लद्दाख – आवारा मुसाफिर

Ladakh herders endeavor to save future on climate frontier

December 14, 2022938 Views

Nomad Tsering Angchuk vows to stay put in his remote village in India’s Ladakh region. His two sons and most of his fellow villagers have migrated to a nearby urban settlement but Angchuk is determined to herd his flock of fine cashmere-producing goats in the treeless Kharnak village, a hauntingly beautiful but unforgiving, cold mountainous desert. Dolma Angmo, wife of nomad Tsering Angchuk, attends her hardy Himalayan goats that produce cashmere in the remote Kharnak village in the cold desert region of Ladakh, India, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) The 47-year-old herds 800 sheep and goats and a flock of 50 Himalayan yaks in Kharnak. In 2013, he migrated to Kharnakling, an urban settlement in the outskirts of a regional town called Leh but returned a year later,...

जलवायु परिवर्तनलद्दाख

Climate Migration: Nomads move to towns in warming Ladakh

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

November 2, 2022972 Views

For decades, Konchok Dorjey grazed the world’s finest cashmere-producing goats in the arid, treeless Kharnak village in India’s Ladakh region, a high mountainous cold desert that borders China and Pakistan. But a decade ago, the 45-year-old nomad gave up his pastoral life in search of a better future for his family. He sold off his animals and migrated to an urban settlement in the outskirts of a regional town called Leh. Dorjey now lives with his wife, two daughters and a son in Kharnakling, where scores of other nomadic families from his native village have also settled in the last two decades. Nomadic women milk their hardy Himalayan goats that produce cashmere in the remote Kharnak village in the cold desert region of Ladakh, India, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Kh...

खबरनामाघटनाएंलद्दाख

Hanle ‘Night Sky Sanctuary’ to be completed within three months

UPENDRA SWAMI

September 4, 20221239 Views

In a unique and first-of-its-kind initiative, the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Govt of India, has undertaken to set up India’s first-ever "Night Sky Sanctuary" in Ladakh which will be completed within next three months. The proposed Dark Sky Reserve will be located at Hanle in Ladakh as a part of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. It will boost Astro tourism in India and will be one of the world’s highest-located sites for optical, infra-red, and gamma-ray telescopes. This was informed by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh after meeting Lt. Governor Ladakh R.K. Mathur, who called on him...

खबरनामाघटनाएंलद्दाख

Helicopter services open for tourists in Ladakh

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

June 29, 2022652 Views

The helicopter services in Ladakh are now open for tourists to travel across the Union Territory, with the first batch of tourists having already availed the heli-service, officials said. The first batch took the helicopter ride here on Tuesday. The helicopter services operated by the administration will be available to the locals and tourists in general across sectors in the Union territory, they said. Rates to avail the service have been notified by the administration for the residents of Ladakh, according to the order from Ladakh's civil aviation department. First batch of tourists to enjoy helicopter services in Ladakh on Tuesday "Individuals desirous of booking on the notified routes can book the tickets online at https://heliservice.ladakh.gov.in/", the order said. ...

खबरनामाघटनाएंजम्मू-कश्मीरलद्दाख

Srinagar-Leh highway re-opens in record time

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

March 19, 20221048 Views

The strategic 434-km Srinagar-Leh national highway was re-opened for vehicular traffic on Saturday in record time of 73 days after its closure in January this year following heavy snowfall, officials said. A trial movement was conducted successfully, and the decision to open the road for civil traffic will be taken after a joint inspection by the civil administration. The highway was thrown open for traffic at the Zojila Pass, situated at an altitude of 11,650 feet metres, by Director General of BRO Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhary, the officials said. Zojila is a strategic pass that provides a vital link between the Kashmir valley and Ladakh, and it is key to operational preparedness of the armed forces. It remains closed mostly for about six months due to heavy snowfall. This year, ...

खबरनामाघटनाएंलद्दाख

Hanle in Ladakh to be declared as ‘dark sky sanctuary’

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

October 30, 20211404 Views

The Union Territory administration in Ladakh will be declaring Hanle as a 'dark sky sanctuary' in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Astrophysics to promote astro-tourism in the region, a senior official has said. A dark sky sanctuary promotes proper illumination where and when it is needed without wasting energy and polluting other areas, especially the night sky, which does not require illumination. Principal Secretary (Planning, Development and Monitoring Department), Ladakh, Pawan Kotwal made the announcement during a high-level meeting convened to discuss the streamlining of certain activities in the protected and wildlife areas. Hanle, which is home to the world's highest astronomical observatory, is located in the Hanle river valley on an old branch of the anci...

