Zanskar: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Tehsil of Kargil district, Ladakh, India}} |
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'''Zanskar''', is a region in the [[Kargil]] district, part of the [[India|Indian]] state of [[Jammu and Kashmir]]. The administrative centre is at [[Padum]]. Zanskar, together with the adjacent region of [[Ladakh]], formerly belonged to [[Guge]] or Western [[Tibet]]. These two ancient [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] kingdoms now belong to the state of Jammu and Kashmir in north-western India. |
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{{Use Indian English|date=December 2016}} |
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<div style="float:right;width:250px;"> |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}} |
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[[Image:Zanskarmap.jpg|200px|thumb|location map of Zanskar]] |
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{{Infobox mountain |
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[[Image:Mune wall col.jpg|200px|thumb|Along the paths of Zanskar, the traveller is often confronted with Mani walls. These stone structures are a compilation of exquisitely carved stone tablets, each with the inscription "[[Aum|Om]] Mani Padme Hum" which translates to "Hail to the jewel in the lotus". These walls should be passed or circumvented from the left side, the clockwise direction in which the earth and the universe revolve, according to [[Buddhist]] doctrine]] |
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|name=Zanskar Range |
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[[Image:Prayer flag col.jpg|200px|thumb|Prayer flag above the monastery (Gompa) of Tanze, in the Kurgiakh valley. The wind is believed to propagate the prayers printed on tissue.]] |
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| native_name = {{native name|zau|ཟངས་དཀར་}} |
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[[Image:Zanskar alpage col.jpg|200px|thumb|Group of Zanskari women and children. In the summer, the women and children stay far away from the villages to tend to the livestock. This system, known as [[transhumance]], is similar to the one found in the Alps where the animals are sent during the summer higher up in the mountains (the alpages) and were kept by the children and women.]] |
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|photo=Padum Zanskar Range View From Karsha Oct22 A7C 03931.jpg |
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[[Image:White yack col.jpg|200px|thumb|White yak]] |
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|photo_caption=Zanskar mountains towering over [[Padum]] |
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[[Image:Phugtal col.jpg|200px|thumb|The Monastery of Phugtal in south-east Zanskar]] |
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| map = India Ladakh#India |
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[[Image:Chortens col.jpg|200px|thumb|Row of Chorten (or [[Stupa]]) at the village of Purne. each of the elements that constitute these edifices, as well as their color, has a symbolic meaning in Tibetan Buddhism]] |
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| map_caption = Location of Zanskar mountain range within the greater [[Ladakh]] region |
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[[Image:Wheel of life col.jpg|200px|thumb|[[Fresco]] on a wall of the Bardan [[Gompa]] representing a [[Wheel of Life]].]] |
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| coordinates = {{WikidataCoord|display=it}} |
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</div> |
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| parent = [[Tethys Himalaya]] |
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|highest= |
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|highest_location= |
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| elevation = {{convert|7,756|m|ft}} |
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| prominence = {{convert|2,825|m|ft}} |
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| length = {{convert|400|mi|km}} |
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|location= [[Kargil district|Kargil]], [[Ladakh]], [[India]] |
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| embedded = {{Infobox mapframe |wikidata=yes |zoom=7 |coord={{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}} |
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}} |
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'''Zanskar''', '''Zahar''' (locally) or '''Zangskar''', is a [[tehsil]] of [[Zanskar district]], in the [[India]]n [[union territory]] of [[Ladakh]]. The administrative centre is [[Padum]] (former capital of Zanskar). Zanskar, together with the neighboring region of Ladakh, was briefly a part of the kingdom of [[Guge]] in [[Geography of Tibet|Western Tibet]]. Zanskar lies 250 km south of [[Kargil|Kargil town]] on [[National Highway 301 (India)|NH301]]. |
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The '''Zanskar Range''' is a [[mountain range]] in the union territory of Ladakh that separates the Zanskar valley from [[Indus valley]] at [[Leh]]. Geologically, the Zanskar Range is part of the [[Geology of the Himalaya|Tethys Himalaya]], an approximately 100-km-wide [[Syncline|synclinorium]] formed by strongly folded and [[imbrication (sedimentology)|imbricated]], weakly [[metamorphosis (geology)|metamorphosed]] sedimentary series. The average height of the Zanskar Range is about 6,000 m (19,700 ft). Its eastern part is known as [[Rupshu]]. Zanskar had a population of approximately 20,000 in 2020.<ref name=san2/> There have been demands to convert Zanskar into a district.<ref>[https://thewire.in/rights/sankoo-district-protests-kargil 3,000 Demonstrate for Separate District in Sub-Zero Temperatures at Kargil], The Wire, 06/FEB/2020.</ref><ref>[https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ladakh-buddhist-association-district-status-for-zanskar-1595142-2019-09-04 Ladakh-based Buddhist association demands district status for Zanskar], India Today, September 4, 2019.</ref> |
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==Etymology== |
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Zanskar ({{lang|zau|ཟངས་དཀར་}} ''zangs dkar'') appears as ''“Zangskar”'' mostly in academic studies in social sciences ([[anthropology]], [[gender studies]]), reflecting the Ladakhi pronunciation, although the Zanskari pronunciation is Zãhar. Older geographical accounts and maps may use the alternate spelling "Zaskar". An etymological study (Snellgrove and Skorupsky, 1980) of the name reveals that its origin might refer to the natural occurrence of [[copper]] in this region, the Tibetan word for which is "Zangs". The second syllable however seems to be more challenging as it has various meanings: "Zangs-dkar" (white copper), "Zangs-mkhar" (copper palace), or "Zangs-skar" (copper star). Others claim it derives from ''zan'' = copper + ''skar'' = valley.<ref>Schettler, Margaret & Rolf (1981), p. 150.</ref> [[John Crook (ethologist)|John Crook]] (1994) partly shares this interpretation but suggests that the origin of this name might also be "Zan-mKhar" (food palace), because the staple food crops are so abundant in an otherwise rather arid region. The locally accepted spelling of the name in Tibetan script is zangs-dkar. |
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Some of the religious scholars of the district, also cited by Snellgrove and Skorupsky (1980) and Crook (1994), hold that it was originally "bzang-dkar", meaning good (or beautiful) and white. "Good" would refer to the triangular shape of the Padum plain, the triangle being the symbol of [[Dharma]] and religion; "white" would refer to the simplicity, goodness, and religious inclinations of the native population. |
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==History== |
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{{unsourced|section|date=July 2024}} |
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[[File:Phuktal Gompa Tall View Zanskar Oct22 A7C 04461.jpg|thumb|upright|left|The [[Phugtal Monastery]] in south-east Zanskar]] |
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The first traces of human activity in Zanskar seem to go back as far as the [[Bronze Age]]. [[Petroglyph]]s attributed to that period suggest that their creators were hunters on the steppes of central Asia, living between Kazakhstan and China. It is suspected that an Indo-European population known as the [[Mon (Kashmir ethnic group)|Mon]] might then have lived in this region, before mixing with or being replaced by the next settlers, the [[Dardic peoples|Dards]]. Early Buddhism coming from Kashmir spread its influence in Zanskar, possibly as early as 200 BC. The earliest monuments date from the [[Kushan Empire|Kushan]] period. After this eastward propagation of Buddhism, Zanskar and large parts of the Western Himalaya were overrun in the 7th century by the Tibetans, who imposed their then animistic [[Bön]] religion. |
