47-540: Zanskari may refer to: the people of Zanskar , a tehsil of Kargil district, Jammu and Kashmir, India the Zaniskari pony , a breed of pony found around Leh and Laddakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India Zangskari language , the language of most of the people of Zanskar which is, apparently, closely related to Ladhaki . Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
94-454: 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
141-437: A group of several Indo-Aryan languages spoken in northern Pakistan , northwestern India and parts of northeastern Afghanistan . This region has sometimes been referred to as Dardistan . Rather than close linguistic or ethnic relationships, the original term Dardic was a geographical concept, denoting the northwesternmost group of Indo-Aryan languages. There is no ethnic unity among the speakers of these languages nor can
188-706: A linguistic expression. Taken literally, it allows one to believe that all the languages spoken in Dardistan are Dardic . It also allows one to believe that all the people speaking Dardic languages are Dards and the area they live in is Dardistan . A term used by classical geographers to identify the area inhabited by an indefinite people, and used in Rajatarangini in reference to people outside Kashmir, has come to have ethnographic, geographic, and even political significance today. George Morgenstierne's scheme corresponds to recent scholarly consensus. As such,
235-651: A marked tendency towards metathesis where a "pre- or postconsonantal 'r' is shifted forward to a preceding syllable". This was seen in Ashokan rock edicts (erected 269 BCE to 231 BCE) in the Gandhara region, where Dardic dialects were and still are widespread. Examples include a tendency to spell the Classical Sanskrit words priyad ar shi (one of the titles of Emperor Ashoka ) as instead priyad ra shi and dh ar ma as dh ra ma . Modern-day Kalasha uses
282-516: A much larger region, stretching from the mouth of the Indus (in Sindh ) northwards in an arc, and then eastwards through modern day Himachal Pradesh to Kumaon. However, this has not been conclusively established. Dardic languages have been organized into the following subfamilies: Virtually all Dardic languages have experienced a partial or complete loss of voiced aspirated consonants. Khowar uses
329-768: A single common feature distinguishing Dardic, as a whole, from the rest of the [Indo-Aryan] languages... Dardic is simply a convenient term to denote a bundle of aberrant [Indo-Aryan] hill-languages which, in their relative isolation, accented in many cases by the invasion of Pathan tribes, have been in varying degrees sheltered against the expand influence of [Indo-Aryan] Midland ( Madhyadesha ) innovations, being left free to develop on their own. Due to their geographic isolation, many Dardic languages have preserved archaisms and other features of Old Indo-Aryan . These features include three sibilants , several types of clusters of consonants, and archaic or antiquated vocabulary lost in other modern Indo-Aryan languages. Kalasha and Khowar are
376-506: 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
423-554: Is limited evidence that the Kohistani languages are descended from Gandhari. Leitner 's Dardistan , in its broadest sense, became the basis for the classification of the languages in the north-west of the Indo-Aryan linguistic area (which includes present-day eastern Afghanistan , northern Pakistan , and Kashmir ). George Abraham Grierson , with scant data, borrowed the term and proposed an independent Dardic family within
470-506: 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
517-652: 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
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#1732776777999564-732: 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
611-604: 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
658-659: 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
705-515: The Indo-Iranian languages separate from Indo-Aryan and Iranian families, and determined that the Dardic languages were unmistakably Indo-Aryan in character. Dardic languages contain absolutely no features which cannot be derived from old [Indo-Aryan language]. They have simply retained a number of striking archasisms, which had already disappeared in most Prakrit dialects... There is not
752-428: The Indo-Iranian languages . However, Grierson's formulation of Dardic is now considered to be incorrect in its details, and has therefore been rendered obsolete by modern scholarship. Georg Morgenstierne , who conducted an extensive fieldwork in the region during the early 20th century, revised Grierson's classification and came to the view that only the "Kafiri" ( Nuristani ) languages formed an independent branch of
799-647: 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
846-521: 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
893-596: 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
940-474: 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
987-508: 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"
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#17327767779991034-498: 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
