The snout of the Siachen Glacier
It may seem unfair to have a war zone like the Siachen Glacier in Ladakh. Both Pakistan and India spend hundreds of millions dollars every year and lose any number of lives facing off for what may seem like an inconsequential mass of ice. But then who said conflicts are about fairness and being reasonable?
When a place is as well known as Siachen, especially for reasons of war, you approach it with mixed expectations. How does a zone always in a state of battle preparedness look like? What is the body language and state of mind of soldiers in these situations? What do they make of civilians out on a ‘picnic,’ even if they are guests of a senior colleague?
Under normal circumstances, one is not allowed within about fifty kilometers of this area unless you have Army clearance. The region had seen little or no exchange of fire over the past couple of years – I may not have been able to make a visit had it been otherwise. [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Army,
Bofors,
india,
Ladakh,
Nubra,
pakistan,
Siachen
Who would have thought you can go shopping at 18,380 feet? Apparently you can – at the souvenir shop located at the Khardungla Pass in Ladakh run by the Indian Army. And what it claims is the highest souvenir shop in the world.
What can you buy here? Merchandise with branding of the pass. There were ceramic pen stands going for Rs. 60 each, a set of six coffee mugs for Rs. 180 and decorative plates for Rs. 140 and Rs. 190 in two sizes. There were T-shirts too but I could not check the price. [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Khardungla,
Ladakh,
Leh,
Nubra,
Souvenir Shop
A structure to mark the achievement of building the road across Khardungla and to remember those who lost their lives in doing so
Building of the road across the Khardungla Pass in Ladakh at 18,380 feet in 1972-73 was no mean feat. Nothing is easy in the harsh conditions and terrain of such altitudes. How did the Indian Army come good in this challenge? [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Khardungla,
Ladakh,
Leh,
Nubra
It is not very often that one gets to drive on a road at an altitude of 18,380 feet. That is where Khardungla Pass, meaning the ‘Pass of Lower Castle,’ is located on the way from Leh to the Nubra Valley in Ladakh. It is the highest motorable road in the world as signs put up by the Border Roads Organization proudly proclaim.
The Marsimikla Pass, at 18632 feet, in eastern Ladakh has missed out on the top honours as it allows for only some kinds of four wheeled vehicles across it.
The Khardungla has quite a bit of history behind it according to documents available with the Indian Army. This is what I got to read up: [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Karakoram,
Khardungla Pass,
Ladakh,
Leh,
Nubra,
Silk Route
I have just come back from Ladakh (in the Indian Himalayas) which I would describe as the trip of a lifetime. I was on the road for 23 days, and personally drove over 4,000 kms (about 2,500 miles) during this period. Yes, the best way to enjoy this region is to drive yourself. A rugged vehicle is a pre-requisite though.
In the coming days and weeks, I will be sharing stories, experiences and pictures of my trip on this blog. Do watch out for the same. In the meantime, to give you an idea where all I went, this was itinerary: (The figure before each location is the day number. Example: 3 indicates day 3). [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Drive,
Himachal Pradesh,
Himalayas,
holiday,
india,
Kargil,
Kashmir,
Ladakh,
Leh,
Nubra,
Siachen,
Zanskar
