Things To Buy: Tibetan Trumpets, Cymbals, Brass & Copper
'Chang' Kettles, Prayer Wheels, Thunderbolts, 'Gur Gur' Tea
Churners, 'Chaam' Dance Masks, 'Thangkas', Coral & Seed Pearl
Necklaces.
Shopping Centres: Tibetan Children's Village Handicraft
Centre, Potala
Between June and September,
Leh is swamped by almost as many transient Tibetan and Kashmiri
traders as souvenir hungry tourists. Most of the merchandise
hawked in their temporary boutiques and stalls comes from outside
the region too: papier-mâché bowls, shawls and carpets from
Srinagar, jeweler and miniature paintings from Jaipur and
"Himalayan" handicrafts churned out by Tibetan refugees in Old
Delhi.
Tibetan and Ladakhi curios account for the bulk of the goods on
sale in Leh's emporiums, though most of these are run by Kashmiris
from the Srinagar valley. The Ladakh art palace off the main
bazaar, one of only two locally owned and run souvenir stores, is
the least pushy, and a good place to browse. Among its vast array
of articles are Tibetan trumpets, cymbals, brass and copper
'Chang' kettles, prayer wheels, thunderbolts, 'Gur Gur' tea
churners, 'Chaam' dance masks, 'Thangkas', coral and seed pearl
necklaces, to name but a few.
If money is no object, one could even splash out on a 'Perak', the
long ladakhi head dresses, encrusted with turquoises, which cost
upwards of Rs. 4,000. Turquoise is sold by the 'Tolah', and
quality and age determine the price. One will be able to find
vendors sitting on the main road, otherwise try the locally owned
shop. Potala, down Nowshara lane, off the main road close to the
Jami Masjid .
Shopping in Leh During The Tourist Season
During the season, temporary "Tibetan markets" run by itinerant
Tibetans spring up around Fort Road where one can pick up amulets,
butter lamps, beads, and reasonably priced silver jewellery inlaid
with semi precious stones. However, the best place to head for
Thangkas and hand woven Tibetan carpets is the Tibetan Children's
Village Handicraft Centre, up the hill from the GPO, which also
has racks of cheap woollen Nepali style jackets, waistcoats, and
the whole gamut of "Free Tibet" stickers and posters.
Traditional Items from Ladakh
For authentic Ladakhi souvenirs try the outfitters and provision
stores dotted along the main bazaar. The Lahauli run Sonambongo
Barongpa & Sons, at the top right end of the street, sells
traditional costume and religious paraphernalia at fixed prices.
If one has been wondering where to find those dapper stovepipe
hats, hand dyed 'Gonchans', raw silk cummerbunds, tie-dyed rope
soled shoes. Bhutanese cross button shirts, prayer flags, real
Ladakhi incense, or even monks' robes, look no further.
The Ecology Centre's handicraft shop with a second branch at the
bottom of the bazaar is another source of good quality traditional
clothing, including hand knitted woollen jumpers, hats and socks.
Genuine Pashmina shawls, however, are hard to come by; start
looking in Chang Tang co-operative in Karzoo, five minutes' walk
up the lane past the ecology centre. Run by five local women who
buy wool direct from nomadic herdsmen in eastern Ladakh, the co-op
was set up to break the Kashmiri's traditional monopoly of the
Pashmina business. Even if one is not in the market for a shawl,
the workshop is well worth a visit.
Books! Books! Books
Easily the best bookshop in Leh is Artou's, who have two branches:
one on the main bazaar, and another between Tibetan restaurant
Devi and the Ecology centre. Both stock a fair selection of Indian
penguin classics, plus dozens of more expensive titles on Ladakh
and the Himalayas. Secondhand paperbacks are sold or part
exchanged at Parkash Stationer's opposite the vegetable market
while the Leh book depot in the main market is good for maps.
Finally, for postcards, black and white photographs of Ladakh and
stationery, visit Ali Shah's Postcard Shop above the main bazaar.
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LADAKH
TOUR PACKAGES
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LADAKH
PANORAMA TREKS(Durations
8Nights/9Days)
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TSOMORIRI
LAKE TREKS(Durations
7Nights/8Days)
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LADAKH
MONASTERY TREKS(Durations
15Nights/16Days)
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CLASSIC
MARKHA VALLEY TREKS(Durations
16Nights/17Days)
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MANALI TO
LADAKH TREKS (Durations
22Nights/23Days)
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