Tales Of Trails 

By S.Sarwar.Malik

Venturing out creates pathways. Over a period of time, these become roads and highways; for movement of men, material and ideas too; transactions of all types, to state it briefly.

During the 70’s & 80’s of the last century(- that happened to be my prime time), the activities of foreign as well as local trekkers & expeditionists kept circulating at a good pace and in a sense built on what I had inculcated from the mission school, where I had studied. Though presently my involvement remains limited(merely) to reading about expeditions, & treks or studying-maps & atlas; (- that shed more light on the study material in hand), but of late a good number of our local youth have again started participating actively in these adventure-sports; and they, I learnt, are finding the encouraging gestures of another son of the soil,Mehmood sb(-ex Director Tourism), contributing positively; even when he is looking after another department, officially. Now, O’dear readers, here is  the verbal-tour that I was designing.

Scanning the rolled out map of J&K, reveals that almost 140 kms away from Srinagar lies Gurez (Gurais) where Kishenganga river flows. Just ahead of Gurez, beyond Minimarg lies the famous Burzil Pass,that further ahead leads to Astore, Bunji & then to Gilgit on the North-West side; further to Hunza and Khunjarab pass & then to Kashgar. North East of Burzil leads to Skardu and then to Shigar etc. Skardu can be reached from Kargil too, via Kiri.

Gurez we know falls in the ancient Silk-route. Dawar is the Central town and the Valley of Tulail ( Telail) lies north of Gurez valley.When winter brings heavy snow the famous Razdan Pass, we hear every year, cuts off this area.

Moving from Srinagar to Kargil via Zojila pass and then to Leh ( of Ladakh); crossing Khardungla Pass, moving ahead to Bogdan, then to Chorbat, to Khapulu, we can also reach Skardu. 

If one goes from Leh to Khardungla and thence to Changla (Nubra), then via Thalam-buti valley to Karakoram Pass we reach Yarkand (- in Xinjiang/ Sinkiang of China).

There is one more route from Baramulla via Muzaffarabad to Chilas to Bunji to Gilgit to Hunza, then to Nagar & ahead to Khunjarab Pass reaching ultimately Kashgar.  

 As of present we find J&K is nestled by Pakistan on the west, China (Xinjiang) on North and China/Tibet on south. Before we proceed to things of our present interest, refresh the fact of history that  politics keeps on changing boundaries though geographical markers remain more permanent.

On these roadways of yore men travelled, mostly traders,but a significant number of expedition- lovers who left accounts of their travel, trekkers,

hunters, explorers,  knowledge/ faith workers & scholars, tourists and of course men on special missions too. Quite interesting is the fact that humans traversing these routes recorded their ‘gains- in- the- knowledge sector’; what they observed, learnt, studied, has been transmitted  and  all that has impacted, not only the people of their time but future generations, too. 

For a moment build a mental image of these foreign guests travelling with a huge retinue, consisting of porters/ coolies ( two for one visitor, each carrying a load half of the pony; earning half of the pack-ass), guides, Cook, huntsman, and other workers.

 Quite naturally with the march of time humans put to use their domesticated animals too. Besides Horse, Camel, Oxen,Yaks etc sheep too were pushed into service. Wide spread and considerable was the use of asses too. Even for everyday ‘transport’; even the vehicle of some prophets too, this animal has remained. These creatures, be it Jenny or Jack, these asses, have also been photographed ferrying the children of highest British officers of their time in stradled canopies, in mountainous areas , without any qualm. Popularly called donkeys; the scientific name of ass is Equus sinus. Very dependable in work, requiring low maintenance, these working animals, distinguishable by their looks- long ears, dorsal stripe, having black-brushed tail; braying hee haws, have played great role everywhere on the globe, more so during past few centuries and as of today over ten million are said to be living and working silently; largely in countries like Ethiopia & Sudan (+17M) and in Pakistan, China, Afghanistan & India(+11M);  etc. But with every passing day, these creatures are losing their importance, everywhere. City dwellers of Srinagar and Jammu now find these creatures only in the stables of memory but use them contemptuously in everyday parlance, ‘epitomised’ for stubbornness. 

Fallen to disuse, haunted by injury or ill health or old age the members of this species breathing in ‘the backyard of yesteryears’, i:e Ladakh, these pack animals were lucky to gain good care and health with the coming up of special care Donkey-Sanctuary in Leh recently, in 2008. One little diversion: During the years spent in Ladakh, a poem occurred when I, for the first time, saw some Skiang, Wild Mule/Horse ( Equus hemionus or Equus kiang), related to this creature,  in the Nyoma block, standing some meters away from the river; that was covered with a very thick layer of ice when it was the second fortnight of March 1985. 

