109-672: Kargil / ˈ k ɑːr ɡ ɪ l / or Kargyil is a city in Indian-administered Ladakh in the disputed Kashmir region. It is the joint capital of Ladakh, an Indian-administered union territory . It is also the headquarters of the Kargil district . It is the second-largest city in Ladakh after Leh . Kargil is located 204 kilometres (127 mi) east of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir , and 234 kilometres (145 mi) to
218-528: A Peace Pagoda was erected in Leh by Nipponzan Myohoji . There was a heavy presence of Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police forces in Ladakh. These forces and People's Liberation Army forces from China have, since the 1962 Sino-Indian War, had frequent stand-offs along the Ladakh portion of the Line of Actual Control . Out of the 857-kilometre-long (533 mi) border in Ladakh, only 368 km (229 mi)
327-562: A reorganisation act was passed by the Parliament of India which contained provisions to reconstitute Ladakh as a union territory, separate from the rest of Jammu and Kashmir on 31 October 2019. Under the terms of the act, the union territory is administered by a Lieutenant Governor acting on behalf of the Central Government of India and does not have an elected legislative assembly or chief minister. Each district within
436-561: A 6.5 km (4.0 mi) tunnel across Zoji La pass is under consideration to make the route functional throughout the year. The Kargil War of 1999, codenamed "Operation Vijay" by the Indian Army , saw infiltration by Pakistani troops into parts of Western Ladakh, namely Kargil, Dras, Mushkoh , Batalik and Chorbatla, overlooking key locations on the Srinagar-Leh highway . Extensive operations were launched in high altitudes by
545-574: A Tibetan Communist leader. At the time of the partition of India in 1947, the Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh chose to remain independent of India or Pakistan. Pakistani soldiers from Gilgit invaded in October and had reached Ladakh. To get defence assistance from India, Singh was told by Nehru to sign the Instrument of Accession to India, and military operations were initiated to counter
654-516: A branch at Pashkum ( Wylie : pas kyum ) to the southeast of Kargil in the Wakha Rong valley. During Zorawar Singh's invasion of Ladakh in 1834, the Dogras attacked both Sod Pasari and Pashkum and destroyed their forts. Afterwards, Zorawar Singh stationed a kardar (administrator) for Kargil and Drass, and appears to have built a fort at Kargil for this purpose. Alexander Cunningham described
763-481: A bright or wholesome mountainous amphitheatre. This phrase occurs often in Tibetan literature. The Kargil basin does give the feel of an expanse surrounded by low-pitched mountains, with the low Khurbathang plateau at the southeastern corner. This is in sharp contrast to the deep gorges that give access to the valley. The people of Kargil however relate the name to Khar (fort) and rkil (centre) and interpret it as
872-658: A ceasefire line that divided the Ladakh wazarat , putting roughly the Kargil and Leh tehsils on the Indian side, and the Skardu tehsil on the Pakistan side. The two Indian tehsils were later promoted to districts and Ladakh was named a division, on a par with the Jammu and Kashmir divisions in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir . Pakistan renamed the Skardu tehsil as Baltistan and divided it into further districts. At
981-600: A central place among many forts. Radhika Gupta has opined that it is a fitting description for a place that is equidistant from Srinagar , Leh and Skardu . Kargil is located at the confluence of multiple river valleys: the Suru River valley to the north and south, the Wakha Rong valley to the southeast leading to Leh , and the Sod Valley to the east leading to the Indus Valley near Batalik . In addition, at
1090-756: A great trough, enclosed by the Himalayas and the Zanskar Range . Rangdum is the highest inhabited region in the Suru valley, after which the valley rises to 4,400 m (14,400 ft) at Pensi-la , the gateway to Zanskar. Kargil , the only town in the Suru Valley, is the second-most important town in Ladakh. It was an important staging post on the routes of trade caravans prior to 1947, being more-or-less equidistant (at about 230 kilometres) from Srinagar , Leh, Skardu and Padum . The Zanskar Valley lies in
1199-521: A major trade route was established between Leh and Yarkand . Ladakh is a high-altitude desert; the Himalayas create a rain shadow which generally denies passage of any monsoon clouds. The main source of water is the winter snowfall on the mountains. Recent flooding in the region (e.g., the 2010 floods ) has been attributed to abnormal rain patterns and retreating glaciers, both of which have been found to be linked to global climate change. The Leh Nutrition Project, headed by Chewang Norphel —also known as
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#17327661508281308-515: A natural fibre of some of the finest quality. The wool of the Tibetan antelope is prized for its lightweight feel and as a status symbol . The wool must be pulled out by hand, a process done after the animal is killed. The fibre is smuggled into Kashmir and woven into exquisite shawls by Kashmiri workers. Ladakh is also home to the Tibetan gazelle , which inhabits the vast rangelands in eastern Ladakh bordering Tibet. The kiang , or Tibetan wild ass,
1417-429: A new West Tibetan kingdom at the heart of the old Zhangzhung , now called Ngari in the Tibetan language. Nyimagon's eldest son, Lhachen Palgyigon , is believed to have conquered the regions to the north, including Ladakh and Rutog . After the death of Nyimagon, his kingdom was divided among his three sons, Palgyigon receiving Ladakh, Rutog, Thok Jalung and an area referred to as Demchok Karpo (a holy mountain near
1526-453: A separate territory since 1930s, because of perceived unfair treatment by Kashmir and Ladakh's cultural differences with predominantly Muslim Kashmir valley , while some people in Kargil opposed union territory status for Ladakh. The first organised agitation was launched against Kashmir's "dominance" in the year 1964. In late 1980s, a much larger mass agitation was launched to press their demand for union territory status. In August 2019,
