Communal Stress in Leh: Causes and Consequences

Leh has known to be a very peaceful and culturally rich territory. The presence of Buddhism has established it as a region of peace lovers. The uniqueness of this place that members of one family were followers of Buddhism as well Islam and lived under same roof had attracted the world. No one could have ever imagined that Leh would be undergoing a transformation of communal intolerance. Many authors have written about the tradition and cultural heritage of Leh, but very few have noted the communal change that people were undergoing with the modern times. This book, therefore, provides a new dimension to the approaches through which Leh has been seen over a period of years. It highlights the various facets responsible for the communal stress and intolerance among the people of Leh in the era of globalization and the kinds of effects such stress has on them especially on the young generation. The analysis would help in understanding the multifaceted nature of communal forces and the ways to retain communal harmony in Leh. This should be especially useful to students, researchers, or anyone else who want to understand the various dimensions of communalism in a context like Leh.