Leh
Leh is the capital of the former Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, which is now a district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The town is still dominated by the now derelict Royal Palace, which resembles a mini-Potala Palace. Leh is a largely Buddhist town, but it has a substantial Sunni Muslim minority. The Muslim presence dates back to the annexation of Ladakh by Kashmir, after the Fifth Dalai Lama attempted to invade Ladakh from Tibet. Since then there has been further migration from the Kashmir Valley due firstly to trade and latterly with the transfer of tourism from the Kashmir Valley to Ladakh.
Leh was an important stopover on trade routes along the Indus Valley between Tibet to the east, Kashmir to the west and ultimately between India and China.
Leh should not be confused with a lei, a flower necklace used by Hawaiian in greetings.