1081-534: 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
1128-472: 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,
1175-650: 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
1222-824: 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
1269-471: The Punjabi word drakhat 'tree' (from Persian darakht ). Dardic languages also show other consonantal changes. Kashmiri, for instance, has a marked tendency to shift k to ch and j to z (e.g. zon 'person' is cognate to Sanskrit jan 'person or living being' and Persian jān 'life'). Unique among the Dardic languages, Kashmiri presents "verb second" as the normal grammatical form. This
1316-526: 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
1363-492: 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
1410-464: 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
1457-475: 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
Zanskari - Misplaced Pages Continue
1504-648: The greater part of its vocabulary is now of Indian origin, and is allied to that of Sanskritic Indo-Aryan languages of northern India". While it is true that many Dardic languages have been influenced by non-Dardic languages, Dardic may have also influenced neighbouring Indo-Aryan lects in turn, such as Punjabi , the Pahari languages , including the Central Pahari languages of Uttarakhand , and purportedly even further afield. Some linguists have posited that Dardic lects may have originally been spoken throughout
1551-534: The historic Dardic's position as a legitimate genetic subfamily has been repeatedly called into question; it is widely acknowledged that the grouping is more geographical in nature, as opposed to linguistic. Indeed, Buddruss rejected the Dardic grouping entirely, and placed the languages within Central Indo-Aryan . Other scholars, such as Strand and Mock, have similarly voiced doubts in this regard. However, Kachru contrasts "Midland languages" spoken in
1598-448: 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
1645-518: The languages be traced to a single ancestor . After further research, the term "Eastern Dardic" is now a legitimate grouping of languages that excludes some languages in the Dardistan region that are now considered to be part of different language families. The extinct Gandhari language , used by the Gandhara civilization , from circa 1500 BCE, was Dardic in nature. Linguistic evidence has linked Gandhari with some living Dardic languages, particularly Torwali and other Kohistani languages. There
1692-406: 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
1739-411: 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
1786-544: 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
1833-563: The most archaic of all modern Indo-Aryan languages , retaining a great part of Sanskrit case inflexion, and retaining many words in a nearly Sanskritic form. For example driga "long" in Kalasha is nearly identical to dīrghá in Sanskrit and ašrú "tear" in Khowar is identical to the Sanskrit word. French Indologist Gérard Fussman points out that the term Dardic is geographic, not
1880-438: 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
1927-539: The plains, such as Punjabi and Urdu , with "Mountain languages", such as Dardic. Kogan has also suggested an 'East-Dardic' sub-family; comprising the 'Kashmiri', 'Kohistani' and 'Shina' groups. The case of Kashmiri is peculiar. Its Dardic features are close to Shina , often said to belong to an eastern Dardic language subfamily. Kachru notes that "the Kashmiri language used by Kashmiri Hindu Pandits has been powerfully influenced by Indian culture and literature, and
Zanskari - Misplaced Pages Continue
1974-485: The title Zanskari . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zanskari&oldid=509026141 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Zanskar Zanskar , Zahar (locally) or Zangskar ,
2021-501: 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
2068-525: 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
2115-565: The word buum for 'earth' (Sanskrit: bhumi ), Pashai uses the word duum for 'smoke' (Urdu: dhuān , Sanskrit: dhūma ) and Kashmiri uses the word dọd for 'milk' (Sanskrit: dugdha , Urdu: dūdh ). Tonality has developed in most (but not all) Dardic languages, such as Khowar and Pashai, as a compensation. Punjabi and Western Pahari languages similarly lost aspiration but have virtually all developed tonality to partially compensate (e.g. Punjabi kár for 'house', compare with Urdu ghar ). Both ancient and modern Dardic languages demonstrate
2162-447: The word driga 'long' (Sanskrit: dirgha ). Palula uses drubalu 'weak' (Sanskrit: durbala ) and brhuj 'birch tree' (Sanskrit: bhurja ). Kashmiri uses drạ̄lid 'impoverished' (Sanskrit: daridra ) and krama 'work' or 'action' (Sanskrit: karma ). Western Pahari languages (such as Dogri ), Sindhi and Lahnda (Western Punjabi) also share this Dardic tendency to metathesis, though they are considered non-Dardic, for example cf.
2209-630: 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. Dardic peoples The Dardic languages (also Dardu or Pisaca ), or Hindu-Kush Indo-Aryan languages , are
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