1635-575: A short distance to the north, the Dras River valley branches off from the Suru valley leading to the Zoji La pass and Kashmir . Further north along the Suru valley, one reaches the Indus valley, leading to Skardu . Thus, Kargil is located at a key junction of routes between Kashmir, Ladakh and Baltistan. Scholar Janet Rizvi states that the Indus Valley between Marol and Dah is a narrow gorge and
1744-554: A total home range of 2.5 million km (0.97 million sq mi); however, there is only a small population, of about 400 animals, in Ladakh. Unlike other mountain sheep and goat species, the argali prefers open, grassy fields and rolling hills as it prefers to run, rather than climb into steep terrain, to flee from danger. The endangered Tibetan antelope , or chiru in Indian English (or Ladakhi tsos ), has traditionally been hunted for its wool ( shahtoosh ),
1853-727: A treaty with Ladakh then they retreated back to Lhasa in December 1684. The Treaty of Tingmosgang in 1684 settled the dispute between Tibet and Ladakh but severely restricted Ladakh's independence. In 1834, the Sikh Zorawar Singh , a general of Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu , invaded and annexed Ladakh to Jammu under the suzerainty of the Sikh Empire . After the defeat of the Sikhs in the First Anglo-Sikh War ,
1962-510: Is another rare cat that preys on smaller herbivores in Ladakh. It is mostly found in Nubra, Changthang and Zangskar. The Pallas's cat , which looks somewhat like a house cat, is very rare in Ladakh and not much is known about the species. The Tibetan wolf , which sometimes preys on the livestock of the Ladakhis, is the most persecuted amongst the predators. There are also a few brown bears in
2071-430: Is another unique mountain sheep that inhabits the mountains of Ladakh. The population is declining, however, and there are not more than 3,000 individuals left in Ladakh. The urial is endemic to Ladakh, where it is distributed only along two major river valleys, namely the Indus and Shayok. The animal is often persecuted by farmers, whose crops are allegedly damaged by flocks of urial. Its population declined dramatically in
2180-829: Is bordered by the Tibet Autonomous Region to the east, the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh to the south, both the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan to the west, and the southwest corner of Xinjiang across the Karakoram Pass in the far north. It extends from the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram range to the north to
2289-497: Is common in the grasslands of Changthang, numbering about 2,500 individuals. These animals are in conflict with the nomadic people of Changthang who hold the Kiang responsible for pasture degradation. There are about 200 snow leopards in Ladakh of an estimated 7,000 worldwide. The Hemis High Altitude National Park in central Ladakh is an especially good habitat for this predator as it has abundant prey populations. The Eurasian lynx ,
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#17327661508282398-660: Is dry and pleasant. Peak temperatures range from 3 to 35 °C (37 to 95 °F) in the summer and minimums range from −20 to −35 °C (−4 to −31 °F) in winter. The Zanskar (along with its tributaries) is the primary waterway of the region. The Zanskar freezes solid during the winter, and the famous Chadar trek takes place on the magnificent frozen river. Vegetation is extremely sparse in Ladakh except along streambeds and wetlands, on high slopes, and irrigated places. About 1250 plant species, including crops, were reported from Ladakh. The plant Ladakiella klimesii , growing up to 6,150 metres (20,180 ft) above sea level,
2507-547: Is its pronunciation in several Tibetan dialects. The English spelling Ladakh is derived from Persian : ladāx . The region was previously known as Maryul (see page for etymology). Medieval Islamic scholars called Ladakh the "Great Tibet" (derived from Turko-Arabic Ti-bat , meaning "highland"); Baltistan and other trans-Himalayan states in Kashmir's vicinity were referred to as "Little Tibets". It has also been called Ma-Lo-Pho (by Hiuen Tsang) or Lal Bhumi. Names in
2616-494: Is proposed which will connect Srinagar and Leh via Kargil. The nearest major railway station to Kargil is Jammu Tawi railway station located at a distance of 472 kilometres. An Indian national highway ( NH 1 ) connecting Srinagar to Leh cuts through Kargil. The all-weather Skardu–Kargil Road once linked Kargil to Skardu , a city in Gilgit-Baltistan . Since the 1948 Kashmir War, the road has been closed. Whilst
2725-681: Is situated along the banks of the Suru River (Indus) . The town of Kargil is located 205 km (127 mi) from Srinagar , facing Gilgit-Baltistan across the LOC . Like other areas in the Himalayas , Kargil has a temperate climate. Summers are hot with cool nights, while winters are long and chilly with temperatures often dropping below −20 °C (−4 °F). The total population of Kargil town increased almost tenfold from 1,681 persons in 1961 to 16,338 persons in 2011. The level of urbanisation concomitantly increased from 3.7% to 11.6%. In
2834-701: Is sometimes called the "Third Pole." The glacier lies between the Saltoro Ridge immediately to the west and the main Karakoram Range to the east. At 76 km (47 mi) long, it is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and second-longest in the world's non-polar areas. It falls from an altitude of 5,753 m (18,875 ft) above sea level at its source at Indira Col on the China border down to 3,620 m (11,880 ft) at its snout. Saser Kangri
2943-672: Is the International Border, and the remaining 489 km (304 mi) is the Line of Actual Control. The stand-off involving the most troops was in September 2014 in the disputed Chumar region when 800 to 1,000 Indian troops and 1,500 Chinese troops came into close proximity to each other. On 8 February 2019, Ladakh became a separate Revenue and Administrative Division within Jammu and Kashmir, having previously been part of
