Misplaced Pages

#999

48-457: Around 235 km (146 mi) from the state capital, Shimla, Kinnaur is located in the northeast corner of Himachal Pradesh, bordering Tibet to the east. It has three high mountain ranges, namely Zanskar and the Himalayas , that enclose the valleys of Baspa , Satluj , Bhaba and Spiti , as well as their tributaries. The slopes are covered with thick wood, orchards, fields and hamlets. At

96-587: A spice . The seed maturation time varies between species from 6 to 18 months after pollination. The male cones are similar to the other Cupressaceae , with 6 to 20 scales. In hardiness zones 7 through 10, junipers can bloom and release pollen several times each year. Different junipers bloom in autumn, while most pollinate from early winter until late spring. Many junipers (e.g. J. chinensis , J. virginiana ) have two types of leaves; seedlings and some twigs of older trees have needle-like leaves 5–25 mm ( 3 ⁄ 16 –1 in) long, on mature plants

144-454: A great distance from the villages, but have been abandoned because running water is now available nearer to the settlements. Zanskari houses, though otherwise well built, are not adapted to the recently increasing rainfall, as their roofs leak, catching their surprised inhabitants unprepared. Most of the precipitation occurs as snowfall during the harsh and extremely long winter period. These winter snowfalls are of vital importance, since they feed

192-468: A separate district on 1 May, 1960. Earlier Kinnaur was a north-eastern segment of the erstwhile Bushahr principality, which had its capital at Kamru . Later, the capital was shifted to Rampur Bushahr . After the fall of the Kannauj Empire , the rulers of Kamru annexed adjoining territories by force and laid the foundation of the state of Bushahr. Kinnaur belonged to it till the dissolution of

240-464: Is Shimla Airport that is connected with all the major cities. Kinnaur does not have any railway service commuting directly to the place. One can reach Shimla that is connected by a narrow-gauge railway line from Kalka. Connected by National Highway 05 Kinnaur can be easily reached via Shimla . Busses run by Himachal Road Transport Corporation ply from Shimla to different parts of Kinnaur. Zanskar Zanskar , Zahar (locally) or Zangskar ,

288-506: Is a high altitude semi-desert lying on the northern flank of the Himalayan Range. This mountain range acts as a barrier protecting Ladakh and Zanskar from most of the monsoon , resulting in a pleasantly warm and dry climate in the summer. Rain and snowfall during this period are scarce, although recent decades have shown a trend towards increasing precipitation. Several water-driven mills were built during ancient periods of drought at

336-628: Is of the juvenile needle-like type, with no scale leaves. In some of these (e.g. J. communis ), the needles are jointed at the base, while in others (e.g. J. squamata ), the needles merge smoothly with the stem. The needle leaves of junipers are hard and sharp, making the juvenile foliage very prickly to handle. This can be a valuable identification feature in seedlings, as the otherwise very similar juvenile foliage of cypresses ( Cupressus , Chamaecyparis ) and other related genera are soft and not prickly. Junipers are gymnosperms , which means they have seeds, but no flowers or fruits. Depending on

384-656: Is one of the smallest districts in India by population. It is known for the Kinnaur Kailash , a mountain sacred to Hindus , close to the Chinese border. According to the 2011 census , Kinnaur district has a population of 84,121. This gives it a ranking of 620th in India (out of a total of 640 ). The district has a population density of 13 inhabitants per square kilometre (34/sq mi). Its population growth rate over

432-506: Is scarce, and restricted to alluvial fans and terraces, cultivated fields being rarely found above an altitude of 4,000 metres. The Zanskaris have developed a system of intensive arable agriculture and complex irrigation to produce enough food in these conditions. The scarcity of cultivable land has also resulted in a tendency towards a stable, zero-growth population. An efficient birth-control system in Zanskar has historically been achieved by

480-652: Is suspected that an Indo-European population known as the Mon might then have lived in this region, before mixing with or being replaced by the next settlers, the Dards . Early Buddhism coming from Kashmir spread its influence in Zanskar, possibly as early as 200 BC. The earliest monuments date from the Kushan period. After this eastward propagation of Buddhism, Zanskar and large parts of the Western Himalaya were overrun in

