In Leh, you can shop till you drop (Feature with images)

LEH - Breathtaking Leh, this predominantly Buddhist region bordering China, is not just a pilgrimage place for many, a trekking idyll but also, strangely, a shoppers’ paradise.

When tourists invade this small town in Jammu and Kashmir, all roads seem to lead to the Main Bazar where bargaining is a fine art.

From Buddhist prayer wheels to Tibetan singing bowls, from the famed pashmina shawls to trendy customised T-shirts, there is no end to the wide variety of attractions.

But nothing beats Leh’s main attraction: turquoise jewellery.

Ashwani Kapila from Bangalore bought a turquoise neck piece for his wife after lots of bargaining and window shopping.

“This place is very famous for turquoise jewellery. My wife wanted something for her. After a lot of searching I am happy with my choice. I’m sure she too will like it,” said Kapila, on a holiday with his friends.

Briton Christine Barlow, an avid trekker on her second visit to Leh, told a visiting IANS correspondent that she bargains a lot — because that is what Lonely Planet advises.

“I find these pretty exclusive,” Barlow said after buying turquoise jewellery. “I also managed to get prayer wheels for 200 rupees. I think it is a great buy.”

It’s just not this modern-day jewellery that tourists splurge on. Many go for traditional Ladakhi jewellery and antiques.

A hugely popular attraction is “Mandala”, a cloth painting that depicts the life of Lord Buddha in a geometric pattern.

“These are hand paintings and it takes up to two and a half months to prepare one,” explained Mohammad Ashraf, owner of Little Tibet, one of the 100-odd shops in the very heart of Leh town.

According to Ashraf, some tourists ask for the traditional “Parakh” - a jewellery a father gives to his elder daughter at her wedding studded with precious stones like turquoise, amber and coral.

An authentic piece can cost around Rs.100,000. Antique collectors love it.

Said Ashraf: “There are not many takers for Parakh. There are so many fake pieces in the market. One should have knowledge about gems and stones before buying one.”

The little town of Leh is home to just over 27,000 people, more than 70 percent of whom are Buddhists. Although small, it is part of the sprawling Leh district, which at 45,110 sq km is India’s largest.

With strong links to Tibet, Leh is dotted with Buddhist temples and monasteries. Overlooking the town is a nine-storey imposing Leh Palace that came up in the 17th century.

The hilly region is a hit with trekkers, one reason why Western tourists come in such large numbers.

Although dominantly Buddhist, Leh is home to a large number of traders from the Kashmir Valley specialising in pashmina shawls, handicrafts, silver jewellery, stoles and scarves.

A good stole or scarf can be had for Rs.1,000 while a genuine pashmina shawl costs Rs.10,000 or more.

If this doesn’t suit your pocket, don’t worry.

Leh’s Tibetan shops overflow with chunky jewellery, prayer wheels, singing bowls and many interesting souvenirs.

But wherever you shop, bargaining is a must. Otherwise one might end up paying double of what one should cough up.

Last but not the least are Leh’s customised T-shirts.

With a bit of thread work, one can get anything written on a T-shirt. And they cost around Rs.250 a piece.

What attracts tourists to them are their catchy one liners.

One reads: “My boyfriend went to Ladakh and all he got was this T-shirt.” Leh is capital of Ladakh. For the same money, one can also have a map of the region stitched on the T-shirt.

Syed Parvez from Bangalore has got 21 T-shirts to gift them to friends and relatives.

“This is the best thing you can get here. It tells everyone that someone went to Leh,” he said.

While you are busy buying gifts, don’t forget apricots. Leh’s cold desert is known for good quality apricots.

(Shilpa Raina can be contacted at shilpa.r@ians.in)