Kashmir Stone and Bronze Sculptures from Antiquity (SPS Museum)

The Kashmir Stone and Bronze Collection at SPS Museum

The Shri Pratap Singh (SPS) Museum was set up around 1898 AD when a memorandum was submitted to the then Dogra ruler of the Jammu & Kashmir State, Maharaja Pratap Singh, by his younger brother, General Raja Sir Amar Singh, and a European scholar, Captain S.H. Godmerry, proposing the establishment of a museum in Srinagar to house exhibits and artifacts covering the region of Jammu, Kashmir, Baltistan and Gilgit. The museum was set up in a building belonging to the state at Lal Mandi, Srinagar, on the left bank of the river Jhelum. 

The establishment of the museum was supervised by Sir John Marshal, the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India. The Accountant General of the state, Mr. Blerjee, served as the first head of the institution. Mr. Blerjee was responsible for preparing a catalogue of the various coins kept in the museum.

The museum collection initially comprised displays of shawls and armory that were obtained from the Tosh Khana. After the reorganization of the Archaeological Department in 1913 under Rai Bhadur Daya Ram Sahni, artifacts excavated at Panderenthan, Parihaspora and Avantipura were first exhibited in the museum.  This rich endowment formed one of the major additions to the museum’s collection. Subsequently, a number of objects, mostly decorative household items, were acquired by the museum from private owners. The museum’s various artifacts have been tentatively dated on the basis of style, period and material, etc. 

Here is a pre-view of the great collection of Kashmiri Stone and Metal Art from the the 7th Century to the 12th Century. One of the finest collections of Kashmiri Art including the Tengpora Durga.

Miniature Temple : 10 th Century, Stone

Narsimha : 10th Century, Stone

Image of a Crowned Deity : 9th Century, Bronze

Tribal Deity on a Peacock : 9th Century, Bronze

Seated Figure on Lotus : 9th Century

Head Lama : 9th Century, Bronze

Tara : 9th Century, Bronze

Ganesh : 8th Century, Stone

Varuna : 9th Century, Stone

Vishnu : 10th Century, Stone

Vishnu : 10th Century, Stone

Ganesha : 9th Century, Stone

Vishnu : 12th Century, Stone

Vishnu, Gadadevi, Chakrapursha and Bahu Devi : 9th Century, Stone

Vishnu : 10th Century, Stone

Vishnu : 10th Century, Stone

Vishnu : 10th Century, Stone

Vishnu : 10th Century, Stone

Male Figure : 9th Century, Stone

Male figure : 9th Century, Stone

Vasudeva : 10th Century, Stone

Vishnu : 10th Century, Stone

Vishnu : 12th Century, Stone

Shiva : 10th Century, Stone, Gupkar, Srinagar

Kartikeya : 6th Century, Stone, Bij Behara

Durga : 8th Century, Stone, Pulwama

Ek Mukh Linga : 7th Century, Harwan (Recent find)

The Karakorams in India

The Karakorams as seen from a flight coming into land at Leh.

The Karakorams in India

The Karakoram, with its named derived from the Turkic word "Kara' meaning Black and "Koram" meaning Gravel. These impenetrable Mountains were seen as citadels and Towers of black gravel by the Central Asians and hence the name. They were also referred to as the Muztagh which meant Ice Mountain by the Western Explorers as well. The term Muztagh is now used to denote the sub Ranges of the Karakorams. As per some historians they were referred to as the “Krishnagiris” in the Puranas.

The Sasser Kangri Group and other Peaks of the Karakorams as seen from the Khardung La (Pass)

The Karakorams extend right from the Aksai Chin in the East to the Wakhan Corridor in the West and has other great Mountain Ranges like the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, the Pamirs and the Kun Lun as its neighbors. It runs app. 550 kms from East to West starting at the Saser Muztagh in the East to the Batura Muztagh in the Hunza District.

The Confluence of the Shyok and the Nubra. The Karakorams on the other side of the confluence.

Its Southern boundary is defined by the Gilgit, Indus and the Shyok Rivers which separate it from the Himalayan Range in the South. Infact in the Nubra Valley the Shyok River plays the boundary between the Himalayan Range and the Karakorams. In the North its the Karakash and the Yarkand Rivers which separate it from the Pamirs and the Kun Luns. The Karakorams actually lie right in the Center of the Great Himalayan Mountain Complex bounded by Ranges which are unparalleled in their sheer verticality. All these Ranges have Peaks exceeding 7000m which are not found in any other region on the Planet.

The Karakorams in the background of the Buddha Statue at Diskit in Nubra Valley

Broadly this most vertical of all the Mountain Ranges is subdivided into the following sub Ranges though experts differ on this aspect. The nine sub Ranges are as under

Sasser Muztagh
Rimo Muztagh
Siachen Muztagh
Baltoro Muztagh
Mashebrum Muztagh
Panmah Muztagh
Hispar Muztagh
Spantik Sosbun Muztagh
Rakaposhi Haramosh Muztagh
Batura Muztagh

Unnamed Karakoram Peaks along the Nubra Valley

Contrary to the popular perceptions a sizeable part of the Karakorams lies in territory well under Indian control though being in a sensitive border region most of it is off limits to Civilians and even climbing Expeditions to this area as the one carried out by the Himalayan Club and led by our Vice President, the acclaimed Mountaineer Divyesh Muni need various special permissions to visit these areas. Of the sub Ranges the Sasser Muztagh, the Rimo Muztagh and the Siachen Muztagh lie well within Indian held territory. Even a substantial part of the Baltoro Muztagh is within this territory. In Fact of the 10 highest Peaks in Indian territory (excluding the ones in Occupied territory) lie in the Karakorams. And three of these lie in the Sasser Massif and belong to the Sasser Kangri family. Infact these are clearly visible from the top of the Khardung if you look towards the North.

The Tengpora Durga : From Kashmir to Manhattan to Germany !

The Tengpora Durga : From Kashmir to Manhattan to Germany !

Here is a tale of a fantastic Durga statue which disappeared from the Temple in Kashmir in the early 1990’s. It involves the militancy in Kashmir, International Antique smuggling syndicates, Museums, International Diplomacy, the Un, the Governments of India and Germany, the respective Prime Ministers and Chancellors and one man’s quest to bring it back home. A true international thriller if you may.

The Tengpora Durga is a 8th Century masterpiece of Kashmiri stone work. It was produced at a time when this art had reached its zenith. It goes without saying that some of the best Stone sculptures in the world were the Kashmiri craftsmen. I have been studying these sculptures from the Himalayas especially from Kashmir, Tibet and Nepal and can say that both Tibet and Nepal were influenced by the Kashmir sculptures. And the Kashmiris were influenced by the Gandhara School.

This particular idol of Durga is special as it portrays an Eighteen handed Durga instead of the Ten handed Durga that was the norm usually. The Statue was supposed to be the longest continuously worshipped statue of Durga in the Indian subcontinent and was kept at a Temple in Tengpora in Kashmir located in Pulwama. The Temple was held in high reverence and the Idol was worshipped here since the 8th Century.

However everything changed with the turmoil in Kashmir with the rise of Militancy and Conflict. Sometimes in the early 1990’s the famous Tengpora Durag disappeared from the Temple. At the same time many such antiquities from Temples disappeared in Kashmir and began appearing elsewhere. Similarly the Tengpora Durga was also lost.

Mr.Rakesh Kaul, a Kashmiri, who was the CEO of an American listed Company first came across the Tengpora Durga in 1999, at the Madison Avenue Gallery of Mr.Subhash Kapoor, a well know Indian Antiques dealer not really known for being the cleanest guy in the trade. Mr.kaul came across a vast array of other Devis and Devtas who’s sourcing was also a matter of mystery.

As it happened Dr.Pratapaditya Pal, an authority on ancient Indian Art also visited the showroom of Mr.Subhash Kapoor and on seeing the Durga brought it to Mr.Kapoor’s notice that it was a stolen piece which disappeared from Kashmir. Mr.Kapoor, smooth as he was feigned ignorance and said he would look into the matter and that was that.

After sometime Dr.Pratapaditya Pal was invited as a speaker at the Linden Museum in Germany and to his utter surprise he found the the Tengpora Durga on display over there. On making enquiries he was told that the Museum had acquired this masterpiece of Kashmiri Art from Subhash Kapoor who sold it to the Museum for a pittance amount of USD 250,000. Subhash Kapoor must have realise that since it was a “Hot’ piece of Art he needed to get rid of it at the earliest and that's what he did and sold it for that amount.

Mr.Kaul was in touch was Dr.Pal and discussed ways and means of getting the Durga back to India. But he understood that it wasn't going to be easy as the exact sequence of its disappearance from Kashmir to the tile it appeared in the Linden Museum could not be established. But he kept up his effort and also met folks at ASI who offered him all the help but at the same time said that there is a long list of items that they have been claiming from many countries and this Durga is also down there somewhere on the waiting list.

The big breakthrough came when the police in the US arrested Subhash Kapoor for smuggling Antiques. He was already under the scanner as previously a consignment labeled “Marble Furniture” from India had actually turned out to be smuggled Antiques. Subhash Kapoor had feigned ignorance and didn't claim the consignment and was out of the Net. But the Police was onto him. Further the Us Government agreed to extradite Subhash Kapoor to India as he was wanted with theft of various Nataraja Bronzes from Tamil Nadu.

Mr.Kaul now approached the Linden Museum directly who were now aware of the antecedents of Mr.Subhash Kapoor and how he turned out to be an International Antique Smuggler. The Linden Museum quietly removed the Tengpora Durga from the display.  Mr.Kaul again requested the Museum to return the Durga to India. Another representation went to the Linden Museum who now said that we would now take up the matter with the German Ministry of Culture and Art.

Mr.Kaul also wrote to the Indian Ambassador in Germany at that time on the same issue. And the Ambassador also offered to help. By another series of coincidence a British author who had for decades on Kashmir’s Stone antiquities came out with an illustrated book which featured the Durga taken much earlier. Now there was proof in the Public domain attested by a renowned expert on the subject that the piece was from Kashmir and he had last seen it in 1990. But at that time he wasn't allowed to photograph as the locals in the Village were afraid that someone might steal the Durga.

Through the same expert the Linden Museum made an informal offer to Mr.Kaul, who was now on a mission of his own to get the Durga back to India. As per the offer they would acknowledge that the piece belongs to the Indian Government but at the same time wanted the Indian Government to give the piece of Art on permanent loan to the Linden Museum. A convenient way to keep the Durga in the Museum and at the same time make the Indian Government happy. However when Mr.Kaul conveyed the same to ASI they flatly refused and Mr.Kaul also told them that they would not settle for anything less than the Durga being returned back.

The Linden Museum and the German Government now found themselves in a piquant situation. This was an Antique which was sold to them by an Antiques dealer who was already behind bars with charges filed against him both in the US and in India. Further the piece came from a conflict ridden region which often headlined the News. They knew they were on weak wicket as far as the Durga was concerned.

Soon the pressure was being mounted and finally with the new Government in India sworn in in May 2014 a strong impetus was given to such cases. At last the Germans yielded and said that the Chancellor Angela Merkel would bring back and return the Durga to India during her visit in 2015 as a goodwill gesture as it was ethically wrong to keep it in the Museum in Germany. Finally Mr.Rakesh Kaul won and all the effort he had put in bore fruit.

I first saw the the Tengpora Durga at the Sri Pratap Museum in Srinagar in 2017 October. I couldn't help but admire this amazing piece of work. I remember standing for a long time admiring the detailing of this sculpture. At that time of course I had no idea of the history and the events that had transacted between the time it disappeared from Kashmir in the early 1990’s and the time it came back to Kashmir to be displayed at the SPS Museum in 2015. It was only while I was Cataloging the collection at the Sri Pratap Museum that I stumbled upon this thriller of story behind the Tengpora Durga.