3052-643: Is the highest peak in the Saser Muztagh, the easternmost subrange of the Karakoram Range in India, Saser Kangri I having an altitude of 7,672 m (25,171 ft). The Ladakh Range has no major peaks; its average height is a little less than 6,000 m (20,000 ft), and few of its passes are less than 5,000 m (16,000 ft). The Pangong range runs parallel to the Ladakh Range for about 100 km (62 mi) northwest from Chushul along
3161-635: Is the largest circulated bi-lingual newspaper in the Union Territory that publishes once in a week. Kargil Airport is a non-operational airport located 8 kilometres from the town. The airport is included in UDAN scheme and is proposed to be operational in the near future. The nearest operational airport is the Srinagar International Airport . There is no rail connectivity to Kargil yet. The Srinagar–Kargil–Leh railway line
3270-709: The Numismatic Chronicle . Two of Cunningham's brothers, Francis and Joseph , became well known for their work in British India ; while another, Peter , became famous for his Handbook of London (1849). Cunningham married Alicia Maria Whish, daughter of Martin Whish, B.C.S., on 30 March 1840. The couple had two sons, Lieutenant-Colonel Allan J. C. Cunningham (1842–1928) of the Bengal and Royal Engineers, and Sir Alexander F. D. Cunningham (1852–1935) of
3379-612: The Aksai Chin area. The Indian effort to gain control of Aksai Chin led to the Sino-Indian War of 1962, which India lost. China also built the Karakoram highway jointly with Pakistan. India built the Srinagar-Leh Highway during this period, cutting the journey time between Srinagar and Leh from 16 days to two. The route, however, remains closed during the winter months due to heavy snowfall. Construction of
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3488-686: The Balti people rapidly converted to Islam. Noorbakshia Islam is named after him and his followers are only found in Baltistan and Ladakh. During his youth, Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin expelled the mystic Sheikh Zain Shahwalli for showing disrespect to him. The sheikh then went to Ladakh and proselytised many people to Islam. In 1505, Shamsuddin Iraqi, a noted Shia scholar, visited Kashmir and Baltistan. He helped in spreading Shia Islam in Kashmir and converted
3597-641: The Battle of Punniar in December 1843. He became engineer at Gwalior and was responsible for constructing an arched stone bridge over the Morar River in 1844–45. In 1845–46 he was called to serve in Punjab and helped construct two bridges of boats across the Beas river prior to the Battle of Sobraon . In 1846, he was made commissioner along with P. A. Vans Agnew to demarcate boundaries. Letters were written to
3706-450: The Bon religion . Sandwiched between Kashmir and Zhangzhung, Ladakh is believed to have been alternatively under the control of one or other of these powers. Academics find strong influences of Zhangzhung language and culture in "upper Ladakh" (from the middle section of the Indus valley to the southeast). The penultimate king of Zhangzhung is said to have been from Ladakh. From around 660 CE,
3815-465: The Government of India . He held this position from 1861 to 1865, but it was then terminated through lack of funds. Most antiquarians of the 19th century who took interest in identifying the major cities mentioned in ancient Indian texts, did so by putting together clues found in classical Graeco-Roman chronicles and the travelogues of travellers to India such as Xuanzang and Faxian . Cunningham
3924-653: The Governor-General of India. During this period he visited Kashmir , which was then not well explored. He finds mention by initials in Up the Country by Emily Eden . In 1841 Cunningham was made executive engineer to the king of Oudh . In 1842 he was called to serve the army in thwarting an uprising in Bundelkhand by the ruler of Jaipur . He was then posted at Nowgong in central India before he saw action at
4033-721: The Himalayan to the Kunlun Ranges and includes the upper Indus River valley. Historically, the region included the Baltistan ( Baltiyul ) valleys (now mostly in Pakistani-administered Kashmir ), the entire upper Indus Valley , the remote Zanskar , Lahaul and Spiti districts to the south, much of Ngari (including the Rudok region and Guge in the east), Aksai Chin in the northeast, and
4142-693: The Kashmir Division . As a division, Ladakh was granted its own Divisional Commissioner and Inspector General of Police . Leh was initially chosen to be the headquarters of the new division however, following protests, it was announced that Leh and Kargil will jointly serve as the divisional headquarters, each hosting an Additional Divisional Commissioner to assist the Divisional Commissioner and Inspector General of Police who will spend half their time in each town. The people of Ladakh had been demanding Ladakh to be constituted as
4251-540: The Namgyal dynasty ( Namgyal means "victorious" in several Tibetan languages). The Namgyals repelled most Central Asian raiders and temporarily extended the kingdom as far as Nepal. During the Balti invasion led by Raja Ali Sher Khan Anchan , many Buddhist temples and artefacts were damaged. Ali Sher Khan took the king and his soldiers as captives. Jamyang Namgyal was later restored to the throne by Ali Sher Khan and given
4360-632: The Nubra Valley to the north, over Khardong La in the Ladakh Range. Contemporary Ladakh borders Tibet to the east, the Lahaul and Spiti regions to the south, the Vale of Kashmir , Jammu and Baltiyul regions to the west, and the southwest corner of Xinjiang , China across the Karakoram Pass in the far north. The historically vague divide between Ladakh and the Tibetan Plateau commences to
4469-625: The Rimo Muztagh (highest point at 7,385 m or 24,229 ft) and the Teram Kangri Group (highest point at 7,464 m or 24,488 ft) together with Mamostong Kangri (7,526 m or 24,692 ft) and Singhi Kangri (7,202 m or 23,629 ft). North of the Karakoram lies the Kunlun. Thus, between Leh and eastern Central Asia there is a triple barrier – the Ladakh Range, Karakoram Range, and Kunlun. Nevertheless,
