Imam Bara at Kargil Thanka The above Thanka displayed in Munshiaziz Bhatt's Museum in Kargil is a Symbol of Communal Harmony in Ladakh Kargil We apprecaites the efforts of Munshiaziz Bhatt's family for preserving and promoting the Ladakh art and culture

We are thankful to Sengee Hussanan from Baltistan for providing the following texts on Kargil. Sengee is a regular contributor on issues related to Baltistan and have very strong concern for Ladakh and Baltistan Friendship

The contemporary district of '''Kargil''' was one of the districts of Ladakh Wazarat/Province before Partition of Ladakh in 1947. The other two districts of Ladakh Wazarat were Skardo Baltistan and Leh Central Ladakh. Today, Kargil is one of the districts of Ladakh region in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Kargil lies on the line of control facing Pakistan Occupied Kashmir's region of Baltistan. Zanskar is part of Kargil district along with Suru, Wakha and Dras valleys. Some parts of Kargil district like Gultari, Shingo-Shigar, Olding, Brolmo, Tse-tse thang, Rganogs and Marol villages are in Pakistani occupation since 1947.

Geography
Kargil district is nestled in the Himalayas, giving it a cool, temperate climate. Summers are warm with cool nights, while winters are long and cold with temperatures often dropping to −40 °C with recorded temperatures of −60°C in Drass, especially in the tiny town of Drass which is situated 56 km from the Kargil town. The Zanskar plateau is even colder, thus making it a near-uninhabitable place for humans to stay, except for the hardy Khampas. The entire Kargil district is spread over 14,086 km².

A national highway that includes the [[Zojila]] pass connecting [[Srinagar]] to [[Leh]], cuts through Kargil. This highway is open for traffic only from June to mid November every year due to heavy snowfall at the Zoji La. Kargil is located 120 miles (204 km) from the capital city of [[Srinagar]]. There is a partially paved road ( the first 40 km or so) leading from Kargil south to [[Zanskar]] which is a distance of nearly 220 km, which is only open from June to September each year. The Kargil town is equidistant from Skardo, Srinagar, Leh and Zanskar.

Demographics

With a population of 120,000 Kargil is the [[Muslim]] majority district in [[Ladakh]]. Of total population, 85% are Muslim, of which 73% follow Shia Islam. Most of the district's Muslims are found in [[Kargil town]], Drass, Wakha and the lower Suru valley. The remainder 14% are followers of [[Tibetan Buddhism]] and [[Bön]], mostly found in [[Zanskar]] with small populations in the upper Suru valley (Rangdum) and around Shergol and Mulbekh. Another 1% of the population follow [[Hinduism]] and Sikhism.

Much of Kargil population is inhabited by the [[Burig]] and [[Balti (people)|Balti]] people of Tibetan origin (converting from Buddhism to Islam in the 16th Century), some of them have intermingled with the Dard, Mon and other Aryan people. The mainly Muslim Dards inhabit in the valley of Drass, although a small number of Buddhist [[Dard]], known as [[Brokpa]], inhabit the [[Dah-Hanu]] region near the [[Lamayuru]] monastery. Of late, immigrants from [[Kashmir]] and Hindus [[Jammu]] have came to settle in Kargil. The district presents a composite culture of Balti, Ladakhi, Purki, Dardi, Zanskari and Shina cultures. Irrespective of ethnic identities, all speak Kargili language with ease.

History
The name Kargil is said to be derived from the words Khar and rKil. Khar means castle and rKil means center thus a place between castles as the place lay between many kingdoms. The competing theory is that Kargil has been derived from the words "Gar" and "Khil". Gar in local language mean ‘Any where’ and Khil means a central place where people could stay.

It is believed that Pashkum is the first village inhabited in the area. Purik remained under the cultural domain of Tibet and the people of the area adopted the Buddhist faith in the ancient time. During 16th century Islam came to Kargil.

