Pangong Lake Vacation
Pangong Lake in Kashmir is the world’s
highest brackish lake at 14,256 feet above sea level. A few
years back the government decided to open it to tourists though the
lake and its surrounding is under army surveillance.
The tourism department intends to develop the infrastructure and
facilitate the route leading to the lake.
A place too easily arrived at is scarcely worth traveling to at all.
Consider the ‘tired tourist’ who simply seeks solace in much
talked about destinations, where he tends to relax and stroll the
evenings away, buy a few souvenirs and sample the cuisine from the
endless menu. and there’s the ‘tireless traveler’ - the
learning by living person who opts for a destination in order to
explore and experience the unknown.
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The Beginning of The Cruise
The 160 km trip to Pangong Lake from Leh is one such experience.It
begins with Thiksey village famous for its huge monasteries covering
an entire mountain ridge. Beyond this remote village there is nothing
but the extreme mountain ridge andranges for company. Occasionally we
encountered either patrolling army men or Ladakhi families waving at
us.
Come Changla Pass (17,350 ft.) and its is time to test your lungs.Not
to worry, oxygen is aplenty with army men doing their rounds on the
rough terrain. They are a helpful lot indeed ever willing to assist
anyone stranded in the wildness.Sunset and moonrise at Tangste.
¤ The Challenges Throughout The Journey
The topography throughout the journey shoots up so abruptly that they
throw off all calculations of distance - what looked to be a
ten-minute crossing easily required an hour or more. At times, it
appeared as if so many of nature’s forces were warning us away at
the steep slopes and uneasy bends and not to forget the great chunks
of ice appearing static and frozen in time.
At Darbuk village near Tangste Valley stood a chain of war memorials
with Regimental Insignias in commemoration of the soldiers who lost
their lives during the Indo-Chinese war of 1962. Some of the army
bunkers and trenches are still in use.Villagers can be seen here along
with their large herds of Pashmina sheep and long tailed yaks.
¤ Pangong Lake
The placid Pangong Lake is not just a tourists paradise but a
geologist’s domain too and if one is to brush up with political
history, the place is a melting pot of confusion and for sure it in no
fun for the army in the biting cold to take care of the strategic
landscape.
¤ A Travelers Delight Zone
Travelers enjoy the solitude for a day or two, zoom their cameras to
shoot the black neckedSiberian crane around the Mahe marshes which are
the only breeding ground for these migratory birds.At times they are
seen swarming in the cool colourful water of the lake. If one has
boating in mind, one is heading for disappointment.Very few boats are
available and they belong to the army who may consider your request
but won’t allow you to go beyond half a kilometer though one
third of the 150 km lake belongs to India. The remaining 100 km
stretch of water belongs to China.
The lake was once divided between Ladakh and Tibet as early as 1684
under the Treaty of Tingmosgang signed between the king of Ladakh,
Deldan Namgyal, and the Regent of Tibet. As of today it is shared by
India and China.
The long and narrow lake stems in the neighbourhood of the famous
Chushul mountains. The size of the lake is best inferred from the
probable etymology of its name, Pangong, which means extensive
concavity.
The mirror calm water is cold, clear and extremely salty, holding
sufficient quantity of lime to form a calcareous deposit, which
cements the pebbles together in patches of concrete on its bank. It is
believed that there are a large number of minerals in the basin of the
lake, which result from the melting of the snow.The water sparkles in
distinct shades of blue, green, purples and violet, being transparent
to a good depth.
With ease one can pick pebbles from under the water and if one is
lucky enough a fossil shell in the clay deposits may be a rewarding
find.The discovery of these fossils have led geologists to believe
that in some remote period, the water of the lake must have been fresh
and lively.
With only army men as visitors to the lake so far, the surroundings
are neat and clean. No paper, plastic or metallic cans littered
around, but in days to come when the infrastructure is geared to
receive tourists, will they respect the environmental sovereignty of
the place?
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