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Buddhism regained its influence over Zanskar in the 8th century when [[Tibet]] was also converted to this religion. Between the 10th and 11th centuries, two Royal Houses were founded in Zanskar, and the monasteries of Karsha and Phugtal (see picture) were built. Until the 15th century Zanskar existed as a more or less independent Buddhist Kingdom ruled by two to four related royal families. Since the 15th century, Zanskar has been subordinate to Ladakh, sharing its fortunes and misfortunes. In 1822 a coalition of [[Kullu district|Kulu]], [[Lahoul]], and [[Kinnaur]] invaded Zanskar, plundering the country and destroying the royal palace at Padum. |
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[[File:Zanskar Lingshed 01.jpg|thumb|[[Lingshed Monastery]]]] |
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In the mid-20th century, border conflicts between India, Pakistan and China caused Ladakh and Zanskar to be closed to foreigners. During these wars Ladakh lost two thirds of its original territory, losing [[Baltistan]] to Pakistan and the [[Aksai Chin]] to China. Ladakh and Zanskar, despite a tumultuous history of internal wars and external aggressions, have never lost their cultural and religious heritage since the 8th century. {{cn-span|Thanks to its inclusion in the [[India|Indian Union]],|date=May 2024}} this is also one of the rare regions in the Himalaya where traditional Tibetan culture, society, and buildings survived the Chinese [[Cultural Revolution]]. In the last twenty years, the opening of a road and the massive influx of tourists and researchers have brought many changes to the traditional social organisation of Zanskar. In 2007 the valley suffered its third year of a [[desert locust]] infestation with many villages losing their crops. The response of the monasteries [[Puja (Buddhism)|puja]] (prayer) to get rid of them, while the government advocated insecticides, which the Buddhists were reluctant to use, but in some cases were forced to try, with as yet undocumented success. In 2008 it was reported that the locusts had left the central Zanskar plains.{{cn|date=February 2023}} |
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People of Zanskar have been demanding their own district, separate from the existing Kargil district, for more than 70 years.<ref name=san2>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ladakh-buddhist-association-district-status-for-zanskar-1595142-2019-09-04|title=Ladakh-based Buddhist association demands district status for Zanskar|newspaper=India Today|date=September 4, 2019}}</ref> |
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==Geography== |
==Geography== |
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{{unsourced|section|date=July 2024}} |
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Zanskar covers an area of some 7,000 square kilometres, at a height of between 3,500 and 7,000 metres. It consists of the country lying along the two main branches of the Zanskar river; the first, the Doda, has its source near the Pensi-La (4,400 metres) mountain-pass, and then flows south-eastwards along the main valley leading towards Padum, the capital of Zanskar. The second branch is formed by two main tributaries known as Kurgiakh-chu, with its source near the Shingo-La, and Tsarap-chu, with its source near the Baralacha-La. These two rivers unite below the village of Purne to form the Lungnak river (also named Lingti or Tsarap). The Lungnak-Chu then flows north-westwards along a narrow and precipitous gorge towards the Padum Valley, where it unites with the Doda river to form the Zanskar river. |
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[[File:Zanskar mountain range.jpg|thumb|Zanskar Range, sunrise at [[Rangdum]]]] |
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[[File:Padum Road Shingo La Zanskar Oct22 A7C 03574.jpg|thumb|[[Shingo La]], view north towards Zanskar]] |
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[[File:Confluence Tsarap Purne Lungnak Zanskar Oct22 A7C 03655.jpg|thumb|Confluence of the Kargiakh and Tsarap]] |
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[[File:Confluence of blue Zanskar and grey Indus, Ladakh.jpg|thumb|Zanskar River meeting the [[Indus River|Indus]] ]] |
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The Zanskar Range is spread over a vast area from southeastern boundaries of the state of Kashmir and extends in the northwest direction to the eastern limits of Baltistan. It separates Ladakh from the valleys of Kashmir and the Chenab River. In other words, it serves as a boundary line between Ladakh region of Kashmir and the remaining two regions of the state i.e. Jammu region and Vale of Kashmir. The {{convert|23000|ft}} high peak Nunkun is within this range. Marbal Pass and many other passes which connect Ladakh with Kashmir are in this area, {{convert|13000|ft}} high Zojila Pass is in the extreme northwest of Zanskar range. This range, in fact is a branch of the great Himalayan range of mountains. Many rivers start in different branches of this range flow northward, and join the great Indus River. These rivers include Hanle River, Khurna River, Zanskar River, Suru River (Indus), and Shingo River. It also separates Kinnaur from Spiti in Himachal Pradesh. The highest peaks of Himachal are in Zanskar range. |
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===Topography=== |
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The Zanskar river then takes a north-eastern course until it joins the [[Indus]] river in Ladakh. High mountain ridges lie on both sides of the Doda and Lingti–Kurgiakh valleys, which run north-west to south-east. To the south-west is the Great [[Himalayas|Himalayan]] Range which separates Zanskar from the Kisthwar and Chamba basins. To the north-east lies the Zanskar Range, which separates Zanskar from Ladakh. The only outlet for the whole Zanskar hydrographic system is thus the Zanskar river, which cuts a deep and narrow gorge through the Zanskar range. |
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Zanskar covers an area of some {{convert|7,000|km2|sqmi}}, at an elevation of 3,500-7,135 metres (11,500–23,409 feet). It consists of the country lying along the two main branches of the [[Zanskar River]]. The first, the [[Doda River]], has its source near the [[Penzi La]] {{convert|4400|m}} mountain-pass, and then flows south-eastwards along the main valley leading towards Padum, the capital of Zanskar. |
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The second branch is formed by two main tributaries known as Kargyag river (also known as Kurgiakh river), with its source near the [[Shinku La]] {{convert|5091|m}}, and [[Tsarap River]], with its source near the Baralacha-La. These two rivers unite below the village of Purney to form the Lungnak river (also known as the Lingti or Tsarap river). The Lungnak river then flows north-westwards along a narrow gorge towards Zanskar's central valley (known locally as jung-khor), where it unites with the Doda river to form the Zanskar river. |
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These topographical features explain why access to Zanskar is difficult from all sides. Communication with the neighbouring Himalayan areas is maintained across mountain passes or along the Zanskar river when frozen. The easiest approach leads from Kargil through the Suru Valley and over the Pensi La. It is along this track that in [[1979]] the first and only road in Zanskar was built to connect Padum with the main road from Srinagar into Ladakh. The remoteness of this region also explains why only a few western travellers have visited the area until recent times, the Tibetologist [[Alexander Csoma de Koros]] being probably one of the first, in [[1823]]. Moreover, because of the recent border conflicts between India and [[Pakistan]] or [[China]], Zanskar was declared a restricted area, and was reopened to foreigners only in [[1974]]. |
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The Zanskar river then takes a north-eastern course until it joins the [[Indus River|Indus]] in Ladakh. High mountain ridges lie on both sides of the Doda and Lingti–kargyag valleys, which run north-west to south-east. To the south-west is the Great [[Himalayas|Himalayan]] Range which separates Zanskar from the Kisthwar and Chamba basins. To the north-east lies the Zanskar Range, which separates Zanskar from Ladakh. The only outlet for the whole Zanskar hydrographic system is thus the Zanskar river, which cuts the deep and narrow [[Chadar trek|Zanskar Gorge]] through the Zanskar range. |