The Purik Gyalpo, a renowned king, set up his kingdom at Karpokhar in Suru Valley. He brought the surrounding villages including Pashkum and Suru under his domain and developed the areas in respect of culture, economy and military might. Gasho Thatha Khan (a banished prince) also played a prominent role in expansion of his domain over Chiktan area in 9th century A D. Later, he expanded his empire to Sodh area and is known to have been a powerful king of the area. Boti Khan, Abdal Khan, Amrodh Cho, Tsering Malik, Naithi Stan, Kunchhok Shesrab Stan and Thi Sultan have also made an imprint on the history of Kargil.

In the ancient times, Purik was divided into many small kingdoms. the prominent among these being Suru Karchey, Sodh, Fokar and Chiktan. The history of Ladakh and Baltistan written by many historians like A H Franke, Wazir Hashmatullah Khan and Kacho Sikandar Khan Sikandar reveals that Kargil was divided into many little kingdoms which occasionally fought with each other on petty matters. History also reveals that no king made Kargil town his capital. Therefore, there is no mention about Kargil in ancient history.

Kargil remained relatively obscure right until the [[Partition of India]] when the issue of Kashmir became the focal point and resulted in the Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1947, 65 and 71. There were pitched battles fought around Kargil which saw the entire area initially coming under Pakistan control before most of it being reclaimed by Indian troops for good and remained with India since then. Kargil became a separate district in the Ladakh region during the year 1979 when it was bifurcated from the Leh ditrict.

Kargil is a peaceful district. Militancy in any way is not related with Kargil and the peace-loving people of this area have proved it. Muslims of Kargil are fiercely patriotic and support Indian Union. They desire Baltistan to be unified with Kargil within Indian Union. In 2004, Ladakh Autonomous Council Kargil passed a resolution in which demand was made to the Central government to liberate Baltistan and unify with Kargil. It may be added here that the state and central assistance received for the development of this area have gone a long way in changing the developmental scenario in Kargil.

The Kargil region gets more rainfall than in the rest of Ladakh and the area grows plentiful wheat, barley, vegetables and, of course, the apricots for which it is famous. Peas have been recently introduced and are flourishing. In May the entire countryside becomes awash with fragrant white apricot blossoms while August, the ripening fruit lends it an orange hue. Fruit cultivation happens in many villages and local fruits are exported which also improves the economy. Apricot is the main fruit crop of the district. The best apricot fruit (halman) is grown in Karkit Chhu, Hardass and Shilikche. In Batalik area, other fruits such as grapes, walnut, almonds, cherry and peaches are also grown.

Local people of Kargil resort to rearing livestock for centuries. Yak, zo-zomo, cow, horse, donkey, sheep and goat are commonly found livestock which are fed by a specific variety of fodder and grass and is nutritive valued in the district. The district with a sizeable population of different species has a facility of veterinary hospitals and livestock development centres besides farms for yak, cattle and poultry. The Animal Husbandry Department has established a Cattle Breeding Farm at Kurbathang with the help of Desert Development Agency.

Kargil was thrown open to foreign tourists in 1974. Since then tourism has become a well established part of the local economy and an important sector of the developmental process of the district. It has opened new avenues of investment and profit for the local population. The district receives an average annual tourist traffic of 12,000 foreign and about 5,000 home tourists in normal circumstances. The Tourism Department is endeavoring to develop tourism facilities in the district. Emphasis is being laid on the development of basic infrastructure at important places so that maximum tourists are attracted. For promotion of tourist industry in Suru Valley which has scenic beauty and trekking potential, alpine style tourist huts are built at Rangdum and Thangde which will provide adequate accommodation for trekking and mountaineering groups visiting Penzella area and Nun-Kun Peaks in Zanskar.

The natural landscape, Scenic beauties, the rock-carved grand statues at Mulbek, Kartse Khar (Sanko) and Sod: Multi-facetted Gompas in Zangskar and Wakha Mulbek area, the caves of phokar rDzong, the meadows of Yuljuk and Parkachik with scenes of Nun-Kun are some of the features of tourist attraction. It has big potential for adventure tourism like river rafting, climbing, trekking, winter sports etc.

