ZANSKAR
Main Attractions: Panikhar, Panzela Pass, Karsha & Trekking
Best Time To Visit: July To October
The Virgin Vale
About 20-km south of Rangdum stands the Pazila watershed across which
lies Zanskar, the most isolated of all the trans Himalayan Valleys. The
Panzela Top (4,401 m) is the picturesque tableland adorned with two small
alpine lakes and surrounded by snow-covered peaks.
As the Zanskar road winds down the steep slopes of the watershed to the
head of the Stod Valley, one of Zanskar's main tributary valleys, the
majestic "Drang-Drung" glacier looms into full view. A long and
winding river of ice and snow, the Drang-Drung" is perhaps the
largest glacier in Ladakh, outside the Siachen formation. It is from the
cliff-like snout of this extensive glacier that the Stod or Doda River,
the main tributary of river Zanskar, rises.
The Mountainous Panorama
Zanskar comprises a tri-armed valley system lying between the Great
Himalayan Range and the Zanskar mountain; The three arms radiate star-like
towards the west, north and south from a wide central expanse where the
region's two principal drainage's meet to form the main
Zanskar River.
It is mainly along the course of this valley system that the region's
10,000 strong, mainly Buddhists population lives. Spread over an estimated
geographical area of 5,000-sq-kms, high-rise mountains and deep gorges
surround Zanskar. The area remains inaccessible for nearly 8 months a year
due to heavy snowfall resulting in closure of all the access passes,
including the Penzela.
Today, Zanskar has the distinction of being the least interfered with
microcosms of Ladakh
, and one of the last few surviving cultural satellites of Tibet. Within
the mountain ramparts of this lost Shangrila stand a number of ancient yet
active monastic establishments. Some of these religious foundations have
evolved around remote meditation caves believed to have been used by a
succession of famous Buddhist saints for prolonged meditation in pursuit
of knowledge and enlightenment.
HISTORY
The Khampa, the nomadic shepherds who originally roamed the
grazing pastures of the Tibetan plateau, would have been familiar with the
high passes into Zanskar many centuries before the villages of the Zanskar
or Indus valley were established.
In the 11th century, the eminent scholar Ringchen Brangpo wandered the
Zanskar valley selecting sites from the 108 monasteries that were to be
found throughout the west Himalayas. At the same time, legend has it that
the sage Naropa meditated at the site of
Sani
monastery.
The Advent of Foreign Travellers
The famous Hungarian explorer Coso de Koros was one of the first European
travelers to visit the region. He spent nearly a year, in 1826-27, at the
monastery of Phugthal translating Buddhist texts from Ladakhi into
English. An inscription of his name can be still found in the monastery.
Dogra Invasion
A few years later, the Dogra general Zorawar Singh led his army over the
Umasi La during the conquest of
Ladakh and the
Zanskar. In 1834 he reduced the powers of the royal families in both Padum
and Zangla to a nominal status and established the fort at the village of
Pipiting just north of Padum. He is also said to have paid a small fortune
to hire a local guide to lead his army directly across the passes of the
Zanskar Range to the Indus Valley in Order to mount a surprise attack on
the king of Ladakh.
The Dogra conquest was recorded by Thomas Thomson, a member of the East
India Company's Boundary Commission crossing the Umasi La in June 1848 en
route through the Zanskar and Indus Valleys to the Korakoram Pass.
PRIME ATTRACTIONS
Panikhar
On
the route to Zanskar, Panikhar, which is commonly considered to be on the
border of the Suru
Valley, is an important place. There is a high pass between Panikhar
and Sankoo, a moderately sized valley about 42-km from
Kargil,
Ladakh . Zorawar
Singh and his forces entered Ladakh from the Suru Pass in 1832 en route to
conquer Tibet. He built a fort whose ruins stand to this day.
Penzella Pass
The Panzella Pass is situated at an elevation of more than 4,200 m over
the Zanskar range (Penzella mountains). It separates Zanskar from the Suru
valley and other parts of Ladakh. On either side of the pass there are
camping grounds used by migratory grazier communities and travelers. At
the top, an enchanting view of the surrounding ranges and countryside
greets the visitor.