The Durga is best described in Mr.Kaul’s own words “ She was incarnated in her moorthy roopa in the eighth century out of green chlorite stone. She is approximately 68.6 cm in height and 43.2 cm wide. She is in pristine condition. Consistent with the unique style of Kashmir she rides in a chariot with wheels on the side drawn by two lions over the mountain ranges. A diminutive charioteer in  charge as is typical in Surya, the Sun God’s chariot. Jingling Bells hanging from the balustrade, supported by six pillars, announce her arrival. She stands in the alidha (warrior) stance telling us to be forever fearless. The two lions grip the buffalo tightly but it is the third lion that crushes within its powerful jaws the mace armed demon of ignorance, which as the egoist essence of the physical buffalo has been released from inside it. The Durga tells us to never be a believer because a believer is bound by ignorance and is a Pashu an animal. Instead one should be a fearless seeker of Truth.

This Durga is eighteen armed. Again, Kashmir with the Nilamatapurana text was the earliest in giving a representation of the Durga as having eighteen arms when ten was the rule for all pre 7th century portrayals. In two of her left arms she holds the demons Sumbha and Nisumbha over whom she gained Victory. The right hand holds the lance, a quiver of arrows, a ring wreath, a club, an axe, an upright sword, a vajra and a mace while the left-hand holds a bow, a round shield, a bell, a Kamandalu, a trisula, a horn and an askamala with one hand placed on her left thigh. She wears a tight bodice and a long lower garment with a sash tied across her thighs, the end falling between her legs and a chain girdle of bells around her waist. Annular earrings and bracelets along with a trefoil crown complete her dazzling attire. She is the ruler of eighteen dimensions and she is beautiful. She tells us that a fearless seeker becomes free and freedom is a prerequisite to overcoming Tamas the darkness of inertia. It is only freedom which yields the experience of the beauty of the ultimate truth of reality!

Pic from October 2017. SPS Museum, Srinagar

The Potatso National Park in Yunnan

The Shudu Lake at the Potatso National Park in Yunnan. 

The Potatso National Park 

The Potatso or Pudacoa National Park In China was the first National Park of China and opened to public just 10 years back. Situated at an altitude of an average 3400 m the Park contains dense forests, Lakes and Wetlands. Its also a part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Area World Heritage Site. Truly well deserved for one of the most bio diverse areas in the World. The Park contains 20% of all the flora found in China as well as one fifth of all the animal species.

The primeval forests on the shore of the Shudu Lake in the Potatso National Park. This park is a part of the UNESCO designated World Heritage Site of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Area.

This Lake itself is situated at an altitude of 3700 m but still has dense woodlands on the banks consisting of Pine, Fir and Beech. And at the time I went there was a constant interplay between the ice, snow and the water along the shoreline.

This Park is a great biodiversity hotspot as it sits at the Junction of the Tibetan and Yunnan Plateaus with the Indian tectonic plate. That coupled with the high altitude but a lower latitude create a very unique bio-system.

The Park consists of many Lakes, open Pasture lands, wet lands and Marshes besides the rolling hills and the snow covered Peaks. The Park is said to hold 30% of all the Flora and 20 % of all the Fauna species of China. This includes the Brown Bear, Red Panda and even the elusive Snow Leopard some scientists claim.

Peacefully grazing by the banks of the semi frozen Shudu Lake at 3700 m amsl in the Potatso National Park as the remnants of the last snow hold onto their last refuges in the shade. This pristine habitat was only opened to visitors around 20 years ago. It is a part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Area World Heritage Site.

This is one of the most diverse Eco systems in the world with a mixture of flora and fauna unlike anywhere else in the planet. The main reason being that it less at the junction of South Asia, Tibet and South East Asia. Also during the last Ice Age this region didn't ice over giving a bridge for the flora and fauna to move into this region. The bio diversity of this area is simply mind boggling.

The Bita Lake or as I just found the Putou Tso Lake in the Potatso National Park. It was only after bit of research that I found out that the Potatso/ Pudacuo National Park, where this lake is located is actually named after the original Tibetan name of the Lake Putuo Tso. Must be the Eastern most Lake with the Tso at the end.

Located as it is in one of the world's most bio-deiversity hot spot it offers spectacular views and centuries old forests of Oaks, Spruces and Firs and of course Rhododendrons. It is a primeval place and was opened to Tourists only around 10 years back. It is one of the Core areas of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Area, a World Heritage site.

From the Official Yunnan Tourism Website:

Pudacuo is the transliteration of “Mandala” or “Putuo” which refers to a sacred mountain of Avalokiteshvara (Goddess of Mercy). “Putuo” or “Puda” means a boat to ferry people from sufferings. “Cuo” or “Tso” in Tibetan refers to a lake; so Pudacuo together means “Boat Lake”. Pudacuo or Puda used to be the original Tibetan name for Bita Lake where we can see an isle called Mandala or
Mantuluo. Pudacuo is an unearthly world without pollution, far away from the bustle and hustle world.

Bita Lake is a fault lake lying in the heart of Pudacuo Park. Being 3 kilometers long and 1 kilometer wide, it exhibits an altitude of 3,530 meters and a biggest depth of 40 meters. Along the sightseeing planked passage ashore, growing are multitudes of centuries-old oak trees, spruces, firs with usneas on.

Among the local Tibetans, Bita Lake is said to be incarnated from a piece of mirror of a fairy lady who broke her mirror when combing in the heaven. “Bita” in Tibetan also refers to a place where lots of oak trees are growing. In the centre of the lake, a small wooded island is made the shelter for many rare species of birds. If you are lucky enough to be in the non-windy day, the rosy clouds, the snow-capped mountains and the nearby forests are all mirrored in the lake.

The Great First Bend of the Yangtze River

The Great First Bend of the River Yangtze

The Great Bend of the Yangtze at Shigu : This is the famous Great Bend of the Yangtze at Shigu. At first appearance its just a River bend but if you know enough then you would be awed in the fact how this place has shaped human history. The beautiful Jinsha or the Upper Yangtze just after it takes that famous first bend and turns 180 degrees and starts flowing North.

Of all the Great Rivers rising in the Himalayas and Trans Himalayas, besides the one we are familiar with ie the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra, the others like the Salween, the Irrawady, the Mekong and the Yangtze all meet the Oceans to the South of the Himalayas.

All except one. The mighty Yangtze. It's at this point precisely that the Yangtze decides to do a u turn and go North. All the other parallel Rivers in this area, the Salween, the Irrawady and the Mekong go South. Due to some geological phenomenon connected with the tectonic events which took place when the Indian plate collided with the Eurasian plate and this was the meeting point. Of all the great rivers rising in the Great Himalaya system the Yangtze is the only one which meets the Ocean to the North of the Himalaya.

From Michael Palin's Himalayas:

"A thousand miles of tumbling water heading for Vietnam and the Gulf of Tonkin is, within a few hundred yards, spun round to the north and, though it twists and turns and tries to find its way south again, it is now effectively a Chinese river, heading east to create the enormous bowl of fertility and prosperity that is the heart and soul of the Middle Kingdom".

The Yangtze Rive Basin is home to 500 million people or a third of the the population of China. Both historically and today, it is responsible for much of the wildlife, culture and economic wellbeing of China.

To stand at the first bend is quite a mind numbing affair if you understand how this simple turn of a river has effected the historyof Humankind. The Himalaya effects human history in more ways than we can ever comprehend.

The Ganden Sumtseling Tibetan Monastery in Yunnan

The Ganden Sumtseling Tibetan Monastery

The Ganden Sumtseling Tibetan Monastery in all its glory reflecting the first rays of the sun in the morning. The Lake reflected is glory in its unfrozen part. This is truly Shangrila. One of the largest Tibetan Monasteries it is also called the Little Potala Palace.

At an altitude of almost 3400 m it stands at the banks of the Lamuyang Tso in North Western Yunnan in a region which used to be historically a part of the Kham region of Tibet.

In January early morning the Lake was semi frozen and I guess the temperature was around minus 10 and the sun was just rising. The bird life of the Lake was just waking up and stir around.

The first rays of the sun reflecting off the Gilded domes of the Monastery was indeed a sight to behold.

Originally built by the fifth Dalai Lama more than 500 years ago. Destroyed by the Communists in 1959. Rebuilt again in the 1980s.

A true marvel of Tibetan Architecture with its enormous size and gilded domes.

Herodotus's Legendary Fox Sized Gold Digging Ants

Herodotus's Legendary Fox Sized Gold Digging Ants

Herodotus was a famous Greek historian of the ancient times who lived around 500 BC and he was born in Asia Minor in the Persian Empire. He was referred to as the Father of History as he wrote a lot of history and tales of the unknown from lands far off. One of his most intriguing account was the one of the legendary Gold digging ants, as big as Foxes, which lived in the high Himalayas in a land he called Dardae (In Sanskrit is was called Dardesa, the Land of the Dards). Those who have studied history, especially accounts of history written by ancient Historians always had elements which were hard to believe and seemed more like flights of fantasy mixed with some facts. You always take it down with a pinch of salt.

Herodotus wrote exactly this “ Another kind of Indians live in the neighbourhood of the town of Kaspatyros, and the land of of Paktyika (present day Paktia Province in Afghanistan) away towards the North from the rest of the Indians, their way of living is about the same as that of the Bactrians. These are the most warlike of all the Indians, and it is they who are sent for Gold; for in the this district there is the sandy desert. In this desert and this sand there are Ants which are smaller than Dogs but larger than Foxes for some which were caught are now in the possession of the King of Persia. These Ants make for themselves burrows below the Ground, and in doing so throw up the Earth, as ants do with us, and in the same manner they look exactly like ours. This thrown up sand contains the Gold and for the sake of this sand the Indians are sent into the desert…….” He also wrote this “ When the Indians arrive at the place of the Gold dust to fill their bags, they fill quickly and ride away as soon as possible. For the Ants, which, as the Persians would tell, have found out what has happened through their sense of smell, are at once after them and they are exceedingly swift. Thus if the Indians do not gain a good start before the ants have gathered, none of them would be able to escape…..”.

Even Megasthenes , the Greek Ambassador at the court of , relates a similar story of Gold digging ants who dig not for the Gold but for making their burrows. The Gold he says was incidental. Infact those of you who have read History of Western Tibet / Dardistan written by Westerners will know that this Legend of Gold digging Ants is described by every single one of them.This is the starting reference point for the History of this region from a Western perspective.

But it was not only the Greek / Roman historians who alluded to this legend. There was a reference to this ‘Ant Gold” in the Puranas and the Mahabharata. It is said that a Northern tribe, called the Khasas, bought Paipilika Gold (Paipilika is Sanskrit for Ant) as a tribute to Yudhishtir. Of course it's common knowledge that the Himalayas are rich in mineral deposits and that includes Gold as well. Gold was found under the ground as well as long the streams as fine dust. Cunningham describes how Gold sifting in the Indus and the Shyok River was done by Muslim Baltis as the Ladakhi Buddhists were forbidden from doing so as they were expected to work in the fields.

Francke in his classic “A History of Western Tibet” also alludes to this legend and describes how he was given accounts of these Gold digging Ants in the Village of Kalatse, which though now Ladakhi was at one time inhabited by Dards. He apparently saw one of these creatures but of course they were regular Ants and not the Giants that Herodotus described. Francke wrote “I was even shown the kind of Ant which, according to the belief of the Kalatse people, was the Gold digger. It was a very tiny, creature, and far from the size of a Dog or Fox, but we must allow the story to have grown a little on its was from India to Greece.”