The district Kargil has vast and diverse culture which is colourful and enchanting. Zanaksar, Drass, Kargil, Wakha, Mulbakh, Chiktan, Darchiks Garkone, Kushow and Kharboo are some of the important cultural centers of the district. Various government agencies like the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Department of Information and Department of Tourism organise cultural programmes which attract large crowds prominently the foreign tourists who are fascinated with the cultural richness of the area. Festivals in Kargil are Losar, Muharram, Buddha Purnima, Nauroz, Eid, Snola, Strupla, Mendok Ltatmo, Bonana of Garkon. The sports of Kargil are Polo, Archery, Lhangthen, Berthen, Thaga etc.

In Kargil, and may of the villages, archery festivals are held during the summer months, with a lot of fun and fanfare. They are competitive events, the surrounding villages all sending teams, and the shooting takes place according to strict etiquette. The crowd attend in their Sunday best, the men invariable in traditional dress.

Polo is traditional to Kargil and Dras valleys. It was probably introduced into Ladakh in the mid - 17th century by King Sengge Namgyal, whose mother was a Balti princess. The game played here differs in many respects from the international game. Here, each team consists of six players, and the game lasts for an hour with a ten minute break. Altitude notwithstanding, the hardy local ponies - the best of which come from Zanskar - scarcely seem to suffer, though play can be fast and furious. Each goal is greeted by a bust of music from surna and daman ; and the players often show extraordinary skill. For example, when starting play after a goal the scorer gallops up to midfield holding ball and mallet in the right hand, and throws the ball, hitting it in the same movement towards the opposite goal.

The local market of Kargil town offers a variety of products ranging from raw sugar, to exotic spices and other trinkets. Though for souvenirs the best bet is the easily available dry apricot. As it is the apricot jam is a delicacy. Pashmina shawls, local carpets and woolen handicrafts also make good bargains. The fine quality and the abundance of the woolens available at Kargil can be attributed to the long fleeced mountain goats in the area.

One of the most beautiful regions of Ladakh, the Suru Valley is the heartland of Kargil district. Nestling along the northern foothills of the Great Himalayan Wall, it extends from Kargil town, first southward for a length of about 75 kms up to the expanse around Panikhar, and thence eastward for nearly 65 kms, up to the foot of the Penzila watershed, where the Suru River rises. The Suru Valley serves as Ladakh’s granary. Its composite population of about 40,000 mainly of Tibeto-Dard descent, are mainly Muslims, their ancestors having been converted from Buddhism around the middle of the 16th century.

The upper reaches of the valley, particularly around the Sanko bowl, the expanse around Panikhar and the higher stretches beyond, present a spectacle of breathtaking features - majestic mountain ranges crowned by snow-capped peaks, alpine slopes drained by wild mountain streams of pristine water, awesome glaciers descending along the Himalayan slopes to the river bed in impressive formations, villages of adobe houses straggling dry hillocks, which are generally surrounded by cultivated fields and alpine pastures uphill. The area around Panikhar and further up is a veritable valley of flowers with a large variety of wild plants blossoming to spread a riot of colours during the months of June and July. The natural beauty of this area is heightened by the magnificent perspective provided by the towering peaks of Nun (7135 m) and Kun (7087 m), which loom over the skyline in their crystalline majesty.

Sightseeing in Suru Valley

The Imambara at Trespone
The drive into the Suru Valley takes one through the picturesque and sprawling villages of Trespone area. Trespone (25 kms) is famous for its hilltop Imambara, which reflects a mix of Kashmiri and Tibetan elements in its construction style and location.

It is also the place where the tradition of making a prototype of the ancient Scythian bow is still carried out by some families. This traditional bow is made from slivers of ibex horns glued to a central frame of mulberry wood, which being highly tensile and strong, is ideal suited for the purpose. There is high demand for these bows as they are used all over the region for the annual archery competitions held in almost every village of Kargil region during the period of the early spring.

Archery is a popular pastime in the Suru valley
Sankoo (42 kms), the next major expanse of the Suru Valley, is a picturesque township surrounded with numerous villages and colourful rocky mountains all around. Dense plantation of poplars, willows and wild roses fill the bowl-shaped valley, giving it the ambience of a man-made forest. Two side valleys drained by large tributary streams of the Suru River, the Kartse flowing from the east and the Nakpo-chu descending from the west, open up on either side of the expanse.

