File:Ladakh Tribal Art & Rituals 03.jpg

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