528-732: Is the southwestern region of the Indian union territory of Ladakh . The administrative centre of Zanskar is Padum . Zanskar, together with the rest of Ladakh, was briefly a part of the kingdom of Western Tibet called Ngari Khorsum. Zanskar lies 250 km south of Kargil town on NH301 . In August 2024, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that Zanskar will become a district in Ladakh by 2028. Zanskar ( ཟངས་དཀར་ zangs dkar ) appears as “Zangskar” mostly in academic studies in social sciences ( anthropology , gender studies ), reflecting

SECTION 10

#1732797818001

576-604: Is used in order to distinguish them from later Dard settlers. A small fraction are Sunni Muslims whose ancestors settled in Padum and its environs in the 19th century. An overwhelming majority of Zanskar is Buddhist. Almost every village has a local monastery, often containing ancient wall-paintings and images. There are two main branches of Tibetan Buddhism here — the Drugpa , including Sani Monastery , Dzongkhul , Stagrimo and Bardan Monastery - all loosely affiliated with Stakna in

624-659: The Aksai Chin to China. Ladakh and Zanskar, despite a tumultuous history of internal wars and external aggressions, have never lost their cultural and religious heritage since the 8th century. Thanks to its inclusion in the Indian Union , this is also one of the rare regions in the Himalaya where traditional Tibetan culture, society, and buildings survived the Chinese Cultural Revolution . In

672-567: The Himalaya , where vegetation is sparse and consists primarily of hardy grasses. Alpine species such as juniper , pine , fir , cypress , and rhododendron can be found at elevations between 3,500 and 5,000 metres, primarily in Middle Kinnaur. At lower altitudes, temperate-climate trees are found, including oak , chestnut , maple , birch , alder , magnolia , apple , and apricot . Yaks and dzos are reared by local farmers in

720-647: The Indus valley . The Gelugpa control Rangdum Monastery , Karsha , Stongde and Phugtal Monastery , which all pay allegiance to the Ngari Rinpoche, who has his main seat at Likir Monastery in Ladakh. The present emanation of the Ngari Rinpoche is the younger brother of the Dalai Lama. People living in Zanskar speak Zanskari language of the Ladakhi-Balti language group. It is written using

768-521: The Ministry of Home Affairs announced that Zanskar will become a district in Ladakh by 2028. Zanskar covers an area of some 7,000 square kilometres (2,700 sq mi), generally at an elevation between 3,600 and 4,000 m (11,800 and 13,100 ft). It consists of the country lying along the two main branches of the Zanskar River . The first, the Doda River , has its source near

816-596: The Penzi La 4,400 metres (14,400 ft) mountain-pass, and then flows south-eastwards along the main valley leading towards Padum, the capital of Zanskar. The second branch is formed by two main tributaries known as Kargyag river (also known as Kurgiakh river), with its source near the Shinku La 5,091 metres (16,703 ft), and Tsarap River , with its source near the Baralacha-La. These two rivers unite below

864-474: The Tibetan script . Monks who have studied outside of Zanskar may know Standard Tibetan. Educated people of Zanskar know English as it is a compulsory subject in numerous Indian schools.The population lives mainly in scattered small villages, the largest being the capital Padum , with nearly 700 inhabitants. Most of the villages are located in the valleys of the Zanskar river and its two main tributaries. Given

912-592: The genus Juniperus ( / dʒ uː ˈ n ɪ p ər ə s / joo- NIP -ər-əs ) of the cypress family Cupressaceae . Depending on the taxonomy , between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere as far south as tropical Africa , including the Arctic , parts of Asia, and Central America . The highest-known juniper forest occurs at an altitude of 4,900 metres (16,100 ft) in southeastern Tibet and

