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| Nubra Valley |
The Nubra Valley has a
historical romance, for the much famed Silk Route meandered along the banks
of Nubra. From Xinjiang provinces of China via the mighty Karakoram Pass
and Daulat Beg Oldi, travelers, traders, romantics, camels and horses
traveled up and down in this valley reaching Leh before starting another
long journey to Central Asia via Skardu and Gilgit. The graves of Yarkandi
merchants of yore that one could see even today in Hunder, a village on the
banks of Nubra, is a living testimony of this past journey.
Undoubtedly, they provide a reminder, both poignant and piquant, of the
vagaries that have been visited upon this Valley. Poignant, because it is
testimony to the wandering ways of men and their desire to both explore and
profit from their exertions, and which often meant that they lived most of
their lives on the move and often died far from their homes, among
strangers. Piquant, because these desires have hardly been quelled in the
present age and are, if anything, all the more sharpened with the more
means and the greater speed of travel. And piquant, also because these
desires that are today the basis for territorial claims, can just as easily
also be a means for making peace and boundaries irrelevant.
To cherish this historical romance, one should visit the Nubra Valley and
enjoy real <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.cultureholidays.com"
target="_blank">India holidays</a>. Even the most poetic expression of this
Valley will fail to do justice to the reality. Is there a poet or a
historian in today's world who can take pride in aptly explaining a
historical relic, which is also a contemporary anomaly?
The Nubra is also a cultural synthesis. The Nubra joins Shyok near Diskit
and flows towards north to finally become a part of the grand Indus. Like
these two rivers, the people and its history also flows in parallel,
retaining their identities, but still a part of larger civilization. The
Nubra Valley is predominantly Buddhist dotted with Muslim villages and the
Shyok towards the LoC is predominantly Muslim dotted with Buddhist
villages. Monasteries, Chortens, mosques and graveyards highlight the
cultural synthesis of parallel lands which even today are a part of a
larger Balti identity. The oneness, despite contrasts in terrain, culture
and races between the two valleys has to be seen to be believed.
The Nubra is also a tourist paradise. From Silk Route to Monasteries, the
villages of Nubra provide multifaceted attraction. The Indian government
has recently announced its decision to allow trekking and mountaineering in
Siachen. Traveling along the Nubra, one would be fascinated by the bikers
from all over the world, pedaling with their head gears, like fast moving
ants.
Monasteries dot the Nubra river, with the Gompa in Diskit Village,
undoubtedly the oldest, largest and the most magnificent of all in this
region. Of course, there are other monasteries on both sides of the Nubra,
the ones in the right side of the river appearing as if being carved out of
the mountains. However, the history, myth and the legend of Diskit Gompa
makes it more interesting. Built in the 14th century, the locals say that
there are numerous Mongolian and Tibetan manuscripts inside the Gompa. Like
any other place of historical significance, there is a fascinating story
associated with. According to the locals, once upon a time a Mongol demon
stayed here; even after his slaying, his body kept returning and that even
today the demon's furrowed head and hand lie in the monastery. The legend
linking a Mongol demon in the Nubra, speaks for the historical binding of
the Valley transcending the Karakoram.
There are other myths and legends in the Nubra, the Panamik pond for
example. A tear-drop shaped body of water surrounded on all sides by
low-rising hillocks, the Panamik pond has its own myth. As local beliefs
go, the fortunate can see a reflection of the famed Potala Palace of Lhasa
in its waters. Another belief is that whoever completes a parikrama
(perambulation) of the pond and makes a wish will have it granted. Besides
the myth, this water body is worth seeing, especially either in the early
mornings or in the evenings. It certainly is a nice little walk, with a few
trees along the bank providing the shade for a little shut-eye or sing-song
and with numerous cairns peppering the path and the surrounding hillocks.
Though the hillocks are visible from the main road, it will take an
experienced driver to tell that there is a pond hidden among them. Panamik
is also well know for its hot springs.
Today, Nubra's only link to the outside world lies through the Khardung La,
the highest motoroable pass in the world; from salt to oil, everything
comes through Leh. Once a connecting Valley between Yarkand and Central
Asia, today, the Nubra has become a dead end. With every one talking about
opening the routes along the Line of Control (LoC), the locals in the Nubra
Valley are anxious to see the reopening of the old Silk Route. From Sasoma,
the northern most village in the Nubra to the Karakoram Pass, there is a
track even today, which was used by the traders and travelers in the old
days. Today, it would take anywhere between 4 to 7 days if one has to trek
from Sasoma to the Karakoram Pass.
It is time, that the Governments of India and China consider re-opening
this route. The closure of this axis has not only shut down a famed route,
but a glorious part of history and culture of two great civilizations. And
that is the contemporary anomaly of a historical beauty.
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