Recall. In 1847 Alexander Cunningham was in Ladakh. Men Of Moravian Mission were active in Leh from 1885 and in Khalsi from 1899. They worked in the field of Education, Health, Archeology and Literature. It was they who translated the Royal Chronicles Of Ladakh, La-dvags-rgyal-rabs; that were collected in 1856 by Munich Schlagintweuit after being sponsored by Alexander Von Humboldt of Munich.

From 1870 onwards the British Joint Commissioner of Ladakh looked after the upkeep of the roads leading from Zojila and Karakoram Pass [ …more than 400 kms ] and that between Leh and Lahoul. Postal service was organised by the British while as telegraph offices by the Dogra Maharaja; in the era of annexations ushered by their famous General Zorawer Singh(around 1841). Dak Banglows and Sarais were maintained by the British Joint Commissioner of Ladakh. Since every trade employed men and means of transportation/ carriage a robust porter system had been made functional by authorities. Since Ladakh had very few things of their own but geographical positioning gave them an advantage and they tapped it to the extant that Leh (it’s capital) came to be described by writers as ‘the cosmopolitan city’ because of the fact that traders from all surrounding countries/ areas, from different ethnic groups, of India, Punjab, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Lhasa,Tibet, East Turkistan; (-distinguishable by their physical features and dresses, as recorded); have been seen in the Leh-Bazar; even some have mentioned ‘…from Siberia and the remotest districts of Central Asia, …of various races and creeds’; used to visit Leh and stay there even for months; busy in trade related activities.

During his first stint August Hermann Francke worked in the Khalsi region of Ladakh from 1899 to 1906 and coming back from Germany to Leh again in 1914, he further went to Central Asia. Another important guest, Dr.Ernest Shaw, too visited in Ladakh, and died here in 1907, it is said, due to Typhus.

Besides trading off a few things that Ladakh had, they, like the people of Balti-staan, profited mainly from portering and hiring out pack animals. Compulsions of earning  money led many to become porters, carrying packs of loads, roped on their back; off they negotiated difficult terrains, for weeks, their feet placed in pieces of  hides,covered with woven woollen cloth pieces, tied with leather bands, braving harsh climate,scarce food and water,  onwards moved these men along with these ponies; facilitating their employer (rich traders as well as Sahabs). Some photographic evidence of woman porters of the nomads of  Nobra too are there. Heart-renting ones too;  of bare-footed porters,  while a layer of snow on gravel paths was also visible.

On every pony a tax of three Pice was levied on crossing the Khardungla; (-being the rate of 1893), or produce valuing the same amount. Ponder: by 1920 trade worth ninety three lakh Rupees is said to have happened via Ladakh (..that is what i have read somewhere.).

During the rule of Maharaja Pratap Singh Ladakhi’s were given loan to breed ponies.

In 1876 Gilgit was the extreme North West area of the British Empire. In 1889 a ‘Political Agency’ was opened there, though earlier in 1876 a feeble attempt had been made, first. Notable point is that North of Gilgit ‘Russian officers held sway ’.

Almost all the parts of Baltistaan(-Astore, Hunza, Khapalu etc) had there local Rajas and quite interesting is an account that says that a descendant of Yabgo dynasty of East Turkistan, namely Nasir Ali khan was reportedly ruling the Khapalu region of Baltistaan in 1911. Hold it…an interesting info: for weeks together, entourage of many rajas of Baltistaan area were seen trudging in compliance through these terrains (Oct-Dec 1911); when directed to be present in Delhi where Coronation Day of King George V, as emperor of India, was going to be celebrated. 

The population of Baltistaan is constituted of Tibetans and Dards(-of Aryan origin; like those in Drass of kargil) and travellers leaving behind the gonpas of Nobra are greeted by small mosques as followers of Shia-Islam of Nurbakhshiya order grew there right from 15-16 centuries, to gain dominance in Baltistaan. 

Post-1947 era and post 1962 happenings interests me not, today.

As far as trade- items are concerned, Ladakh had salt of Tso-ker lake, Sulphur, Borax, dried Apricots, sheep wool and above all Pashm; Lhasa/Tibet sent Turquoise, Carpets, Tea and Fur; Khapalu had Apricots, Walnut etc; Gilgit had Apricots, Walnut, Apple; Sinkiang had Tea, Precious Stones and Silk; Yarkand had Tobacco; Turkmenistan had Hashish; Kashmir had Rugs & Opium and from India a number of items Spices, Cloth and the list can go on & on. Salutations Moorcroft, Trebeck, R.Shaw, Cunningham, Hedin, Drew, Francke, Snellgrove & S, Neve, Petech, J. Rizvi,and scores of others ( including E.Joldan) but wait I am expecting  mail from one more writer John Bray. Bye!///

• The author is a Penman, Poet, and Columnist 

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