Kargil : Gateway to the Himalayas
The town lies nestling along the rising hillside of the
lower Suru basin. Two tributaries of the Suru River that meet here are the Drass and
Wakha. The land available along the narrow valley as also the rising hillsides are
intensively cultivated in neat terraces to glow barley, wheat, peas, a variety Kargil mainly serves as an ideal base station for adventure activities like trekking, mountaineering, camping, river rafting etc. In high Himalayan Valleys. It is also a base for taking shorter excursions to Mulbek where the chief attraction is a 9-m high rock sculpture depicting the future Buddha. Kargil also offers some interesting walks along the river bank and up the hillside. The best among these is the one leading to Goma Kargil along a 2-km long winding road which, passing through some of the most picturesque parts of the town, presents breathtaking views of the mountain stream. A stroll in the bazaar might lead to a shop selling flint and tobacco pouches, travelling hookahs and brass kettles - handcrafted items of everyday use which find their way into the mart as curios. Most shops deals in common consumer goods, but some specialize in trekking provisions. The showroom of the Government Industries Centre near the riverbank displays and sell Pashmina Shawls, local carpets and other woolen handicrafts. The apricot jam produced here serves as a rare delicacy. Kargil's dry apricot has now become a souvenir item, which can be purchased freely in the bazaar. Situated 45 kms East of Kargil on the road to Leh, Mulbek (3230 m) in an area dominated by the Buddhists. It is situated along either banks of the Wakha River, which originates. Many monuments of the early Buddhists era dot the landscape and are accessible from the road. Mulbek Chamba : The chief attraction of Mulbek is a 9 m high rock sculpture in deep relief of Maitreya, the Future Buddha. Its excursion combines esoteric Shaivite symbolism with early Buddhist art. Situated right on the highway, it dates back to the period when Buddhists missionaries came travelling east of the Himalayas. Mulbek Gompa : Perched atop a rocky cliff, Mulbek
Gompa (monastery) dominates the valley. It is easy to see why in bygone times this site
served as an outpost to guard the caravan route. Like all Buddhists monasteries it is
adorned by frescoes and statues. |
KARGIL (2704 m), 204 kms from Srinagar
in the west and 234 kms from Leh in the east, is the second largest urban centre of Ladakh
and headquarters of the district of same name. A quite town now, Kargil once served as
important trade and transit centre in the Pan-Asian trade network. Numerous caravans
carrying exotic merchandise comprising silk, brocade, carpets, felts, tea, poppy, ivory
etc. transited in the town on their way to and from China, Tibet, Yarkand and Kashmir. The
old bazaar displayed a variety of Central Asian and Tibetan commodities even after the
cessation of the Central Asian trade in 1949 till these were exhausted about two decades
back. Similarly the ancient trade route passing through the township was lined with
several caravanserais. Now, since 1975, travellers of numerous nationalities have replaced
traders of the past and Kargil has regained its importance as a centre of travel-related
activities. Being located in the centre of the Himalayan region with tremendous potentials
for adventure activities, Kargil serves as an 
