Teethwal and Tangdhar are located in the Karnah Valley which lies across the Shamshabari Mountains and you cross over from the Sadhna or the Nastachun Pass which is probably one of the most fiercely guarded Mountain Passes in the Country. That's not surprising especially if you remember the Battle of Tithwal and the fact that Two Param Vir Chakras were conferred during the Battle.

Crossing over the Pass you descend into the beautiful Tangdhar Valley with its green verdant fields and Houses spread over a large area. And the people of this area are mostly Pahadi instead of Kashmiri. You first need permission to come till Tangdhar and then from the Tangdhar Police Station you need another permission to go to Tithwal which lies right at the LoC.

Tithwal itself is a peaceful Village by the River with POK right across the River with a Restaurant along the main Road from where People from the other side look down on the people on the other side. Had quite a long Chat session with the Locals and for once I spoke to them in our Mother Tongue and was told that our Village was just a Mountain away yet so far.

I couldnt help but think of Manto’s classic Short Story in Urdu which would be translated into English as “The Dog of Tithwal”. Its about a Dog of Tithwal who has to prove to entrenched Soldiers on each side whether he is Indian or Pakistani. He is alternately named Jhun Jhun and Shun Shun.

And when he spends a few nights over at the Indian camp and then comes to the Pakistani positions the Pakistani soldier sings the Punjabi Folk Song “Chan kithan guzaari aayee raat ve, Menda jee dalilan de vaat ve Chan kithan guzaari aayee”. (Roughly translated its its about a Lover asking his/her beloved where he/she spent the Last Night). The Magic of Manto shines through this short Story.

Anyways we witnessed a Match being played in the Local Stadium and also some of us visited the new Sharda Temple which has come up here. Tithwal is at a relatively low altitude with Vegetation similar to the Jammu side and interestingly there were Chir Trees across the Kishanganga on the other side but none on this side like the rest of the Kashmir Valley.