960-508: The glaciers which melt in the summer and provide most of the irrigation water. Parts of Zanskar valley are considered some of the coldest continually inhabited places in the world. Zanskar's population is small, the 2011 census recorded a population of 13,793 people. The sex ratio was 862 females per 1,000 males. The literacy rate was 59.73%. The majority of Zanskaris are of mixed Tibetan and Indo-European origins; notably Changpa , Dard and Mon. The latter are ethnically Dard, but "Mon"

1008-498: The yak , is of paramount importance in Zanskar. Yaks are used to plough the land, thresh grain, and carry heavy loads (up to 200 kilograms). Their dung not only serves as fertiliser but is also the only heating fuel available in the region. They are a vital source of milk and sometimes, but rarely, of meat. Yak fur is used to make clothes, carpets, ropes, and bed covers. The Zanskaris' main occupations are cattle-rearing and farming of land that they almost always own. Cultivable land

SECTION 20

#1732797818001

1056-510: The 2011 census, 72% of the population in the district spoke or knew native languages of Kinnaur, 16.65% Hindi and 7.03% Nepali as their first language. Although, Hindi is fast emerging as the language of choice in most domains, especially the young speakers, due to the demands of modernity which has threatened the native languages. Most of Kinnaur enjoys a temperate climate due to its high elevation, with long winters from October to May, and short summers from June to September. The lower parts of

1104-534: The 7th century by the Tibetans, who imposed their then animistic Bön religion. Buddhism regained its influence over Zanskar in the 8th century when Tibet was also converted to this religion. Between the 10th and 11th centuries, two Royal Houses were founded in Zanskar, and the monasteries of Karsha and Phugtal (see picture) were built. Until the 15th century Zanskar existed as a more or less independent Buddhist Kingdom ruled by two to four related royal families. In

1152-472: The Buddhists were reluctant to use, but in some cases were forced to try, with as yet undocumented success. In 2008 it was reported that the locusts had left the central Zanskar plains. People of Zanskar demanded having their own district, separate from the existing Kargil district, for more than 70 years. The Ladakh Buddhist Association also demanded the creation of a Zanskar district. In August 2024,

1200-650: The Doda and Lingti–kargyag valleys, which run north-west to south-east. To the south-west is the Great Himalayan Range which separates Zanskar from the Kisthwar and Chamba basins. To the north-east lies the Zanskar Range, which separates Zanskar from Ladakh. The only outlet for the whole Zanskar hydrographic system is thus the Zanskar river, which cuts the deep and narrow Zanskar Gorge through

1248-824: The Ladakhi pronunciation, although the Zanskari pronunciation is Zãhar. Older geographical accounts and maps may use the alternate spelling "Zaskar". An etymological study (Snellgrove and Skorupsky, 1980) of the name reveals that its origin might refer to the natural occurrence of copper in this region, the Tibetan word for which is "Zangs". The second syllable however seems to be more challenging as it has various meanings: "Zangs-dkar" (white copper), "Zangs-mkhar" (copper palace), or "Zangs-skar" (copper star). Others claim it derives from zan = copper + skar = valley. John Crook (1994) partly shares this interpretation but suggests that

1296-677: The Sutlej Valley and the Baspa Valley receive monsoon rains. The Baspa valley receives highest rainfall in July month. The upper areas of the valleys fall mainly in the rain-shadow area. These areas are considered to be arid regions, similar to the climate of Tibet and Central Asian countries. A study by the IIT Delhi in 2016 established that Kinnaur district has the cleanest air in the country Portions of Kinnaur are situated high in

1344-526: The Zanskar range. These topographical features explain why access to Zanskar is difficult from all sides. Communication with the neighbouring Himalayan areas is maintained across mountain passes or along the Zanskar river when frozen. The easiest approach leads from Kargil through the Suru valley and over the Penzi-La. It is along this track that in 1979 the only road in Zanskar was built to connect Padum with

1392-492: The animals are sent during the summer higher up in the mountains (the alpine meadows) and were kept by the children and women. Tourism is probably the major disruption that Zanskar has experienced during recent times. The opening of this region to foreigners has brought changes such as the financing of schools and the restoration of monasteries and roads, but has also taken its toll on the fragile mountain environment and its population. The first colour film of life in Zanskar

