In India’s Ladakh, a region which until 2019 was a part of the Jammu and Kashmir state but has since then been a union territory, Buddhism and Islam are the main two religions.
Buddhism first came to Ladakh in the first century, during the Kushan Empire. For centuries, it flourished practically unchallenged by other religions. In the 15th century, however, the spread of Islam in Ladakh began through migration of Muslim traders from Kashmir, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. They would come to Ladakh, settle there and marry local buddhist women.
Today the region’s population is practically divided in half with Muslims having a slight majority and making up 46.6% of Ladakh’s population. Buddhists represent 39.7% of those living in the region.
For centuries, communities living in Ladakh have been united in diversity and cultivating a tradition of peaceful coexistence between groups representing different religions and cultures.
As in recent years, India has has been seeing a rise in anti-Muslim sentiments, it is important to revisit the case of Ladakh and determine whether it remains a model of religious acceptance.
Shadow of Buddhist dominance
For centuries, Tibet has been influencing the culture and religious practices in Ladakh and Tibetan refugees have been finding refuge in the region.
The first large wave of Tibetans arrived in India in 1959 following the Chinese invasion of Tibet. Now, there are more than 6500 Tibetans living in Ladakh and, owing to affinities and similar cultural heritage to Tibet, Ladakh is often called ‘Little Tibet.’
‘The people of the Himalayan region share the same Buddhist cultural heritage with Tibetans,’ said the Dalai Lama, the highest Tibetan spiritual leader, during his recent visit to Leh.
When people think of Ladakh, they often associate it with Buddhism, while in reality, Muslims have been an integral part of the region’s social and cultural landscape for thousands of years.
And although, in terms of numbers, there are more Muslims than Buddhists in the region, the latter have more influence.
As observed by National Herald, Ladakh’s administration has been focusing primarily on ‘showcasing Buddhist culture and has been oblivious to the culture of the majority Muslim population.’
Divides on certain fronts, unity on others
Ever since the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked and it got divided into two union territories in 2019, those living in Ladakh have had very little power over laws that affect their communities.
Being administered as a union territory without legislature means there is no legislative assembly and Ladakh is ruled directly by the central government through a lieutenant governor. Ladakh does not have the option to form its own government with elected members, which would have less power than the state government but would be able to implement regulations affecting those living in the region.
At first, the decision to scrap the special status of Jammu and Kashmir deepened the Muslim-Buddhist divide. Following the decision, people in Kargil took to the streets to protest. Those in Leh, on the other hand, celebrated the move.
The mood quickly changed, however, and Leh’s residents became worried about their job security and not having enough protection. Consequently, lately opposing the new order has been bringing the two religious communities closer.
‘Ladakhis thought once they will get the union territory status, they will be the masters of their own land. But that has proved to be a nightmare for them because a union territory has very little power and most of the decision-making happens in New Delhi,’ Professor Sheikh Showkat from the Central University of Kashmir told Al Jazeera.
Worried about their rights, Buddhist and Muslim organisations came together and, for the year or so, have been unitely demanding more political representation, statehood, and self-governance.
Ladakh’s unique identity
Ladakh, having its own culture, traditions, and language, is distinct from the rest of India.
While prejudices based on religious differences cannot be overlooked, Muslims and Buddhists of Ladakh have social, ethnic, and linguistic similarities so there is a shared sense of Ladakhi identity amongst them.
The need to protect this identity might be one of the reasons for any inter-religion disagreements typically being resolved quickly. This matters especially in light of challenges such as most young Ladakhis migrating out of the region, a major contributing factor to the loss of cultural identity.
The situation in Ladakh is significantly less tense than in certain regions of India such as in the state of Uttar Pradesh where Muslims regularly fall victims of religious discrimination and violence. Certain inter-religious disagreements will always persist but it seems that Ladakh has found a way to approach them in a way that allows to preserve peace and harmony.
[Buddhist and Muslim flags in Leh, Ladakh credit: Katarzyna Rybarczyk]
*Katarzyna Rybarczyk is a political correspondent for Immigration Advice Service. She covers humanitarian issues and conflicts. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
