Suru River (Indus)

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Suru River
Suru River.jpg
Suru River passing through the town of Kargil
Suru (riviere).png
Course of the Suru
Location
Country India, Pakistan
Territory Ladakh (India), Gilgit-Baltistan (Pakistan)
District Kargil (India), Skardu (Pakistan)
Physical characteristics
SourcePanzella glacier
  location Pensi La Kargil, India
  coordinates 33°49′59″N76°13′07″E / 33.832917°N 76.21861°E / 33.832917; 76.21861
  elevation4,555 m (14,944 ft)
Mouth Indus River
  location
Marol, Kharmang District, Pakistan
  coordinates
34°44′46″N76°12′57″E / 34.746134°N 76.215927°E / 34.746134; 76.215927
  elevation
2,528 m (8,294 ft)
Length185 km (115 mi)
Discharge 
  average385 m3/s (13,600 cu ft/s)

The Suru River is a tributary of the Indus River that flows largely through the Kargil district of Ladakh, India into Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan. The Suru Valley is coextensive with the Kargil tehsil, with the town of Kargil situated on its banks. The river enters the Kharmang District of Gilgit-Baltistan, coursing a brief length before joining the Indus near Marol. [1]

Contents

Geography

Nun Kun Mountain massif in the distance Kargil's Kun and Nun mountain.jpg
Nun Kun Mountain massif in the distance

The Suru River is a 185 kilometres (115 mi) long river, that originates from the Panzella glacier which lies at Pensi La pass near the Drang Drung Glacier. The Drang Drung Glacier also gives rise to the Stod River which flows down in the opposite direction from the Suru. The source of the Suru River lies 142 kilometres (88 mi) south of Kargil town, and 79 kilometres (49 mi) north from Zanskar. Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir lies 331 kilometres (206 mi) to the west.[ citation needed ] The Suru River forms the western and northern boundary of the Zanskar Range. [2] The river flows westwards, along with the Kargil-Zanaskar Road, from its source and forms the Suru valley, which is towered by the massif of Nun Kun mountain. It drains the Nun Kun mountain massif of the Zanskar Range in the Suru valley, and is joined by a tributary "Chilling Nala" at the pastures of Gulmatango. This stream originates from the Parkachik Glacier. [3] The Suru River then flows northwards through a deep, narrow gorge to Kargil town, where it is fed by the Botkul River which originates from the glacier of the same name. [1] The Dras River, fed by the Shingo River, joins the Suru River at Hardas (also called Kharal), 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) north of Kargil town. [4] The Suru River then enters the Pakistani Administered Kashmir 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) ahead from the point of merger of Dras and Suru rivers through Post 43 and Post 44 of India and Pakistan respectively and merges with the Indus River near Marol. [1] [2]

Suru River Kargil-suru.jpg
Suru River

Most part of the river flows within the jurisdiction of Kargil district. It flows through the towns of Tongul, Suru, Grantung, Goma and Hardas. Kargil town is the largest city situated on the banks of the Suru River, also being the second largest city in the Ladakh region after Leh. A branch of the anicient Silk Road ran alongside the Suru River, connecting Kargil and Skardu. The road is now closed due to the Line of Control. [5] [6]

The Suru River has extensive possibilities for rafting and it is practised during the summer. The Suru Valley is the starting point for rafting trips, and it also provides a base for mountaineering expeditions to the Nun Kun mountain massif. [7]

Agriculture in Ladakh is scarce due to the dry climate, and is restricted to the river valleys. The Suru valley, formed by the catchment of the Suru River, receives irrigation through the canals of the Suru River. The main crops grown in the valley include barley, buckwheat, turnips and mustard. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ladakh</span> Region administered by India

Ladakh is a region administered by India as a union territory and constitutes an eastern portion of the larger Kashmir region that has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947 and India and China since 1959. Ladakh is bordered by the Tibet Autonomous Region to the east, the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh to the south, both the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan to the west, and the southwest corner of Xinjiang across the Karakoram Pass in the far north. It extends from the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram range to the north to the main Great Himalayas to the south. The eastern end, consisting of the uninhabited Aksai Chin plains, is claimed by the Indian Government as part of Ladakh, but has been under Chinese control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baltistan</span> Region of Pakistani-administered Kashmir