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===Flora and fauna=== |
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Much of Zanskar's vegetation is found in the lower reaches of the valleys, and consists of alpine and tundra species. Most impressive are the meadows covered with thousands of [[edelweiss]]. Crops including barley, lentils, and potatoes are grown by farmers at the lower elevations, as well as apricot trees. Domesticated animals such as the [[yak]], [[dzo]], sheep, horse, and dog are found in the region. |
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The Zanskar range spans {{convert|640|km|mi}} from the [[Suru River (Indus)|Karcha (Suru) River]] to the upper [[Karnali River]]. [[Kamet|Kamet Peak]] {{convert|7756|m|ft}} is the highest point in the range.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Zaskar-Range|title=Zaskar Range {{!}} mountains, Asia|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=2017-09-20}}</ref> |
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Among the wild animals that can be found in Zanskar are the [[marmot]], [[bear]], [[wolf]], [[snow leopard]], [[kiang]], [[bharal]], alpine [[Ibex]], wild sheep and goats, and the [[lammergeier]] |
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{{Further|topic=the mountain|Sengge-La}} |
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These topographical features explain why access to Zanskar is difficult from all sides. Communication with the neighbouring Himalayan areas is maintained across mountain passes or along the Zanskar river when frozen. The easiest approach leads from [[Kargil town|Kargil]] through the [[Suru valley]] and over the Penzi-La. It is along this track that in 1979 the only road in Zanskar was built to connect Padum with the main road from Srinagar into Ladakh. One of the first Tibetologists to spend an extended period in the region was Hungarian scholar [[Sándor Kőrösi Csoma|Sándor Csoma de Kőrös]] who spent over a year living in the region in 1823. After being integrated into the newly formed state of India in 1947, Zanskar and the neighbouring region of Ladakh were both declared restricted areas and only opened to foreigners in 1974. |
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===Climate=== |
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Zanskar is a high altitude semi-desert lying on the Northern flank of the Great Himalayan Range. This mountain range acts as a climatic barrier protecting Ladakh and Zanskar from most of the monsoon, resulting in a pleasantly warm and dry climate in the summer. Rain- and snowfall during this period is thus scarce, although it seems that recent decades have seen an increase in precipitation. Several water-driven mills were built during ancient periods of drought at a great distance from the villages, but have been abandoned because running water is now available nearer to the settlements. Zanskari houses, though otherwise well built, are not adapted to the recently increasing rainfall, as their roofs leak, catching their surprised inhabitants unprepared. Most of the precipitation occurs as snowfall during the harsh and extremely long winter period. These winter snowfalls are of vital importance, since they feed the glaciers which melt in the summer and provide most of the irrigation water. |
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===Climate Condition=== |
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Zanskar is a high altitude semi-desert lying on the northern flank of the Himalayan Range. This mountain range acts as a barrier protecting Ladakh and Zanskar from most of the [[monsoon]], resulting in a pleasantly warm and dry climate in the summer. Rain and snowfall during this period are scarce, although recent decades have shown a trend towards increasing precipitation. Several water-driven mills were built during ancient periods of drought at a great distance from the villages, but have been abandoned because running water is now available nearer to the settlements. Zanskari houses, though otherwise well built, are not adapted to the recently increasing rainfall, as their roofs leak, catching their surprised inhabitants unprepared. Most of the precipitation occurs as snowfall during the harsh and extremely long winter period. These winter snowfalls are of vital importance, since they feed the [[glacier]]s which melt in the summer and provide most of the irrigation water. Parts of Zanskar valley are considered some of the coldest continually inhabited places in the world. |
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Zanskar's population is small; at the last census in [[1971]], it was 6,886, and was estimated to be around 10,000 by [[2005]]. Tibetan Buddhism is the main [[religion]], although the influence of relicts of [[Animism|animistic]] and [[Shamanism|shamanistic]] rituals persists. There is also small minority of [[Shiite Muslims]]. The population lives mainly in scattered small villages, the largest being the capital [[Padum]], with nearly 700 inhabitants. Most of the villages are located in the valleys of the Zanskar river and its two main tributaries. Given the isolation of this region, the inhabitants tend towards self-sufficiency, and until recently lived in almost complete [[autarky]]. External trade has, however, always been necessary for the acquisition of goods such as [[tool]]s, [[jewellery]], or religious [[artefact]]s. |
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==Demographics== |
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The Zanskaris' main occupations are cattle-rearing and farming of land that they almost always own. Cultivable land is scarce, and restricted to alluvial fans and terraces, cultivated fields being rarely found above an altitude of 4,000 metres. The Zanskaris have developed a system of intensive arable agriculture and complex irrigation to produce enough food in these conditions. The scarcity of cultivable land has also resulted in a tendency towards a stable, zero-growth population. An efficient birth-control system in Zanskar has historically been achieved by the common practice of [[polyandry|polyandrous]] marriage, in which several brothers are married to the same wife, and the widespread adoption of a celibate religious life. A high (natural) infant mortality rate also contributes to the maintenance of population stability. |
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[[File:Zanskar alpage col.jpg|thumb|Group of Zanskari women and children.]] |
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Zanskar's population is small, the 2011 census recorded a population of 13,793 people. The sex ratio was 862 females per 1,000 males. The literacy rate was 59.73%.<ref name="CensusKargilA">{{Cite book|last=|first=|title=District Census Handbook: Kargil, Jammu & Kashmir -- Village and Town Directory|publisher=Directorate of Census Operations, Himachal Pradesh, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India|year=2011|isbn=|series=2 Part XII A|location=}}</ref>{{rp|page=49,52,61}} The majority of Zanskaris are of mixed [[Tibetan people|Tibetan]] and Indo-European origins; notably [[Changpa]], [[Dard people|Dard]] and Mon. The latter are ethnically Dard, but "Mon" is used in order to distinguish them from later Dard settlers. A small fraction are Sunni Muslims whose ancestors settled in Padum and its environs in the 19th century.{{cn|date=July 2024}} |
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===Religion=== |
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[[File:Chortens col.jpg|thumb|left|Row of Chorten (or [[Stupa]]) at the village of Purne. Each of the elements that constitute these edifices, as well as their color, has a symbolic meaning in [[Tibetan Buddhism]].]] |
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Livestock, and especially the [[yak]], is of paramount importance in Zanskar. Yaks are used to plough the land, to thresh the grain, to carry heavy loads (up to 200 kilos), and their dung not only serves as fertiliser but is also the only heating fuel available in the region. They are a vital source of milk and sometimes, but rarely, of meat. The yak's fur is used to make clothes, carpets, ropes, and bed covers. |
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{{Pie chart |
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|thumb = right |
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|caption = Religion in Zanskar tehsil (2011)<ref name="Zanskar Population">{{cite web|url=https://www.censusindia2011.com/jammu-kashmir/kargil/zanskar-population.html|title=Zanskar Population|work=Census India|access-date=13 September 2020}}</ref> |
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|label1 = [[Buddhism]] |
