ladakhflowers.com
Undertaken between 1976 and 1997 the botanical surveys of Ladakh conducted by Hans Hartmann are now online at www.ladakhflowers.com
The illustrated website documents Hartmann's phytosociological and floristical exploration across the Ladakh region. His study area extended from the southern Lachalung La and Zangskar region, to the north-facing slopes of the Ladakh-Range and the lower Nubra Valley. It extended as far west as the Dras valley and to Pangong Tso in the east and Tso Moriri in the southeast.
The website contains a number of downloads, including a 147 page illustrated report.
Ladakh Flood Relief donations
The following NGOs are now accepting Ladakh Flood Relief donations:
Oxfam India
Gaden Relief
(please tick 'general' donation option until specific relief projects are finalised)
Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre
Save the Children India
Medecins sans frontieres
Boond
E-xode
Ladakh Relief
Namgyal Institute For Research on Ladakhi Art and Culture
(Account no: 10942143068. Electronic transfers: SBIN 0001365 State Bank of India, Main Branch Leh, Ladakh. (J&K)
More details available here.
Chief Executive Councillors Relief Fund
CEC relief fund - J&K Bank, Leh account number CG-128
Contribution by cheque to be mailed to: Coordination Cell, Office of the Chief Executive Councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh, Ladakh 194101 INDIA
More details available here.
The Lamo Trust (undertaking relief work in large parts of Old Leh town). Donations can be sent to "The Lamo Trust' - State Bank of India, Main branch, Leh, Ladakh 194101. Account number 30913378915. For electronic transfer the rtgs code is SBIN0001365. Please note we can only receive Indian Rupees as we do not have clearance for receiving foreign funds.
The Himalayan Club has also started a "Aid to Ladakh Fund" please email them for more details himclubmumbai@yahoo.co.in
Flood update 2
For the benefit of IALS members we are dedicating this post to news of members and friends of the IALS that are currently in the flood affected areas in Ladakh. This list will be updated regularly, it is in no specific order and covers only those that we have heard from.
Ngawang Tsering Shakspo and family are safe.
Monisha Ahmed is safe and is assisting with the relief effort.
Cynthia Hunt is safe and with friends near Domhkar.
Sonam Wangchok and family are safe in Leh.
Oriental Guest House family are safe, minor flood damage only.
Georgios Halkias is safe in Leh.
John Harrison is safe and is assisting with the relief effort.
Gabriele Reifenberg is safe and is now in Leh.
Tashi Morup is safe in Leh.
Abdul Ghani Sheikh is safe in Leh.
the entire NOMAD (Ladakh Society for Traditional Medicines) team in Ladakh are accounted for and OK.
Juliane Dame is safe and on her way back to Germany
Tashi Ldawa and family are safe.
Ritesh Arya was in choglamsar and is fine.
Lama Konchok Rigzen is safe.
Dr Padma Dolma is safe in Leh.
If anyone has further news that we may add to this page please contact us
Flood update 1
More footage from Leh has now been posted at NDTV.
A control room has also been set up in Leh and anyone trying to trace friends and family can call these numbers:
99069 90613
99069 90833
99069 90807
99069 83544
99069 90748
99069 90835
99069 90787
Satellite phone: 00870 7636 13623
Flooding in Leh area
The IALS has many members both visiting and living in the area and we are concerned for the well-being of friends and family. Communications have been badly disrupted in the area but if anyone has any news that they would be happy to share with other IALS members, or post on this website, please do contact us.
As reports become cleared we will also try and update this news page accordingly.
Our thoughts and best wishes are with everyone affected by this tragedy.
