Suru Valley
The Suru Valley is a valley in the
Horses,
History
The Suru Valley was historically ruled from Kartse (
The principality of Kartse apparently controlled the entire western Ladakh, from
The conversion of Kashmir to Islam in the 14th century had implications for western Ladakh. Baltistan was invaded during the reign of
Some time after this, a Muslim chieftaincy connected to
During the invasion of Ladakh byA succession of Ladakhi kings from Tashi Namgyal (r. 1555–1575) onwards attempted to make forays into Purig, but Kartse is not mentioned by name until the time of
In the early 18th century, the Suru valley became part of the chiefdom of Purig. After Tashi Namgyal, Purig reverted as an integral par of Ladakh.[22]
Islam was introduced into the area from the 16th century onward by preachers travelling through Baltistan.[23] The Dogras conquered the entire area by 1847 and it proved to be disastrous for the natives. The Dogras were especially harsh to Muslims (including the nobles) in the area, and they attempted to rebel against the Dogras. The current line of control runs near modern Kargil.[24][page needed]
People
The Suru valley is inhabited 25,000 by people of
Religion
Almost the entire population of Suru valley are adherents of Shia Islam. A small fraction of the population also follows the Sunni branch of Islam, mostly concentrated in the villages of Panikhar and Prantee. The few other religious demographics shown in the census are mostly migrant workers from other parts of India.
Languages
The Purgi language is the predominant language in the Suru Valley, spoken by about 95 percent of the people in the Sankoo Tehsil.[31]
Landscape and agriculture
The lower part of the valley, at altitudes below 3,000 metres (9,843 ft), is one of the most agriculturally productive parts of Ladakh with two crops a year being harvested, watered by the run-off from the very heavy winter snowfalls,[32] and even plantations of willow and poplar trees making it a relatively lush and very attractive area, but around Rangdum the landscapes are stark, flat moorlands ringed by arid crags.[33] The spiky white topped mountain peaks of the Nun-Kun massif, topping 7000 m, are visible from several places in the valley.
Tourism
Despite considerable potential, tourism activity is very limited in the valley with most visitors rushing through to Padum and Zanskar.[34] There are few facilities for visitors but Ladakh UT Tourism does have basic tourist bungalows in several of the villages.[35] and there's a summer tent-camp in Rangdum. Tangole village is a possible starting point for mountaineering expeditions up Nun Kun.
Notes
- Wakha Rong and Drasvalleys (on the route between Zoji La and upper Ladakh) were under Ladakhi control, but Suru, being a side valley of the main route, was treated separately. It was not considered part of "Purig" until the modern period.
- ^ Baghan is described as "a Chui of the provinces of Tibet", which is taken to mean "headman" by Petech.
- ^ Francke speculates that the two prominent chiefs of Purig at the time of Jamyang Namgyal were those of Chiktan and Kartse, and that both of them had accepted Islam.[12] Petech has not accepted the supposition.[13]
- ^ The change of title from "Tri-gyal" to "Tri Sultan" indicates conversion to Islam having taken place. Local tradition informs us that the father of this ruler first converted to Islam.[14]
- ^ Judged by the later encounters of Zorawar Singh in 1834, these noble families are likely to have been those of Kartse, Sod, Pashkum, Chiktan and possibly Dras.
References
- ^ Francke, A History of Western Tibet (1907), p. 48.
- ^ Francke, A History of Western Tibet (1907), p. 63.
- JSTOR 40393242
- ^ Francke, A History of Western Tibet (1907), pp. 273–274.
- ^ Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh (1977), pp. 22–23.
- ^ Francke, A History of Western Tibet (1907), p. 90.
- ^ Francke, A History of Western Tibet (1907), p. 273.
- ^ Devers, Buddhism before First Diffusion? (2020), paragraphs 31–32, note 17.
- ^ Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh (1977), p. 26.
- ^ Howard, What happened between 1450 and 1550 AD? (1997), pp. 130–131.
- ^ Devers, Buddhism before First Diffusion? (2020), note 17.
- ^ Francke, A History of Western Tibet (1907), pp. 91, 273–274.
- ^ Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh (1977), p. 33.
- ^ a b Grist, The History of Islam in Suru (2005), p. 176.
- ^ Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh (1977), pp. 67–68.
- ^ Francke, A History of Western Tibet (1907), pp. 102–103, 273–274.
- ^ Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh (1977), p. 75.
- ^ Grist, The History of Islam in Suru (2005), p. 175.