Of course in my assumptions there must have been instances of Ants digging in an area rich in Gold deposits and digging up Gold as well and this being collected by the locals. This is a completely plausible Theory but what about the “Giant Ants bigger than Foxes but smaller than Dogs ? “

Through most of History other Historians took this Giant Gold Digging Ants theory as a figment of Herodotus’;s exaggeration and adding a adding a dose of fantastic to his historical records. Many of them them even decried him as a liar and a fancy story teller. So was Herodotus was entirely wrong and this was just a yarn he had spun ? Not exactly as it was proven by a Gentlemen who took upon himself to solve this Great Mystery of the Giant Gold Digging Ants.

The Gentleman was a French ethnologist Michel Peissel wrote a book named, “The Ants’ Gold: The Discovery of the Greek El Dorado in the Himalayas” in 1984. And he mentioned that the area described inhabited by these creatures was actually the Deosai Plateau in Baltistan.

And the creature which was being alluded to were not Ants but the Long Tailed Golden Marmot and the Himalayan Marmot (These are two different species but both are found in the Himalayas). The Long Tailed Golden is more of a species found in Central Asia and the Hindu Kush, Pamirs and the Tian Shans though some are found in the Himalayas as well. A Golden Marmot which digs for Gold sounds just about right actually.

We are all aware that Marmots live underground and for the same they dig deep burrows and have a maze of interconnecting burrows underground. All this burrowing entails that they throw up a lot of earth. And the Deosai Plateau is said to be rich in Gold Dust deposits. The Marmots dug up the earth and included in this were fine Gold dust particles that were then taken by humans.

But which humans was the question again. Peissel claimed to have interviewed groups of people from Tribes living on the Deosai ie the Minaro, Maruts or Sonival tribes and apparently they confirmed this method of collection of Gold. And I have also been told Stories by people in the Kargil area about how the Marmots supposedly pile up Gold inside their burrows. So something is starting to make sense.

It was the Long Tailed Golden Marmot or the Himalayan Marmot which fits the description and Herodotus is proven to be partially correct. But how did he confuse the Marmots with the Ants ? Peissel has an explanation for this last piece of the puzzle as well. Apparently the Persian word for “Marmot” and “Mountain Ants” is very similar so somewhere along the line the word which was meant to mean Marmot was taken as Ant and the legend of the Giant Gold Digging Ants took birth. To be fair to Herodotus he had never mentioned that he saw one of these Ants. And the creatures kept by the King of Persia (the most powerful sovereign in the World at that time )  were just that Marmots.

Just one last part about the ferociousness of the Gold digging Ants described by Herodotus. Many of us regularly come across Himalayan Marmots while visiting Ladakh and there is a lot of Human and Marmot interaction (totally uncalled for and something to be discouraged) and they mostly come across as gentle Creatures. Maybe back in the days when they were much less habituated to humans they would react differently. Long Tailed Golden Marmots are however much more rarer. I remember coming across a Long Tailed Golden Marmot somewhere in the Muskoh area, which actually lies at the edge of Deosai, and that guy wasn't exactly pleased to see us. We of course kept our distance though the Marmot wasn't aggressive. Maybe if we would have gone closer he could have shown aggression. Can't really guess.

Or maybe this story of the “ferociousness” of the creatures was invented by the same people who harvested the Marmot Gold but wanted to discourage anyone else from coming and claiming a right on their Gold. In those times people could believe anything. Whatever was the reason it surely kept people away and the mystery took well over two thousand years to get solved.

So the next time you come across a Himalayan Marmot or better still a Long Tailed Golden Marmot do try and think of the Legend of Herodotus’s Fox Sized Ants.

Pic from April 2018. A Long Tailed Golden Marmot on the go, Muskoh Valley, Drass, Ladakh.

Kashmir Collection at Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The Kashmir Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the United States. With 7.06 million visitors in 2016, it was the third most visited art museum in the world, and the fifth most visited museum of any kind. Its permanent collection contains over two million works,divided among seventeen curatorial departments. 

The Met's Asian department holds a collection of Asian art, of more than 35,000 pieces,[26] that is arguably the most comprehensive in the US. The collection dates back almost to the founding of the museum: many of the philanthropists who made the earliest gifts to the museum included Asian art in their collections. Today, an entire wing of the museum is dedicated to the Asian collection, and spans 4,000 years of Asian art. Every Asian civilization is represented in the Met's Asian department, and the pieces on display include every type of decorative art, from painting and printmaking to sculpture and metalworking. The department is well known for its comprehensive collection of Chinese calligraphy and painting, as well as for its Indian sculptures, Nepalese and Tibetan works, and the arts of Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia and Thailand. All three ancient religions of India – Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism – are well represented in these sculptures.

From the Indian Art one of the most elegant Collection is the one of Kashmiri Stone / Bronze and other sculptures which underline the development of this Art by the Kashmiri Carftsman who were without any doubt one of the best when it came to sculpting Stone and Metal. Some of the pieces are Cataloged as under.

Buddha

Date: ca. 9th century / Culture: India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Copper with silver inlay / Dimensions: H. 7 1/16 in. (17.9 cm); W. 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm) / Classification: Metalwork

Buddha sits in a yogic posture, wearing a high tripartite crown and fully articulated robes. His lowered hand grants boons to the male donor kneeling before him presenting an offering, likely a garland. The crown with flying ribbons demonstrates the powerful influence of Sasanian royal imagery on later Kashmiri art.

Buddha Bust

Date: 8th century / Culture: India (Jammu & Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Stone / Dimensions: Gr. H. 2 5/16 x Gr. W. 1 3/4 in. (5.9 x 4.5 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

Gaja Lakshmi, Goddess of Fortune

Date: 8th century / Culture: India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Stone / Dimensions: H. 6 3/8 in. (16.2 cm); W. 5 3/4 (14.6 cm); D. 2 1/16 in. (5.2 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

Panel from a Portable Shrine: The Descent of the Buddha from Trayastrimsha Heaven

Date: 7th–8th century / Culture: India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir), / Medium: Ivory with traces of color / Dimensions: H. 2 1/2 (6.4 cm); W. 1 3/4 in. (4.5 cm) / Classification: Ivories

This diminutive panel depicts the Buddha’s descent from Trayastrimsha heaven, where he visited to preach the Buddhist gospel (dharma) to his mother, who had died soon after his birth. The three steps below his feet indicate the ladder upon which he descended. This miracle was widely depicted in the early Buddhist world. Here, umbrella and flywhisk bearers attend the Buddha, while airborne celebrants present garlands.

Torso of Vishnu

Date: ca. 6th century / Culture: India (Jammu & Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) /  Medium: Stone / Dimensions: H. 7 13/16 x W. 3 3/16 x D. 1 1/8 in. (19.9 x 8.1 x 2.9 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

Kamadeva, the God of Love

Date: second half of the 8th century / Culture: India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Stone / Dimensions: H. 14 5/8 in. (37.2 cm); W. 2 3/8 in. (6 cm); D. 11 5/8 in. (29.5 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

Though rarely represented in Kashmiri art, Kama, the god of love, is here identified by a wondrous mythical creature (makara), who spews arrows from its jaws. The bow and arrow and a pair of lovebirds are Kamadeva’s principal identifiers. This subject is a rare survivor from early medieval Kashmir.

Linga with Face of Shiva (Ekamukhalinga)

Date: 7th century / Culture: India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Stone / Dimensions: H. 14 in. (35.5 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

Head of a Male Figure

Date: 6th–7th century / Culture: India (Jammu and Kashmir, possibly Akhnur) / Medium: Terracotta / Dimensions: H. ca. 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

A major Buddhist monastery and stupa site was excavated at Akhnur (Akhnoor), near Jammu, revealing a series of both large- and small-scale terracotta reliefs decorating the monuments. These heads once formed part of those sculptural programs and likely depict Buddhist laity.

Reliquary in the Shape of a Stupa

Date: 7th–9th century / Culture: Northwest India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Copper alloy / Dimensions: H. 4 in. (10.2 cm) / Classification: Metalwork

Vajrapani

Date: late 6th–7th century / Culture: India (Kashmir) / Medium: Gray chorite / Dimensions: H. 9 in. (22.9 cm); H. inc. base 10 1/4 in. (26 cm); W. 5 3/8 in. (13.7 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

This powerful figurine is best understood as the Mahayana bodhisattva Vajrapani, who appropriated the lighting-bolt scepter (Skt: vajra) of Indra, the Vedic storm god, and repurposed it. Its meaning shifted from that being associated with the life-affirming power of storms (e.g. the monsoons), to the Buddhist savior Vajrapani, who facilitates journeying the path of enlightenment and aiding crystal clear thought as penetrating as a lighting strike.

In this, among the earliest representations known from the greater Kashmir world, the double-ended thunderbolt symbol is imposingly large, the shaft of which extends the length of Vajrapani’s figure. In addition to the massive device with its distinctive prongs, the bodhisattva holds a rosary (aksamala). His face is somewhat abraded but traces of a moustache remain, and he wears a distinctive headdress of an elaborate cockade with hanging strings of pearls disgorging from the center, in the Gupta-manner. Large annular earplugs, also of known Gupta type, are shown frontally. He wears a sacred cord (yanopavita) and short waist cloth with a sheathed dagger secured in the belt. In his raised proper left hand he holds the oversized vajra, and his head is framed by a large unadorned circular halo.

Section of a Diptych in Linga Form, Interior Depicting Shiva, Parvati, and the Calf Bull

Date: 7th century / Culture: India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Chlorite schist / Dimensions: H. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

Pedestal with Yaksha and Two Lions

Date: 9th century / Culture: India (Jammu & Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Stone / Dimensions: H. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm); W. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm) / Classification:  Sculpture

Linga, Shiva’s Aniconic Symbol

Date: 8th century or earlier / Culture: India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Stone / Dimensions: H. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm); W. (incl. base) 3 7/8 in. (9.7 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

Surya (The God of the Sun) with Attendants

Date: 7th century(?) / Culture: India (Jammu & Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Bronze / Dimensions: H. 5 in. (12.7 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

Crowned Buddha

Date: 9th century / Culture: India, Ancient kingdom of Kashmir / Medium: Brass / Dimensions: H. 20 3/8 in. x W. 9 in. (51.8cm x 22.9 cm); D. (from hands) 3 in. (7.6 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

The Buddha is usually depicted in a monk’s simple garments; however, when he wears rich jewelry and a crown, he evokes the special form of Buddha as a cakravartin, or universal monarch. In Kashmir this form also recalls the splendor of the Buddha in heaven, where he reveals himself to the bodhisattvas. Both the high tripartite diadem and tasseled cape reflect Central Asian influence on Kashmiri Buddhist art of this period.

Chakrapurusha (The Personification of Vishnu's War Discus)

Date: 8th century / Culture: India (Jammu & Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Stone / Dimensions: H. 5 in. (12.7 cm); W. 2 3/16 in. (5.5 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

Vishnu Rescuing Gajendra, the Lord of the Elephants

Date: 8th–9th century / Culture: India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Stone / Dimensions: H. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm); W. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm); D. 1/2 in. (1.3 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

Mask of Bhairava

Date: Late 6th–7th century / Culture: India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Copper alloy, possibly brass / Dimensions: H. 7 5/8 in. (19.4 cm); W. 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm); D. 2 3/8 in. (6 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

This object is from a rare group of early Brahmanical masks. The small fangs seen rising from the corners of the open mouth and the exposed upper teeth identify this deity as Bhairava, a wrathful form of Shiva. Such masks were employed as temporary fixtures during worship and used to enliven processional icons in the Brahmanical cultures of northwestern India and the territories of Gandhara in Pakistan.

Mirror Handle with a Woman Playing the Lute

Date: 6th–7th century / Culture: India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Chlorite schist / Dimensions: H. 3 3/4 in. (9.5 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

This figurine belongs to a group of objects depicting ladies at leisure; here, the woman plays a stringed instrument. They likely served as mirror handles: each has a hole drilled from the top to receive the mirror fixture. Similar objects have been recorded at Khotan, in Central Asia, and are presumably the legacy of a luxury trade in such
goods.

