Jammu and Kashmir is southernmost state of India and situated mostly in the Himalayan Mountains. Jammu
and Kashmir shares its borders with, states of Himachal Pradesh
and Punjab of India to the south, China
and Afghanistan to the
Northeast and Pakistan
administered territories to the West and Northwest respectively. Jammu and Kashmir consists of three regions namely Jammu, Kashmir
Valley and the Ladakh.
Jammu & Kashmir - a distinct land has enriched both travelers and people by
multifaceted culture, geography and history blend with the unsurpassed natural
beauty in all the three regions. Srinagar is the
summer capital of the state and Jammu
is the winter capital. This shifting of capital’s during winter was started
with the Maharaja's of Dogra Rule and continues till now, and so both the
cities are quite developed and have many tourist attractions. Once considered
as the center of Hinduism and Buddhism many Sufi saints and sages have Kashmir as their birth place. While the Kashmir valley is
known for its beautiful mountainous landscape, the lakes and blue valleys
rising to alpine passes, the Jammu’s region is abode of gods and goddesses for
which it bears the name, 'city of temples'. The region has broadened the
spheres of pilgrimage tourism for entire State. At the same time Ladakh, a
living centre of Buddhism, possesses mystique landscape and rugged pinnacles
lit up by the colorful traditions of the people, it is a dream of adventurers
and explorers.
Ladakh
Ladakh also known for land of high passes is the
largest province within the region of Jammu
and Kashmir covering approximately 60,000 square
miles (100,000 sq. km). It is surrounded and bisected by some of the highest
mountain ranges in the world. Part of Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, is included in Pakistan
territory. Ladakh region is situated at
the western edge of the Tibetan plateau, lies between the mighty Karokaram
mountain range in the north and the Great Himalayas in the South. Running in a
generally northwest to southeast direction through Ladakh, the great Himalayan Range separates the Vale of Kashmir from
Ladakh. The height of these ranges prevents rain clouds from crossing into
Ladakh and as a result, Ladakh receives only about 2 inches (5 cm) of rain per
year. The aridity of the area is immediately apparent to the visitor, with
Ladakh's long vistas of mountains without vegetation and valleys with only a
few oases of green. It is one of the most sparsely populated region in Jammu and Kashmir. Landscape
of Ladakh has been modified and sculpted into the spectacular shape by the wind
and the erosion over the centuries. The Ladakh range has no major peaks; its
average height is a little less than 6,000 m (19,700 ft), and few of its passes
are less than 5,000 m (16,400 ft). The altitude in Ladakh ranges from a close
to the 11,350 feet (3,500 m) and some of the surrounding peaks reach height of 22,500 feet (7,000 m). It is rightly called “the broken moonland” and
“land of endless discovery”.
Historically, the region included the Baltistan
(Baltiyl) valleys, the Indus Valley, the remote Zangskar, Lahaul and Spiti to the
south, Aksai Chin and Ngari, including the Rudok region and Guge, in the east,
and the Nubra Valleys to the north. Present Ladakh
borders Tibet to the east,
the Lahaul and Spiti to the south, the Vale of Kashmir, Jammu
and Baltiyul regions to the west, and the trans–Kunlun territory of Xinjiang
to the far north. Ladakh is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and
culture. It is sometimes called "Little Tibet" as it has been
strongly influenced by Tibetan culture.
Ladakh is a high altitude desert as the Himalayas create a rain shadow, denying entry to monsoon
clouds. The main source of water is the winter snowfall on the mountains. Dras,
Zanskar and the Suru Valley on the Himalaya's
northern flanks receive heavy snow in winter, this feeds the glaciers from
which melt water, carried down by streams, irrigates the fields in summer. For
the rest of the region, the snow on the peaks is virtually the only source of
water. As the crops grow, the villagers pray not for rain, but for sun to melt
the glaciers and liberate their water.
In the past Ladakh gained importance from its
strategic location at the crossroads of important trade routes, but since the
Chinese authorities closed the borders with Tibet
and Central Asia in the 1960s, international
trade has dwindled except for tourism. Since 1974, the Government of India has
successfully encouraged tourism in Ladakh. Since Ladakh is a part of
strategically important Jammu and
Kashmir, the Indian military maintains a strong
presence in the region.
The Indus River runs through Ladakh and the 30-mile (50 km)
stretch of the Indus
River Valley
between Spitok gompa (near Leh airport) and Hemis gompa is the heartland of
Ladakh. Here are scattered some of the finest gompas in the region and here
also is the town of Leh,
the capital of Ladakh. It is one of the few remaining abodes of Budhism in
South Asia, including the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bhutan
and Sri Lanka;
a majority of Ladakhis are Tibetan Buddhists and the rest are mostly Shia
Muslims.
The main places of attractions are Leh District, Kargil
river valleys, Zanskar range of mountains and Nuabra Valley.