खबरनामाघटनाएंलद्दाख

Hanle in Ladakh now one of the most promising astronomical observatory

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

October 1, 20211123 Views

The Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) located at Hanle near Leh in Ladakh is becoming one of the promising observatory sites globally, said a recent study. This is due to its advantages of more clear nights, minimal light pollution, background aerosol concentration, extremely dry atmospheric condition, and uninterrupted by monsoon. Night sky from Hanle, Ladakh. Photo: Dorje Angchuk/Facebook Astronomers are constantly searching for ideal locations around the world to build their next big telescope based on local meteorological data collected over many years. Such studies are crucial in planning for future observatories and the prediction of how they will vary with time. Researchers from India and their collaborators carried out a detailed study of the night time cloud cover fr...

खबरनामाघटनाएंलद्दाख

Snow leopard declared new state animal in Ladakh

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

September 1, 2021561 Views

The government of Ladakh has declared snow leopard its state animal and black-necked crane state bird. A notification in this regard was issued Tuesday by the Principal Secretary Forest, Ecology and Environment, Pawan Kotwal. "The Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Ladakh is pleased to declare snow leopard (Panther unica) and black necked crane (Grus nicricollis) as state animal and state bird, respectively, of the union rerritory of Ladakh from the date of issue of this notification," Kotwal said in a notification. Meanwhile, the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir had the black-necked crane and Kashmir stag (Hangul) as its state bird and animal respectively. !function(e,t,c,a){if(!e.fwn&&(a="fwn_script",n=e.fwn=function(){ n.callMethod?n.callMethod.apply(n,argu...

भारतलद्दाखसैर-सपाटा

दुर्गम रास्तों के ख़िदमतग़ार

UPENDRA SWAMI

July 24, 20211694 Views

लेह के रास्ते में रोमांच-प्रेमियों का ख्याल रखते हैं कई ढाबेवाले इलाका अनजाना हो और रास्ता मुश्किल और ऐसे में न मौसम साथ दे और न वक्त तो भला क्या कीजिएगा! किसी बीहड़ वीराने में अचानक कोई छत मिल जाए जहां आपका रात काटने के लिए नरम बिस्तर मिल जाए और साथ में ठंड भगाने के लिए गरमागरम चाय व खाना भी, तो भला क्या बात है। कोविड लॉकडाउन खुलने के दौर में सफर अभी शुर-शुरू ही हुए हैं। लेह-लद्दाख जाने के लिए तो यही सबसे उपयुक्त मौसम है। एक डायरी यहां के रोमांचक सफर की... जब मैं कीलोंग से अपनी बाइक पर रवाना हुआ तो दोपहर के लगभग साढ़े ग्यारह बज चुके थे। रवाना होने से पहले मैंने सवेरे होटल के मालिक से लंबी बातचीत की थी। वो खासे जानकार थे। उसी रात लेह पहुंचने का मेरा कोई इरादा भी नहीं था। मुझे यह भी मालूम था कि इतनी देर से रवाना होने के बाद शाम तक लेह पहुंचना मेरे लिए मुमकिन भी नहीं था। अंधेरे में उस...

भारतलद्दाखसैर-सपाटा

बर्फ की चादर पर रोमांच

KAMALESH KAMILA

January 3, 20212432 Views

जांस्कर नदी हमारे उत्तर भारत के उस इलाके में स्थित हैं जो लगभग सात से आठ महीने तक दुनिया के बाकी हिस्सों से अलग-थलग पड़ जाता है। इस दौरान यहां एक अलग ही दुनिया होती है। इसे देखकर लगता है मानो हम हिम-युग में पहुंच गए हैं। जम्मू-कश्मीर के लद्दाख इलाके में जांस्कर क्षेत्र में स्थित जांस्कर नदी इन महीनों में पूरी तरफ बर्फ से ढक जाती है। मानो किसी ने नदी को सफेद चादर से ढक दिया हो। यह नजारा विलक्षण, अद्भुत व अविस्मरणीय बन पड़ता है। ऊपर बर्फ की ठोस मोटी परत और उसके नीचे से बहती हुई नदी की निर्मल, अविरल धारा। रोचक बात है कि बर्फ की यही चादर इन महीनों में इस इलाके की जीवनरेखा बन जाती है। प्राचीन काल से ही बर्फ से ढके इस रास्ते पर राजा-महाराजा, साधु-संन्यासी, बौद्ध भिक्षु और आम लोग तमाम तकलीफों से जूझते हुए भी अपने मुकाम पर बढ़ते रहे हैं। अब यह दुष्कर रास्ता हमेशा तो इस तरह से नजर नहीं आता। इसल...