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4578-492: The Suru , Dras and Zanskar river valleys. The main populated regions are the river valleys, but the mountain slopes also support pastoral Changpa nomads. The main religious groups in the region are Muslims (mainly Shia ) (46%), Buddhists (mainly Tibetan Buddhists ) (40%), and Hindus (12%) with the remaining 2% made of other religions. Ladakh is one of the most sparsely populated regions in India. Its culture and history are closely related to those of Tibet . Ladakh
4687-901: The Suru Valley and the area around Dras. The Tibetan sand fox has been discovered in this region. Among smaller animals, marmots , hares , and several types of pika and vole are common. Scant precipitation makes Ladakh a high-altitude desert with extremely scarce vegetation over most of its area. Natural vegetation mainly occurs along water courses and on high altitude areas that receive more snow and cooler summer temperatures. Human settlements, however, are richly vegetated due to irrigation. Natural vegetation commonly seen along watercourses includes seabuckthorn ( Hippophae spp.), wild roses of pink or yellow varieties, tamarisk ( Myricaria spp.), caraway , stinging nettles , mint, Physochlaina praealta , and various grasses. Alexander Cunningham Major General Sir Alexander Cunningham KCIE CSI (23 January 1814 – 28 November 1893)
4796-433: The Tang dynasty and the Tibetan Empire started contesting the "four garrisons" of the Tarim Basin (present day Xinjiang ), a struggle that lasted three centuries. Zhangzhung fell victim to Tibet's ambitions in c. 634 and disappeared. Karkota Empire and the Umayyad Caliphate too joined the contest for Xinjiang soon afterwards. Baltistan and Ladakh were at the centre of these struggles. Academics infer from
4905-454: The "Glacier Man"—creates artificial glaciers as one solution for retreating glaciers. The regions on the north flank of the Himalayas – Dras, the Suru valley and Zangskar – experience heavy snowfall and remain cut-off from the rest of the region for several months during the year, just as the entire region remains isolated by road from the rest of the country. Summers are short, though they are long enough to grow crops; summer weather
5014-417: The "newl fort" at Kargil as a square of about sixty yards on the left bank of the Suru River, immediately above its junction with Wakha Rong. It was able to defend the bridge over the Suru River and completely command the Kashmir–Ladakh road. In 1838, the people of the region are said to have revolted against the Dogras, killing the kardar . The entire region was beset with rebellions, reportedly instigated by
5123-438: The 1960s, international trade dwindled. Since 1974, the Government of India has successfully encouraged tourism in Ladakh . As Ladakh is strategically important, the Indian military maintains a strong presence in the region. The largest town in Ladakh is Leh , followed by Kargil , each of which headquarters a district. The Leh district contains the Indus , Shyok and Nubra river valleys. The Kargil district contains
5232-428: The Archaeological Survey of India with much-needed organization and expertise after he left the Army in 1861. In his capacity as the first Director General, he carried out excavations in significant ancient towns, issued thirty volumes of archaeological papers, and assessed over 725 sites. He is regarded as the founder of archaeology in India because: Cunningham assembled a large numismatic collection, but much of this
5341-442: The Chinese and Tibetan officials by Lord Hardinge , but no officials joined. A second commission was set up in 1847 which was led by Cunningham to establish the Ladakh - Tibet boundary, which also included Henry Strachey and Thomas Thomson . Henry and his brother Richard Strachey had trespassed into Lake Mansarovar and Rakas Tal in 1846 and his brother Richard revisited in 1848 with botanist J. E. Winterbottom. The commission
5450-421: The Indian Army with considerable artillery and air force support. Pakistani troops were evicted from the Indian side of the Line of Control which the Indian government ordered was to be respected and which was not crossed by Indian troops. The Indian government was criticised by the Indian public because India respected geographical co-ordinates more than India's opponents: Pakistan and China. The Ladakh region
5559-424: The Indian Government has proposed opening the road as a humanitarian gesture, the Pakistani government has refused. Ladakh Ladakh ( / l ə ˈ d ɑː k / ) is a region administered by India as a union territory and constitutes an eastern portion of the larger Kashmir region that has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947 and India and China since 1959. Ladakh
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#17327661508285668-436: The Indus took three days and not two and therefore, suggested a different location for the city. Cunningham's subsequent explorations in 1863–64 of a site at Shah-dheri convinced him that his hypothesis was correct. Now as Hwen Thsang, on his return to China, was accompanied by laden elephants, his three days' journey from Takhshasila [ sic ] to the Indus at Utakhanda , or Ohind, must necessarily have been of
5777-423: The Kargil town and the Srinagar–Leh Highway , remained in Pakistani control at the end of the First Kashmir War. During the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 , Indian forces pushed the Line of Control north of the ridgeline, ensuring Kargil's security. A key village called Hunderman came under Indian control as a result of this push. Despite its central location, Kargil does not appear to have had any large settlement in
5886-479: The Ladakh region, although it is not found in some parts of Zangskar and Sham areas. The bharal is one of the preferred choices of prey of the rare snow leopard . The Asiatic ibex is a mountain goat that is distributed in the western part of Ladakh. It is the second-most abundant mountain ungulate in the region, with a population of about 6,000 individuals. It is adapted to rugged areas where it easily climbs near-vertical rock faces when threatened. The Ladakhi urial