The Kartse Valley runs deep into the eastern mountain mass with a number of isolated villages strung along its course. Kartse-Khar, an ancient village near the mouth of the valley, has a 7 m tall rock sculpture of the "Future Buddha Chamba", evidence of the passage of Buddhist missionaries through the region during the 7th to 8th centuries AD en route to Tibet. The four-day trek from Sanku to Mulbek follows this valley, the route passing through some very beautiful alpine areas on the way to the 4950 m high Rusi-La. A southward route from the foot of the Rusi-La leads to Rangdum across the glacier - straddled Rangdum Pass where the Kartse River rises.

Summer scene in Suru Valley

Suru valley in winter
(For large view click on image)
Sanku is very popular among local picnic lovers, who throng the area from Kargil town and other places. Locally it is also popular as a place of pilgrimage to the shrine of a Muslim scholar-saint, Sayed Mir Hashim, who was specially invited from Kashmir for imparting religious teachings, Thi-Namgyal of the Suru principality, following his conversion to Islam during the 16th century. The shrine is situated in the village of Karpo-Khar on the outskirts of Sanku, where the ruler had his summer palace.

Panikhar & Zanskar
About 25 kms further ahead of Sanku is Panikhar, lying under the shadows of the Nun-Kun massif. The first full photogenic view of Mt. Nun (7135 m), however, can be had from the roadside near the village of Thangbu, about 12 kms short of Panikhar. A beautiful expanse of the Suru Valley with about a dozen villages strung around, Panikhar comprises a series of intensively cultivated plateaux, descending in level steps, to the bed of the Suru River which here receives the gushing waters of Chelong River, one of its major Himalayan tributaries. During summer the area is converted into a veritable valley of flowers when a variety of alpine flora blossom, lending the region a colourful hue.

Upper Suru- early morning scene
Panikhar is also a convenient base for the famous trans-Himalayan traverse between Ladakh and the Kashmir Valley. The shorter trek to Pahalgam via the Bhotkol Pass (4420 m), in the main range of the Himalayas, and the Gulol Pass, connecting the Warwan and the Lidder Valleys, takes about a week.

The trek to Kishtawar down the Warwan valley, or to Lehinwan in the Kashmir Valley, across the Margan Pass, takes longer. All these routes follow the lateral Chelong valley up to the Great Himalayan Wall where the Bhotkol Pass gives access to the headwaters of the Warwan Valley on the other side. Local peasant traders still use the route as do the Bakkarwal herdsmen for taking their flocks of sheep and goat across the Himalayan Range for grazing deep into its northern foothills.

The Parkachik Glacier
Panikhar is the base station for undertaking mountaineering expeditions to the various Himalayan peaks surrounding the valley. Tangol, the approach base for climbing Mt. Nun, is just 6 kms ahead of Panikhar on the roads to Zanskar. A short walk up the hill slopes from here takes one across the Sentik ridge to the base camp on the rim of the ice plateau. Another interesting hike starting from Panikhar, via Namsuru village, leads one along verdant hill slopes to Parkachik-La (3810 m) in the Parkachik ridge, in about 3 hours. From the top of the saddle-like pass, one can have a panoramic view of all the peaks in the Nun-Kun massif, alongwith its vast glacial plateau. From here one can retrace the way back to Panikhar in half the time or descend much faster to Parhachik village on the other side of the ridge. Near Parkachik is the majestic Parkachik Glacier, spilling down the Nun-Kun slopes, to collapse into the Suru River forming a huge icefall. One can walk up to the glacier across a good suspension footbridge over the Suru. Some mountaineers use this glacier to approach the difficult north face route to scale Mt. Nun. The upper Suru Valley also offers excellent camping options.
If one wanted to experience the ultimate thrill of camping under the very crest of the Great Himalayan Range, yet not without the safety of instant communication nearby, the upper Suru Valley around Tangol and Parkachik, may well conform to the idea of such a place.

