SOLVING KASHMIR -5.

             





             (SIACHEN GLACIER-THE WILD ROSE)

           
             THE PASSES ARE:-

            (a)        Mintaka-Khunjrab, Shimshal- Muztagh 
                         on the Karakoram Range.

            (b)        Ratu Gali and Burzil Pass (Deosai Range).

            (c)        Karakoram  5485m

            (d)       Darkot  4587m

            (e)        Irshad  4982.

            (f)        Khora Buri  4633m

            (g)        Lawarai  3120m

            (h)        Badwai  3350m

            (j)         Khardungla Pass  19961ft

            (k)        Changla Pass  19616ft

            (l)         Gansela and Chorbatla

            (m)       Babusar Pass  4175m

(n)        Shonthar Gali  4567m

(o)        Ratti Gali  4567m

(p)        Shikar Gali  4474m

(q)        Kumri Bai  4077m

(r)        Burzil Bai  4201m

(s)        Chachor  4274m

(t)        Zoji La

(u)        Jarma Ki Gali

(v)        Hajipir

(w)       Pir Panjal  3494m

(x)        Banihal  2832m

(y)        Sinthan  3780m

(z)        Jarni Gali  3656m

(aa)      Nurpur Gali  4096m

(ab)      Naba Pir  4253m

(ac)      Didam Gali  3804 m 

           

 

General

1.         Glaciers originate from accummulated snow that has not dissipated. It eventually turns to ice and begins to move according to gravity. Air bubbles hermetically sealed inside the ice cause internal pressure initiating its flow down the slope.  Valley glaciers normally move at a very slow rate of approximately 30cm per day, but in cases of abnormal advance the surge can be as much  as 75cm per day. Glaciers generally have two surfaces, the first one is called accummulation area where the rate of dissipation of the mass is less than that of addition, and the second is called ablation area, where loss exceeds the addition. The boundary between these two areas is called the snow line.

2.         The movement of glaciers sometimes appears to defy gravity. Many glaciers have been observed to retreat up the valleys. This can be ascribed to the changes in the balance line. At other times the sudden surge of the glaciers blocks the river by creating a dam of ice across it. The lake thus formed may drown any road or habitation many kilometers upstream. Later when such a dam gives way the sudden discharge of collected water may cause severe destruction by extensive floods in the plains. J&K has the mightiest glaciers next to the Polar regions. These can be broadly divided into two groups, namely the Karakoram Glaciers and the Himalayan Glaciers .

3.         The Karakoram Glaciers.    These are most spectacular glaciers, which are responsible for the faster rate of change of relief in Karakoram. These glaciers descend as low as 2135m. Some of the known glaciers are listed below :-

(a)     Mintaka/Gullkhwaza Ulwin  Glaciers.   These are parallel glaciers emanating from Mintaka Pass. These run 20 KMs to feed Khunjerab River.

(b)        Batura Glacier.     It is a 58 KMs glacier with a number of fingers. It runs from West to East and feeds Hunza River, North of Pasu.

(c)           Pasu  Glacier.    It runs east to feed Hunza River at Pasu. 

(d)        Ghulkin Glacier.   It runs east to meet Hunza River at Ghulkin. In 1913 its snout was about 300m from Hunza, but in 1966 it had retreated upto 5000m away.

(e)       Hasanabad Glacier.   Most extra ordinary glacier. In 1899, it advanced 9 KMs in one year towards Hunza but by 1954 it had retreated 7 KMs upwards from its position before 1899 splitting into major branches up different valleys.

(f)        Biafo Gyang Glacier.   This 41 KMs long, 2.5 KMs wide glacier takes off from the Eastern side of  Hispar Pass  and moves South East to feed Braldu river, a tributary of Shigar River.

(g)       Baltoro Glacier.   Fed by high peaks of K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I and II, and Chogolisa, this approx 5.5 KMs wide and 55 KMs long glacier runs from East to West with a number of small fingers jetting out towards North and South. It gives rise to Bisho Lugama stream, which joins Shigar River through Braldu.

(h)      Siachen Glacier.   This 72 KMs long and 5 KMs wide glacier emanates from Chogolisa and Baltoro Kangri peaks on the other side of Baltoro Glacier and runs South East. It gestates streams of Nubra River, which later feeds Shyok River.     

4.         The Himalayan Glaciers.  In this part of the Himalayans, the glaciers are not that spectacular as in the Central or Eastern Himalayas. The major glaciers are found around Nanga Parbat. The length of these glaciers varies from 8 to 12 km and width from 1 to 2 km.  Unlike Karakoram glaciers, which traverse as low as 2135m, these glaciers remain generally upto 3000m.

(a)        Buldar Glacier.   Emanating from Chandra Peak (6824m), it runs North West and feeds Buldar Gah, which joins Indus River.

(b)        Rakhikot Glacier.   This is most dangerous amongst Nanga Parbat and discharges its melted stream alongwith avalanches into Indus river through Tato Gah.