1440-464: The common practice of polyandrous marriage, in which several brothers are married to the same wife, and the widespread adoption of a celibate religious life. A high infant mortality rate also contributes to population stability. In the summer, the women and children stay far away from the villages to tend to the livestock. This system, known as transhumance , is similar to the one found in the Alps where

1488-538: The decade 2001-2011 was 7.61%. Kinnaur has a sex ratio of 819 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 80%. The entire population was rural. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 17.53% and 57.95% of the population respectively. Languages of Kinnaur district (2011) Kannaura people speak about eight language varieties, seven from Sino-Tibetan language family; Kinnauri, Chitkuli, Sumcho, Jangrami, Poo Kinnauri, Sunam, Nesang and one from an Indo-Aryan language family, called Pahari Kinnauri. Also see At

Kinnaur district - Misplaced Pages Continue

1536-475: The early 17th century, Zanskar was conquered by Sengge Namgyal and was incorporated into Ladakh. In 1822 a coalition of Kulu , Lahoul , and Kinnaur invaded Zanskar, plundering the country and destroying the royal palace at Padum. In the mid-20th century, border conflicts between India, Pakistan and China caused Ladakh and Zanskar to be closed to foreigners. During these wars Ladakh lost two thirds of its original territory, losing Baltistan to Pakistan and

1584-483: The high point 3038 meters, along the boundaries of Shimla and Kinnaur to Srikhand Dhar via  Gushu Pishu Peak, up to Kokshane Peak. The flora includes kharsu, oak, weeping fig , alpine, chir pine , Himalayan temperate forest, coniferous and dry broad leaved coniferous. The fauna of Rupi Bhaba Wildlife Sanctuary includes snow leopard , brown bear , Himalayan tahr , blue sheep , Indian fox, and musk deer . No direct flight commute to Kinnaur. The nearest airport

1632-669: The higher areas. Scattered populations of the Himalayan black bear and small ponies may also be found. Rupi Bhaba Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over an expanse of 503 sq.km. of Rupi Bhaba, Kinnaur. In 1982, a 239 sq. km. portion of the Bushahr state forests was declared the Rupi Bhaba Wildlife Sanctuary. To the north, it covers main Srikhand Dhar, starting from Kokshane Peak. To the east, it covers

1680-448: The isolation of this region, the inhabitants tend towards self-sufficiency, and until recently lived in almost complete autarky . External trade has, however, always been necessary for the acquisition of goods such as tools , jewellery , or religious artefacts . Much of Zanskar's vegetation is found in the irrigated villages, and on the upper slopes, which receive more precipitation and grow alpine and tundra species. Most impressive are

1728-406: The last twenty years, the opening of a road and the massive influx of tourists and researchers have brought many changes to the traditional social organisation of Zanskar. In 2007 the valley suffered its third year of a desert locust infestation with many villages losing their crops. The response of the monasteries puja (prayer) to get rid of them, while the government advocated insecticides, which

1776-409: The leaves are overlapping like (mostly) tiny scales, measuring 2–4 mm ( 3 ⁄ 32 – 5 ⁄ 32  in). When juvenile foliage occurs on mature plants, it is most often found on shaded shoots, with adult foliage in full sunlight. Leaves on fast-growing 'whip' shoots are often intermediate between juvenile and adult. In some species (e.g. J. communis , J. squamata ), all the foliage

1824-411: The main road from Srinagar into Ladakh. One of the first Tibetologists to spend an extended period in the region was Hungarian scholar Sándor Csoma de Kőrös who spent over a year living in the region in 1823. After being integrated into the newly formed state of India in 1947, Zanskar and the neighbouring region of Ladakh were both declared restricted areas and only opened to foreigners in 1974. Zanskar

1872-544: The meadows covered with thousands of edelweiss . At the foot of the Gumburanjon mountain, blue poppies can be found. Crops including barley , lentils , and potatoes are grown by farmers at the lower elevations. Domesticated animals such as the yak , dzo , sheep, horse, and dog are found in the region. Among the wildlife found in Zanskar are the marmot , bear , wolf , snow leopard , bharal , alpine ibex , gray goral , and lammergeier . Livestock, and especially

