Leh, the capital of Ladakh

10-13 October 1979

Leh, the capital of Ladakh, is a high-altitude town nestled at 3,500 meters in the Indian Himalayas. Once a key stop on ancient Silk Route caravans linking Tibet, Kashmir, and Central Asia, it still carries echoes of its trading past in its bazaars and mud-brick houses. The skyline is dominated by Leh Palace, a 17th-century structure resembling Lhasa's Potala, and overlooked by Namgyal Tsemo Monastery perched on a crag. Whitewashed stupas and fluttering prayer flags lend the town a spiritual ambience, while bustling markets overflow with pashmina, turquoise jewellery, and Tibetan handicrafts. The surrounding mountains, stark yet beautiful, cradle fertile oases of barley fields and poplar groves nourished by glacier-fed streams. These photos were all taken in October 1979; today, Leh blends old and new. For example, Lamdon Model Senior Secondary School is now a leading school in Ladakh, offering a kindergarten to 12th-grade curriculum.

The State Bank of India and Leh Palace, the former royal palace overlooking Leh. It was constructed circa 1600 by Sengge Namgyal. Next to it is the Namgyal Stupa (chorten).

The Main Bazaar Road in Leh with view of Leh Palace.

Selling carpets on the street in the bazaar of Leh.

Ladakhi women in the bazaar of Leh; a tourist buying a carpet on the street.

A path in Leh leading alongside three chorten or stupas, important religious monuments in Buddhism, symbolising Buddha’s presence.

View to the Leh Palace, the former royal palace overlooking Leh. It was constructed circa 1600 by Sengge Namgyal. At left is the Namgyal Stupa (chorten). At right the Gonpa Soma Monastery and the Red Maitreya Temple.

A mask, drum and other ritual objects in the Leh Palace monastery.

View from Leh Khar Palace to the Tsemo Maitreya and Tsemo Goenkhang Temples on the mountaintop.

Dilapidated murals on the wall in Leh Palace.

View of Leh from the roof of Leh Palace.

Nowang Dorjey in Chandazik Gompa; until the 1950s, this temple was Leh's main Buddhist place of public worship.

A mural featuring 1000 Buddhas, in Chandazik Gompa; until the 1950s, this temple was Leh's main Buddhist place of public worship.

Nowang Dorjey, a monk in his cell in the monastery of Leh Palace.

Girls at assembly in the Girl's High School in Leh.

Students in class in the Girls' High School.

In the classroom, with their teacher, Girls' High School.

A classroom outside at Leh Girls' High School.

Four girls outside their High School in Leh.

Students writing in class during a lesson in the Girls' High School.

Students and their teacher writing Bodhi (Tibetan) on the blackboard during a lesson in the Girls' High School in Leh.

Ladakhi women selling vegetables on the street in Leh bazaar .

View from the flat roof of neighbours' houses in Leh.

Threshing grain using cattle in Leh; Leh Palace and Namgyal Hill with Tsemo Maitreya and Tsemo Goenkhang monasteries are in the background.

Tashin Nurubu with a small Sony tape recorder at his family's home in Leh.

The kitchen in Tashin Nurubu's family home.

Mother and child, Tashin Nurubu's family home in Leh.

Aunt Nurdzin Dolma making bread at home.

Puntsog Dorji, doing homework from school, writing in Tibetan characters.

Patma Chandur and Puntsog Dolma, having breakfast.

Threshing grain using cattle on a farm in Leh.

View to Lamdon Model School, on the outskirts of Leh.

Lamdon Model School, a private English-language school in Leh. It was opened by the Dalai Lama.

Boys in rows at the assembly at Lamdon Model School.

Saying prayers at the assembly at Lamdon Model School, a private English-language school in Leh.

Prayers at the assembly at Lamdon Model School.

An arithmetic lesson outside, in Lamdon Model School.

An reading lesson outside, Lamdon Model School.

Children in class, in Lamdon Model School.

Children in class, writing in Hindi, Lamdon Model School.

A classroom in Lamdon Model School, Leh.

The plan for the extensions to Lamdon Model School, a private English-language school in Leh.

An writing lesson outside, in Lamdon Model School.

A lesson outside under the trees in Leh.

A caravan and traditional Ladakhi woman, passing chortens, just outside Leh.

View to Leh Khor Palace and Namgyal Hill, with monasteries seen from just the outskirts of Leh.