File:Ladakh Tribal Art & Rituals 01.jpg

English: Rock art holds significant cultural importance in Ladakh. Across the region, one can find rock carvings along pilgrimage paths, trade routes, and at wayside shrines. Some carvings date back to the Palaeolithic and Neolithic periods, while others are more contemporary. These carvings range from simple figures, animals, and structural outlines to complex works of monumental and religious significance. The image depicts chortens. Stupas, or Chortens, are mound-like or hemispherical structures filled with relics, such as śarīra (usually the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns), serving as places for meditation. Circumambulation, or pradakshina, is a vital ritual and devotional practice in Buddhism from its inception, with stupas invariably surrounded by a pradakshina path.