Rangdum

View of Rangdum valley
The farthest and most isolated part of the Suru valley, Rangdum (3657 m) is surrounded by colourful hills on the one side and glacier-encrusted rocky mountains on the other. Situated 130 kms south-east of Kargil, it falls midway between Kargil and Padum. Visitors to Padum (Zanskar) generally prefer to break the gruelling 240 km-long road journey for an overnight halt here. Set amidst spectacular surroundings, Rangdum is a convenient area for camping in the Himalayan wilderness while being sufficiently near a roadhead. In the late afternoon the setting sun lends the valley an ethereal ambience, as the ochre hills turn aflame, while the snow covered peaks sparkle with a reddish hue in the distant horizon.

View of Rangdum valley
The main attraction of Rangdum is the 18th century Buddhist monastery of the Geluks-pa order with about 40 resident monks. Perched picturesquely atop a central hillock, which is surrounded by a wild mountain stream, the monastery has the aura of an ancient fortification guarding a mystical mountain valley. Its central prayer hall houses an array of figures and art objects. Two small hamlets surrounded by rows of chortens, Yuldo and Tashi-Tongze, situated on either side of the monastery, are the only other habitations in the area.

Row of Stupas at Rangdum
Rangdum is also an important trekking base. The most popular trek from here leads to Henaskut on the Kargil-Leh highway, across the Kanji valley gorge. This 5-day trek is also the last leg of the 2-week long trans-Himalayan traverse between Kashmir and Ladakh. Among the shorter treks possible from here, the best is a hike up the Penzila Ridge, to camp for a night or two opposite the majestic Drang-Drung Glacier.. The trek to Shaphat valley where the Nun-Kun base camp is situated, involves walking down valley, along the road to the campsite of Gulmatongo (20 kms), and thence crossing the Suru River on a foot bridge to enter the Shaphat Nallah, upto the snout of the Shafat Glacier for camping.

Mulbek
Situated 45-km East of Kargil on the road to Leh, Mulbek (3,230 m) is an area dominated by the Buddhist population. Villages are situated along either banks of the Wakha River. Many monuments of the early Buddhists era dot the landscape and are accessible from the road.

Mulbek Chamba: The chief attraction of Mulbek (also spelt as Mulbekh) is a 9 m high rock sculpture in deep relief of Maitreya, the Future Buddha. Its excursion combines esoteric Shaivite symbolism with early Buddhist art. Situated right on the highway, it dates back to the period when Buddhists missionaries came traveling east of the Himalayas.

Mulbek Gompa: Perched atop a rocky cliff, Mulbek Gompa (monastery) dominates the valley. It is easy to see why in bygone times this site served as an outpost to guard the caravan route. Impressive frescoes and statues adorn the Gompa and presents the taste and esthetics of local people.

Shergol
Another picturesque village of the Wakha River valley, Shergol is situated across the river, right of the Kargil-Leh road. The main attraction is a cave monastery which is visible from a far as a white speck against the vertically rising ochre hill from which it appears to hang out. Below this small monastery is a larger Buddhist nunnery with about a dozen incumbents. The village is accessible by the motorable road that branches off from the Kargil-Leh road, about 5-km short of Mulbek. Shergol is a convenient base for an exciting 4-day trek across the mountain range into the Suru valley. It is also the approach base for visiting Urgyan-Dzong, a meditation retreat lying deep inside the mountains surrounding the Wakha River valley.

Urgyan Dzong
This meditation retreat lies tucked away in an amazing natural mountain fortress high up in Zanskar range. Concealed within is a circular tableland with a small monastic establishment at its centre. The surrounding hillside reveals several caves where high-ranking Buddhists saints meditated in seclusion. At least one such cave is associated with the visit of Padmasambhava, the patron saint of Tibetan Buddhism. The main approach is to footpath laid through the only gap available in the rocky ramparts.

Wakha Rgyal
Tucked away inside the picturesque upper part of the Wakha Valley, upstreams of Mulbek, Rgyal gives the appearance of a medieval settlement of cave dwellings transported in to the modern times with some improvements and extensions. The houses, neatly whitewashed and closely stacked, are dug into the sheer face of a vertical cliff that rises high above the green valley bottom. From a far the village looks like a colony of beehives hanging from the ochre granite of the Cliffside.