The Zanskar sub-division of Kargil
district is centered around its main
settlement at Padam Four main routes
over passes up to 500m converge here
from Lahoul in the Chenab valley,
Kishtwar, the Suru valley and Leh.
Truly one of the most desolate places
in the Himalaya, Zanskar is known for
its spectacular scale, hardy mountain
folk and extreme winter when the
Zanskar river freezes to from the
"chador" over which mail runners
operate.
A long
and winding river of ice and snow, the
Drang-Drung" is perhaps the largest
glacier in Ladakh, outside the Siachen
formation. It is from the cliff-like
snout of this extensive glacier that
the Stod or Doda River, the main
tributary of river Zanskar, rises.
About
20 kms. South of Rangdum stands the
Pazila watershed across which lies
Zanskar, the most isolated of all
the trans Himalayan Valleys. The
Panzila Top (4401 m) is the
picturesque tableland adorned with
two small alpine lakes and
surrounded by snow covered peaks. As
the Zanskar road winds down the
steep slopes of the watershed to the
head of the Stod Valley, one of
Zanskar's main tributary valleys,
the majestic "Drang-Drung" glacier
looms into full view. A long and
winding river of ice and snow, the
Drang-Drung" is perhaps the largest
glacier in Ladakh, outside the
Siachen formation. It is from the
cliff-like snout of this extensive
glacier that the Stod or Doda River,
the main tributary of river Zanskar,
rises.
Zanskar comprises a tri-armed valley
system lying between the Great
Himalayan Range and the Zanskar
mountain; The three arms radiate
star-like towards the west, north
and south from a wide central
expanse where the region's two
principal drainage's meet to form
the main Zanskar River. It is mainly
along the course of this valley
system that the region's 10,000
strong, mainly Buddhists population
lives. Spread over an estimated
geographical area of 5000 sq. kms.
High rise, mountains and deep gorges
surround Zanskar. The area remains
inaccessible for nearly 8 months a
year due to heavy snowfall resulting
in closure of all the access passes,
including the Penzi-la. To-day,
Zanskar has the distinction of being
the least interfered with microcosms
of Ladakh, and one of the last few
surviving cultural satellites of
Tibet. Within the mountain ramparts
of this lost Shangrila stand a
number of ancient yet active
monastic establishments. Some of
these religious foundations have
evolved around remote meditation
caves believed to have been used by
a succession of famous Buddhist
saints for prolonged meditation in
pursuit of knowledge and
enlightenment.
The 240 km long Kargil-Padun road,
of which the first 90 km stretch is
paved, remains opened from around
mid July to early November. In June,
the summer is at its height in the
region and the climate is ideal for
trekking along the route free from
vehicular traffic of any kind and
when the countryside is freshly
rejuvenated into life after months
of frigid dormancy