Baltistan also known as Baltiyul or Little Tibet, is a mountainous region in the Pakistani-administered territory of Gilgit-Baltistan and constitutes a northern portion of the larger Kashmir region that has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947. It is located near the Karakoram and borders Gilgit to the west, China's Xinjiang to the north, Indian-administered Ladakh to the southeast, and the Indian-administered Kashmir Valley to the southwest. The average altitude of the region is over 3,350 metres (10,990 ft). Baltistan is largely administered under the Baltistan Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kargil district</span> District of Indian-administered Ladakh, Kashmir region

Kargil district is a district in Indian-administered Ladakh in the disputed Kashmir-region, which is administered as a union territory of Ladakh. It is named after the city of Kargil, where the district headquarters lies. The district is bounded by the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to the west, the Pakistani-administered administrative territory of Gilgit–Baltistan to the north, Ladakh's Leh district to the east, and the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh to the south. Encompassing three historical regions known as Purig, Dras and Zanskar, the district lies to the northeast of the Great Himalayas and encompasses the majority of the Zanskar Range. Its population inhabits the river valleys of the Dras, Suru, Wakha Rong, and Zanskar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nubra</span> Region in Ladakh, India

Nubra, also called Dumra, is a historical region of Ladakh, India that is currently administered as a subdivision and a tehsil in the Nubra district. Its inhabited areas form a tri-armed valley cut by the Nubra and Shyok rivers. Its Tibetan name Dumra means "valley of flowers". Demands have been raised and BJP has hinted at creation of Nubra as a new district. Diskit, the headquarters of Nubra, is 120 km north of Leh, the capital of Ladakh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kargil</span> Town in Indian-administered Ladakh, Kashmir region

Kargil or Kargyil is a city in Indian-administered Ladakh in the disputed Kashmir region. It is the joint capital of Ladakh, an Indian-administered union territory. It is also the headquarters of the Kargil district. It is the second-largest city in Ladakh after Leh. Kargil is located 204 kilometres (127 mi) east of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, and 234 kilometres (145 mi) to the west of Leh. It is on the bank of the Suru River near its confluence with the Wakha Rong river, the latter providing the most accessible route to Leh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Ladakh</span>

Ladakh is an administrative territory of India that has been under its control since 1947. The geographical region of Ladakh union territory is the highest altitude plateau region in India, incorporating parts of the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges and the upper Indus River and valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nun Kun</span> Mountain in Jammu and Kashmir, India

Nun Kun is a mountain massif of the greater Himalayan range, located on the border of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in northern India. It consists of two main peaks: Nun and Kun, separated from each other by a 4 km long snowy plateau, with a third peak of the massif, known as Pinnacle Peak, lying at its eastern end. Nun is the tallest peak of Jammu and Kashmir, while its sister peak Kun lies in Ladakh. It is about 250 km (160 mi) east of Srinagar. The Nun Kun massif is bounded to the north by the Suru valley and the Zanskar range, flanked to the east by the Pensi La (4400 m), which separates the Suru and Zanskar Valleys, while the Kishtwar National Park and the Krash Nai river lie to its south. The rocks predominantly are stratified sedimentary rocks composed of shale and sandstone. Metamorphic rocks and granite formations are also seen at places. The area is rich in minerals, especially garnets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dras River</span> River in Ladakh, India

The Dras River, also spelt Drass River, is a river in the Kargil district in the Indian union territory of Ladakh. It originates below the Zoji La pas in the Great Himalayan range and flows northeast towards Kargil, where it joins the Suru River. The Shingo River, which flows in a parallel direction in Pakistan-administered Baltistan, also joins the Dras River. The combined river is alternatively called Suru, Drass and Shingo by various local groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suru Valley</span> Valley in Ladakh, India

The Suru Valley is a valley in the Kargil District in the Union Territory of Ladakh, India. It is drained by the Suru River, a tributary of the Indus River. The valley's most significant town is Sankoo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shingo River</span> River in Pakistan and India