Standing Four-Armed Vishnu

Date: 8th century / Culture: India (Jammu & Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Stone / Dimensions: H. 8 1/4 in. (21 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

Bodhisattva with Radiate Halo and Mandorla

Date: 6th century / Culture: Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara) or India (Jammu & Kashmir) / Medium: Phyllitic grey schist / Dimensions: H. 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

This bodhisattva, holding a lotus (padma), likely represents Avalokitesvara Padmapani. Portable images stylistically related to this one circulated in Gandhara, Kashmir, and as far north as the Central Asian Buddhist kingdom of Khotan, an important trading center on the Silk Road.

Section of a Diptych in Linga Form, Interior Depicting Parvati, the Consort of Shiva

Date: 6th–7th century / Culture: India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) / Medium: Chlorite schist / Dimensions: H. 3 in. (7.6 cm) / Classification: Sculpture

Note: All pics and texts from the Met Museum.

The Kashmiri Spy in Tibet

The painting from the Qing Era shows the Induction of the 9th Dalai Lama, Lungtok Gyatso, in 1808 as its watched by the Ambans and Qing officials on one side and by Tibetan Clergy and other Tibetans on the other side.

The Kashmiri Spy in Tibet

In the early 1700’s the region of Tibet as as well as Turkestan (as Xinjiang used to be called at that time) come under the control of the Chinese Imperial Qing Dynasty as they defeated the Dzungar Mongols who had come to occupy Tibet. As a result of this the Qing Dynasty was now in control of Tibet and in order to exercise this control the appointed an Officer called the Amban to overlook the running of the state and especially keep his eyes and ears open for ambitions that a foreign nation / power might have on Tibet.

For the same purpose the Ambans and their network of informers and spies were always taking stock of various Traders who visited Tibet and Lhasa and soon after the Qing assumed dominance they imposed restrictions on many Traders coming from Nations that were assumed to be a threat to the Qing control over Tibet. And this was most severely applied to Europeans who the Qing saw as the most obvious threat. And then there were the Russians who were also expanding their Empire towards the East. The Europeans were restricted to trade only through Canton (Hong Kong) while traders from Russia could only come through the trading Post at Kyakhta.

While impositions were imposed on almost all outsiders, there were three Groups of traders that were allowed relatively freer access to Lhasa. These were the Newaris of the Kathmandu Valley, the Andijanis of the Ferghana Valley and the Kashmiris. For some reason these three Groups of people were left alone to their own devices. One of the reasons was that these people had been trading with Tibet for hundreds of years and many of them had even settled there. And they connected the region with the important markets in the Indian subcontinent in case of the Newaris and the Kashmiris and to Central Asia vai the Andijanis. An important consideration for the Qing was that as per their own assessment all these traders came from Countries / Regions that were not a threat to their sovereignty over Tibet.

Towards the end of the 18th Century however the Qing perceptions begin to change. The Gurkhas attacked Tibet twice and though peace was restored after the intervention of the Qing, the Qing were now suspicious of the Newaris as they couldn't really distinguish between them and the Gurkhas as both were from Nepal, though the Gurkhas had taken the Kathmandu Valley from the Newari Rulers. And in the beginning of the 19th Century the Afaqi Khojas revolted in Turkestan and for some time they held the main cities of the Tarim Basin and they lost their confidence in the Andijanis of Ferghana as well.

Through it all one community which kept up its “neutrality” in the eyes of the Qing were the Kashmiris. The Kashmiris were known as Kachee by the Tibetan and Kashmir was called Kachee Yul. Infact the term Kachee came to be used for all Muslims in Tibet irrespective of where they came from. Kashmiri traders and craftsmen had been visiting Tibet since the 10th Century as many Kashmiri craftsmen were bought in to decorate the Monasteries as Buddhism grew in Kashmir and the Kashmiris were supposed to be the best at this trade. As a result Tibetan art shows even till day a great Kashmiri influence. Also as a result many Kashmiris settled in Tibet and took Tibetan wives and intermixed with the local populations.

Now as far the Qing and their Ambans were concerned they knew of the Kashmiris and their long standing Trade relations with the Kashmiris. But one thing they weren't sure was about the location of Kashmir. They knew it was a Region to the West of the Tibetan plateau but that was about it. They had no idea about the Political affiliations of Kashmir or of the Kashmiri people. And the Kashmiri people were seen as outsiders who usually minded their own business with little interest in the Politics of Tibet or of the Qing. And they were good Traders who did a large volume of business in Lhasa. And the point to be noted is that most Kashmiris used to visit Lhasa through Patna and Nepal instead of of the Route over the Himalayas.

The fact that Kashmiris had easy access to Tibet did not go unnoticed to the British. The British for long held ambitions on getting through to Tibet as it was uncharted territory to the North of the their greatest possession. Also there was a constant fear of Imperial Russia gaining influence in Tibet. Many British and Western explorers had wanted to break into this Forbidden Land but were not very successful. So the British had to fall upon its native subjects to do their bidding in Tibet.

In the wake of the Anglo Gurkha War of 1814 and the British Victory, the British came to be in possession of Garhwal and gained direct access to Tibet from there but the British were always turned back at the frontier by the Tibetans who themselves were wary of any unknown foreigners. It was around this time that an enterprising Kashmiri trader, Ahmed Ali offered his services to the British. Ahmed ali presented himself as a well connected Kashmiri who had a relatives who lived in Lhasa and had travelled to Lhasa many times on his own. The British were very interested in this guy and the key to Tibet that he might hold. But they could not give him any Official sanction as they wanted to exercise plausible deniability in case Ahmed Ali was caught. The point was that the Qing had not realised the the same guys they were having a tough time with in Canton were now sending spies into Tibet. As far as the Qing were concerned the “Pilangi” as they called them (Tibetan / Chinese version of Firangi as they were referred to in India) and the Britishers in Canton were two distinct people from different Countries. And the British of course didn't want this little secret revealed to the Qing.

All said and done Ahmed Ali proposed that he also be made the agent for trading Indian goods in Tibet on behalf of the British. And of course the British would not give him any legal standing. As it so happened Ahmed Ali himself was no old Tibetan hand. He spoke no Tibetan and in fact his business in Tibet was taken care of by an old Kashmiri employee Abdullah and he was also joined by Ahmed’s brother. However the business didn't go as well as proposed though all the time Ahmed was collecting information through his guys in Tibet. In 1827 Ahmed was called to Tibet by his brother and Abdullah to settle the losses they had incurred.

Ahmed Ali had no option but to go to Lhasa as his brother insisted on the same. He went to Lhasa and due to the losses he had a falling out with his brother and Abdullah and the matter was brought to the notice of the local authorities. Somehow the matter was settled but now Ahmed Ali had no one to handle his operations in Lhasa. Another old Tibetan Kashmiri suggested that he take the services of his brother Fazlullah Fakroo, another Tibetan Kashmiri. And again his enterprise started. However his affairs with his brother and Abdullah were not settled. His brother sued him for his share of family property back home and the case was taken to Court and representing Ahmed Ali in his absence was his new employee Fazlullah.

Through all his business troubles Ahmed Ali kept on compiling information on Tibet through Abdullah and his brother when things were good and later on through Fazlullah. He had considerable information on hand gleaned through various sources including Route maps and distances and also the Political situations in the different towns and Villages. Just that he was good Spy but no so good a Businessman. Anyways there was no end to his financial woes as the Court ruled in the favour of his brother and Abdullah and now the Spy was bankrupt as well. So he bade his time by hanging around the Mosque in Lhasa. And as ill luck would have it he had a falling out with Fazlullah who he accused of causing great losses in business and filed a case against him.

On the Court disposition Fazlullah first made a suggestion to the Court about the suspicious activity that Ahmed Ali was indulging in. About all the questions he always kept on asking and noting them down. The Court brought this to the notice of the Amban and now everyone was interested in the Spy. As a result the Spy was son picked up by the Qing authorities and all his papers and notes were confiscated and he hauled up for interrogation.

Now the thing was Ahmed Ali did not speak Tibetan or Chinese and all his notes were in Persian and English. So the authorities had to gather a group of people to decipher and translate his papers. Translators were found for Persian and it is said it took them two months to decipher and translate all the notes. The notes contained information about the Routes, Passes and general Topography of Tibet, the strength of Chinese and Tibetan soldiers, the working of the Financial departments, the general dispositions in Sichuan and Gansu and other such information deemed as sensitive. But for the English notes they could not find any any translator. The Spy was caught red handed it seems.

The Spy however would not give in so easily. He said he took notes only as per the “custom of his homeland” and he intended to write a book which could be used by other Traders from Kashmir and elsewhere to visit Tibet for trade. He was promoting Trade in Tibet through this. And he swore that not an iota of information had been sent over the Himalayas to any power inimical to the British. The Qing officials of course had a hard time believing his theory and were convinced that he was a Spy. Though who exactly he was spying for was never very clear to them. At the same time Ahmed Ali sent a message to the East India Company asking them for help as he was working for them. He played his Ace.

The British were now in a delicate situation as they didnt want Ahmed Ali to put them in the spot and jeopardise their relations with the Qing which would surely have repercussions in their Trading Post in Canton as they were aware that Ahmed Ali would reveal their little secret to the Qing. The British made a secret appeal for help to the powerful Nepali Prime Minister Bhim Sen Thapa to use his good relations with the Tibetan and the Qing to secure the release of the Spy. But they were surprised when they were told by Bhim Sen Thapa that Ahmed Ali had already been released by the authorities and was probably already on his way back.

So why did the Qing authorities release Ahmed Ali without any punishment ? Well for one he was expelled from the Country and handed over to the Nepalese authorities with requests to send him over the border to India. It seems that the matter was quite a sensitive one but the Qing didn't really want to undermine the confidence of the Kashmiri traders. As they were the people through which they could still have a lucrative trade with other Regions without compromising on their own strict no foreigner’s Rule. There were also suggestions that Ahmed Ali had agreed to supply some information from the British side to the Tibetan and Qing authorities. Maybe he was just a smart Guy who somehow managed to squeeze out of the situation. What was the exact reason of his release is still shrouded in somewhat of a Mystery and hence we can only now try and and make guesses on the actual circumstances that led to him being just deported instead of being severely punished. Maybe we will never know.

Of course even after this incident the British intrigues in the region didn't cease and we saw the Era of the “Pundits”, native men who went to Tibet to carry out surveys for the British including people like Pandit Nain Singh Rawat and others. However whatever happened to Ahmed Ali after his return is unknown. The Kashmiri Spy just vanished from the annals of of the history of Political Intrigue in the History of the Himalayas.

The panting from the Qing Era shows the Induction of the 9th Dalai Lama, Lungtok Gyatso, in 1808 as its watched by the Ambans and Qing officials on one side and by Tibetan Clergy and other Tibetans on the other side.

Amarnath Yatra pics from 1920 by Ralph Stewart

The Amarnath Cave Entrance in 1920

Amarnath Yatra Pics by Ralph Stewart in 1920

Ralph Randles Stewart was an American botanist who spent a lot of time collecting Plants and taking Photographs in the Western Himalayas in the early part of the 20th century.  In his memoirs he describes his Journey in the Western Himalayas as follows

“As a fresh graduate of Columbia University in New York City … I began to lecture in Botany and Zoology in a tiny Presbyterian Mission college in Rawalpindi with only 86 students. I had a three-year appointment and not expecting to be in India again, I wondered what would be the most interesting way to spend the two summers I expected to have in the East, on a slender budget (my salary was $600 a year with a room in a dormitory).

