Of the other heritage spots of Jammu and Kashmir, the
Leh Palace occupies a premier position. The palace stands in its dilapidated yet magnificent form atop the Namgyal Hill and gives a bird's view of the town below. Once the residential palace of the royal family in Leh, the fortified structure is now in ruins and is deserted by its resident members.
The nine floors of the palace were constructed by the King Singge Namgyal in the 17th century. The design of the palace is similar to the Potala in Lhasa and also represents the Tibetan architecture. The protruding balconies of the palace were crafted out of wood and the walls were buttressed. The interiors of the palace are decorated with the flaking murals and motifs. The designs are archetypal of the medieval Tibetan architecture. A Victory Tower lies crowning the palace. This tower was added in the 16th century to commemorate the victory of the army of Ladakh over the Balti Kashmiris. On the fourth floor of the palace lies the Dukhar Temple dedicated to the Goddess Tara. In the glorious days of the royal family, religious recitals and ceremonies would be held in the temple and the courtyard of the palace accompanied by masques and musical performances. The ruins of the temple still preserve the instruments and the masks used in the programs.
The royal family deserted the
Leh Palace when it was sent on exile to the Stok Palace in 1830. The palace now houses the office of the archaeological conservation organization of the Indian Government.
Last Updated on 8/29/2011