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|value1 = 93.81 |
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|color1 = Gold |
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|label2 = [[Islam]] |
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|value2 = 5.53 |
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|color2 = Green |
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|label3 = [[Christianity]] |
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|value3 = 0.30 |
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|color3 = Blue |
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|label4 = [[Hinduism]] |
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|value4 = 0.17 |
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|color4 = DarkOrange |
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|label5 = [[Jainism]] |
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|value5 = 0.09 |
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|color5 = Brown |
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|label6 = Others |
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|value6 = 0.02 |
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|color6 = Grey |
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|label7 = [[Sikhism]] |
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|value7 = 0.01 |
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|color7 = Yellow |
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|label8 = Not Stated |
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|value8 = 0.07 |
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|color8 = Black |
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}} |
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An overwhelming majority of Zanskar is Buddhist.<ref name="Paddar Population">{{cite web|url=https://www.censusindia2011.com/jammu-kashmir/kishtwar/atholi-paddar-population.html|title=Paddar Population|work=Census India|access-date=29 August 2020}}</ref> Almost every village has a local monastery, often containing ancient wall-paintings and images. There are two main branches of Tibetan Buddhism here — the [[Drukpa Lineage|Drugpa]], including [[Sani Monastery]], [[Dzongkhul]], Stagrimo and [[Bardan Monastery]] - all loosely affiliated with Stakna in the [[Indus valley]]. The [[Gelugpa]] control [[Rangdum Monastery]], [[Karsha]], [[Stongde]] and [[Phugtal Monastery]], which all pay allegiance to the Ngari Rinpoche,<ref>Rizvi (1998), p. 253.</ref> who has his main seat at [[Likir Monastery]] in Ladakh. The present emanation of the Ngari Rinpoche is the younger brother of the Dalai Lama.<ref>Rizvi (1996), pp. 242–242.</ref> |
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===Tourism=== |
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Zanskar is extremely difficult to reach for tourists between November and May, because of the coldness and the heavy snowfall. Only very well-prepared visitors should try to attempt this, and then only with a knowledgeable Zanskari guide. However, one can visit all of Zanskar during the hotter months. Trekking is the best method to gain full access to Zanskar, although one may hire a jeep or take a bus to drive from Kargil to Padum over the Pensi-La mountain pass. |
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===Languages=== |
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Even though Padum, the administrative capital of Zanskar, is not of great interest, one can take from there the Padum-Stongdey-Zangla-Karsha-Padum round trip, which covers most of the cultural sites of Zanskar. Another prime attraction along the road to Padum is the [[Pensi-La]], 4,200 metres high, and separating Zanskar from the [[Suru Valley]] and [[Ladakh]]. |
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{{Pie chart |
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|thumb = left |
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|caption = Languages of Zanskar Tehsil (2011)<ref name="census2011-C16">{{cite report |title=C-16 Population By Mother Tongue – Jammu & Kashmir |url = https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-16/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-0100.XLSX |publisher = Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=29 October 2021}}</ref> |
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|label1 = [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]] |value1 = 99.38 |color1 = purple |
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|label2 = Others |value2 =0.62 |color2 = yellow |
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}} |
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People living in Zanskar speak [[Zangskari language|Zanskari]] language of the [[Ladakhi–Balti languages|Ladakhi-Balti]] language group.<ref>{{citation|last=Rather |first=Ali Mohammad |title=Kargil: The Post-War Scenario |journal=Journal of Peace Studies |publisher=International Center for Peace Studies |volume=6 |number=5–6 |date=September 1999 |url=http://www.icpsnet.org/description.php?ID=138 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141201063036/http://www.icpsnet.org/description.php?ID=138 |archive-date= 1 December 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Beek, Martijn van Pirie, Fernanda|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/896146052|title=Modern Ladakh : anthropological perspectives on continuity and change|date=2008|publisher=Brill|isbn=978-90-04-16713-1|oclc=896146052}}</ref> It is written using the [[Tibetan script]].<ref name="Zangskari SS">{{cite web|title=Zangskari|url=http://scriptsource.org/cms/scripts/page.php?item_id=language_detail&uid=2353hagba6|access-date=25 August 2012|publisher=Script Source}}</ref> Monks who have studied outside of Zanskar may know Standard Tibetan. Educated people of Zanskar know [[English language|English]] as it is a compulsory subject in numerous Indian schools.The population lives mainly in scattered small villages, the largest being the capital [[Padum]], with nearly 700 inhabitants. Most of the villages are located in the valleys of the Zanskar river and its two main tributaries. Given the isolation of this region, the inhabitants tend towards self-sufficiency, and until recently lived in almost complete [[autarky]]. External trade has, however, always been necessary for the acquisition of goods such as [[tool]]s, [[jewellery]], or religious [[Cultural artifact|artefact]]s. |
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The most popular trekking routes to enter Zanskar by foot are the one leading from Darcha or Sarchu (on the Manali-Leh road) to Padum and the one from Lamayuru (on the Srinagar-Leh road) to Padum. Both routes take about ten days to complete. |
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==Flora and fauna== |
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Tourism is probably the major disruption that Zanskar has experienced during recent times. The opening of this region to foreigners has brought benefits such as the financing of schools and the restoration of monasteries and roads, but has also taken its toll on this fragile mountain environment and its population. Not only do the campsites along the trekking routes look more and more like junkyards at the end of the tourist season, but the local population has sometimes developed a questionable attitude towards visitors, involving begging, and very occasionally stealing. |
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[[File:Grey Goral Doe Zanskar Ladakh Oct22 R16 06676.jpg|thumb|Gray goral (female)]] |
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{{unsourced|section|date=July 2024}} |
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Much of Zanskar's vegetation is found in the irrigated villages, and on the upper slopes, which receive more precipitation and grow alpine and tundra species. Most impressive are the meadows covered with thousands of [[edelweiss]]. At the foot of the [[Gumburanjon]] mountain, blue poppies can be found. Crops including [[barley]], [[lentil]]s, and potatoes are grown by farmers at the lower elevations. Domesticated animals such as the [[yak]], [[dzo]], sheep, horse, and dog are found in the region. |
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Among the wildlife found in Zanskar are the [[marmot]], [[bear]], [[wolf]], [[snow leopard]], [[bharal]], alpine [[ibex]], [[Himalayan goral|gray goral]], and [[lammergeier]]. |
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==History== |