- ^ Handa, Buddhist Western Himalaya (2001), p. 165.
- ^ Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh (1977), p. 96.
- ^ Schwieger, Tsewang Norbu's diplomatic mission (1997), p. 223.
- ^ Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh (1977), pp. 104–105.
- ^ Gupta, Allegiance and Alienation (2013), p. 50.
- ^ Grist, Urbanisation in Kargil (2008).
- ^ "Sanku Population". Census India. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- ^ Rizvi, Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia (1996), p. 210.
- ^ Gupta, Pre-modern cosmopolitanism (2019), p. 196.
- ^ Grist, The History of Islam in Suru (1995).
- ^ Rizvi, Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia (1996), pp. 29, 253.
- ^ ISBN 0-908086-21-0. p. 150.
- ^ C-16 Population By Mother Tongue – Jammu & Kashmir (Report). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- ^ Rizvi, Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia (1996), pp. 38, 118–119.
- ^ Rizvi, Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia (1996), p. 29.
- ^ Lonely Planet India, 13th edition, page 296
- ^ "Jammu & Kashmir Tourism - J&K Tourism".
Bibliography
- Devers, Quentin (2020), "Buddhism before the First Diffusion? The case of Tangol, Dras, Phikhar and Sani-Tarungtse in Purig and Zanskar (Ladakh)", Études Mongoles & Sibériennes, Centrasiatiques & Tibétaines, 51 (51), S2CID 230579183
- Francke, Rev. A. H. (1907), A History of Western Tibet, S. W. Partridge & Co – via archive.org
- Grist, Ncola (1995), "The History of Islam in Suru", in Henry Osmaston; Philip Denwood (eds.), Recent Research on Ladakh 4 & 5: Proceedings of the Fourth and Fifth International Colloquia on Ladakh, Motilal Banarsidass Publ., pp. 175–, ISBN 978-81-208-1404-2
- Nicola Grist (1998), Local Politics in Suru Valley of Northern India (PhD Thesis)
- Grist, Nicola (2005), "The History of Islam in Suru", in Bray, John (ed.), Ladakhi Histories: Local and Regional Perspectives, Brill's Tibetan Studies Library, vol. 9, ISBN 9789004145511
- Grist, Nicola (2008). "Urbanisation in Kargil and its Effects in the Suru Valley". In Martijn van Beek; Fernanda Pirie (eds.). Modern Ladakh: Anthropological Perspectives on Continuity and Change. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-474-4334-6.
- Gupta, Radhika (2013). "Allegiance and Alienation: Border Dynamics in Kargil". In David N. Gellner (ed.). Borderland Lives in Northern South Asia. Duke University Press. pp. 47–71. ISBN 978-0-8223-7730-6.
- Gupta, Riya (2019). "Pre-modern cosmopolitanism: a challenge to Ladakh's 'Tibetanness'". In Sutapa Dutta; Nilanjana Mukherjee (eds.). Mapping India: Transitions and Transformations, 18th–19th Century. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-00-018640-6.
- Handa, O. C. (2001), Buddhist Western Himalaya: A politico-religious history, Indus Publishing, ISBN 978-81-7387-124-5
- Howard, Neil (1997), "What happened between 1450 and 1550 AD? and other questions from the history of Ladakh", in Henry Osmaston; Nawang Tsering; International Association for Ladakh Studies (eds.), Recent Research on Ladakh 6: Proceedings of the Sixth International Colloquium on Ladakh, Leh 1993, Motilal Banarsidass Publ., pp. 121–138, ISBN 978-81-208-1432-5
- Petech, Luciano (1977), The Kingdom of Ladakh, c. 950–1842 A.D., Instituto Italiano Per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente – via archive.org
- Rizvi, Janet (1996), Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia (Second ed.), Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-564016-8– via archive.org
- Janet Rizvi. (1996). Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia. Second Edition. Oxford University Press, Delhi. ISBN 0-19-564546-4.
- Janet Rizvi. (1996). Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia. Second Edition. Oxford University Press, Delhi.
- Schwieger, Peter (1997), "Kathog Rigzin Tsewang Norbu's (Kah-thog-rig-'dzin Tshe-dbang-nor-bu) diplomatic mission to Ladakh in the 18th century", in Henry Osmaston; Nawang Tsering (eds.), Recent Research on Ladakh 6: Proceedings of the Sixth International Colloquium on Ladakh, Leh 1993, Motilal Banarsidass Publ., pp. 219–, ISBN 978-81-208-1432-5