(c)        Patro and Damir Gah Glaciers.    These Glaciers take off from Nanga Parbat and run North West, almost parallel to Indus River through Patro Gah and Damir Gah respectively.

(d)       Chhungpur, Bazin and Ghughuel Glacier.   These glaciers are Easterly glaciers, which take off around Nanga Parbat and feed Astor River through Chhichi Gah.

VALLEYS

1.         The major valleys in the region are  :-

(a)        Astor.    The valley lies South East of Gilgit on the northern slopes of the Himalayas. It is perched on a green, wooded ridge at about 2800m. It has terraced fields upto the height of 2745 m, irrigated by small melt stream channels in the summer months. Important places in the valley are Astor, Gurikot, Rattu Cantt. Astor is an ancient town through which the old route joining Kashmir valley to Gilgit passes.

(b)        Gilgit.   It is a long valley from Gupis to Farhad bridge where Gilgit River confluences with the Indus River. This valley has seen civilisation from ancient times. It is very fertile with wide alluvial fans at places on which habitations exist. Its mountains are thickly forested. Fruits trees are in plenty. This valley has been the outpost for the travellers from Kashmir to Tibet and Afghanistan and vice versa. It had the congeries of petty tribal republics in Hunza, Nagar and Yasin.

(c)        Hunza.   Seven kilometer East of Chalt, the Karakoram Highway veers North and climbs gently up the Rakaposhi Range. With the majestic splendour of snow capped mountain peaks, vast glaciers and awe-inspiring gorges, Hunza is the fabled land of ancient travellers tale. From the summit of Rakaposhi (7788m) to the Hunza Basin below (1950m) the change in altitude is over 5800m within a distance of 10 to 21 KMs. This magnitude of available relief is extremely rare as a result of which Hunza River carries a sediment load of 8000 tons per square kilometer of the catchment area per year. The movement of glaciers in the valley is causing the greatest problem in the Karakoram Highway.

(d)       Skardu.   Five main valleys in this area are Shigar, Skardu, Khapalu, Rondu and Kharmang based on the Indus, Shigar and Shyok Rivers. This is the area of lofty peaks. Apricots, peaches, pears, apples, walnuts and grapes are in abundance. The rivers are slow and wide. Skardu (2286m) is an important town along Indus River with a large airfield. It is

 linked to places on the Line of Actual Control by class 9/5 roads, developed on the ancient routes from Kashmir valleys and Ladakh. 

(e)        Ishkuman.   It is approximately 50 KMs long and 2-3 KMs wide valley running north from village Chilpi on Gilgit River to Marmat or Imit on the left bank of the river, which often gets flooded. The valley, hence, is bare. Tracks run through the valley from Imit to Darkot and Hunza valley.

(f)        Baltistan.  It is the area lying between Shigar and Nubra Rivers. It is also known as ‘Little Tibet’. Its valleys rise between 2400m to 3000m, where little cropping such as barley and tobacco is done on the alluvial soils. The hill sides have few patches of pine and deodar. While willow and poplar are found along the streams, peaches, melons and apricot orchards widely exist. Gold is extracted in small quantities from the river sands by washing. The Baltis are mostly Muslim and are financially very poor and primitive.

(g)        Rupshu.  Lying to the South-East of the Deosai Plateau, Rupshu with its wide open valleys has altitudes over 4000m in the Zanskar Range. It is in the enclosed basin of Tso Morari. Here Korzok (4570m) is one of the highest agricultural settlements in the world. Dead saline lakes of Rupshu yield borax.

(h)        Kaghan.   It is a beautiful valley rising Northwards along Kunhar River from Balakot (980m) to Babusar (4184m) South of Balakot.  However, the valley has a very smooth gradient. Kunhar River abounds with trout. Villages lie tucked on the mountain slopes on both sided of Kunhar River. The precipitation is in plenty. It is a land of green pastures, lakes and variety of fruits. Handicrafts are one of the major sources of earning. Important places are Gahri, Habibullah, Kawai, Shogran, Kaghan, Naran, Battakundi, Lallazar and Babusar. Through the valley passes the road linking Muzaffarabad and Chilas, which was the only road to Gilgit before the commissioning of Karakoram Highway. The people of the valley are industrious.

(j)         Ladakh.   Ladakh is a large tract of mountainous country in the East of the Vale of Kashmir. In no place is it below 8000ft, and mountain ranges are 17,000ft to 21,000ft, with peaks reaching up to 25,000ft. The snow line is above 18,000ft, and snowfall is little. The rivers are shallow and valleys are silted up. The people live on the plateaus and valleys but a large population lives at elevations between 12,000ft and 15,000ft, above the sea level which constitute the loftiest inhabited districts in the world. Ladakh has always been a place

of attraction to sportsmen, the lane being regarded as the home of Markhor and Ibex. Ladakh is the chief centre of trade routes between Tibet and Western Asia, Yarkand and India. Ladakh is also a place of interest for scientific and political travellers. Politically, Ladakh is a division of the State lying between the Himalayas and the Kunlun Mountains, and between Baltistan and Chinese Tibet and constitutes Rupshu, Zanskar, Middle Ladakh, Nubra and plateau South of Karakoram.