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The first traces of human activity in Zanskar seem to go back as far as the [[Bronze Age]]. [[Petroglyph]]s attributed to that period suggest that their creators were hunters on the steppes of central Asia, living between [[Kazakhstan]] and [[China]]. It is suspected that an Indo-European population known as the [[Mon (ethnic group)|Mon]] might then have lived in this region, before mixing with or being replaced by the next settlers, the Dards. Early Buddhism coming from Kashmir spread its influence in Zanskar, possibly as early as [[200 BCE]]. The earliest monuments date from the [[Kushan]] period. After this eastward propagation of Buddhism, Zanskar and a large part of the Western Himalaya were overrun in the [[7th century]] by the Tibetans, who imposed their then animistic [[Bön]] religion. |
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==Economy == |
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Buddhism regained its influence over Zanskar in the [[8th century]] when [[Tibet]] was also converted to this religion. Between the [[10th century|10th]] and [[1th century|11th]] centuries, two Royal Houses were founded in Zanskar, and the monasteries of Karsha and Phugtal (fig 1.8) were built. Until the [[15th century]] Zanskar existed as a more or less independent Buddhist Kingdom ruled by between two and four related royal families. Since the 15th century, Zanskar has been subordinate to Ladakh, sharing its fortunes and misfortunes. In [[1822]] a coalition of Kulu, Lahoul, and Kinnaur invaded Zanskar, plundering the country and destroying the Royal palace at Padum. From [[1842]] onwards, Zanskar and Ladakh became part of the Indian state of [[Jammu and Kashmir]]. |
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===Livestock=== |
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[[File:White yack col.jpg|thumb|right|White yak.]] |
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{{unsourced|section|date=July 2024}} |
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Livestock, and especially the [[yak]], is of paramount importance in Zanskar. Yaks are used to plough the land, thresh grain, and carry heavy loads (up to 200 kilograms). Their dung not only serves as fertiliser but is also the only heating fuel available in the region. They are a vital source of milk and sometimes, but rarely, of meat. Yak fur is used to make clothes, carpets, ropes, and bed covers. |
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The Zanskaris' main occupations are cattle-rearing and farming of land that they almost always own. Cultivable land is scarce, and restricted to alluvial fans and terraces, cultivated fields being rarely found above an altitude of 4,000 metres. The Zanskaris have developed a system of intensive arable agriculture and complex irrigation to produce enough food in these conditions. The scarcity of cultivable land has also resulted in a tendency towards a stable, zero-growth population. An efficient birth-control system in Zanskar has historically been achieved by the common practice of [[polyandry|polyandrous]] marriage, in which several brothers are married to the same wife, and the widespread adoption of a celibate religious life. A high infant mortality rate also contributes to population stability. |
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In the mid-[[20th century]], border conflicts between India, [[Pakistan]], and China caused Ladakh and Zanskar to be closed to foreigners. During these wars Ladakh lost two thirds of its original territory, losing [[Baltistan]] to Pakistan and the [[Aksai Chin]] to China. Ladakh and Zanskar, despite a tumultuous history of internal wars and external aggressions, have never lost their cultural and religious heritage since the [[8th century]]. Thanks to its adherence to the Indian Union, this is also one of the rare regions in the Himalaya where traditional Tibetan culture, society, and buildings survived the Chinese [[Cultural Revolution]]. In the last twenty years, the opening of a road and the massive influx of tourists and researchers have brought many changes to the traditional social organisation of Zanskar. |
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In the summer, the women and children stay far away from the villages to tend to the livestock. This system, known as [[transhumance]], is similar to the one found in the Alps where the animals are sent during the summer higher up in the mountains (the alpine meadows) and were kept by the children and women. |
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===Etymology=== |
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Zanskar is also often written “Zangskar” in sociological studies or “Zaskar” in older geographers' reports or maps of the Himalaya. An etymological study (Snellgrove and Skorupsky, 1980) of the name reveals that its origin might refer to the natural occurrence of copper in this region, the Tibetan word for which is “Zangs”. The second syllable however seems to be more challenging as it has various meanings: “Zangs-dkar” (white copper), “Zangs-mkhar” (copper palace), or “Zangs-sKar” (copper star). Crook (1994) partly shares this interpretation but suggests that the origin of this name might also be “Zan-mKhar” (food palace), because the staple food crops are so abundant in an otherwise rather arid region. |
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===Tourism=== |
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Some of the religious scholars of the district, also cited by Snellgrove and Skorupsky (1980) and Crook (1994), held that it was originally “bZang-dKar”, meaning good (or beautiful) and white. “Good” would refer to the triangular shape of the Padum plain, the triangle being the symbol of Dharma and religion; “white” would refer to the simplicity, goodness, and religious inclinations of the Zanskaris. Thus, even if etymologically it would be more correct to use “Zangskar”, the most frequently found spelling for this region is undoubtedly “Zanskar”. |
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[[Tourism]] is probably the major disruption that Zanskar has experienced during recent times. The opening of this region to foreigners has brought changes such as the financing of schools and the restoration of monasteries and roads, but has also taken its toll on the fragile mountain environment and its population.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/response-tourism-ladakh|work=Cultural Survival Quarterly Magazine|title=The Response to Tourism in Ladakh|date=March 1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://india.mongabay.com/2021/07/the-toxic-love-for-ladakh-is-weighing-heavy-on-its-natural-resources|title=The toxic love for Ladakh is weighing heavy on its natural resources|publisher=Mongabay|first=Archana|last=Singh|date=20 July 2021}}</ref> |
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== In popular culture == |
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The first colour film of life in Zanskar was shot in 1958 by an expedition of three British housewives.<ref>{{cite news|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080426000057/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/main.jhtml?xml=/education/2008/04/21/st_womenexplorers.xml&page=1|archive-date=2008-04-26|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/main.jhtml?xml=/education/2008/04/21/st_womenexplorers.xml&page=1|title=The housewife explorers who climbed the Himalayas|date=2008-04-21|newspaper=The Telegraph|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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The 2001 movie ''[[Samsara (2001 film)|Samsara]]'' was entirely shot in Zanskar. In 2010, the American film director [[Frederick Marx]] made a documentary called "[[Journey from Zanskar]]". Narrated by [[Richard Gere]], the film tells the story of two monks helping 17 poor children reaching Tibetan schools in [[India]] through a difficult and dangerous terrain.{{cn|date=May 2023}} |
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== See also == |
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*[[Pensi La]] |
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*[[Shingo La]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Commons and category}} |
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*Crook J., Osmaston H., (1994): Himalayan Buddhist Villages: Environment, Resources, Society and Religious Life in Zangskar, Ladakh.: Bristol, University of Bristol U.K., 866 p. |
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{{Reflist}} |
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*Dèzes, p. (1999): Tectonic and metamorphic Evolution of the Central Himalayan Domain in Southeast Zanskar (Kashmir, India). Mémoires de Géologie (Lausanne) No. 32. [http://comp1.geol.unibas.ch/zanskar Web-site] |
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*Osmaston H. (1994): The Geology, Geomorphology and Quaternary History of Zangskar, Himalayan Buddhist Villages: Environment, Resources, Society and Religious Life in Zangskar, Ladakh.: Bristol, University of Bristol U.K., p. 866. |