The Shingo River is a tributary of the Indus River, and flows through Gilgit-Baltistan and Kargil regions. The river originates in Pakistan's Gilgit-Batistan region and flows into the Kargil district where it joins the Dras River. The combined river receives the waters of the Suru River and flows into Baltistan again, joining the Indus River near Marol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rangdum</span> Village in Ladakh, India

Rangdum is a village located in the Suru Valley in the union territory of Ladakh in Northern India. On one side are the colourful hills while on the other side are rocky mountains and glaciers, notably Drang-drung.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pensi La</span> Mountain pass in India

Pensi-la is a mountain pass in the Ladakh union territory of India, which is known as the Gateway to Zanskar. Pensi La is 4,400 metres (14,400 ft) above sea level and connects the Suru Valley region to the Zanskar Valley region. The summit at this end of the Suru Valley, the only peak which can be seen, is 7,012 metres (23,005 ft) high, while the mountain to the north is 6,873 metres (22,549 ft). The pass is about 25 km from Rangdum Monastery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drang-Drung Glacier</span> Glacier in India

The Drang-Drung Glacier is a mountain glacier near the Pensi La pass on the Kargil-Zanskar Road in the Kargil district of Ladakh in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shyok River</span> River in India and Pakistan

The Shyok River is a tributary of the Indus River that flows through northern Ladakh and enters Gilgit–Baltistan, in Pakistan, spanning some 550 km (340 mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doda River</span> River in India

The Doda River or the Stod River is a river 79 kilometres (49 mi) long, which forms the Stod Valley in the Zanskar valley of the Leh district in the Union Territory of Ladakh in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karsha Monastery</span> Tibetan Buddhist monastery at Pensi-la, Ladakh, India

Karsha Monastery or Karsha Gompa is a Buddhist monastery in the Padum Valley of the Zanskar region of the union territory of Ladakh in northern India. The Doda River flows past the monastery from its source at the Drang Drung Glacier of the Pensi La. It was founded by the translator Phagspa Shesrab. The monastery, also known by the name Karsha Chamspaling, was founded by Phagspa Shesrab, under the Gelugpa Order or Yellow Hats. It is 11 km north of Padum in Zanskar River valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tsarap River</span> River in Ladakh, India

Tsarap River, also known as Tsarap Chu, forms the eastern part of the Zanskar valley, in the Ladakh union territory of India. The 182 km (113 mi) long river is used for irrigation in riparian villages, and for adventure sports by tourists.

The Shafat GlacierParkachik Glacier is a 14 kilometres (9 mi) long glacier in the Himalayan Range in Ladakh, India.

Hardas is a village in Kargil district of the Indian union territory of Ladakh, close to the India–Pakistan border (LOC). The village is located 10 kilometres north of Kargil, the district headquarters, on the left of the Dras River.

Marol is a village situated near the confluence of the Suru River and the Indus River in the Kharmang District of Baltistan, Pakistan. It is close to the India–Pakistan border (LOC).

References

  1. 1 2 3 Joldan, Sonam (Autumn 2006), "Relationship between Ladakh and Buddhist Tibet: Pilgrimage and trade", The Tibet Journal, 31 (3): 43–76, JSTOR   43300982
  2. 1 2 "Rivers of Ladakh". ladakh.com. Archived from the original on 2 September 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  3. Prem Singh Jina (1996). Ladakh: The Land and the People. Indus Publishing, 1996. p. -16. ISBN   978-81-7387-057-6 . Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  4. Omacanda Hāṇḍā (2001). Buddhist Western Himalaya: A politico-religious history. Indus Publishing, 2001. p. -67. ISBN   978-81-7387-124-5 . Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  5. "Kargil the Suru valley". gaffarkashmir.com. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  6. Sanjeev Kumar Bhasin (2006). Amazing Land Ladakh: Places, People, and Culture. Indus Publishing, 2006. p. -28. ISBN   978-81-7387-186-3 . Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  7. Bali, Yogendra; Somi, R. S., eds. (2005). Incredible Himalayas: Environment, Culture, Tourism, and Adventure. Indus Publishing, 2005. p. -143. ISBN   978-81-7387-179-5 . Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  8. Indu Ramchandani (2000). Students' Britannica India, Volumes 1-5. Popular Prakashan, 2000. p. -126. ISBN   978-0-85229-760-5 . Retrieved 29 August 2012.

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