Leh
Leh was once the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh,
is now a District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir,
India and is towards the
eastern parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Leh, with an area of 45,110 square km, is the second largest district in the
country, after Kutch, Gujarat, in terms of
area. The region gets its water from the Zanskar
River, which flows into the Indus River
just below.
The town is still dominated by the the nine-storey,
now ruined, Leh Palace (Namgyal Palace) former mansion of the royal family of
Ladakh, and the Namgyal Tsemo (Vicotry peak), built by Tashi Mamgyal on his
victorious reunification of the Upper and Lower Ladakh. Leh is at an altitude
of 3524 metres (11,562 ft), and connects via National Highway 1D connects it to Srinagar in the southwest
and to Manali in the south via Leh-Manali
Highway.
In the later period, Leh became an important center
for trade in Central Asia. Leh remained merely
a headquarter of Ladakh district until 1974, when Ladakh was opened for foreign
tourists. Over the period, after its opening by Government of India for
tourists, Leh became the centre for tourism related activities in the region.
Leh in India is a beautiful destination
with so many attractions and is the center of Tibeto-Buddhist Culture for ages.
Its colorful gompas have attracted the devout Buddhists from all over the
globe. Besides, it is also a favorite hiking locale and is known for some of
the best hikes in the country. Travel to leh this vacation to enjoy its mystic
beauty, nut before that acquaint yourself a little bit about the past and
present of Leh India.
Leh is connected to the rest of India by two
high-altitude roads both of which are subject to landslides and neither of which
are passable in winter when covered by deep snows. The National Highway 1D from Srinagar
via Kargil is generally open longer. The Leh- Manali Highway can be troublesome
due to very high passes and plateaus, and the lower but landslide-prone Rohtang Pass near Manali.
Srinagar – Leh
Highway 1D: The overland approach to Ladakh from
the Kashmir valley via the 434-km. The
Srinagar- Leh road typically remains open for traffic from June to
October/November. The most dramatic part of this road journey is the ascent up
the 3,505 m (11,500 ft.) high Zoji-la, a tortuous pass in the Great Himalayan
Wall. The Jammu & Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC)
operates regular Deluxe and Ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh on this route with an overnight
halt at Kargil. Taxis (cars and jeeps) are also available at Srinagar for the journey.
Manali – Leh
Highway: Since 1989, the 473-km Manali-Leh road
has been serving as the second land approach to Ladakh. Open for traffic from
June to late October, this high road traverses the upland desert plateaux of
Rupsho whose altitude ranges from 3,660 m to 4,570 m. There are a number of
high passes en route among which the highest one, known as Tanglang La, is
sometimes (but incorrectly) claimed to be the world’s second highest motorable
pass at an altitude of 5,325 m. (17,469 feet).
The places of attraction in Leh are:
Shanti Stupa.
Leh Palace.
Leh Trekking Trails.
War Museum.
Chamba Temple.
Jama Masjid.
Jo Khang Gompa.
Namgyal Tsemo Gompa.
Sankar Gompa.
Stock Palace.
The Victory
Tower.
Zorawar Fort.
Kargil
The western parts of Ladakh comprising the river
valleys, which are drained and formed by the Himalayan tributaries of the high Indus, constitute Kargil District. Kargil, the second
town of Ladakh, is situated on the Suru River
which flows at around 10,000 feet hight. Two other rivers that meet here are
Drass and Wakha Chu.
Kargil town (2,704 m), situated midway between Srinagar (204 Kms) and
Leh, (234 kms) on the Srinagar-Leh highway, is the second largest urban centre
(approx. 8,000 inhabitants) of Ladakh and headquarters of Kargil district. Visible
all around are lush green fields of barley and wheat, vegetable beds and rows
of poplars and willows. A quiet town now, in the past it served as an important
trade and transit centre for the Central-Asian merchants due to its unique
equidistant location (about 200-230 kms) from Srinagar, Leh and Skardo.
Numerous caravans carrying exotic merchandise transited in the town on their
way to and from China, Tibet, Yarkand, Kashmir,
Afghanistan and India. Since
1975, travellers of various nationalities have replaced traders of the past and
Kargil has regained its importance as a centre of travel and tourism -related
activities.
This area lies just behind the Zoji La Pass, and
the center is Kargil, a small town with cobbled streets surrounded by apricot
groves. Good panoramas of the Himalaya can be
obtained from Sanko to Drass via Umba, and on the more demanding Sanko to
Mulbek via the Wakka La Pass at 4,930m.
Kargil is convenient base for undertaking adventure
activities like trekking, mountaineering, camping, river- rafting, etc. in the
high Himalayan valleys. It is also a convenient base for taking excursions to
the Wakha- Mulbek valley, where the chief attraction is a 9 m high rock
sculpture of Maitreya, besides other monuments. Another tour option is to visit
the beautiful Suru
Valley to behold the
gradually unfolding panorama of the impressive Himalayan landscape. Yet another
interesting excursion option is to visit Drass to see its famous features like
Tolo-ling, Tiger Hill and the Mushkoo Valley, well known throughout India on
account of the extensively televised conflict on the LoC between India and
Pakistan during May-August, 1999.