(k)        Leepa.   Leepa valley is very beautiful, rich in fauna and flora, wooded with pine, deodar and fir trees. It runs for about 240 kilometers in length with and elevations from 750m to 2500m, hammed in by snow –clad mountains of the Himalayas. It is also Katha-Kazinag, a tributary of Kishanganga River, stretching from Tithwal to Naukot. Glorious vistas of terraced fields along the backdrop of lush green pine forests cover the slopes in the valley. Important villages in the area are Naukot, Maharajganj and Leepa. This valley provides a link from the road Muzaffarabad-Chakothi to Neelam valley road. A portion of the valley is on own side of Line of Control.

(l)       Neelam.   The valley is approximately 200 kilometer long, sprawling from Taobat (2450m) to the city of Muzaffarabad (610m). Thick forests cover the mountain slopes. Through the valley passes the Neelam valley road, which runs very close to the Line of Control. Kel is a place of tourist attraction. Muzaffarabad is the hub of communications. It is linked to Manshera, Kohala and Chakothi.

(m)     Kashmir.   The valley of Kashmir is surrounded by high mountains ranges from all sides. This valley, which is about 15945 square kilometers in area, lies in a structural basin of a valley, once the bed of a great lake. This incidently is the most fertile and densely populated region of J & K State. It stretches 200 kilometers from South East to North West  at an average elevation of 1700m and has a maximum width of about 120 kilometers. There are numerous lakes in the valley, the biggest being the famous Wular Lake through which Jhelum River passes. It enters Wular near Bandipur and leaves it at Sopore. Dal and Nagin Lakes are well known tourist resorts of Sringar. Anchar and Manasbal are other well known lakes  in the  valley.  The  main  river  is  Jhelum or Veth and it has numerous tributaries like Liddar, Sind, Sandran and Vishwa Rivers which have carved out the valley. In addition, hundreds  of  fast flowing Nalas called Nars and man-made canals called Khuls are found all over the valley. Kashmir valley has a temperate and salubrious climate. During winters, however, the temperature frequently goes below freezing point. Occasionally Dal and other small lakes freeze. In Srinagar the mean daily temperature in January is 0.5 degree C, and 23.5 degree C in July. The rainfall during the cold weather, from December to April, comes through thunderstorms, which bring much snow on the higher elevations. In April-May, or summers, the valley and surrounding hills experience moderate showers. The total rainfall in the valley in winter months varies between 38 to 88 cms; average snowfall is about 243 cms; and average rainfall in summer months is 34 cms.

(n)        Pir Panjal .  The Pir Panjal Valley is the outer range of the Himalaya into Kashmir and extends from the gorge at Baramulla to the Banihal pass and as such marks the Southern boundary of the Kashmir Valley. Height varies from 9,000ft at the Banihal Pass, 11,500ft at the Pir Panjal Pass, to 15,000ft at the various peaks such as Tatakuti, Sunset Peak near the Pir Panjal Pass and Brahma Sukul further South. The peaks remain under snow throughout the year. The lower part of the Pir Panjal is a plateau with deep ravines, above are forests and still above are meadows such as Gulmarg, Khillenmarg, Ludurmarg, Sangarwini, Kangwatan, etc. Above the meadows are grassy slopes, which lead to higher snowy summits. There are passes on the Pir Panjal, usually ranging from 15,000ft to 15,500ft, but none below 13,000ft, except the Pir Panjal Pass. The goat herds alone inhabit the neighbourhood of the passes, such as above Ferozpur Nullah and in the Tosha Maidan. Several peaks like Tosha Maidan Peaks, Sunset Peak, Tatakuti Peak etc, are now accessible. There is heavy glacial snow in many of the highest hollows with numerous lakelets such as Konsar Nag, Kontar Nag, Gagri Nag between 12,000ft and 14,000ft.

(o)        Kohat.   The valley is uneven and has broken areas. The soil is very fertile. The river Kohat has Tanda Dam on it and supplements the water of the tube wells and small tanks.  A large variety of crops are grown adequately in this area. The major town is Kohat.

(p )       Jhelum.   This region is the most fertile and densely populated belt of  Kashmir valley. It includes the flood plains and bahil tracts.  It  extends  from  Khanabal  in the South East to Baramulla in the West. The region has a thick cover soil, which is further enriched by continuous deposits through the tributaries of River Jhelum. This is irrigated through a network of canals called Khuls. Summer conditions prevail for a longer period as compared to the other parts of Kashmir division. This permits raising of two crops in a year, although the second crop has been introduced only lately and in limited areas. The region has a well developed transport network system. Major urban centres of Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla and Sopore are located in this region. Changes in the institutional setup and the utilisation of modern agricultural implements have increased the productivity of this region. Plain areas of  Srinagar, Pulwama, Badgam, Anantnag and Baramulla districts also fall within the region. 

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