1920-752: The northern Himalayas , creating one of the highest tree lines on earth. Junipers vary in size and shape from tall trees , 20–40 metres (66–131 feet) tall, to columnar or low-spreading shrubs with long, trailing branches. They are evergreen with needle-like and/or scale-like leaves . They can be either monoecious or dioecious . The female seed cones are very distinctive, with fleshy, fruit -like coalescing scales which fuse together to form a berrylike structure ( galbulus ), 4–27 millimetres ( 3 ⁄ 16 – 1 + 1 ⁄ 16 inches) long, with one to 12 unwinged, hard-shelled seeds . In some species, these "berries" are red-brown or orange, but in most, they are blue; they are often aromatic and can be used as

1968-438: The origin of this name might also be "Zan-mKhar" (food palace), because the staple food crops are so abundant in an otherwise rather arid region. The locally accepted spelling of the name in Tibetan script is zangs-dkar. Some of the religious scholars of the district, also cited by Snellgrove and Skorupsky (1980) and Crook (1994), hold that it was originally "bzang-dkar", meaning good (or beautiful) and white. "Good" would refer to

Kinnaur district - Misplaced Pages Continue

2016-578: The peak of Kinnaur Kailash mountain is a natural rock Shivling (Shiva lingam ). The district was opened to outsiders in 1989. The old Hindustan-Tibet Road passes through the Kinnaur valley along the bank of river Sutlej and finally enters Tibet at Shipki La pass. Kinnaur is the second richest district in terms of per capita income after Solan in Himachal Pradesh. Kinnaur was a part of erstwhile Chini Tehsil of Mahasu district. It became

2064-475: The ridge line from high points 5567 meters, on the main Srikhand mountain range, heading south, diving first Nichar from Murang Tehsil then Kalpa Tehsil till the point on the ridge line of Mukim Dhar up to peak 5496 meters. To the south, it meanders through Listrang Gad, Khosyan, Angyar Ghat, Wanger Khad, Soling Dhar, Saknatpa PF, Kandarn Khad, Shorang Khad, and Bara Kamba etc.   To the west, starting from

2112-408: The species, the seeds they produce take 1–3 years to develop. The impermeable coat of the seed keeps water from getting in and protects the embryo when dispersed. It can also result in a long dormancy that is usually broken by physically damaging the seed coat. Dispersal can occur from being swallowed whole by frugivores and mammals. The resistance of the seed coat allows it to be passed down through

2160-553: The state after independence of India. In the absence of authentic historical records the early history of the Kinnaur region is obscure and the reference of the Kinnaur or Kannaura and their land is by and large confined to legends and mythological accounts. Kinnaur also has historical cultural links with Ngari Prefecture of the Tibetan Autonomous Region . With a mountainous area, ranging in altitude from 2,320 to 6,816 metres (7,612 to 22,362 ft), Kinnaur

2208-501: The triangular shape of the Padum plain, the triangle being the symbol of Dharma and religion; "white" would refer to the simplicity, goodness, and religious inclinations of the native population. The first traces of human activity in Zanskar seem to go back as far as the Bronze Age . Petroglyphs attributed to that period suggest that their creators were hunters on the steppes of central Asia, living between Kazakhstan and China. It

2256-525: The village of Purney to form the Lungnak river (also known as the Lingti or Tsarap river). The Lungnak river then flows north-westwards along a narrow gorge towards Zanskar's central valley (known locally as jung-khor), where it unites with the Doda river to form the Zanskar river. The Zanskar river then takes a north-eastern course until it joins the Indus in Ladakh. High mountain ridges lie on both sides of

2304-536: Was shot in 1958 by an expedition of three British housewives. The 2001 movie Samsara was entirely shot in Zanskar. In 2010, the American film director Frederick Marx made a documentary called " Journey from Zanskar ". Narrated by Richard Gere , the film tells the story of two monks helping 17 poor children reaching Tibetan schools in India through a difficult and dangerous terrain. Juniper See text Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in

#999