Turtuk divided by a brook, united by India
AT A HEIGHT OF 3100 M, TURTUK IS THE LAST OUTPOST OF INDIA ON THE NORTHWESTERN BORDER. IT IS SURROUNDED BY THE MIGHTY KARAKORAM RANGE
For residents of the twin villages of Yul and Pharol in Turtuk, the last outpost of India on the northwestern border life and country has changed more than once. The area was part of Undivided India during the British Empire but was occupied by Pakistan soon after independence. Then during the 1971 war, while all eyes were on the independence of Bangladesh, the Indian army marched towards the border and took back Turtuk from Pakistan forces. The villagers who slept as Pakistanis woke up to be told that now they are Indians.
Most were scared and decided to hide in the high Karakoram mountains that surround the villages. But the Indian Army led by Major Chewang Rinchen not only won the area but also launched a mission to win the hearts of locals. Once scared of the occupation by Indian army today the residents wish that Indian Army should have gone ahead and occupied the rest of the Gilgit Baltistan also.
While the people slowly realised the advantages of being part of India, they still have families on another side of the border that has become a distant memory. Till 2010 Turtuk remained mostly isolated from mainstream India but then tourism was opened and some enterprising locals started camping and welcomed the odd travellers in their homestays.
Even today, Turtuk at a height of 3100 meters surrounded by mighty Karakoram range is not your everyday tourist destination. About 200 km from Ladakh, Turtuk though well connected via the Turtuk Ladakh Highway is still as remote as it gets and you will get to pass Khardung La pass, one of the highest motorable mountain pass in the world.
Once you start your descent from Khardung La, the aquamarine waters of Shyok River and the barren Korakoram Mountains are your constant companions, and you pass the famed Nubra valley, the Diskit town and monastery, and the odd army convoy on the way to Siachin Glacier.
Once in Turtuk the scenery totally changes, over generations these Turtuk residents have converted their land into an oasis that boasts of one of the best buckwheat is grown and the juiciest apricots you will ever have. Once part of the mighty Gilgit Baltistan Empire that prospered due to its strategic location on the ancient Silk Route, the area developed its own unique language, cuisine and culture that has a garnish of Ladakhi Buddhism, Islamic and Central Asian influences.
While there is hardly any rain in Turtuk, the melting glaciers provide enough water to keep the fields productive and agriculture is still the main occupation of the residents. Besides buckwheat and apricots, the locals also grow walnuts, with the shell so soft that you can crack open them like a peanut. “My ancestors brought these trees from Turkmenistan,” says Yabgo Mohammad Khan Kacho proudly, the former King of Turtuk. Though a ceremonial King, he is well respected in the community and still lives in his ancestral palace that once had sure seen much better days. The palace made from wood about 300 years ago also houses a small museum that showcases the lineage and history of the Gilgit Baltistan Empire. The King proud of his lineage understands the changing times and hopes his son becomes an IAS officer while his younger daughter who goes to the local school still is undecided about what she wants to do when grown up.
As we pass through the narrow lanes of the village we cross the bridge that divides the twin villages of Pharol and Yul, that are now united by the bridge built by the Indian Army. On the high peaks around you, there are outposts of Indian as well as Pakistan army who constantly keep an eye on each other, but for the locals, it is life as usual and many of them are involved as support staff/contractors with army work.
The villagers from Turtuk who slept as Pakistanis woke up to be told that now they are Indians.