In 1911, with four young men (two Americans, a Bengali and a Scot) who wanted an adventurous summer vacation, we decided that a good way to utilize the summer of 1912 would be to hike in Kashmir and Western Tibet (Ladak). Two of us worked in Gordon College, Rawalpindi, at the beginning of the cart road to Kashmir constructed in 1890 with a good deal of cost and difficulty. It crossed the first Himalayan Range at Jhicca Gali near Murree (2100 m), descended to the Jhelum River at Kohala and then followed the river to Srinagar, a distance of 196 miles. We had nearly three months of vacation and we left Rawalpindi at the beginning of July on our push-bikes. It was still in the horse and buggy age, just before the Model-T Fords and the buses began to carry visitors to Kashmir. Our cook and baggage traveled in a one-horse, spring less vehicle called an Ekka. I was the only botanist in the party. The other were interested in taking pictures and seeing new country.

We spent the summer in Kashmir and Ladak and I enjoyed the trip so much that I helped organize an even longer expedition for the summer of 1913. We again rode bicycles to the Kashmir Valley and again hiked to Leh, the capital of Ladak. Instead of returning to Kashmir we turned east from Leh, crossed the Rupshu plains and entered Lahul by the Baralacha Pass; left Lahul by the Rotang La, visited Kulu and then walked further east to Simla and returned home from there by train.”

In 1920 Ralph went on the Amarnath Yatra and took pics of the same giving us a priceless treasure and a window into how things were in these Mountains a hundred years back.

150 1920 To Amarnath, Kashmir by Ralph Stewart

151 1920 Amarnath cave entrance by Ralph Stewart

152 1920 Encampment of Amarnath pilgrims at Pahlgam by Ralph Stewart

154 1920 Route to Amarnath by Ralph Stewart

159 1920 Tents of pilgrims, Pahlgam, Kashmir by Ralph Stewart

160 1920 Pilgrim Camp, Pahlgam, Kashmir by Ralph Stewart

161 1920 Food shop for Amarnath pilgrims, Pahlgam, Kashmir by Ralph Stewart

165 1920 Amarnath pilgrim route, Pahlgam by Ralph Stewart

166 1920 Headquarters tent of Amarnath pilgrimage, Pahlgam, Kashmir by Ralph Stewart

167 1920 Some of the sadhus on Amarnath pilgrimage, Pahlgam, Kashmir by Ralph Stewart

169 1920 Amarnath pilgrim camp, Kashmir by Ralph Stewart.jpg

Driving in the Himalayan Mountains

Driving in the Himalayan Mountains

We get many queries on People wanting to drive in the Himalayas and asking for Tips and advice on the same.

Here are the basic things you need to keep in your mind while driving in the Mountains

First and Foremost give way to Uphill traffic or the Vehicle which is climbing. When you are coming downhill always stop to give way to the Vehicles coming Uphill. Even on the toughest Roads there are points two Vehicles can pass so keep a mental note of such points that you see on the way. And learn how to reverse by using all the three rear view mirrors.

On the winding Roads always try and anticipate by looking at the Road as far as you can see as to when there is a vehicle coming especially when going downhill as reversing a Car uphill on a narrow Road with a steep fall on one side can become somewhat of a task. It's better to just stop at a broader part of the Road to let the Vehicle Pass.

I personally prefer driving at Night in the Hills as you can anticipate much better as you can see the headlights gleaming from afar. But this holds true only for the Metalled/ Semi Metalled / Kucha type drivable Roads. However if its a tough Mountain Road like the ones we get while crossing one of the Passes its recommended to drive only in the daylight hours.

Never ever overtake anything on a blind curve until and unless 100% sure that nothing will come from the other side. Since none of us can see the future hence we cant be 100% sure its better to be late than never.

And of course you need to follow the regular Traffic Rules especially wear your seat belts, use low beam if there is oncoming traffic, use rear view Mirrors on both wings and blow horn when you see a sign telling you to do so.

Besides these basic Rules there are certain points I would like to mention which are especially pertinent when you are driving a Hatchback or a Sedan and have Ground clearance issues. Having driven all kinds of vehicles in the Mountains ranging from a Maruti 800 to a Subaru Forester AWD I have developed certain techniques which I use while driving on these Roads

The basic Rule if your Car has low Ground Clearance try and keep one side of the wheels on the highest elevated point on the Road. This point usually lies right in the center of the Road. This lets you use the topography of the Road to overcome your lack of Ground Clearance.

Always use 2nd Gear while ascending and going up as it gives enough low end grunt to the Car to get you almost over most inclines and you still have the option of going to First gear if the need arises and you need more Power.

While descending again use the 2nd or the 3rd Gear as you will have a better control of the Vehicle and Engine braking will be on your side if you ever need to come to a sudden halt. Also remember the most sensitive part of your Car the Chamber or the Sump needs to kept away from the nasty stones and bumps on the Road. Most Sumps/ Chambers get busted while going down Hill as the speeds are higher and hence the impacts are stronger. Keeping control of your vehicle while descending is a very crucial part of completing your Journey without any damage.

Whenever you think that something has hit the Chamber be sure to stop and check. In case you dont all the Oil will leak from your Car and you will end up with a seized Engine. In case its leaking there are certain Jugaads that can be done like applying M Seal or something similar. People have also used Chewing Gum and Soap for the same. But its a serious issue and needs to be treated as such.

Always carry some water and eatables as back up just in case. A good tool kit also makes sense and make sure that the spare tyre is ready for action.

Having said that always take your decisions wisely while going on a Road trip in tough Mountain terrain. Even people who give a lot of Gyaan on the Mountains like me can find themselves in quite a sticky situation as recently happened with me on a Trip to Chansal Pass.

I was staying in Rohru and decided to drive upto Dodra Kwar via Chansal Pass. The only issue was that I was in a VW Polo. To me smaller Cars are quite handy on narrow Mountain Roads especially when going to Orchards as they are easier to maneuver. I asked people about the Road and they said you can have a go. I always think of it this way that if I see the Road is too much for the Vehicle I just turn back. So I took the stupid decision (in hindsight) to have a go. Stupid mostly because I just had my wife and little Daughter with me.

The drive was beautiful and Road was kinda manageable and before Larot the first incident took place. A Bolero pickup coming down at some speed caused me to take the Vehicle too close to the Mountain and both tyres on the passenger side went into a drain and I was stuck. I managed to gather a few guys working in the Orchards around. They pushed and all but the Vehicle was stuck. And then came another Bolero pickup on its way to Dodra Kwar to deliver Gas Cylinders. Three young guys in the pick up. I hailed them down, they assessed the situation, reversed their Bolero, took out a tow Rope and in the next 5 minutes the Car was out. I thanked them and gave them Apricots and Plums as a reward :). They told me that they will follow me and take me all the way to Doda. I laughed and said please dont bother and be on your way.

Anyways after a very bone shaking drive I reached Chansal with the Mrs not in the best of moods as she isnt very fond of steep mountain cliffs. She told me to turn back. But i did a deal. Lets go till Dodra. Kwar can wait. And on our way we started. It was then that I realised the other side was even rougher and steeper and I would have a tough time driving up especially if dusk fell. I was thinking what to do and suddenly I saw mud which was a good one foot thick. Ok thats it and I decided to turn back.

While on the way back I had just got down to Larot and had a lapse of concentration while driving. I went over a stone too fast and it hit the chamber. And I had a leak. I didnt realise and kept driving till I reached Shiladesh where I stopped to take some pics. Some guys behind me in a pick up stopped and told me about the leak. Damn I thought. And it was around 5 o clock and the weather was cloudy.

Soon a mini crowd gathered and I parked my Car at the Tempo stand. But of course the people were extremely helpful. They called up the Village mechanic and also a local Homestay and within 15 minutes a lady drove down in a Bolero and took my wife and kid to the Homestay while I waited at the Car as the Mechanic and his team had also arrived. With the team we proceeded to open the Chamber and get it off and it was to be sent to Rohru next morning for repair. I went to the Homestay.

Next day in the afternoon around 3 PM the Chamber came back after being repaired in Rohru and the Car got fixed and we were on our way back. Not much of an ordeal but I was lucky this happened in the Village and not somewhere near the Pass or on the other side of it.

In the end it was my stupidity which landed us in this Soup. Lesson learnt. Learnt very well.

The Karakoram Anomaly

The Karakoram Anomaly

In this time and age of Global warming and changes in the overall global weather patterns one of the most established fact is the shrinking of the Polar Ice Caps and the reduction of Glaciers in the Glacial non Polar Regions of the World.

We have seen the the alarming consequences closer to home with the shrinking of Glaciers in the Himalayan Regions especially in the Central Himalayas. But there is one Region which defies this Global trend and the Glaciers have actually remained the same or have actually increased. This Region is the extreme Western Part of the Himalayas and mainly in the Karakorams.

This my friends is called the Karakoram Anomaly and it has baffled leading scientists for some time now. How the Karakorams buck the trend of Glacial reduction is still to be answered in all its nuances. However some reasons have been attributed to be the cause of this Anomaly.

Firstly unlike the main Himalayan Range which gets a bulk of its precipitation (in the form of Rain in the lower reaches and in the form of Snow in the higher reaches) in the Summer season thanks to the Monsoon the Karakoram remains largely dry during the season. The Himalayas block the Monsoon and at the same time block the heat from the Indian Plains to get to the Karakorams. The Karakorams on the other hand get most of their precipitation in the Winters and most of it in the form of Snow with the clouds coming in from Central Asia and the Western disturbance.

Also a few degrees change in temperature would not really affect the snowfall in the Karakoram Range in the Winters however the same change would have drastic effects for the Himalayan Glaciers in the Summers. As the Snow would be less and Rain would be more. And people who have lived in snowy Regions would understand how Rain cuts through Snow and Ice.

Another theory purported is that the Glaciers of the Karakorams have a large amount of debris built up over the ages. A thick layer of debri which turns the top Ice of the Glacier into a dark colour attracts more heat and accelerates Glacial melt. However if the debris are thicker they actually act as insulators and preserve the Ice underneath.

Yet another Theory being put out there is the fact that the lowest areas of the Karakorams are now cultivated at a larger scale then at any time in the past. This insinuates the use of a larger amount of water for cultivation and this leads to more moisture in the atmosphere and hence more precipitation in the area creating a different microclimate in the area.

Personally I see the first theory making the most sense though the other two also make sense. And I assume it's a mixture of all the above stated factors.

Hopefully one day Scientists will find out the exact reason for the Karakoram Anomaly.

Till then we can probably take some solace in the fact that the Glaciers in at least one Region are not shrinking.

A pic of the Drang Drung Glacier of the Great Himalayan Range. Pic from April 2018. On a flight from Delhi to Leh
 

La Dvags : Ladakh The Land of Passes

La - Dvags  : Ladakh, The Land of Passes

Ladakh, the word comes from the derivation of the of the Tibetan word for the region “La Dvags” which literally means  the Land of Passes. Of course there are N number of Passes within Ladakh so we try and enumerate the Passes which connect Ladakh with its neighbouring Regions and well as the Passes within Ladakh connecting the different areas in Ladakh.

To the South

Zoji La (3505 m) : The most famous of all the Passes and also one of the lowest altitude Passes in the Great Himalayan Range. Its motorable for almost 7 months in the years

Bhotkol Pass/ Lonvilad Gali (4200m) : A Pass between Suru starting from Panikhar and Warwan Valley. Also called the Salt Route in the days of the old. Also connects to the Lidder Valley through the Gulol Pass. 

Shafat La : Another Pass between Suru and Warwan Valley in Kishtwar. The Pass lies beyond the Shafat Glacier at the base of the Nun Kun

Chilung La (5294 m) : A Pass between Zanskar  and the Marwah Valley in Kishtwar

Omasi La : (5590 m) : The Omasi La (5590m) trek is a lesser known trek in the Indian Himalayas. The trek begins from the village of Gulabgarh on the J&K - Himachal Border. The areas has been closed for many years after the insurgency began in Kashmir 

Hagshu La : 

Poat La (5490 m) : Poat La 5490 m/18011 ft consider to be one of the highest passes in whole of Himalaya and the Sersank pass a.k.a. Shiv Shankar La 5130 m / 16,830 ft located at the head of Lugai Nala, 

Kang La : (5468 m) : The Kang La was the traditional route used by Lahaulis(people from Lahaul) to cross over into Zanskar and on to Ladakh.