5995-508: The Ladakhi people. Sayyid Ali Hamadani , Sayyid Muhammad Nur Baksh and Mir Shamsuddin Iraqi were three important Sufi missionaries who propagated Islam to the locals. Mir Sayyid Ali was the first one to make Muslim converts in Ladakh and is often described as the founder of Islam in Ladakh. Several mosques were built in Ladakh during this period, including in Mulbhe, Padum and Shey , the capital of Ladakh. His principal disciple, Sayyid Muhammad Nur Baksh also propagated Islam to Ladakhis and
6104-496: The Sikh governor of Kashmir. In 1840 Zorawar Singh launched a second expedition to Ladakh, deposed the Gyalpo , and annexed Ladakh to the Sikh Empire. He also decided to invade Baltistan. On the way to Baltistan, he made a detour to Sod, routed the rebels there and, "annexed" the whole of Purig. He appointed kardars for Drass and Suru. After Zorawar Singh's death in Tibet , there was another rebellion in Ladakh and Purig. But Dogras sent fresh forces under Wazir Lakhpat, who beat back
6213-440: The Srinagar–Leh Road, then the only road to Ladakh The military outposts on the ridges above the highway were generally around 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) elevation, with a few as high as 5,485 metres (18,000 ft). After several months of fighting and diplomatic activity, the Pakistani forces were forced to withdraw to their side of the Line of Control. Kargil has an average elevation of 2,676 metres (8,780 feet), and
6322-456: The Tibetans and reestablished status quo ante . On his return, the new Wazir garrisoned the Kargil fort and took all the Rajas of the region as prisoners. In 1854, there were three ilaqas (subdistrics) in the present day Kargil district, at Kargil, Dras and Zanskar respectively. They were headed by civil officers called Thanadars . It would appear that the growth of Kargil as an administrative centre and town owes to this establishment. During
6431-415: The bases of pillars to discover large stashes of Bactrian and Roman coins—excavations became a regular activity among British antiquarians. In 1834 he submitted to the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal , an appendix to James Prinsep 's article, on the relics in the Mankiala stupa . He had conducted excavations at Sarnath in 1837 along with Frederick Charles Maisey and made careful drawings of
6540-438: The battles of Chillianwala and Gujrat in 1848–49. In 1851, he explored the Buddhist monuments of Central India along with Lieutenant Maisey and wrote an account of these. In 1856 he was appointed chief engineer of Burma , which had just been annexed by Britain, for two years; and from 1858 served for three years in the same post in the North-Western Provinces . In both regions, he established public works departments. He
6649-623: The destroyed artefacts and gonpas by Sengge Namgyal , the son of Jamyang and Gyal. He expanded the kingdom into Zangskar and Spiti . Despite a defeat of Ladakh by the Mughals , who had already annexed Kashmir and Baltistan, Ladakh retained its independence. Islam begins to take root in the Leh area in the beginning of the 17th century after the Balti invasion and the marriage of Gyal to Jamyang. A large group of Muslim servants and musicians were sent along with Gyal to Ladakh and private mosques were built where they could pray. The Muslim musicians later settled in Leh. Several hundred Baltis migrated to
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#17327661508286758-409: The end of Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 , the two nations signed the Simla Agreement , converting the former ceasefire line with some adjustments into a Line of Control , and promising not to engage in armed conflict with respect to that boundary. In 1999 the area saw infiltration by Pakistani forces, leading to the Kargil War . Fighting occurred along a 160 km long stretch of ridges overlooking
6867-456: The fact that the large geographical area of the Ladakh (comprising 65% of total area), but Ladakh was allocated only 2% of the state budget based on its relative population. Within the first year of the formation of Ladakh as separate union territory, its annual budget allocation has increased 4 times from ₹ 57 crore to ₹ 232 crore. Ladakh is the highest plateau in India with most of it being over 3,000 m (9,800 ft). It extends from
6976-425: The folding of the Indian Plate into the more stationary Eurasian Plate . The drift continues, causing frequent earthquakes in the Himalayan region. The peaks in the Ladakh Range are at a medium altitude close to the Zoji-la (5,000–5,500 m or 16,400–18,000 ft) and increase toward southeast, culminating in the twin summits of Nun-Kun (7,000 m or 23,000 ft). The Suru and Zanskar Valleys form
7085-447: The gold and silver coins and a fine group of Buddhist sculptures and jewellery were bought by the British Museum in 1894. He was also the father of mathematician Allan Cunningham . Cunningham was born in London on 23 January 1814 to the Scottish poet Allan Cunningham (1784–1842) and his wife Jean née Walker (1791–1864). Along with his older brother, Joseph , he received his early education at Christ's Hospital , London. Through
7194-399: The hand of a Muslim princess in marriage. Her name was Gyal Khatun or Argyal Khatoom. She was to be the first queen and her son was to become the next ruler. Historical accounts differ upon who her father was. Some identify Ali's ally and Raja of Khaplu Yabgo Shey Gilazi as her father, while others identify Ali himself as the father. In the early 17th century efforts were made to restore
7303-402: The history and architecture of ancient India developed during his service. Soon after arriving in India on 9 June 1833, he met James Prinsep . He was in daily communication with Prinsep during 1837 and 1838 and became his intimate friend, confidant and pupil. Prinsep passed on to him his lifelong interest in Indian archaeology and antiquity. From 1836 to 1840, he was ADC to Lord Auckland ,
