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The Shyok River receives the waters of the Nubra and
Changchenmo rivers. It rises from the Khumdang glacier, which can be
approached from Shyok. The Shyok River takes a southerly course after it
is joined by the Nubra River and thereafter the Shyok flows into the Indus
at Keris.
The river freezes in winter, thus forming an easy access between the
Khaplu and the Nubra valleys. In summer, as the snowmelts in the uplands,
the river overflows its banks and inundates the surrounding plain for many
kilometers, at times creating a vast marsh. During this period, the Shyok
River has to be crossed on rafts of inflated skin.
An Ancient Route Of Death
The Shyok Valley is the valley of the Shyok River -- the river of death.
This is a "Yarkandi" (Central Asian) name, probably given by the
Central Asian traders who ventured on this treacherous route for centuries
and perished. The entire northern area -- the region of the Karakoram --
has names related to death. It is evident that this was a part of the
ancient trade route from Yarkand (Central Asia) to Ladakh, where many died
and only the hardiest survived. The entire route towards the Karakoram
Pass is littered with the bones of these travellers.
THE INDUS VALLEY
Indus is a large valley formed by the main channel of the Indus River as
it flows across Ladakh. It includes parts of Leh district, the Skardu
region and the vast cold desert beyond. This valley consists of large
stretches of undulating lands interspersed by high mountains across which
there are many passes.
The Indus Valley is the soul of
Ladakh and is
strategically the most important part. Its borders touch those of
Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and India.
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