CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction 13 1.1 The Silk Route 14 1.2 Ladakh 17 1.2.1 Geographical Conditions 18 1.2.2 Climatic Conditions 18 1.2.3 Physical Divisions 19 1.2.4 History 20 1.2.5 Life in Ladakh 21 a. People b. Economy c. Culture d. Religion e. Religious Landscape 1.3 Leh 31 1.3.1 Geographical Conditions 35 1.3.2 Climatic Conditions 36 1.3.3 Demography 36 1.3.4 History 36 Chapter 2 Morphology of Leh Town 39 2.1 Morphological Features of the Town 39 2.1.1 The Axis of Establishment 40 2.1.2 Topography and Growth 45 2.1.3 Tightly-Knit Urban Fabric 50 2.1.4 Street Pattern 51 2.1.5 Building Elements 53 2.1.6 Gates and the Sense of Fortress 54 2.1.7 Pologround 56 2.1.8 The Edge 56 2.2 Physical Form and Structure 59 2.2.1 Streets 59 a. Street Pattern 59 b. Hierarchy of Streets 62 i) Main Streets ii) Parallel Streets iii) Connecting Streets c. Activities 70 i) On Streets ii) At Junctions d. Characteristics 72 i) Covered streets ii) Gated iii)High Walls e. Edge of the Streets 74 2.2.2 Area 78 a. Central Core of the Town 78 b. Area of Dogra Expansion / Naushar 91 c. Post Independence Expansion 97 2.2.3 Housing Cluster 101 a. Layout 104 b. House - House Relationship 106 c. House - Street Relationship 107 2.2.4 Open Spaces 108 a. Town Level 108 b. Cluster Level 110 c. Dwelling Level 110 Chapter 3 Evolution of the Town and Urban Form Determinants 113 3.1 Evolution of the Town 113 3.2 Forces 119 3.3 Urban Form Determinants 123 3.3.1 Natural Determinants 124 a. Climate 124 b. Topography 125 c. Material 126 3.3.2 Man-made Determinants 127 a. Trade and Economy 127 b. Religion and Politics 128 Chapter 4 Inferences 129 Illustration Credits 132 Selected Bibliography 133