7412-505: The influence of Sir Walter Scott , both Joseph and Alexander obtained cadetships at the East India Company 's Addiscombe Seminary (1829–31), followed by technical training at the Royal Engineers Estate at Chatham . Alexander joined the Bengal Engineers at the age of 19 as a Second Lieutenant and he spent the next 28 years in the service of British Government of India . He demonstrated his abilities as an official by surveying flood-prone areas in and around Delhi. Cunningham's interest in
7521-433: The inhabitants using black bows; ru-thogs [Rutog] of the east and the Gold-mine of Hgog [possibly Thok Jalung]; nearer this way Lde-mchog-dkar-po [Demchok Karpo]; ... The first West Tibetan dynasty of Maryul founded by Palgyigon lasted five centuries, being weakened towards its end by the conquests of the Mongol/Mughal noble Mirza Haidar Dughlat . Throughout this period the region was called "Maryul", possibly from
7630-432: The invasion. The wartime conversion of the pony trail from Sonamarg to Zoji La by army engineers permitted tanks to move up and successfully capture the pass. The advance continued. Dras , Kargil and Leh were liberated and Ladakh cleared of the infiltrators. In 1949, China closed the border between Nubra and Xinjiang , blocking old trade routes. In 1955 China began to build roads connecting Xinjiang and Tibet through
7739-477: The king converted to Islam in return for the assistance by Mughal Empire after this, however, Ladakhi chronicles do not mention such a thing. The king agreed to pay tribute to the Mughals in return for defending the kingdom. The Mughals, however, withdrew after being paid off by the 5th Dalai Lama . With the help of reinforcements from Galdan Boshugtu Khan , Khan of the Zungar Empire , the Tibetans attacked again in 1684. The Tibetans were victorious and concluded
7848-583: The kingdom and according to oral tradition many Muslim traders were granted land to settle. Many other Muslims were invited over the following years for various purposes. In the late 17th century, Ladakh sided with Bhutan in its dispute with Tibet which, among other reasons, resulted in its invasion by the Tibetan Central Government . This event is known as the Tibet–Ladakh–Mughal war of 1679–1684. Kashmiri historians assert that
7957-544: The late twentieth century, due to indiscriminate shooting by hunters along the Leh-Srinagar Highway. The Tibetan argali (or nyan ) is the largest wild sheep species in the world, standing 1.1 to 1.2 metres (3.5 to 4 ft) at the shoulder, possessing very large, curled horns measuring 900–1,000 mm (35–39 in). It is distributed on the Tibetan Plateau and its marginal ranges, encompassing
8066-401: The local language include Kanchapa ( Land of snow ) and Ripul ( Country of mountains ). Rock carvings found in many parts of Ladakh indicate that the area has been inhabited from Neolithic times. Ladakh's earliest inhabitants consisted of nomads known as Kampa. Later settlements were established by Mons from Kullu and Brokpas who originated from Gilgit . Around the 1st century, Ladakh
8175-544: The main Great Himalayas to the south. The eastern end, consisting of the uninhabited Aksai Chin plains, is claimed by the Indian Government as part of Ladakh, but has been under Chinese control. In the past, Ladakh gained importance from its strategic location at the crossroads of important trade routes, but as Chinese authorities closed the borders between Tibet Autonomous Region and Ladakh in
8284-459: The medieval period. Instead there were two strong forts in its close vicinity. The Sod Valley to the east had a fort called Sod Pasari ( Wylie : sod pa sa ri , now known as Pasar Khar ) by the 16th or 17th century. It was the capital of "Lower Purig", which included the Sod Valley itself, the lower portion of Wakha Rong and, the Kargil bowl. By the 18th or 19h century, its dynasty established
8393-399: The north in an intricate maze of ridges to the east of Rudok , including Aling Kangri and Mavang Kangri, continuing southeastward toward northwestern Nepal . Before partition, Baltistan, now part of Pakistan, had been a district of Ladakh; Skardu was the winter capital of Ladakh, with Leh being the summer capital. The mountain ranges in this region were formed over 45 million years by
8502-405: The original proper name *Mrasa (Xuangzhang's, Mo-lo-so ), but in the Tibetan language it was interpreted to mean "lowland" (the lowland of Ngari). Maryul remained staunchly Buddhist during this period, having participated in the second diffusion of Buddhism from India to Tibet via Kashmir and Zanskar. Between the 1380s and early 1510s, many Islamic missionaries propagated Islam and proselytised
8611-607: The other body it would show that Brahmanism, instead of being an unchanged and unchangeable religion which had subsisted for ages, was of comparatively modern origin, and had been constantly receiving additions and alterations; facts which prove that the establishment of the Christian religion in India must ultimately succeed. Following his retirement from the Royal Engineers in 1861, Lord Canning , then Viceroy of India , appointed Cunningham as an archaeological surveyor to
8720-541: The overwhelming majority of Muslims in Baltistan to his school of thought. It is unclear what happened to Islam after this period and it seems to have received a setback. Mirza Muhammad Haidar Dughlat who invaded and briefly conquered Ladakh in 1532, 1545 and 1548, does not record any presence of Islam in Leh during his invasion although Shia Islam and Noorbakshia Islam continued to flourish in other regions of Ladakh. King Bhagan reunited and strengthened Ladakh and founded
8829-442: The present-day Demchok village). The second son received Guge–Purang (called "Ngari Korsum") and the third son received Zanskar and Spiti (to the southwest of Ladakh). This three-way division of Nyimagon's empire was recognised as historic and remembered in the chronicles of all the three regions as a founding narrative. He gave to each of his sons a separate kingdom, viz., to the eldest Dpal-gyi-gon , Maryul of Mngah-ris ,