Shinkun La : Connects Zanskar with Lahaul in the south. A Motorable Road is now being built here.

Baralacha La (4892 m) : I guess everyone has heard of this one. Motorable for 6 months

Parang La : Connects Spiti with Ladakh through Rupshu

Long Lacha La :  Connected Ladakh with Rampur Bushahr ?

Thung Lung La : Connected Ladakh with Rampur Bushahr ?

To the North

Khardung La (5615m ?) : One of the highest Motorable Passes in the World and connects the Indus Valley to the Nubra Valley.

Sasser La (5411 m) : A Pass in the Karakorams on the old Leh Yarkand Route towards Central Asia.

Karakoram La : Ahead of the Sasser La is the Karakoram Pass. A Strategic Pass where Ladakh meets Turkestan (Xinijang)

To the West

Fotu La (4108 m) : It is a Pass which connect Leh with the Kargil Region (Purig). Fully Motorable and open almost throughout the Year.

Namika La (3719 m) : It is a Pass which connect Leh with the Kargil Region (Purig). Fully Motorable and open almost throughout the Year.

Chorbat La (5145 m) : A Pass which connected Skardu to Leh via Khaplu and the Nubra Valley over the Khardung La

Marpo La (5353) : In the Drass Sector on the Line of Control

Kaobal La : Connects Drass in Ladakh to the Gurez Valley through Muskoh. Motorable but restricted for Civilians

To the East

Chang La (5360 m) : Connects the Leh area with the Changthang.

Marsimik La (5582 m)

OTHER PASSES

Ane La : The Easternmost of the Passes listed here. Lead towards the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary from beyond Pangong Tso

Charchar La : This Pass connects Zangla to Sumdo in the Zanskar Valley

Digar La : This Pass connects Leh with Agham in the Nubra Valley. An alternative for Khardung La 

Horlam La : Connects Tso Moriri and Karzok to Debring on the Manali Leh Road and comes after the Kartse La

Kakset La  :  This Pass connects Chusul to Mahe in Chumathang Valley

Kangla Jal La 

Kanji La : Connects Rangdum to Henasku in the Indus Valley along the Leh Kargil Road

Kartse La :  Connects Tso Moriri and Karzok to Debring on the Manali Leh Road after further crossing the Panguangu La.

Kiagar La : Connects the Kiagar Tso to Puga Sumdo.

Lachulung La (5059 m) : A Pass on the main Manali Leh Highway after the Baralacha La and before the More Plains

Lamzo La : This Pass connects Lukung on the banks of the Tso Moriri to Changra in the Changthang.

Lenak La : This Pass connects Hanle to Chumur

Lumkang La (5769 m) : A Pass in the Changthang close to Chamkang and Nischu

Namshang La (4960 m)

Marang La : This Pass connects Sangtha in Lower Markha Valley to Sutak in Zanskar

Panguangu La : This Pass connects Niyar by the Tso Kar to Debring on the Manali Leh Road

Parpi La : This Pass connects Pidma to Lingshet in the Zanskar Valley. 

Pensi La (4400 m) : This Pass connects the Zanskar Valley with the Suru Valley.

Phitse La : This Pass comes after Shinku La on the way to Zanskar from Lahaul. Would be connected by Motorable Road in the coming future.

Pogmar La : This Pass connects Pang to Sanghta in the Lower Markha Valley

Polokong Ka La (5000 m) : This Pass connects Puga Sumdo to Nilyar by the Tso Kar.

Rubarung La : This Pass connects Tilut Sumdo in the Zanskar Valley to Hankar in Markha Valley.

Salsal La : Connects Nayoma to Chumur passing by the Chilling Tso and the Kyun Tso after coming through the Thit Zarbo Pass.

Singe La : This Pass connects Nerag in the Zanskar Valley to the Indus Valley at Hanupatta.

Tanglang La (5359m): Another famous Pass which connects the More Plains with the Indus Valley and on the main Manali Leh Highway.

Telekon La : This Pass connects Tangleb on the banks of the Tso Moriri to Pang on the Manali Leh Highway. 

Thit Zarbo La : Connects Nayoma to Chumur passing by the Chilling Tso and the Kyun Tso after further crossing the Salsal La

Umba La : This Pass connects the Drass Valley with the Suru Valley and bypasses Kargil

Umling La (5883 m)

Wakha La : The Pass after Kanji La which connects Rangdum in Zanskar to Henasku in the Indus Valley on the main Leh Kargil Road.

Wari La (5300 m): Connects Karu on the Leh Manali Road to Agham in the Nubra Valley.

Yar La : Connects Sangtha in Lower Markha Valley to Khurna in the Markha Valley.

Zalung Karpo La (5200m) : Connects the Indus Valley with the Markha Valley

The Curious Case of the Baltis of Dehradun

The Curious Case of the Baltis of Dehradun

On my random ramblings here and there I was in Drass and we decided have some Tea and Snacks at a Dhaba in Kargil. The guys running the Dhaba looked like almost a local but he was speaking in a strange accent to his wife. It wasnt the local accent.

Out of curiosity I asked him where he was from. He said Dehradun. I was like how did you land up here. He answered that they only stay there during the Spring/ Summers and return back to Dehradun before the onset of Winter. Ok I said.

But why here of all place. Then he told me there are Dhabas run by people from Dehradun as well and quite a lot of them. I asked again why here of all the places. There are other Hill Stations much closer to Dehradun in UK itself and you wouldnt even have to leave the state.

I then casually told him well you can pass of as a local. How come I asked ? Well we are from the same area originally he said. From Drass ? No he said. I was like OK he is not a Shina speaker so must be a Purigi speaker from Kargil or Suru. Nope he said. Then where I asked ?

Well we are originally from Baltistan but settled in Dehradun. I was like “Come again” please. I think I heard you wrong. He repeated and then the fact was revealed me to me of the story of a community of Baltis that exists in a place called Ambari in Vikasnagar near Dehradun.

Baltis are originally the inhabitants of what is now called Baltistan in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir where they are the majority.. The Baltis are of Tibetan origin with a significant Dardic admixture. In the state of Jammu and Kashmir the majority people of Kargil area as well the people in the Villages around Turtuk are also Balti.

Coming back to the Baltis of Dehradun i wondered how and why they landed up there. Also at the same time I got to know that some Baltis were also living in Shimla. And the community still exists in some form over there. And also about a smaller Balti community thats exists in Nainital and even smaller ones dotted at other places in Uttarakhand.

So as it seems in the days before Partition many people from Baltistan used to come down to the Hill Stations and lower foothills in search of work. These hardy mountain men were sought after for their great ability to carry heavy loads over rugged mountain paths. They were employed by the Armed Forces and as a general heavy load specialists. There were also a large number of them who were employed in the stone quarries in the foothills especially around Dehradun. The fact that you still find sturdy Kashmiri/ Gujjars from Kashmir still being used as heavy load specialists in Hill Stations like Shimla and Mussoorie are a testimony to this. As well as the testimony to the fact that sturdy mountain men are always in demand at our Hill Stations.

As it so happened suddenly the tragedy of Partition took place and all the Baltis who came for the area that was occupied by the Pakistani forces were now stranded in India wherever they were. The more luckier ones who hailed from the Kargil area still had a home within India when Indian forces forced te Pakistani forces out of the Kargil area which also they had occupied. That day is still celebrated in Kargi as the “Kargil Yom-e-Fateh” day on May 24 every year.

For all the Baltis that had no home to go back to as it was now under Pakistani control there was no option but to settle down at wherever they were at. The biggest settlement was at Vikas Nagar in a village called Amabari where they continue to thrive and live today as proud Indian citizens.

So next time in Dehradun do try and check these guys out and click some pics.

Pic from what I consider to be our part of Baltistan. The beautiful Suru Valley with vistas which match with the pics posted from Gilgit Baltistan.

Pic from April 2018. Suru Valley, Kargil District, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir.

The Gurudwara and the Hindu Dharamshala at Leh

The Gurudwara and the Hindu Dharamshala at Leh

I had previously done a Post on the almost impossible Trade Route which connected Leh to Yarkand. 

This time I had gone to Ladakh on a specific reason to go looking for clues that still survived of the great Trading Route.Of course there were other agendas on my plate as well but I wanted to find out more about this Trade and the People and commodities involved in the Trade. Of course there is mention of the Great Trade Route in the Books but since most people have lost interest in this all the remnants lie kinda forgotten. 

The Trade ended in around 1949 when China closed the trading Route to what they now called Xinjiang. And it was almost 70 years now since the show ended. No one had a clue and no one seemed interested. And most asked what I was doing roaming around seemingly aimlessly where as I could be at Penguin Lake getting photographed sitting on a Scooter. Or go and meet Alexander’s family members. Or try to get permission to go to Umingting Ta, where if I could get a selfie with my tough guy look I could own Social Media for 3 days I imagine. Jokes apart I was trying my best to find something at least connected to the legendary Trade.

As luck would have it I happened to meet Sajid bhai who runs a well known Hotel in Leh and at his Hotel lobby he has a great collection of antiques and memorabilia. Sajid bhai told me that his family was involved in the Central Asian Trade and the place where his Hotel exists today was the site of a great Sarai where the Merchants from Yarkand would come down and stay. His family enjoyed Royal Patronage and this land was right next to the Leh Palace. But the most interesting fact was when Sajid bhai told me that his Mother was from Kashgar, another fabled city in Eastern Turkestan making the troika of the great cities at the edge of Tarim Basin viz Yarkand, Khotan and Kashgar. Some connect was being made. He directed me to the Central Asian Museum newly set up in Leh.

Next I visited the Central Asian Museum in Leh. A great building and very well set up though I must mention that I was a tad bit disappointed by the Collection they had. I was even more disappointed by the fact that Photography wasn't allowed inside the Museum as they had some interesting stuff. But still it had an impressive amount of information and Photos on display and one interesting information was the Volume of Trade for a certain period measured by the number of Laden Mules/ Horses : Donkeys : Camels came into Leh and were registered with the authorities. The numbers of Caravan Animals in 1871 are as given under (I copied the information on a Paper) :

From Kullu : Laden Horses/ Mules : 388 ; Donkeys : 35

From Rampur : Laden Horses/ Mules : 15 ; Donkeys : 35

From Turkestan : Laden Horses/ Mules : 956 ; Donkeys : 13 ; Camels : 18

From Kashmir : Laden Horses/ Mules : 464

From Changthang / Tibet : Laden Horses/ Mules : 460

Imports to Ladakh from North India included dyes, cotton cloth, spices, pears, rice, sugar, tobacco as well as personal items such as Needles, Soap and Combs. From China and Turkestan came Silk, carpets, cloth, gold, silver, turquoise, corals, brocades and velvet. At that time the distance between Leh and Yarkand was 548 miles and the Journey took around a month. On the other hand the time from Leh to Lhasa was around 3 months.

As mentioned in another Post the trade from the plains of Punjab used to start from Hoshiarpur and it was mostly Hoshiarpuri trader who were involved in this Trade and a number of them used to come to Leh from the Plains and some would even go to Yarkand. As time went by many of them settled partially in Leh and down in the Plains many Hoshiarpuri traders moved to Kullu.

And then I decided to take a walk in the Leh Market which is now a cobblestone street off-limits to cars. The first clue lies in the fact that a number of Shops/ Trading Marts in Leh are operated by Punjabis. Lajpat Rai Trilok Chand and Het Ram Vinay Kumar were the shops that caught my eye. Typical Punjabi trader names. Of course there are many newer Punjabi traders but most of them go away in the harsh winter but return as the Sun warms the high Desert. On enquiry at Lajpat Rai Trilok Chand, who have a big store in the main Bazaar a gentleman confirmed their link to Hoshiarpur and that they were originally from there. 