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==Bibliography== |
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*Snellgrove D.L. & Skorupsky T. (1980): The cultural heritage of Ladakh: Warminster, Aris and Phillips. |
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* {{Cite book|title=Travels In Zanskar: A Journey to a Closed Kingdom|first=Mark|last=Boyden|publisher=The Liffey Press|location=Dublin|date=2013|isbn=978-1-908308-51-1}} |
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* {{Cite book|last=Conover|first=Ted|title=The Routes of Man: How Roads Are Changing the World and the Way We Live Today|pages=71–112|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf|location=New York|date=2010|isbn=978-1-4000-4244-9}} |
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* {{Cite book |last1=Crook |first1=John |first2=Henry |last2=Osmaston |year=1994 |title=Himalayan Buddhist Villages: Environment, Resources, Society and Religious Life in Zangskar, Ladakh |place=Bristol |publisher=University of Bristol UK |pages=866 |isbn=0-86292-386-7 }} |
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* {{Cite book|last=Crowden|first=James|title=The Frozen River: Seeking Silence in the Himalaya|publisher=William Collins|date=2020|isbn=978-0008353179}} |
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* {{Cite book|last=Deboos|first=Salomé|title=Être musulman au Zanskar: Himalaya indien|publisher=Editions Universitaires Européenne|date=2010|isbn=978-613-1-52976-4}} |
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* {{Cite journal|last=Dèzes |first=Pierre |year=1999 |title=Tectonic and metamorphic Evolution of the Central Himalayan Domain in Southeast Zanskar (Kashmir, India) |journal=Mémoires de Géologie |series=Doctoral thesis |place=Universite de Lausanne |volume=32 |pages=149 |issn=1015-3578 |url=http://zanskar.geoheritage.ch }} |
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* {{Cite book |last=Gutschow |first=Kim |year=2004 |title=Being a Buddhist Nun: The Struggle for Enlightenment in the Indian Himalayas |publisher=Harvard University Press }} |
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* {{Cite journal |last=Namgail |first=T. |year=2004 |title=Zangskar: mystic land |journal=Sanctuary Asia |volume=24 |pages=44–47 |url=https://sanctuarynaturefoundation.org/article/zangskar-mystic-land }} |
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* {{Cite book |last=Noble |first=Christina |year=1991 |title=At Home in the Himalayas |publisher=Fontana |place=London |isbn=0-00-637499-9 }} |
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* {{Cite book |last=Rizvi |first=Janet |year=1998 |title=Ladakh, Crossroads of High Asia |publisher=Oxford University Press <!-- 1st edition 1963. 2nd revised edition 1996. 3rd impression 2001. --> |isbn=0-19-564546-4 }} |
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* {{Cite book |year=1981 |publisher=Lonely Planet Publications |place=South Yarra, Victoria, Australia |isbn=0-908086-21-0 |author=Schettler, Margaret & Rolf |title=Kashmir, Ladakh & Zanskar }} |
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* {{Cite book |last1=Snellgrove |first1=D.L. |last2=Skorupsky |first2=T. |year=1980 |title=The Cultural Heritage of Ladakh |publisher=Warminster, Aris and Phillips |isbn=0-85668-058-3 }} |
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* {{Cite book |last=Tsering |first=Tobden |year=1985 |title=Lamas of Zaṅs-dkar a collection of manuscript material about the lives of Kun-dgaʼ-chos-legs, Bla-ma Kar-ma, and Grub-dbaṅ Nag-dbaṅ-tshe-riṅ |place=Gemur, Distt. Lahul |postscript=. Mkhas-grub-chen-po Dpal Bzad-pa-rdo-rje rnam thar mgur bum Ma rig mun sel dran pai klog phren. }} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://zanskar.geoheritage.ch Geology of Zanskar] |
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* [http://csoma.mtak.hu/en/index.htm Alexander Csoma de Koros Hungarian scholar-traveler to Zanskar] |
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{{Municipalities of Ladakh}} |
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* [http://comp1.geol.unibas.ch/zanskar Zanskar by Pierre Dezes] |
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{{Ladakh}} |
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* http://library.thinkquest.org/10131/zanskar.html |
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{{Authority control}} |
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[[Category:Kargil district]] |
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[[Category:Ladakh]] |
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[[Category:Valleys of Ladakh]] |
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[[Category:Regions of India]] |
[[Category:Regions of India]] |
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[[Category:Hiking trails in India]] |
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[[Category:Mountain ranges of the Himalayas]] |
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[[Category:Former kingdoms]] |
Latest revision as of 11:28, 26 August 2024
Zanskar Range | |
---|---|
![]() Zanskar mountains towering over Padum | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 7,756 metres (25,446 ft) |
Prominence | 2,825 metres (9,268 ft) |
Coordinates | 33°28′8″N 76°52′39″E / 33.46889°N 76.87750°E |
Dimensions | |
Length | 400 miles (640 km) |
Naming | |
Native name | ཟངས་དཀར་ (Zangskari) |
Geography | |
Location of Zanskar mountain range within the greater Ladakh region | |
Location | Kargil, Ladakh, India |
Parent range | Tethys Himalaya |
![]() |
Zanskar, Zahar (locally) or Zangskar, is a tehsil of Zanskar district, in the Indian union territory of Ladakh. The administrative centre is Padum (former capital of Zanskar). Zanskar, together with the neighboring region of Ladakh, was briefly a part of the kingdom of Guge in Western Tibet. Zanskar lies 250 km south of Kargil town on NH301.
The Zanskar Range is a mountain range in the union territory of Ladakh that separates the Zanskar valley from Indus valley at Leh. Geologically, the Zanskar Range is part of the Tethys Himalaya, an approximately 100-km-wide synclinorium formed by strongly folded and imbricated, weakly metamorphosed sedimentary series. The average height of the Zanskar Range is about 6,000 m (19,700 ft). Its eastern part is known as Rupshu. Zanskar had a population of approximately 20,000 in 2020.[1] There have been demands to convert Zanskar into a district.[2][3]
Etymology
[edit]Zanskar (ཟངས་དཀར་ zangs dkar) appears as “Zangskar” mostly in academic studies in social sciences (anthropology, gender studies), reflecting the Ladakhi pronunciation, although the Zanskari pronunciation is Zãhar. Older geographical accounts and maps may use the alternate spelling "Zaskar". An etymological study (Snellgrove and Skorupsky, 1980) of the name reveals that its origin might refer to the natural occurrence of copper in this region, the Tibetan word for which is "Zangs". The second syllable however seems to be more challenging as it has various meanings: "Zangs-dkar" (white copper), "Zangs-mkhar" (copper palace), or "Zangs-skar" (copper star). Others claim it derives from zan = copper + skar = valley.[4] John Crook (1994) partly shares this interpretation but suggests that the origin of this name might also be "Zan-mKhar" (food palace), because the staple food crops are so abundant in an otherwise rather arid region. The locally accepted spelling of the name in Tibetan script is zangs-dkar.
Some of the religious scholars of the district, also cited by Snellgrove and Skorupsky (1980) and Crook (1994), hold that it was originally "bzang-dkar", meaning good (or beautiful) and white. "Good" would refer to the triangular shape of the Padum plain, the triangle being the symbol of Dharma and religion; "white" would refer to the simplicity, goodness, and religious inclinations of the native population.
History
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Phuktal_Gompa_Tall_View_Zanskar_Oct22_A7C_04461.jpg/170px-Phuktal_Gompa_Tall_View_Zanskar_Oct22_A7C_04461.jpg)
The first traces of human activity in Zanskar seem to go back as far as the Bronze Age. Petroglyphs attributed to that period suggest that their creators were hunters on the steppes of central Asia, living between Kazakhstan and China. It is suspected that an Indo-European population known as the Mon might then have lived in this region, before mixing with or being replaced by the next settlers, the Dards. Early Buddhism coming from Kashmir spread its influence in Zanskar, possibly as early as 200 BC. The earliest monuments date from the Kushan period. After this eastward propagation of Buddhism, Zanskar and large parts of the Western Himalaya were overrun in the 7th century by the Tibetans, who imposed their then animistic Bön religion.