8938-408: The reign of Pratap Singh , a wazarat (district) was established for all the frontier regions (including Gilgit), and Kargil was made a tehsil of this wazarat. Sometime later, Gilgit was separated, and Kargil, Skardu and Leh were jointly established as the Ladakh wazarat . The district headquarters shifted between the three locations each year. In historical times, both Leh and Kargil were part of
9047-587: The rest under his supervision by others such as J. D. Beglar. Other major works included the first volume of Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum (1877) which included copies of the edicts of Ashoka , The Stupa of Bharhut (1879) and the Book of Indian Eras (1883) which allowed the dating of Indian antiquities. He retired from the Archaeological Survey on 30 September 1885 and returned to London to continue his research and writing. Cunningham provided
9156-464: The same length as those of modern days, and, consequently, the site of the city must be looked for somewhere in the neighbourhood of Kâla-ka-sarâi . This site is found near Shah-dheri , just one mile to the north-east of Kâla-ka-sarâi , in the extensive ruins of a fortified city, around which I was able to trace no less than 55 stupas, of which two are as large as the great Manikyala tope, twenty-eight monasteries, and nine temples. After his department
9265-495: The same period, the population of the entire Kargil district was tripled from 45,064 to 140,802. As per the Census India 2011, the town has population of 16,338, of which 10,082 are males and 6,256 are females. The population of children between age 0-6 is 1,569 which is 9.6% of total population. The gender ratio is around 621 compared to 889 which is average of the former erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state. The literacy rate of
9374-501: The sculptures. In 1842 he excavated at Sankassa and at Sanchi in 1851. In 1854, he published The Bhilsa Topes , a piece of work which attempted to establish the history of Buddhism based on architectural evidence. By 1851, he also began to communicate with William Henry Sykes and the East India Company on the value of an archaeological survey. He provided a rationale for providing the necessary funding, arguing that
9483-405: The slant of Ladakhi chronicles that Ladakh may have owed its primary allegiance to Tibet during this time, but that it was more political than cultural. Ladakh remained Buddhist and its culture was not yet Tibetan. In the 9th century, Tibet's ruler Langdarma was assassinated and Tibet fragmented . Kyide Nyimagon , Langdarma's great-grandson, fled to West Tibet c. 900 CE , and founded
9592-665: The southern shore of the Pangong Lake . Its highest point is about 6,700 m (22,000 ft) and the northern slopes are heavily glaciated. The region comprising the valley of the Shayok and Nubra rivers is known as Nubra. The Karakoram Range in Ladakh is not as mighty as in Baltistan. The massifs to the north and east of the Nubra–Siachen line include the Apsarasas Group (highest point at 7,245 m or 23,770 ft)
9701-473: The state of Jammu and Kashmir was established as a separate princely state under British suzerainty . The Namgyal family was given the jagir of Stok , which it nominally retains to this day. European influence began in Ladakh in the 1850s and increased. Geologists, sportsmen, and tourists began exploring Ladakh. In 1885, Leh became the headquarters of a mission of the Moravian Church . Ladakh
9810-522: The stretch of the Indus flowing through Ladakh became the only part of this river, which is greatly venerated in the Hindu religion and culture, that still flows through India. The Siachen Glacier is in the eastern Karakoram Range in the Himalaya Mountains along the disputed India-Pakistan border. The Karakoram Range forms a great watershed that separates China from the Indian subcontinent and
9919-494: The town is 75.53%, out of which 85.57% are male literate and 59.35% are females literate. Islam is the largest religion in Kargil City, followed by over 92% of people. Budhism is the second-largest religion with 7.8% adherents. Other 0.003% of the population follow Sikhism respectively. Religion in Kargil City (2011) All India Radio 's channel AIR Kargil AM 684 is broadcast from a radio station at Kargil. Greater Ladakh
10028-537: The trade route between South Asia and Central Asia as posts and halting places until the mid-20th century. During the colonial period , the significance of this trade route in Kargil town manifested in the form of a serai , a rest-house, and post and telegraph offices. The small wooden shops and large emporiums of Kargil's small bazaar offered matches, kerosine oil, several varieties of sugar and tea, cotton cloth from Bombay and Manchester, and cheap glass and tinsel ornaments. The First Kashmir War (1947–48) concluded with
10137-672: The troughs of the rivers Stod and Lungnak . The region experiences heavy snowfall; the Pensi-la is open only between June and mid-October. Dras and the Mushkoh Valley form the western extremity of Ladakh. The Indus River is the backbone of Ladakh. Most major historical and current towns – Shey , Leh, Basgo and Tingmosgang (but not Kargil), are close to the Indus River. After the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947,
10246-422: The union territory continues to elect an autonomous district council as done previously. The demand for Ladakh as separate union territory was first raised by the parliamentarian Kushok Bakula Rinpoche around 1955, which was later carried forward by another parliamentarian Thupstan Chhewang . The former Jammu and Kashmir state use to obtain large allocation of annual funds from the union government based on
10355-480: The venture ... would be an undertaking of vast importance to the Indian Government politically, and to the British public religiously. To the first body it would show that India had generally been divided into numerous petty chiefships, which had invariably been the case upon every successful invasion; while, whenever she had been under one ruler, she had always repelled foreign conquest with determined resolution. To
