Leh: The Department of History, University of Ladakh, Leh Campus organised a six-day long Historical tour to Kargil district. The main objective of historical tour was to identify all the important historical sites and to explore the history and heritage of the region.
Total 11 students and 2 faculty members from the Department of History took part in this historical tour. The tour was flagged off by Honourable Registrar Prof. Ashok Kumar Sharma, from the University head office, Melongthang Leh.
The trip begun from Leh on November 12 and on the way to Kargil, students visited Maitreya Buddha Statue which is located at Mulbeck, Chamba. Students were briefed about the importance of the Maitreya Buddha Statue in understanding the early propagation of Buddhism in Ladakh.
On 2nd day, students visited Hunderman village which is located 10 Kms away from Kargil town at the Line of Control. The visit to Hunderman was proposed with the main aim of exploring the Museum of which is a repository of memories. The Museum holds a collection of shells, bullets, artillery, shrapnel, army helmets of the past, and some decades-old handicraft items that were unearthed in the village. It also documented the life of border families. Mohd Ilyaz, the owner of the museum shared the history of Hunderman and also his own experiences of the war which has deeply impacted the economy and society of the village.
After Hunderman, students visited Kargil War Memorial at Drass town also known as Drass war memorial build by the Indian Army to commemorate the soldiers of the Indian Army who lost their lives in the Kargil War. An army officer also briefed students about some of the major sequence of events which transpired during the course of the war.
A documentary movie was also screened for the students, which projected the events of the Kargil war. While coming back to Kargil students also visited Drass Chamba a significant site as an evidence of influence of Ancient Indian empires in the region.
On 3rd day, students paid a visit to Munshi Aziz Bhat Museum of Central Asian and Kargil Trade Artefacts. The museum is a family operated public museum located in the town of the Kargil. It has on display objects that circulated along the routes between Ladakh and Yarkand as well as other material relics. The museum is a great historical source for students to know about the Indian and Central Asian trade culture of the 19th and early 20th centuries and its impact on the Socio-economic life of the people.
On 4th day, students visited Sankoo valley where they visited Steyankung village. The students were accompanied by Mr. Ghulam, Head Master of a Government Middle School, Steyangkung. He guided the students to all the historical sites of Sankoo valley including Historical Mosque, Tomb of Akhone Muhammad Sherief, Tomb of Syed Ali Awaz and AMSM Heritage Museum.
The students also visited Karchay Chamba, Karchay Khar, Tomb of Gyal Bibi and Karpo Khar. As per the local traditions these sites provided the historical evidences of the early spread of Islam in the Purig region from Baltistan. On the way back to Kargil the students visited Kargil Campus of University of Ladakh and interacted with the faculty and the students.
On the 5th day, students visited Government Middle School Karith, Kargil. This school is recognised for its innovative teaching methods and is known for their achievements in the field of school education. On final day, on the way back to Leh students visited the famous cave monastery of Shargole known for its beautiful architecture.
