LADAKH: THE LITTLE TIBET
The similarities between Ladakh and Tibet are many. The most considerable commonality that both share is the Buddhist culture, this includes the vast field of Buddhist art and architecture. By about 1000 AD Tibetan language and culture spread throughout Ladakh. The Ladakhi language is a modified Tibetan form, but both share a common script.

Geographical proximity of Ladakh with Tibet and similarity in the landscape also brings the two closer. Most importantly both Ladakh and Tibet absorbed Buddhism from India, but Tibet absorbed and transformed into living tradition of their own. This and the factor like fall of Buddhism in Kashmir led Ladakh to incline itself towards Tibet for religious support and inputs. It must be mentioned here that Ladakh was politically never a part of Tibetan empire. Although the first dynasty in about tenth century had its ancestors from the lineage of Tibetan kingdom. Hence Ladakh was more or less an independent kingdom till 1834. However, at various times Ladakh was under Tibetan suzerainty. In 13th and 14th century when most of the Tibet was under Yuan Dynasty Ladakh may have been a nominal inclusion in this vast Mongol empire.

In the 17th century Sengge Namgyal extended his empire in Spiti and in the western Tibet, beyond Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarover. In 1683 with the help of Moguls, Ladakhi drove away the Tibeto-Mongol army sent by the 5th Dalai Lama. Thus Tibetan onslaught is said to have marked the end of Ladakhi kingdom, as Ladakh has started its intimacy with the west with a Muslim kingdom. It was the Dogras that extended their kingdom, annihilating Ladakh, once and for all.