10464-446: The west of Leh. It is on the bank of the Suru River near its confluence with the Wakha Rong river, the latter providing the most accessible route to Leh. The Ladakh Chronicles spell the name of Kargil as Wylie : dkar skyil , THL : kar kyil . The word can be interpreted as meaning a bright or wholesome expanse. Modern newspapers are said to spell the name as Wylie : dkar `khyil , THL : kar khyil . It can also be interpreted as
10573-587: Was a British Army engineer with the Bengal Sappers who later took an interest in the history and archaeology of India. In 1861, he was appointed to the newly created position of archaeological surveyor to the government of India ; and he founded and organised what later became the Archaeological Survey of India . He wrote numerous books and monographs and made extensive collections of artefacts. Some of his collections were lost, but most of
10682-542: Was a part of the Kushan Empire . Buddhism spread into western Ladakh from Kashmir in the 2nd century. The 7th-century Buddhist traveller Xuanzang describes the region in his accounts. Xuanzang's term of Ladakh is Mo-lo-so , which has been reconstructed by academics as *Malasa , *Marāsa , or *Mrāsa , which is believed to have been the original name of the region. For much of the first millennium, western Tibet comprised Zhangzhung kingdom(s), which practised
10791-424: Was able to identify some of the places mentioned by Xuanzang, and counted among his major achievements the identification of Aornos , Ahichchhatra , Bairat , Kosambi , Nalanda , Padmavati , Sangala , Sankisa , Shravasti , Srughna , Taxila , and Vaishali . Unlike his contemporaries, Cunningham would also routinely confirm his identifications through field surveys. The identification of Taxila, in particular,
10900-835: Was abolished in 1865, Cunningham returned to England and wrote the first part of his Ancient Geography of India (1871), covering the Buddhist period; but failed to complete the second part, covering the Muslim period. During this period in London he worked as director of the Delhi and London Bank . In 1870, Lord Mayo re-established the Archaeological Survey of India , with Cunningham as its director-general from 1 January 1871. Cunningham returned to India and made field explorations each winter, conducting excavations and surveys from Taxila to Gaur. He produced twenty-four reports, thirteen as author and
11009-449: Was administered as a wazarat under Dogra rule, with a governor termed wazir-e-wazarat . It had three tehsils, based at Leh, Skardu and Kargil . The headquarters of the wazarat was at Leh for six months of the year and at Skardu for six months. When the legislative assembly, called Praja Sabha , was established in 1934, Ladakh was given two nominated seats in the assembly. Ladakh was claimed as part of Tibet by Phuntsok Wangyal ,
11118-579: Was divided into the Kargil and Leh districts in 1979. In 1989, there were violent riots between Buddhists and Muslims. Following demands for autonomy from the Kashmiri -dominated state government, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council was created in the 1990s. Leh and Kargil districts now each have their own locally elected Hill Councils with some control over local policy and development funds. In 1991,
11227-408: Was established as a union territory of India on 31 October 2019, following the passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act . Prior to that, it was part of the Jammu and Kashmir state. Ladakh is both the largest and the second least populous union territory of India. The classical name in Tibetan : ལ་དྭགས , Wylie : La dwags , THL : la dak means the "land of high passes". Ladak
11336-403: Was first described here and named after this region. The first European to study the wildlife of this region was William Moorcroft in 1820, followed by Ferdinand Stoliczka , an Austrian - Czech palaeontologist , who carried out a massive expedition there in the 1870s. There are many lakes in Ladakh such as Kyago Tso . The bharal (or blue sheep) is the most abundant mountain ungulate in
11445-754: Was lost when the steamship he was travelling in, the Indus , was wrecked off the coast of Ceylon in November 1884. The British Museum , however, obtained most of the gold and silver coins. He had suggested to the Museum that they should use the arch from the Sanchi Stupa to mark the entrance of a new section on Indian history. He also published numerous papers in the Journal of the Asiatic Society and
11554-530: Was made difficult partly due to errors in the distances recorded by Pliny in his Naturalis Historia which pointed to a location somewhere on the Haro River , a two-day march from the Indus . Cunningham noticed that this position did not tally with the itineraries of Chinese pilgrims and in particular, the descriptions provided by Xuanzang. Unlike Pliny, these sources noted that the journey to Taxila from
11663-564: Was not easily traversable in the pre-modern period. So the normal trade route between Baltistan and Leh also ran via Kargil, using the Suru valley and Wakha Rong. After the Partition of India and the First Kashmir War , Baltistan came under the control of Pakistan. The Line of Control with Pakistan-administered Kashmir is roughly 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) to the north of Kargil. A key height called Peak 13620, which overlooks
11772-566: Was set up to delimit the northern boundaries of the Empire after the First Anglo-Sikh War concluded with the Treaty of Amritsar , which ceded Kashmir as war indemnity expenses to the British. His early work Essay on the Aryan Order of Architecture (1848) arose from his visits to the temples in Kashmir and his travels in Ladakh during his tenure with the commission. He was also present at
11881-646: Was therefore absent from India during the Rebellion of 1857 . He was appointed Colonel of the Royal Engineers in 1860. He retired on 30 June 1861, having attained the rank of Major General . Cunningham had taken a keen interest in antiquities from early on in his career. Following the activities of Jean-Baptiste Ventura (general of Ranjit Singh )—who, inspired by the French explorers in Egypt, had excavated
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