Written Ladakhi and the Future of Ladakh’s Culture

Abstract

This study explores Written Ladakhi and the future of Ladakh’s culture in the newly formed Union Territory of Ladakh, India. The Ladakhi language is at a critical pivotal period. Its survival in the next two generations depends directly on the introduction of the Ladakhi language in its written form in the educational system. Using written Ladakhi for real communication is the key to survival. Spoken Ladakhi is still widely used in the home and in public, as well as at formal events, All India Radio Leh, television, and millions of audio and video recordings on social media and internet sites. However, because Ladakhi is not used in schools, the next generation is likely to find other languages more suitable for daily use, and the language is on the verge of extinction. Historically, no doubt, Ladakh and several other regions of the Indian Himalayas have shared a common literary heritage with Tibet. The Ladakhi language and culture have immense potential for development: it is shared by Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and others; the culture is valued by many non-local Indians and tourists; and it houses a major monument of world literature, the Kesar Epic. Therefore, an effort is being made in the present article to highlight the existing written corpus in Ladakhi and provide some information about the differences between literary varieties present in the region, and some language policy issues facing the Ladakhi language, its survival and potential development.