Skardu

Early history

The Skardu region was part of the cultural sphere of Buddhist Tibet since as early as the founding of the Tibetan Empire under Songtsen Gampo in the mid 7th-century CE.^[6] The evidence of past prevalence of tantric Buddhism in the form of Tibetan inscriptions is found across Baltistan.^[6] Given the region's close proximity, Skardu remained in contact with tribes near Kashgar, in what is now the westernmost Xinjiang province of China.^[9]

Medieval history

Following the dissolution of Tibetan suzerainty over Baltistan around the 9th–10th century CE, Baltistan came under the control of the Maqpon dynasty, which according to local tradition is said to have been founded after a migrant from Kashmir Valley named Ibrahim Shah married a local princess.^[10] The Maqpon dynasty based in Skardu ruled over the region for around 700 years.^[11]

Around the year 1500, Maqpon Bokha was crowned ruler and founded the city of Skardu as his capital.^[6] Skardu Fort was established around this time.^[6] During his reign, Makpon Bokha imported craftsmen to Skardu from Kashmir and Chilas to help develop the local economy.^[6] While nearby Gilgit fell out of the orbit of Tibetan influence, Baltistan region remained connected due to its close proximity to Ladakh,^[12] the region against which Skardu and neighbouring Khaplu routinely fought.^[9] The kings of the Maqpon dynasty extended the frontiers of Baltistan to as far as Gilgit,^[7] Chitral, and Ladakh.^[13]

In the 14th century, Muslim scholars from Kashmir crossed Baltistan's mountains to spread Islam.^[14] The Noorbakshia Sufi order further propagated the faith in Baltistan, and Islam became dominant by the end of the 17th century. With the passage of time a large number also converted to Shia Islam and a few converted to Sunni Islam.^[15] Sikhs traditionally believe that Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, visited Skardu during his second udasi journey between 1510 and 1515.^[5]

In the early 16th century, Sultan Said Khan of the Timurid Yarkent Khanate in what is now Xinjiang province of China, raided Baltistan.^[16] Given the threat posited by Sultan Said's invasion, Mughal attention was roused, prompting the 1586 conquest of Baltistan by the Mughal Emperor Akbar.^[9] The local Maqpon ruler pledged allegiance to him, and from that point onwards, beginning with Ali Sher Khan Anchan, the kings of Skardu were mentioned as rulers of Little Tibet in the historiography of the Mughal Empire.

Ali Sher Khan Anchan became the Maqpon king in 1580. He expanded the borders of the kingdom from Gilgit to Ladakh. When the Raja of Ladakh, Jamyang Namgyal, attacked the Muslim principalities in the district of Purik (Kargil), annihilating the Skardu garrison at Kharbu and putting to sword a number of petty Muslim rulers there, Anchan left with a strong army by way of Marol and, bypassing the Ladakhi army, occupied Leh, the capital of Ladakh. It appears that the Balti conquest of Ladakh took place in about 1594. The Raja of Ladakh was ultimately taken prisoner.^[17][18][19] Then Ali Sher Khan Anchan went to march on Gilgit with an army,^[20] and conquered Astore, Gilgit, Hunza, Nagar, and Chilas. From Gilgit he advanced to, and conquered, Chitral and Kafiristan. Mughal forces again incurred into the region during the reign of Shah Jahan in 1634–6 under the forces of Zafar Khan, to settle a dispute over the throne between the successors of Anchan, Adam Khan and his elder brother Abdul Khan.^[21][22] It was only after this point during the rule of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, that Skardu's ruling family was firmly under Mughal influence.^[23] The ability of the Mughal crown to fund expeditions to territories of marginal value, such as Baltistan, was evidence of the wealth in the Mughal coffers.^[24]

Modern history

In 1839, Dogra commander Zorawar Singh defeated Balti forces in battles at Wanko Pass and the Thano Kun plains, clearing his path for the invasion of the Skardu Valley.^[25] He seized Skardu Fort on behalf of the Dogra dynasty based in Jammu, under the suzerainty of the Sikh Empire at that time.^[3] Singh's forces massacred a large number of the garrison's defenders, and publicly tortured Kahlon Rahim Khan of Chigtan in front of a crowd of local Baltis and their chiefs.^[26]