Buddhism regained its influence over Zanskar in the 8th century when Tibet was also converted to this religion. Between the 10th and 11th centuries, two Royal Houses were founded in Zanskar, and the monasteries of Karsha and Phugtal (see picture) were built. Until the 15th century Zanskar existed as a more or less independent Buddhist Kingdom ruled by two to four related royal families. Since the 15th century, Zanskar has been subordinate to Ladakh, sharing its fortunes and misfortunes. In 1822 a coalition of Kulu, Lahoul, and Kinnaur invaded Zanskar, plundering the country and destroying the royal palace at Padum.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/Zanskar_Lingshed_01.jpg/220px-Zanskar_Lingshed_01.jpg)
In the mid-20th century, border conflicts between India, Pakistan and China caused Ladakh and Zanskar to be closed to foreigners. During these wars Ladakh lost two thirds of its original territory, losing Baltistan to Pakistan and the Aksai Chin to China. Ladakh and Zanskar, despite a tumultuous history of internal wars and external aggressions, have never lost their cultural and religious heritage since the 8th century. Thanks to its inclusion in the Indian Union,[citation needed] this is also one of the rare regions in the Himalaya where traditional Tibetan culture, society, and buildings survived the Chinese Cultural Revolution. In the last twenty years, the opening of a road and the massive influx of tourists and researchers have brought many changes to the traditional social organisation of Zanskar. In 2007 the valley suffered its third year of a desert locust infestation with many villages losing their crops. The response of the monasteries puja (prayer) to get rid of them, while the government advocated insecticides, which the Buddhists were reluctant to use, but in some cases were forced to try, with as yet undocumented success. In 2008 it was reported that the locusts had left the central Zanskar plains.[citation needed]
People of Zanskar have been demanding their own district, separate from the existing Kargil district, for more than 70 years.[1]
Geography
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Zanskar_mountain_range.jpg/220px-Zanskar_mountain_range.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Padum_Road_Shingo_La_Zanskar_Oct22_A7C_03574.jpg/220px-Padum_Road_Shingo_La_Zanskar_Oct22_A7C_03574.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Confluence_Tsarap_Purne_Lungnak_Zanskar_Oct22_A7C_03655.jpg/220px-Confluence_Tsarap_Purne_Lungnak_Zanskar_Oct22_A7C_03655.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/Confluence_of_blue_Zanskar_and_grey_Indus%2C_Ladakh.jpg/220px-Confluence_of_blue_Zanskar_and_grey_Indus%2C_Ladakh.jpg)
The Zanskar Range is spread over a vast area from southeastern boundaries of the state of Kashmir and extends in the northwest direction to the eastern limits of Baltistan. It separates Ladakh from the valleys of Kashmir and the Chenab River. In other words, it serves as a boundary line between Ladakh region of Kashmir and the remaining two regions of the state i.e. Jammu region and Vale of Kashmir. The 23,000 feet (7,000 m) high peak Nunkun is within this range. Marbal Pass and many other passes which connect Ladakh with Kashmir are in this area, 13,000 feet (4,000 m) high Zojila Pass is in the extreme northwest of Zanskar range. This range, in fact is a branch of the great Himalayan range of mountains. Many rivers start in different branches of this range flow northward, and join the great Indus River. These rivers include Hanle River, Khurna River, Zanskar River, Suru River (Indus), and Shingo River. It also separates Kinnaur from Spiti in Himachal Pradesh. The highest peaks of Himachal are in Zanskar range.
Topography
[edit]Zanskar covers an area of some 7,000 square kilometres (2,700 sq mi), at an elevation of 3,500-7,135 metres (11,500–23,409 feet). It consists of the country lying along the two main branches of the Zanskar River. The first, the Doda River, has its source near the Penzi La 4,400 metres (14,400 ft) mountain-pass, and then flows south-eastwards along the main valley leading towards Padum, the capital of Zanskar.
The second branch is formed by two main tributaries known as Kargyag river (also known as Kurgiakh river), with its source near the Shinku La 5,091 metres (16,703 ft), and Tsarap River, with its source near the Baralacha-La. These two rivers unite below the village of Purney to form the Lungnak river (also known as the Lingti or Tsarap river). The Lungnak river then flows north-westwards along a narrow gorge towards Zanskar's central valley (known locally as jung-khor), where it unites with the Doda river to form the Zanskar river.
The Zanskar river then takes a north-eastern course until it joins the Indus in Ladakh. High mountain ridges lie on both sides of the Doda and Lingti–kargyag valleys, which run north-west to south-east. To the south-west is the Great Himalayan Range which separates Zanskar from the Kisthwar and Chamba basins. To the north-east lies the Zanskar Range, which separates Zanskar from Ladakh. The only outlet for the whole Zanskar hydrographic system is thus the Zanskar river, which cuts the deep and narrow Zanskar Gorge through the Zanskar range.
The Zanskar range spans 640 kilometres (400 mi) from the Karcha (Suru) River to the upper Karnali River. Kamet Peak 7,756 metres (25,446 ft) is the highest point in the range.[5]
These topographical features explain why access to Zanskar is difficult from all sides. Communication with the neighbouring Himalayan areas is maintained across mountain passes or along the Zanskar river when frozen. The easiest approach leads from Kargil through the Suru valley and over the Penzi-La. It is along this track that in 1979 the only road in Zanskar was built to connect Padum with the main road from Srinagar into Ladakh. One of the first Tibetologists to spend an extended period in the region was Hungarian scholar Sándor Csoma de Kőrös who spent over a year living in the region in 1823. After being integrated into the newly formed state of India in 1947, Zanskar and the neighbouring region of Ladakh were both declared restricted areas and only opened to foreigners in 1974.
Climate Condition
[edit]Zanskar is a high altitude semi-desert lying on the northern flank of the Himalayan Range. This mountain range acts as a barrier protecting Ladakh and Zanskar from most of the monsoon, resulting in a pleasantly warm and dry climate in the summer. Rain and snowfall during this period are scarce, although recent decades have shown a trend towards increasing precipitation. Several water-driven mills were built during ancient periods of drought at a great distance from the villages, but have been abandoned because running water is now available nearer to the settlements. Zanskari houses, though otherwise well built, are not adapted to the recently increasing rainfall, as their roofs leak, catching their surprised inhabitants unprepared. Most of the precipitation occurs as snowfall during the harsh and extremely long winter period. These winter snowfalls are of vital importance, since they feed the glaciers which melt in the summer and provide most of the irrigation water. Parts of Zanskar valley are considered some of the coldest continually inhabited places in the world.
Demographics
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Zanskar_alpage_col.jpg/220px-Zanskar_alpage_col.jpg)
Zanskar's population is small, the 2011 census recorded a population of 13,793 people. The sex ratio was 862 females per 1,000 males. The literacy rate was 59.73%.[6]: 49,52,61 The majority of Zanskaris are of mixed Tibetan and Indo-European origins; notably Changpa, Dard and Mon. The latter are ethnically Dard, but "Mon" is used in order to distinguish them from later Dard settlers. A small fraction are Sunni Muslims whose ancestors settled in Padum and its environs in the 19th century.[citation needed]
Religion
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Chortens_col.jpg/220px-Chortens_col.jpg)
An overwhelming majority of Zanskar is Buddhist.[8] Almost every village has a local monastery, often containing ancient wall-paintings and images. There are two main branches of Tibetan Buddhism here — the Drugpa, including Sani Monastery, Dzongkhul, Stagrimo and Bardan Monastery - all loosely affiliated with Stakna in the Indus valley. The Gelugpa control Rangdum Monastery, Karsha, Stongde and Phugtal Monastery, which all pay allegiance to the Ngari Rinpoche,[9] who has his main seat at Likir Monastery in Ladakh. The present emanation of the Ngari Rinpoche is the younger brother of the Dalai Lama.[10]
Languages
[edit]People living in Zanskar speak Zanskari language of the Ladakhi-Balti language group.[12][13] It is written using the Tibetan script.[14] Monks who have studied outside of Zanskar may know Standard Tibetan. Educated people of Zanskar know English as it is a compulsory subject in numerous Indian schools.The population lives mainly in scattered small villages, the largest being the capital Padum, with nearly 700 inhabitants. Most of the villages are located in the valleys of the Zanskar river and its two main tributaries. Given the isolation of this region, the inhabitants tend towards self-sufficiency, and until recently lived in almost complete autarky. External trade has, however, always been necessary for the acquisition of goods such as tools, jewellery, or religious artefacts.