New Nubra publication
HCHF in Service to Encourage Local Writers
Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation (HCHF) has come up with a book on the Nubra valley (Nub-ra’i gNas-bShad) by Urgain Rigzin, an astrologer from Nubra. The book was made available for the readers with offering the first copy of the book to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama during the two-day teaching at Deskit, Nubra. The book gives detailed significance of the sacred mountains dedicated to Mahakala (Gonbo) and other sacred landscapes such as sacred lakes, foot prints, medicinal hot springs, caves and so on. It also highlights description of several villages and list of Lamas and Rinpoches born in the Nubra valley. The book is in Bhoti and will be translated into English soon. One of the primary aims of HCHF is to support and encourage local writers to share their indigenous knowledge that will benefit all the people interested in Himalayan cultural heritage. The book on the Nubra valley by Urgain Rigzin is the first step in this direction.
Epilogue
Leh Workshop July 4th 2010
Workshop on Research Methods and the Presentation of Results of Research
The IALS proposes to hold a workshop on Research Methods and the Presentation of Results of Research from 2.00 to 5.30 p.m. on 4th July 2010 at The Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation's Lonpo House, near Leh Palace, Leh.
The workshop will be conducted by Dr Janet Rizvi, author of Ladakh, Crossroads of High Asia and Trans-Himalayan Caravans: Merchant Princes & Peasant Traders in Ladakh.
We invite students & others with an interest in research, particularly in subjects connected with Ladakh, to participate in the workshop. If you are interested in attending please contact:
Sonam Wangchok, Ladakh Liaison Officer, International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS)
Secretary, Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation(HCHF)
P.O.Box 105, Leh Ladakh 194101
J&K State, INDIA
Mobile:+9419218013
Email: sonam_sakya@yahoo.com
15th IALS Conference, Aberdeen, U.K.
The convenor will be Dr Martin Mills of the Scottish Centre for Himalayan Research.
Further details will be announced here and posted at our Aberdeen Conference Page as soon as they are finalised.
World Heritage Day at Lonpo House
On the World Heritage Day, April 19, Assistant Director Tourism Leh Sh Nissar Hussian inaugurated a weekly talk on cultural heritage of Himalayas in the historical building of Lonpo House near Leh Palace. The program was initiated by Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation (HCHF). Speaking on the occasion, Shri Nissar Hussain stressed on the importance of organizing cultural guide training to produce professional guides as he felt that it is the guides who introduce the indigenous knowledge with tourists coming to see and learn the unique heritage of Ladakh. Rev E.S. Gergan of the Moravian mission school Leh was the guest speaker on the occasion. He emphasized on the interdependence of different aspects of cultural heritage and importance of preserving them. “One cannot separate culture from the geography of the area because our ways of life, songs, dances, languages etc are very much associated with the environment where we live in”, said Rev Gergan.
Dr Sonam Wangchok, Secretary, Heritage Foundation highlighted the significance of World Heritage Day and said the World Heritage Day offers an opportunity to raise awareness among community to draw attention to the diversity of cultural heritage and its vulnerability. “This special day reminds us the significance of preserving and conserving our heritage and on this day Heritage Foundation is happy to announce the Weekly Talks on Cultural Heritage of Himalayas and we strongly believe that this will be the stage where scholars, researchers, students and local experts from remote villages will have chance to interact and share their knowledge”, he added.
Weekly talks scheduled at Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation, Leh
Held at Lonpo House, Leh, the talks will be conducted every Monday at 4.30 PM, from the second week of May, 2010. For further details, or if any IALS members wish to give a presentation, please email the HCHF as early as possible.
Facilities: PowerPoint/digital projector, space for about 50-60 people, cafe and real Leh view. The audience will be mostly tourists and Ladakhi students.
Dr Sonam Wangchok
Secretary, Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation(HCHF)
Ladakh Liaison Officer, International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS)
P.O.Box 105, Leh Ladakh 194101
J&K State, INDIA
Mobile:+9419218013
Lectureship in Anthropology of Religion
Vacancy: Lectureship in Anthropology of Religion (0.7 FTE) Department of Theology and Religious Studies King's College London.
For more details click here.
Lectureship in Tibetan and Himalayan Studies
Vacancy: University Lecturership (Non-tutorial Fellowship) in Tibetan and Himalayan Studies - University of Oxford - Faculty of Oriental Studies in association with Wolfson College.
For more details click here.