And then I came across this old building which stood out amongst the new buildings in the Bazaar. And then i noticed a Saffron Flag on top and on getting closer I noticed the “Khanda” on the Flag. So it was an old Gurudwara in the Main Bazaar. And looking at the building I suddenly noticed another old board which said “Hindu Dharamshala” and it had a date in Hindi which I assume said 1933 but Im not quite sure. It turns out that the second Floor was a Gurudwara, the first Floor was a Hindu Dharamshala and the Ground Floor was shops. Im sure this served as the resting place for the Punjabi traders coming from Hoshiarpur as that was the main point of Trade in the Punjab with the Hills and the Mountains beyond. And the Shops were used by them to probably display their merchandise.

And below is the pic of the said Building which probably no-one even gives a second look to. I wish I could rummage through the stuff they have probably stacked away somewhere in the Dharamshala.

That would make a great Story for another day I guess.

Kishtwar : At the Himalayan Crossroads

Kishtwar : At The Himalayan Crossroads

Kishtwar today is just a district in the Jammu Division of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It borders the Kashmir Valley on one side, Doda on the other, Zanskar in the North, Chamba in the South. It has been noticed by some hard core mainly foreign Monatineers in the past and even recently for the great climbing opportunities it offers in the Kishtwar Himalayas.

Ok coming to what I wanted to write about. The Great Himalayan Range and its related Ranges stretch from the Pamir Knot down to the Hengduan Mountains in North Western Kunming. Besides all the ethnic and cultural variety there are also a variety of Religions practiced in these Mountains. Since Religion is a hot topic of debate and discussion and even derision on the Himalayan Club I decided to write on a subject related to it. To me the Religion of a place carries as much value as the ethnicity or the culture or the language does.

In the Himalayas there is the basic presence of three of our great religions. In the Western and Northern part of the Western Himalayas it is Islam which dominates. However beyond the Himalayas in the North its Buddhism. Towards the Eastern and Southern Part of the Western Himalayas it is Hinduism. And of course Buddhism in the Trans Himalayan reaches. The Central Himalayas are a stronghold of Hinduism stretching all the way across to Sikkim. But again as a feature seen earlier its Buddhism which dominates the higher Himalayas and the Trans Himalayas. Beyond Sikkim its predominantly Buddhism which is the majority religion.

Its in Kishtwar that the three belief systems merge and hence it gives unique place in the Himalayas. The majority population follows Islam, a large minority follows Hinduism and a very small minority of Buddhists also exist in Kishtwar. Its in the upper reaches of Padar (which used to be called Paldar by the Ladakhis / Tibetans) that there are exist Buddhist villages which follow the same Tibetan Buddhist traditions that are followed across the Great Himalayan divide in Zanskar. Infact in some of these Villages in Kishtwar there still exists an animal which is associated more with Ladakh or Tibet ie the Yak. In the Padar Region in the upper reaches along the Machail River there are the twin hamlets of Halo and Hango on the left side of the Machail River and the Villages of Lossaini, Dangali, Scham and Jashari which are all Buddhist Villages.

Towards the south bordering Doda and Chamba are a majority of Hindus contiguous with the populations to the South. The main Kishtwar town and to the North of it are majority Muslim population many of whom have actually come in from adjoining areas in Kashmir. In Fact the Kashmiri spoken by the people in the Warwan Valley, which is a part of Kishtwar, is supposed to be the purest form of Kashmiri as it was spoken in the olden days. The Warwan Valley runs parallel to the Suru Valley in Ladakh separated by the Great Himalayan Range itself.

Kishtwar is first referred to in the Rajatarangini by the ancient name Kashthavata, during the reign of Raja Kalsa of Kashmir (1063–1089), when "Uttamaraja", the ruler of Kashthavata visited the court of the Kashmir King in company with several other hill chiefs to pay their respects to the Raja.  

It was more or less an independent Hill Kingdom ruled by Rajput Hill Rajas as was the norm in the region. The Royal family had supposedly descended from the Royal family of Suket.

However subsequently a part of it also became a part of the Western Tibetan Kingdom and the one of the Kings divided his Kingdom between his sons and they got Zanskar, Purig and Kishtwar as separate Kingdoms. However in the absence of any written historical records of history of the Region the timelines are just approximate guesses and due to the Geography of the region it is well possible that a part of Kishtwar was under the Rajput Hindu Rajas and the more higher and remote areas like Padar was under the rule of Ladakhi/ Tibetan Rajas.

In the 17th Century the Rajas of Kishtwar converted to Islam so did a large part of the population. But in an odd adaption the Rajas, though Muslims by religion, had Hindu Rajput names and this continued till the 1820 when it was captured by Raja Gulab Singh, a vassal of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The name of the last ruling was Raja Muhammed Teg Singh s/o Raja Inayatullah Singh. The campaign for the capture of the Kingdoms of Kishtwar, Reasi and Arnos was carried on by none other than General Zorawar Singh who subsequently became the Governor of these erstwhile Kingdoms and it was from here that he planned his invasions of Ladakh, Baltistan and Tibet. And one of his main Officers, Col Mehta Basti Ram, of the well known Mehta clan of Kishtwar, who campaigned fearlessly with General Zorawar Singh in all his Campaigns. After the death of General Zorawar Singh and the subsequent signing of the Treaty of Chusul, it was Col Mehta Basti Ram who became the first Governor of Ladakh.

As of today this most beautiful part (arguably) of Himalayas lies mostly unknown to outsiders except a few adventure seekers. Lying in the shadow of Kashmir and Ladakh but a part of Jammu that can give both these places more than a run for their money just with its amazing Geographical and Cultural diversity.

The Battle of Basgo

The Battle of Basgo : When the Mughals fought the Mongols

Here is an interesting tale which encompasses a vast myriad of actors and shows how the history of the Himalayas intertwines containing threads that includes the various people living in and around the Himalayas.

Around 1643 Tibet was a dependency of the Mongols and the Mongols played an important part in the power struggle between the various sects of Tibetan Buddhism who seemed to be engaged in a permanent duel. It was primarily a struggle between the Yellow hat sect and the Red hat sect. The Mongols were the military power who decided on the matter of which sect would come out on top in this struggle.

The Mongol Gushi Khan, the ruler of the Dzungar Khanate, put his weight behind the Fifth Dalai Lama, who was the head of the Yellow Hat sect. But as a quid pro quo the whole of Tibet came under Mongol suzernity and was a welcome addition to the Dzungar Mongol Empire, an Empire which strecthed from Tibet to Kazakhstan to the Mongol steppes and well into Siberia. At that time it doesnt seem to have occured to the Mongols or to the Dalai Lama to subjugate Western Tibet (Ladakh) which was a seperate kingdom though which paid tribute to the Tibetan kingdom.

But then circumstances played up and created a situation which caused the Mongols to cast their gaze on Ladakh along with their Tibetan allies.

It so happened that the King of Bhutan was a follower of the Red Hat sect and this got him into a spat with the Dalai Lama who was the most dominant figure of the Yellow Hat sect and his Mongol allies. As it happened the King of Ladakh at that time, Delek Namgyal of the powerful Namgyal dyanasty sided with the King of Bhutan in this spat as the head Lama of Bhutan was his patron Lama as well.

This incensed the Mongol Tibetan rulers of Tibet and soon an army was despatched to Ladakh let by a Mongol Lama named Tsang consisting of both the Mongols and Tibetans. In the first engagement the Ladakhi Army met the Tibeto-Mongol Army near the Pangong Lake and were driven back to their capital and castle which at that time was at Basgo.

It should be noted that the Raja of Bushahr, Raja Kehari Singh also supported the Tibeto-Mongol invasion as he wanted to recover parts of Kinnaur which were claimed by the Namgyals of Ladakh.

Finding himself in the midst of being surrounded in his castle at Basgo by the Tibeto-Mongol, the Gyalpo (Ladakhi word for the King) decided to ask help from the only power he knew could take on the Mongols and the Tibetans. He wrote to the Mughal Governor of Kashmir to come to his rescue in exchange for which he will switch his allegiance to the Moghuls instead of the Tibetans in the future. The Mughal Governor forwarded the request to Emperor Aurangzeb,who agreed to help on two conditions, first the Pashmina trade should be an exclusive Mughal preserve and the Gyalpo should convert to Islam.

The Gyalpo found himself between a rock and a hard place. Atleast agreeing to the Mughla conditions would ensure that he had a good chance of getting through this crisis. Alive. He agreed and soon a Mughal force was despatched to take on the Mongols and the Tibetans.

Interestingly the Mughals themselves were of Turkic-Mongol origin. Infact the word "Mughal" was the Persian word for the Mongols. Emperor Babur was himself a descendent of Timurlane and a princess of the Chagatai order. The Chagtais were descended from Chagatai, the second son of the Great Khan himself. The stage was now set for these Mughlas to meet on the field their long lost Mongol cousins.

As a side act the Raja of Kullu, Raja Bidhi Singh, also sided with the Mughals, as Lahaul and Kullu used to pay tributes to the Ladakh kingdom and as such he was obliged to side with the Namgyals. On a side note the Raja plundered the Zanskar Valley while the stage was being set for the main engagement.

The Mughal force crossed the Indus over two wooden bridges at Khalaste and marched towards Basgo. The two armies met at a plain called Jargyal between Basgo and Nimmu. This is referred to as the Battle of Basgo fought in 1679. And the battle hardened Mughals along with their Ladakhi and Kullu allies proved too strong for the Tibeto-Mongols and their Bushahri allies. The Tibeto-Mongols were pushed back and routed all the way to Spituk where after a brief lull the fighting erupted again until they were driven beyond the Pangong Lake to a place called Trashisgang. They built themselves a Fort and shut themselves in and the Mughal Army now turned back, confident that the Tibeto-Mongols were gone for good. But of course Mongols being Mongols, they were wrong, but more of that later.

In the meanwhile the Gyalpo had moved west to the Fort of Tinmogang, around 30 west of the Fort at Basgo. And the Mughals now turned up to get their pound of flesh. All the Pashmin trade rights were given to the Mughals and as per Mughal chronicles the Gyalpo converted to Islam and took on the name Akbat Mahmud Khan. As a guarantee the Mughals took with them to Kashmir as "guests" a few members of the Royal family including one of his sons.

The Ladakhi chronicles however make no mention of his conversion to Islam. Maybe the King didnt want to reveal this fact to his subjects and especially to the Orthodox Buddhist Lamas who would get extremely incensed at the fact that their King converted to Islam. As per outside historians the King converted to Islam but this information was kept secret and not recorded anywhere in the Ladakhi chronicles. He simply could not afford to face the wrath of the Lamas.

Having been satisfied and their conditions fulfilled the Mughals went back over the Zoji La to Kashmir leaving the Gyalpo in charge as before.

Once the Mughals went back, the Tibetians with new re-enforcements from the new Dzungarian Khan, Galdan Boshugtu Khan, attacked again in 1684. This time the Tibeto-Mongols were victorious and the Gyalpo just didnt have the time or the inclination to call upon his Mughal allies and neither were the Mughlas perpared or interested in intervening again.

In the aftermath a Treaty was signed between the Tibetans and the Ladakhis which set the border between Ladakh and Tibet and it restricted the Kashmir hold on the Pashmina trade only till Spituk. It also set the annual tribute that Ladakh had to send to Tibet.

This fragile peace would hold on for another 150 years till General Zorawar Singh happened. Another story for another day.

References : Francke : History of Western Tibet, O.C. Handa:'Buddhist Western Himalaya: A Politico-Religious History' and Vinayak Razdan who had written a Post on the same and I added more information to his Post.

