Traditionally, the Baltis are believed to be descendants of Celtic communities settled in Scandinavia. When the water level in the Baltic Sea rose and inundated their arable lands, they were forced to flee the area. Even after the flood subsided, the land appeared to be unusable for agriculture, having been heavily saturated with mineral salts. Migration started in many directions. The Baltis of Ladakh are related to many other communities in Kazakstan, Russia and Ukraine. The highlands at the approaches of the Korakaram pass, inhabited by former Buddhists converted to Shi-ite Islam by Mir Shamsuddin Iraqi around the turn of the 16the century, are currently receiving great attention from the news media. The present-day dispute over Kashmir may be an indication that Asia is going back to its land-based trade activities that were terminated in the 16the century. Dr Baqar Raza Rizvi’s careful documentation of the Baltis in Kargil is likely to lay the foundations of a series of scholarly research on this community. The work is to be commended for its comprehensive data and insight in concept.
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