At the top of the pass, there are two springs of greenish water credited
by legend to be the birthplace of the progenitors of the famous
Zanskar breed of ponies. Different
forms of vegetation come up around the pass soon after the snow melts in
summer. These include many species, which have medicinal value. Marmots
live in burrows, moving to lower elevations in winter. The brown bear is
also found on the slopes of the Penzela Pass.
The Penzela glacier, where the Suru River arises, is situated on one of
the flanks of this pass. On the Zanskar side, an extensive stretch of flat
land is present at the foot of the pass. It is dissected by a number of
streams and supports riverine vegetation, which becomes thick in summer.
This is an ideal camping ground for graziers and trekkers.
The Penzela Pass remains open only from May to September, being closed
for the rest of the year due to heavy snowfall.
Karsha
Karsha is another large settlement across the river from Padam, at a
distance of about 8-km from the latter. It has a small market, school,
dispensary and post and telegraph facilities. There is also a monastery at
Karsha, which is revered by the population living in the surrounding
region.
HOW TO REACH THERE
Road: The 240-km long
Kargil-Padum road, of which the
first 90-km stretch is paved, remains opened from around mid July to early
November. The J&K SRTC operates a thrice-weekly bus services from
Kargil. However groups can charter A-Class or even Super-Deluxe buses to
visit Zanskar, including the interior places of interest like
Stongdey,
Zangla and Karsha. Jeeps and Gypsy
taxis can also be hired at Kargil.
During June and early July, prior to opening of the road, it is
recommended to walk into Zanskar
from Panikhar or Parkachik onwards. In June, the summer is at its height
in the region and the climate is ideal for trekking along the route free
from vehicular traffic of any kind and when the countryside is freshly
rejuvenated into life after months of frigid dormancy.
WHERE TO STAY
The tourist Complex at Padum provides furnished rooms. There is catering arrangement in the complex, while camping place nearby is available for budget tourists travelling with personal tents. Padum town has several private hotels where rooms with basic facilities are available. At Karsha dormitory accommodation is available in the newly build inn where basic vegetarian food is also provided. In the distant villages like Stongdey, Zangla, Sani, etc., accommodation can be sought from the villagers either on payment or in exchange of a suitable gift. Some monasteries may also take in guests, through more as a gesture of goodwill than on purely commercial consideration. Of course the guest is expected to compensate the monastery suitably.
WHEN TO TREK
For most people, the timing of a trek out of Padum is
determined by the opening of the motorable road from Kargil over the
Pentse La. The pass is normally cleared of snow by the beginning of July,
and generally remains open until the end of October.
The alternative is to trek from Panikhar or Rangdum over the Pentse La.
This can be completed in May, although it is advisable not to cross the
high passes leading out of Zanskar until the end of June. By this time the
villagers begin to cross the Singge La, the Umasi La and the Shingo La and
Phitse La. These times should also be noted if one is planning to trek
into the Zanskar Valley from Lamayuru, Leh or Darcha. The passes remain
open until the middle of October, although freak storms in September have
occasionally required treks to be re-routed.
River crossings also need to be considered when planning a trek. In
particular, the route from Padum to the Markha valley follows gorges where
the late spring snow melt makes the rivers difficult to cross until
August.
For the intrepid, there are winter trails linking the Zanskar valley with
the Indus. From late January through February, the villagers and monks
follow the route over the snow bridges that form in the depths of the
gorges. When the ice begins to thaw, they follow a route over the Cha Cha
La to the Khurna valley and then trek down to its confluence with the
Zanskar River. Here there are some places to ford the Zanskar River to
reach Niimu and Leh. This route is favoured by the locals in the
springtime, until the deep snows on the Pentse La begin to thaw in May.
NEARBY CITIES
Karsha: 9-km
Stongdey: 20-km
Burdan: 10-km
Zongkhul: 20-km
Phukthal: 70-km (Approx.)
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