fresh apricot juice is recommended for people suffering from anemia, and apricot is also used as a medicine for fever and skin diseases, because it relieves irritation and eliminates the symptoms of inflammatory processes. The health benefits of this fruit include its benefits to regulate digestion, constipation, ear infections, flu, skin disorders, anemia, and even cancer.

The apricot is mostly used for the production of juice, jam and compote, but it can be dried and consumed too.