Dogra forces failed in their 1841 attempt to conquer Tibet. Following their defeat, Ladakhis rebelled against Dogra rule.^[27] Baltis under the leadership of Raja Ahmed Shah soon rebelled against the Dogras as well, so Maharaja Gulab Singh dispatched his commander Wazir Lakhpat to recapture Skardu. His forces were able to convince a guard to betray the garrison by leaving a gate unlocked, thereby allowing Dogra forces to recapture the fort and massacre its Balti defenders.^[27] The raja of the Baltis was forced to pay an annual tribute to the Dogra maharaja in Jammu, and also to supply the fort's provisions.^[27]

Following the Dogra victory, Muhammad Shah was crowned Raja of Skardu in return for his loyalty to the Jammu crown during the rebellion, and was able to exercise some power under the Dogra administration.^[27] By 1845, the region was completely subjugated by the Dogra rulers of Jammu.^[14][28] Military commanders held real governing power in the area until 1851, when Kedaru Thanedar was installed as a civilian administrator of Baltistan.^[27] During this time, Skardu and Kargil were governed as a single district.^[27] Ladakh would later be joined to the district, while Skardu would serve as the district's winter capital, with Leh as the summer capital, up until 1947.^[27]

Under the administration of Mehta Mangal between 1875 and 1885, Skardu's Ranbirgarh fort was built as his headquarters and residence,^[29] as well as a cantonment and various other government buildings.^[29] Sikhs from Punjab were also encouraged to migrate to Skardu to set up commercial enterprises during this period.^[29] The Sikh population prospered, and continued to grow, eventually also settling in nearby Shigar and Khaplu.^[29]

In Pakistan

After 1948 Skardu became headquarters of the Baltistan Agency. In 1972 Baltistan as well as Gilgit Agency was abolished and merged to form Northern Areas, with Skardu becoming headquarters of Baltistan District; Northern Areas were renamed as Gilgit-Baltistan in 2009. Today Skardu is one of the primary cultural and administrative centres of the region, alongside Gilgit.

Topography

Skardu Airport is situated at an elevation of 2,230 metres (7,320 feet) above sea level, though the mountain peaks surrounding Skardu reach elevations of 4,500–5,800 metres (14,800–19,000 feet).^[8] Upstream from Skardu are some of the largest glaciers in the world, including the Baltoro Glacier, Biafo Glacier, and Chogo Lungma Glacier,^[8] which are surrounded by some of the world's highest mountains, including K2, ranked second globally at 8,611 m (28,251 ft), Gasherbrum at 8,068 m (26,470 ft), and Masherbrum at 7,821 m (25,659 ft).^[8]

The Deosai National Park, the world's second highest alpine plain, is located upstream of Skardu as well. Downstream from Skardu is located the Nanga Parbat mountain, ninth highest peak in the world at 8,126 m (26,660 ft).^[8]

Geology

Skardu is located along the Kohistan-Ladakh terrane, formed as a magmatic arch over a Tethyan subduction zone that was later accreted onto the Eurasian Plate.^[8] The region has low seismic activity compared to surrounding regions, suggesting that Skardu is located in a passive structural element of the Himalayan thrust.^[8] The stone in the Skardu region is Katzarah schist, with a radiometric estimated age of 37 to 105 million years.^[8]

Numerous complex granitic pegmatites and a few alpine-cleft metamorphic rock deposits are found in the Shigar Valley and its tributaries. Shigar Valley contains the Main Karakoram Thrust separating the metasediments (chlorite to amphibolite grade) on the Asian plate from the southern volcanoclastic rocks of the Kohistan-Ladakh island arc.