A stroll in the bazaar might lead to shops selling
flint and tobacco pouches, travelling hookahs and brass kettles, handcrafted
items of every day use that find their way into the marts as curios. Kargil is also
famous for its apricots and mulberries. In month of June, it presents a rare
sight of fragrant white apricot blossoms while in month of August, the ripening
fruit lends the countryside an orange hue. Tourists to Leh by road make a night
halt at Kargil before starting on the second leg of the journey.
Zanskar
The Zanskar, in the kargil sub-division of Ladakh, spread
over an estimated geographical area of 5000 sq kms of mountainous territory and
surrounded by high-rise mountains and deep gorges is tehsin of the Kargil
District, which lies in the eastern half of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is
located between the Great Himalayan Range
to the south and the Indus
Valley to the North. The Zanskar Range
is a mountain range in the Indian state of Jammu
nad Kashmir that separates Zanskar from Ladakh.
The average height of the Zanskar
Range is about 6,000 m
(19,700 ft). Its eastern part is known as Rupshu.
Zanskar river, which flows through it, joins the Indus a little below Leh. The whole Zanskar
Valley is situated in the inner Himalaya and is higher than most other areas of Ladakh.
The Climate is very harsh and the area receives precious little rain. The great
attractions are the Buddhist culture, beautiful monasteries, awe-inspiring
barren montainscape and the twin peaks of Nun(7135m) and Kun (7077m).
Towards the western end of the Himalayas
a series of continuous mountain ridges, comprising scores of 6000 metre (20000
foot) peaks, forms an effective barrier between the Indian provinces of Lahaul
and Ladakh. Linking these contrasting mountainous regions is a trekking route
that provides one of the great challenges of the Indian Himalaya.
Padam is the Head quarter of Zanskar and can be
reached by a rough road from Kargil. Along this highway are glimpsed
unforgettable sights of Nun- Kun, Barnaj, Doda and other high Peaks, and views
of several glaciers, such as Ringdom, Pensi, Darung, Drung and kange.
Tourism is probably the major disruption that
Zanskar has experienced during recent times. The opening of this region to
foreigners has brought benefits such as the financing of schools and the
restoration of monasteries and roads, but has also taken its toll on this
fragile mountain environment and its population. The campsites along the
trekking routes look more and more like junkyards at the end of the tourist
season. The nearby places which could be visited are Sani, Karsha, Strongday, Zangla,
Bardan, Phugthal, Zongkhul. Some of these villages falling on the trekking
roads offer Spectacular cave monastery, monastic establishment and castles.
Nubra Valley
This valley is popularly known as Ldumra or the
valley of flowers is the geographical backbone, and historical hearland of
Ladakh. . The Sasser Pass and the famous Karakoram Pass
lie to the northwest of the valley which connect Nubra with Xinjiang.
Previously there was much trade passing through the area with East Turkestan
and Central Asia. It is situated in the north
of Ladakh between Karakoram and Ladakh ranges of Himalayas.
The common way to access this valley is to travel over the Khardung La from Leh
where one will first encounter the Shyok
Valley. To enter the
Nubra valley, one must cross over the Shyok River
via a small bridge and pass through a military checkpoint. Non-locals require
an "Inner Line" permit (easily obtained in Leh town) to pass.
Nubru lies at average altitude about 10,000 feet
above sea level. Deskit is the sub-division HQ of Nubra. Deskit Gonpa is also
situated at a height of about 200 mtrs. Above the village on the spur of rocky
mountain and at the most commanding point, having clear view of the entire
central part of Nubra, Samstanling Gonpa is situated on the North facing Deskit
Gonpa. Both these Gonpas have historical remains.
The Nubra valley contains the small towns of Sumur
and Panamik. Sumur has a Buddhist gompa or monastery while Panamik is noted for
its hot springs.
Most of the people are of mixed Tibetan and Central Asian origin and speak
varieties of the Balti language.
Buddhist monasteries flourished in the valley among
which the famous Diskit Gompa. This monastery, over 350 years old, is the
oldest in the Nubra region. It is also one of the largest. The monastery belongs
to the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) Sect. The Nubra valley is accessible from Leh via a
number of high passes. One of them is the Khardong-la, the highest motorable
pass at 5600 m.
The nearby villages are Khardong, Khalsar, Tirit,
Sumoor, Tegar, Pinchemik, Chamshein, and many other, all fall along the
traditional silk route. The caravans traveling to and from Central Asia and Kashmir through Nubra valley used to stay at these
villages. Panamik was the most important place for halt of Caravan. It served
as last major village where the caravan landed, before they negotiated Saser
and Karakoram pass towards Central Asia.
