Prepare an illustrated article on Ladakh, its natural beauty, climatic conditions, landscape and lifestyle of the people. How have people adapted themselves to the harsh climatic conditions?
Answers
Explanation:
You must have heard about the beauty of Ladakh. Have you already planned a trip to beautiful snowy hills of Ladakh? But, do you know anything else about the place? In this chapter, we will look beyond the adventurous trips that people take to the place. Let us look at the life of people who stay there!
Ladakh is a cold desert in India. It lies in the Great Himalayas, on the eastern side of Jammu and Kashmir. It has the mighty Karakoram Range in the North and in the south, it is bound by the Zanskar mountains. Several rivers flow through Ladakh. The most important one is the Indus.
These rivers form deep valleys and gorges. They add to the scenic beauty of the place. Several glaciers are found in Ladakh. The Gangotri glacier is an example. The altitude in Ladakh varies from about 3000m in Kargil to more than 8000 m in the Karakoram.
Due to its high altitude, Ladakh is always freezing cold and dry for most of the year. The air is so thin that you can feel the sun’s heat intensely. In summers, the temperature during the day is just above zero degrees and the night temperature is much below -30°C. In winters the temperature remains as low as -40°C most of the time.
The rainfall in this region is as low as 10 cm annually. This is because it lies in the rain shadow of the Himalayas. The area experiences freezing winds and burning sunlight. Therefore, if you sit in the sun with your hand in the shade; you will experience sunstroke as well as frostbite at the same time.
Flora and Fauna of Ladakh
Flora
Because of the extreme dryness, you would find sparse vegetation in the area. There are scanty patches of grasses and shrubs for animals to graze. During the summers, trees of fruits such as apples, apricots, and walnuts bloom.
Fauna
Several species of birds such as robins, redstars, Tibetan snowcock, raven, and hoopoe are common. Some of these are migratory birds. The animals include wild goats, wild sheep, yak and special kinds of dogs. The animals are reared to provide:
Milk: Yak’s milk is used to make cheese and butter.
Meat
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Hair: The hair on the sheep and goats is used to make woollens.
People of Ladakh
You would mostly find either Muslims or Buddhists here. Ladakh is blessed with many Buddhist monasteries. Some of the famous monasteries are Hemis, Thiksey, Shey, and Lamayuru. The people of this region resemble the people of Tibet and Central Asia.
Cultivation Activity
In the summer people usually cultivate barley, potato, beans, p, as and turnip. In the winter months, due to the harsh climate, people keep themselves engaged in festivities and ceremonies. You would find the women working comparatively more than the
The cold desert: Ladakh
- India's Ladakh is a frigid desert.
- On Jammu and Kashmir's eastern edge, in the Great Himalayas, is where it is located.
- It is bordered by the Zanskar mountains in the south and the powerful Karakoram Range in the north.
- Ladakh is traversed by numerous rivers. The Indus is the most significant.
Climatic conditions:
- Ladakh is always extremely chilly and dry for the majority of the year due to its high altitude.
- The atmosphere is so thin that you can really feel the heat of the sun.
- Summertime temperatures range between a nighttime low of -30°C and a daytime high of slightly above zero.
- Most of the time, the wintertime temperature is as low as -40°C.
Flora:
- The area has very little vegetation because of how arid it is.
- There are few plants and grassy places for animals to graze on.
- Fruit trees including those that bear apples, apricots, and walnuts bloom in the summer.
Fauna:
- Numerous bird species are widespread, including robins, redstars, Tibetan snowcocks, ravens, and hoopoes.
- These include some migratory birds.
- Wild goats, sheep, yaks, and rare breeds of canines are among the creatures.
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