Abstract
This paper assesses the changing culture of eating habits among Ladakhis with a focus on the population residing in Leh town. It looks at various factors – the arrival of missionaries, the deployment of the Indian army, the introduction of a public distribution system, the influx of tourists and exposure to television – and studies their impact on food culture in Ladakh. The paper reflects on the changing habits of Ladakhi people from consuming locally-grown plants and grains to eating imported rice as well as processed, fried, spicy and fast food. Until now, few scientific studies have examined changing food habits in Ladakh and their consequences. The paper is based on interviews, studies and general observations to examine how overall changes have influenced the diet of Ladakhis. Finally, it discusses the adverse effect of these changes on health as well as culture and environment.
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Notes
- 1.
Communication made at workshop on food labelling, claims and advertisements organized by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi: 16 December 2016.
- 2.
Communication made at CSE workshop, 16.12.2016 (see footnote 1).
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Dolma, R. (2023). Eating Habits In and Around Leh Town. In: Humbert-Droz, B., Dame, J., Morup, T. (eds) Environmental Change and Development in Ladakh, Indian Trans-Himalaya. Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-42494-6_13
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