Climate

Skardu features a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk). The climate of Skardu during the summer is moderated by its mountain setting; the intense heat of lowland Pakistan does not reach it. The mountains block out the summer monsoon, and summer rainfall is thus quite low. However, these mountains result in very severe winter weather. During the April-to-October tourist season, temperatures vary between a maximum of 27 °C (81 °F) and a minimum (in October) 8 °C (46 °F).

Temperatures can drop to below −10 °C (14 °F) in the December-to-January midwinter period. The lowest recorded temperature was −24.1 °C (−11 °F) on 7 January 1995.^[38]

Mountains

Accessible from Skardu by road, the nearby Askole and Hushe are the main gateways to the snow-covered 8,000-metre (26,000-foot) peaks including K2, the Gasherbrums, Broad Peak, and the Trango Towers, and to the huge glaciers of Baltoro, Biafo and Trango. This makes Skardu the main tourist and mountaineering base in the area, which has led to the development of a reasonably extensive tourist infrastructure including shops and hotels. The popularity of the region results in high prices, especially during the main trekking season.

Deosai National Park

Treks to the Deosai National Park and the Deosai Plains, the second highest in the world at 4,114 metres (13,497 ft) above sea level, after the Chang Tang in Tibet, either start from or end at Skardu. In the local Balti language, Deosai is called Byarsa བྱིར་ས, meaning 'summer place'. With an area of approximately 3,000 square kilometres (1,158 sq mi), the plains extend all the way to Ladakh and provide a habitat for snow leopards, ibex, Tibetan blue bears and wild horses.^[41]

Skardu Fort

Skardu Fort or Kharphocho Fort lies on the eastern face of the Khardrong or Mindoq-Khar ("Castle of Queen Mindoq") hill 15 metres (49 feet) above Skardu town. The fort dates from the 8th century CE and contains an old mosque probably dating back to the arrival of Islam in the 16th century CE. The fort provides a panoramic view of Skardu town, the Skardu valley and the Indus River. It was built by Maqpon rulers of Baltistan. It was a seven-storey building. It was built on a design similar to that of Leh Palace and the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. The name Kharpochhe means the great fort — Khar in Tibetan means castle or fort and Chhe means great.^{[citation needed]}

Kachura Lakes

There are two Kachura lakes in Kachura Valley — the less well-known (Upper) Kachura Lake and the more famous Shangrila Lake ("Lower Kachura Lake"). Shangrila Lake is home to the Shangrila Resort hotel complex (possibly the reason for the lake's alternative name), built in a Chinese style and another popular destination for tourists in Gilgit-Baltistan.

The resort has a unique restaurant, set up inside the fuselage of an aircraft that crashed On 3 October 1953, a DC-3 Aircraft belonging to Orient Airways crashed landed after three minutes of taking off. Although all people on the aircraft survived the crash, the plane never saw another day in the sky. Kachura Lake is famous for its deep blue waters. The lakes, at 2,500 metres in elevation.

Satpara Lake

Satpara Lake is Skardu Valley's main lake. In 2002, the Federal Government decided to build a dam on the Satpara Lake allocating $10 million to the project, in 2004. Progress has, however, been slow. Satpara Lake is 6 miles (9.7 km) from Skardu. Satpara Lake is one of the largest fresh water lakes in the countryside offering trout fishing and row boating. This lake is the source of Skardu's drinking water. The dam was mostly completed in 2011 and four powerhouse units are operational; the latest started operation in June 2013.^{[citation needed]}

Road

The normal road route into Skardu is via the Karakorum Highway and a Skardu Road (S1) into the Skardu Valley from it. Roads once linked Skardu to Srinagar and Leh, though none are open for cross-LoC travel. Skardu's weather can have adverse effects on transport in and out of the region, as Skardu is often snowbound during the winter months. Roads in and out of Skardu can be blocked for extended periods of time, sometimes leaving air travel as the only feasible alternative.

Air

On 2 December 2021, the Skardu International Airport was designated and re-inaugurated as an international airport after providing upgrades to the airport to become a tourism hub for Gilgit-Baltistan.^[43] Flydubai has submitted a request to start international operations to and from Skardu airport, which would potentially become the first airline to start international routes from Skardu.