Ancient Futures by Helena Norberg-Hodge

Author:Helena Norberg-Hodge
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Local Futures
Published: 2017-03-07T21:20:57+00:00

I lived through most of the experiences described in the preceding pages at a time when Ladakh had not yet been affected by the Western world in any significant way. When I first arrived in 1975, life in the villages was still based on the same foundations as it had been for centuries, evolving in its own environment, according to its own principles. The region had been protected from both colonialism and development by its lack of resources, its inhospitable climate, and its inaccessibility.

Of course the culture had experienced change, from year to year, from generation to generation. Ladakh lay on one of Asia’s major trade routes, and had been exposed to the influence of other cultures. But in the old days change had come slowly, allowing for an adaptation from within. Outside influences had been incorporated gradually, on the culture’s own terms.

In recent years, however, external forces have descended on the Ladakhis like an avalanche, causing massive and rapid disruption. The Indian army, which had been in Ladakh since 1962 to protect the region from Pakistani and Chinese incursions, had already had an effect on the culture. But the process of change began in earnest in 1974, when the Indian government threw the area open to tourism—a move that was probably intended to place Ladakh firmly on the map as Indian territory. At about the same time, concerted efforts were initiated to develop the district. Until now, development has been concentrated primarily in Leh and its immediate surroundings; roughly 70 percent of the population still lives more or less traditionally. But the psychological impact of modernization has been felt throughout the entire region.

Development policies for Ladakh are formulated in the state government of Kashmir and the central government in Delhi. Ladakh sends one M.P. to Delhi and one representative to the state government. In Ladakh itself, government programs are administered by officials who generally are not Ladakhi and do not speak the language. The head of the administration, or Development Commissioner, is an officer in the Indian administrative service and spends an average of just two to three years in his job. During my sixteen years in Ladakh, there have been no fewer than seven D.C.s.

As everywhere else in the world, development in Ladakh means Western-style development. This process has consisted primarily of building up the so-called “infrastructure”—especially roads and the production of energy. Power represents the largest expense in the government’s budget, as evidenced by the twenty years and many millions of dollars spent on the recently completed four-megawatt hydroelectric installation on the Indus River. Western-style medicine and education form the other basic cornerstones. Health centers and schools have now been established in even quite remote villages. Other fundamental changes include a large and growing police force, a court in Leh, banks, and radio and television (the latter still only in Leh and its surroundings).

Spurred on by development efforts, the formal sector has been growing rapidly. The money economy is stimulated at every level, and the government subsidizes an increasing number of imports.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.