Page 156 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

154  DELHI & THE NOR TH

w Rangdum the grandeur of its
landscapes, the
Kargil district. 110 km (68 miles) SE of
Kargil. @ n Kargil Tourist Office, simplicity of life in
(01985) 232 721. its villages, and the
serene ambience in its
The village of Rangdum serves gompas, often built
as a night halt between Kargil around ancient cliff­
(see p151) and Zanskar. Though top meditation caves.
geographically part of the Suru Zanskar contains
Valley, its largely Buddhist popu­ the valleys of two
lation and its monastery orient rivers, the Stod and
it culturally towards Zanskar. the Lungnak which,
Situated on a wide flat plateau at flowing towards
3,800 m (12,467 ft), criss crossed each other along
by water courses, and framed by the northern flank of
snow peaks and hills of curiously the Greater Himalayas,
striated rock, Rangdum has a wild, join to become the
desolate beauty. The fortress­like Zanskar river. This
18th­century Gelugpa Monastery continues north
is built on a hillock, and a small through a gorge in
temple in the complex has a the Zanskar Range,
fine wall painting of a battle­ to join the Indus.
scene, with warriors sporting The western arm The Zanskar river, running through a gorge
Mongolian­looking armour of Zanskar, the Stod
and battle dress. Valley, and its central plain the frozen Zanskar river, to
are fertile and well watered – sell their highly prized yak
villages form green pockets, butter in Leh. In contrast to the
e Zanskar and the virtual absence of fertile western arm and central
Kargil district. 230 km (143 miles) SE trees contributes to plain, the eastern arm of
from Kargil to Padum. @ to Padum. an extraordinary sense Zanskar – the Lungnak
n Padum Tourist Office, (01983) 254 of light and space. Valley – is a forbidding
017. _ Karsha Monastery Festival The inhabitants of and stony gorge, with
(Jul/Aug). this region are mostly few villages to be
agricultural farmers, found in the vicinity.
There is a certain mystique about growing barley, wheat The main gateway
Zanskar. This is no doubt due and peas in the lower to Zanskar is the Pensi-
to its remoteness and altitude, villages, and raising la (4,400 m/14,436 ft),
between 3,350 m (10,991 ft) and livestock – yaks, sheep about 130 km (81 miles)
4,400 m (14,436 ft), and the fact and dzos (a hybrid southeast of Kargil.
that the region is difficult to between cows and Perak, the traditional There are spectacular
access – the only motorable road yaks) – in the higher female headdress views from the top of
into the valley is usually open villages. In winter, many this pass, especially
from around early June to mid­ of these farmers take the only of the impressive Drang-drung
October. But Zanskar’s reputation route out of the area, trekking Glacier, which is the origin of
as a Shangri­la also derives from for six gruelling days across the Stod river. The road then
continues down to Padum,
230 km (143 miles) southeast of
Kargil, at an altitude of 3,500 m
(11,483 ft). Padum is Zanskar’s
main village and administrative
headquarters. This is the only
place in the region with basic
facilities including accom moda­
tion, transport and a few
rudimentary shops. It is also the
starting point for a number of
treks in the region (see pp156–7).
Padum itself has few sites of
interest, except for a rock
engraving of the Five Dhyani
Buddhas (see p150) in the centre
of the village. A mosque serves
Padum’s small community of
Stucco decoration and images in bas-relief at Sani Gompa, Zanskar Muslims. There are a number of
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp695–6 and p708

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Date 12th July 2013
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