The Brave Shen - Pa

The Brave Shen Pa

In the beginning of December 1841 at an altitude of over 14000 ft on the Tibetan Plateau with the temperatures well below freezing he got the news that a large contingent of the Imperial Chinese Army consisting of more than 10,000 soldiers along with their Tibetan allies was coming for him and stop his whirlwind advance. He had already faced smaller contingents and had already snatched, the Imperial Chinese Banner, the Mantalai Standard from them in an encounter. That had given them a measure of this man.

In a fashion typical to him and only him he must have weighed the odds. His Troops, about 3000 in number, were out of supplies, hungry, suffering badly from the intense Cold to the point that they had sawed off the butts of their Guns to burn them for warmth. He had already added more than 150,000 sq km of territory to his King’s domain and fought and come up on top in extremely difficult situations like taking his Army up the Umasi La at the onset of Winter. He had captured the holiest of the holy, the Kailash Parbat and Mansrover for his King. No King would want more.

A Replica of the Chinese Imperial Mantalai Standar kept at the Zorawar Musuem at the Zorarwar Fort in Leh

But not him. He had promised Lhasa. And Lhasa he would deliver. The Western Tibetan Kingdom including Rudok, Guge, Purang and Spiti were already under his wing. He was in Tirathpuri by the Satluj when he got the news of the advance. He despatched a small band of advanced troops under Nono Sonam to lead the initial forays into the rival Army. His men were massacred but Nono Sonam managed to escape and get back. Next a bigger band of around 600 men under Ghulam Khan and Nono Sonam were despatched to check the advance of the adversary. They fought well and they fought hard but they were routed by overwhelming number of the opposing force. Both Ghulam Khan and Nono Sonam were taken prisoners.

When he had started on his Trans Himalayan Expeditions he was accompanied by the following 12 Officers who led his Army and now after 7 years of Campaigns in the highest Himalayas and now just a couple of them were alive :

Mian Rai Singh
Mehta Basti Ram
Mirza Rasool Beg
Rana Zalim Singh
Abdul Razak Singh Mankotia
Mian Tota
Sardar Uttam Singh
Wazir Khwaja Bhanjal
Sardar Samad Khan
Nardeep Singh
Imam Malik
Syed Madin Shah

Out of all these Officers only probably Col Mehta Basti Ram of Kishtwar would die of old age. All of them were completely dedicated to him.

Replica of a Pistol presented to Raja Gulab Singh by General Zorarwar Singh

He decided to act in the only way of defence he knew. Attack. On the 10th of December with the remnants of his Army he decided to fall upon the oncoming Army though he knew the odds were stacked up against him. Heavily. But the “Shen - Pa” as their adversaries called them fell upon them with all the ferocity they were well known for. The Shen - Pas first attack on the Chinese / Tibetan Army has been described as “lightning fury” by a noted historian. Hell was unleashed in the biting cold between the two Armies engaged in Battle at over 4800 m above sea level.

The a fierce Battle ensued for two days. On the 12th December he himself decided to lead a charge on the enemy positions with his last best men left. While leading the charge with his signature fury he got a bullet in his thigh and fell off his Horse. Seeing him fall immediately he was surrounded by enemy soldiers. He was down but not out and he drew his sword. He dealt terrific blows to anyone who came close. Eventually a Horseman thrust his Lance at him and it went through his Chest. He fell. Dead.

His men now panicked and fled in all directions and were cut down by the enemy. Around 600 to 700 were taken prisoners. Col Mehta Bast Ram who was holding the Fort at Taklakot also decided to withdraw and crossed over into Almora. They were defeated. And he was dead.

The Nallah in Susru Valley near Panikhar where General Zorawar Singh first emerged in Ladakh.

But now the victors had a new problem. His body. They held him in reverential awe as the bravest of the Shen-pas. They cut off his head and carried it off to Lhasa as a Trophy. It was apparently entombed in a stupa. Parts of his remains were taken to the Simbiling and the Sakya Monasteries. All other remains were scattered so that this feared Shen - Pa might not rise again to do what he did. A Stupa was built to him somewhere around Mansrover. It stands there to this day.

Many engagements and Battles were fought thereupon between the same adversaries and finally Peace was reached with the signing of the Treaty of Chushul. And Col Mehta Basti became the First Governor of Ladakh.

In The History of Western Tibet by Rev.A.H. Francke who was a Moravian Missionary in Ladakh mentions that the Ladakhi's sing a poignant song of His wife, whom they believe to have accompanied her husband to Ladakh, and who had to return alone across the Zoji Pass. In this song Urdu words are mixed in a quaint way with the Tibetan:

I do not wish to eat bread received from the sinful Northerners, I do not wish to drink water received from the sinful Northerners
Amidst the inhabitants of this land I have no friends and relations, In the Northern Plain I have no brothers and friends
In the place of friends and relations I had only You
In the place of brothers and friends I had only You
And it was only You who made me a despised widow
And it was only You who made his Queen a despised widow
When arriving on the Zoji Pass, my fatherland can be seen
When arriving on the Zoji Pass, Lahore and the Panjab can be seen
Although I can see my Fatherland, I shall not arrive there
Although I can see my Fatherland, Your Queen will not arrive there......

And he further wrote : Now that the greatest General the Dogras have ever had has found his death on the battle-field, let us pause for a moment and place a wreath of tribute on his grave. For, Oriental though he was, we cannot help admiring a greatness in this man by which he far surpassed his surroundings. In the beginning of his conquests he was extremely cautious ; but this was essentially necessary, considering the naturally protected position of Western Tibet, and his entire want of knowledge of the geographical conditions of this country. But, as he had a keen eye for the defects of his enemy, and was a great strategist, all these difficulties were overcome. After the conquest was complete, the continual insurrections presented a new problem for his ingenuity to solve. By the manner in which he treated them, and in which he quelled them one after another, without any extra amount of cruelty, he showed not a little measure of wisdom. He proved himself a true soldier in the endurance of extraordinary hardships and in setting an example of personal courage ; and if he had not met with an early end on the battle-field, he might have impressed his name on the pages of the great history of the world.

His name was General Zorawar Singh Kahluria.

On Flight of Fancy to Leh

The Great Himalayan Wilderness

On a Flight of Fancy to Leh 

A flight to Leh from the Plains gives you an actual chance to view the awesomeness of the mightiest Mountain Range on the Planet especially just as Winter gives way to Spring and the Peaks have the maximum amount of Snow which accentuates the appearance of the Mountains.

The Lower Hills with the Rivers coming through

The endless Plains first give way to the lower Hills and the Shivaliks. Its just ahead and coming out of these lower Hills are a number of Rivers as they enter the Plains. And the effect of man's work is also visible as you see the Reservoirs of various Dams appear once into the lower Hills.

The Lower Hills giving way to the Lesser Himalayas at the Dhauladhars and the Pir Panjals.

The lower Hills give way to the Lesser Himalayan Ranges like the Dhauladhar and the Pir Panjals. These appear as big mountains with craggy tops and snow higher up with a some small Glaciers.

The Lesser Himalayas giving way to the Great Himalayas

Once across this suddenly you see an elevation in the lay of the land and suddenly till the eyes can see are visible craggy Peaks all white with massive Glaciers between the Massifs. This is the sign that you are now on the Great Himalayan Range itself. The main and the highest Spine of this Mountain Range. And it goes without saying this appears as the most dramatic part of the Range as its a virtual Ocean of thousands of Spires.

The Glaciers of the Great Himalayas

The endless Spires of the Great Himalayas

But like all good things must end so does this this.And then you start noticing that the landscape gets browner with lesser Snow and the Mounatins appear to be rounder rather than craggy. These are the Trans Himalayas. And also making their appearance are certain large water bodies that exist on this Trans Himalayan desert.

The Great Himalayas giving way to the Trans Himalayan Plateau

In the pic below you can see the dramatic change as you cross from the Great Himalayas over to the Trans Himalayas with a River acting like a border. The Mountains to the right of the River are craggier and whiter than the ones to the left. Also in the left corner you see a large water body which is the Tso Moriri Lake.

The Lakes of the Trans Himalayas : The Tso Moriri

Typical Trans Himalayan Landscape

However the Trans Himalayas dont last long as soon appearing on the horizon are Mountains ever craggier than the Great Himalayan Range. These are the what were called in Turkic language as the Black Rock Mountains and even today we use that term for them, the Karakoram, arguably the most impenetrable Range of the whole system. From the Leh flight as it starts its descent on the first view of the Karakaorams they appear even more formidable till they disappear behind the Ladakh Range and the plane lands along the Indus River.

The gently sloping Peaks of the Trans Himalayan Plateau

However if by some luck we were able to continue to fly northwards we would cross the first line of the Karakorams and come across the formidable Deosai and the Depsang with the Changthang of the Tibetan Plateau further afield on the right alongwith Changchenmo. Soon we would be flying over the mighty K2 and the Trans Karakoram Tract. But the fun doesnt end until you run into the spires of Kun Lun and the Pamirs at the point they meet and converge. Another great Mountain vista awaits you you cross another of these Great Mountain barriers which seperate the Indian sub-continent from Central Asia. And finally our imaginary flight would land at Yarkand at the edge of the Tarim Basin.

The Spires of the mighty Karakorams appearing beyond the Ladakh Range. In this case the Saser Massif.

You have just flown over the most formidable Mountain barrier on the Planet. Now think of the Men who crossed these barriers on foot. And let me know if a chill passes down your spine when I tell you their stories on a day I decide to tell that story :)

Looking in the opposite direction towards the plains we have the Zanskar Range with the Great Himalayas in the background.

Do walk the Mountains someday instead of flying or driving over them

Pic from April 2018. Delhi to Leh flight.

Drass : Hembabs / Hembaps

Drass : Hembabs/ Hembaps

A Village with a great background in what used to be called "Hembabs / Hembaps" now known as Drass. This was on the way to Umba La which connects Drass to the Suru Valley at Sankoo.

A view of the Drass Valley from the Rpad to the Umba La Pass. In the background you can see the famous Tiger Hill

Besides being famous for being "The Second Coldest Inhabited Place in the World" (I often wonder where they came up with this stupidity ; it could well be the coldest inhabited place in India, which I would agree with) it also holds a unique place in the Geographically of Ladakh. Traditionally Drass was known as Hembabs with the word "Hem" meaning the same as it does in "Him" of the Himalayas. Basically a place which gets a lot of snow as this area got the most snow in the whole region.

A Village in the Drass Valley 

And also Hembabs is also the place with the most influence of Kacheeyul, which is the traditional Tibetan/ Ladakhi word for Kashmir. And a number of Kashmiris have traditionally come over here and settled here.

The Mushkoh River

And most interestingly the language spoken in Drass is Shina unlike the Purigi version of Balti spoken in Kargil and Suru Valley. The same language is spoken in the Gurez Valley in Kashmir as well. Shina is a one of the major languages of Gilgit Baltistan as well with 40% of the population supposedly speak Shina.

For most people this is just a cold place in way to Leh. But this place holds much more than that.

A beautiful Mosque in Drass.

On a side Note these are the Ladakhi / Tibetan names for the regions which bordered Ladakh ( Got them from an old Map that I happen to come across ) :

Kashmir - Kachee Yul
Kulu - Nyungti
Kinnaur - Kunu
Drass - Hembaps
Marwah Warwan - Maru Wardwan
Chamba - Chamba
Kishtwar - Kishtwar
Padar - Paldar
Badarwah - Badarwar
Pangi - Panga
Bharmour - Barmaur
Lahaul - Garzha

All these places are the Cathedrals of the Himalayas and in my view one of the most intriguing Mountain geographies on the Planet. With an amazing array of ethnic, cultural, lingual, religious and societal diversities. May we all get a chance to visit these places.

Pic from April end, 2018. On the way to Umba La, Drass Sector