Flora and fauna
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Grey_Goral_Doe_Zanskar_Ladakh_Oct22_R16_06676.jpg/220px-Grey_Goral_Doe_Zanskar_Ladakh_Oct22_R16_06676.jpg)
Much of Zanskar's vegetation is found in the irrigated villages, and on the upper slopes, which receive more precipitation and grow alpine and tundra species. Most impressive are the meadows covered with thousands of edelweiss. At the foot of the Gumburanjon mountain, blue poppies can be found. Crops including barley, lentils, and potatoes are grown by farmers at the lower elevations. Domesticated animals such as the yak, dzo, sheep, horse, and dog are found in the region.
Among the wildlife found in Zanskar are the marmot, bear, wolf, snow leopard, bharal, alpine ibex, gray goral, and lammergeier.
Economy
[edit]Livestock
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/White_yack_col.jpg/220px-White_yack_col.jpg)
Livestock, and especially the yak, is of paramount importance in Zanskar. Yaks are used to plough the land, thresh grain, and carry heavy loads (up to 200 kilograms). Their dung not only serves as fertiliser but is also the only heating fuel available in the region. They are a vital source of milk and sometimes, but rarely, of meat. Yak fur is used to make clothes, carpets, ropes, and bed covers.
The Zanskaris' main occupations are cattle-rearing and farming of land that they almost always own. Cultivable land is scarce, and restricted to alluvial fans and terraces, cultivated fields being rarely found above an altitude of 4,000 metres. The Zanskaris have developed a system of intensive arable agriculture and complex irrigation to produce enough food in these conditions. The scarcity of cultivable land has also resulted in a tendency towards a stable, zero-growth population. An efficient birth-control system in Zanskar has historically been achieved by the common practice of polyandrous marriage, in which several brothers are married to the same wife, and the widespread adoption of a celibate religious life. A high infant mortality rate also contributes to population stability.
In the summer, the women and children stay far away from the villages to tend to the livestock. This system, known as transhumance, is similar to the one found in the Alps where the animals are sent during the summer higher up in the mountains (the alpine meadows) and were kept by the children and women.
Tourism
[edit]Tourism is probably the major disruption that Zanskar has experienced during recent times. The opening of this region to foreigners has brought changes such as the financing of schools and the restoration of monasteries and roads, but has also taken its toll on the fragile mountain environment and its population.[15][16]
In popular culture
[edit]The first colour film of life in Zanskar was shot in 1958 by an expedition of three British housewives.[17]
The 2001 movie Samsara was entirely shot in Zanskar. In 2010, the American film director Frederick Marx made a documentary called "Journey from Zanskar". Narrated by Richard Gere, the film tells the story of two monks helping 17 poor children reaching Tibetan schools in India through a difficult and dangerous terrain.[citation needed]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- ^ a b "Ladakh-based Buddhist association demands district status for Zanskar". India Today. 4 September 2019.
- ^ 3,000 Demonstrate for Separate District in Sub-Zero Temperatures at Kargil, The Wire, 06/FEB/2020.
- ^ Ladakh-based Buddhist association demands district status for Zanskar, India Today, September 4, 2019.
- ^ Schettler, Margaret & Rolf (1981), p. 150.
- ^ "Zaskar Range | mountains, Asia". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
- ^ District Census Handbook: Kargil, Jammu & Kashmir -- Village and Town Directory. 2 Part XII A. Directorate of Census Operations, Himachal Pradesh, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India. 2011.
- ^ "Zanskar Population". Census India. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
- ^ "Paddar Population". Census India. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ Rizvi (1998), p. 253.
- ^ Rizvi (1996), pp. 242–242.
- ^ C-16 Population By Mother Tongue – Jammu & Kashmir (Report). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
- ^ Rather, Ali Mohammad (September 1999), "Kargil: The Post-War Scenario", Journal of Peace Studies, 6 (5–6), International Center for Peace Studies, archived from the original on 1 December 2014
- ^ Beek, Martijn van Pirie, Fernanda (2008). Modern Ladakh : anthropological perspectives on continuity and change. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-16713-1. OCLC 896146052.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Zangskari". Script Source. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ^ "The Response to Tourism in Ladakh". Cultural Survival Quarterly Magazine. March 1990.
- ^ Singh, Archana (20 July 2021). "The toxic love for Ladakh is weighing heavy on its natural resources". Mongabay.
- ^ "The housewife explorers who climbed the Himalayas". The Telegraph. 21 April 2008. Archived from the original on 26 April 2008.
Bibliography
[edit]- Boyden, Mark (2013). Travels In Zanskar: A Journey to a Closed Kingdom. Dublin: The Liffey Press. ISBN 978-1-908308-51-1.
- Conover, Ted (2010). The Routes of Man: How Roads Are Changing the World and the Way We Live Today. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 71–112. ISBN 978-1-4000-4244-9.
- Crook, John; Osmaston, Henry (1994). Himalayan Buddhist Villages: Environment, Resources, Society and Religious Life in Zangskar, Ladakh. Bristol: University of Bristol UK. p. 866. ISBN 0-86292-386-7.
- Crowden, James (2020). The Frozen River: Seeking Silence in the Himalaya. William Collins. ISBN 978-0008353179.
- Deboos, Salomé (2010). Être musulman au Zanskar: Himalaya indien. Editions Universitaires Européenne. ISBN 978-613-1-52976-4.
- Dèzes, Pierre (1999). "Tectonic and metamorphic Evolution of the Central Himalayan Domain in Southeast Zanskar (Kashmir, India)". Mémoires de Géologie. Doctoral thesis. 32. Universite de Lausanne: 149. ISSN 1015-3578.
- Gutschow, Kim (2004). Being a Buddhist Nun: The Struggle for Enlightenment in the Indian Himalayas. Harvard University Press.
- Namgail, T. (2004). "Zangskar: mystic land". Sanctuary Asia. 24: 44–47.
- Noble, Christina (1991). At Home in the Himalayas. London: Fontana. ISBN 0-00-637499-9.
- Rizvi, Janet (1998). Ladakh, Crossroads of High Asia. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-564546-4.
- Schettler, Margaret & Rolf (1981). Kashmir, Ladakh & Zanskar. South Yarra, Victoria, Australia: Lonely Planet Publications. ISBN 0-908086-21-0.
- Snellgrove, D.L.; Skorupsky, T. (1980). The Cultural Heritage of Ladakh. Warminster, Aris and Phillips. ISBN 0-85668-058-3.
- Tsering, Tobden (1985). Lamas of Zaṅs-dkar a collection of manuscript material about the lives of Kun-dgaʼ-chos-legs, Bla-ma Kar-ma, and Grub-dbaṅ Nag-dbaṅ-tshe-riṅ. Gemur, Distt. Lahul. Mkhas-grub-chen-po Dpal Bzad-pa-rdo-rje rnam thar mgur bum Ma rig mun sel dran pai klog phren.
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