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Gogra
(also referred to as Nala Junction)
is a pasture and campsite in the
Ladakh
Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and ...
union territory of India, near its disputed border with
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. It is located in the Kugrang River valley, a branch valley of
Chang Chenmo Valley
Chang Chenmo River or Changchenmo River is a tributary of the Shyok River, part of the Indus River system. It is at the southern edge of the disputed Aksai Chin region and north of the Pangong Lake basin.
The source of Chang Chenmo is near th ...
, where the Changlung River flows into Kugrang. During the times of the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
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*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
, Gogra was a halting spot for travellers to Central Asia via the 'Chang Chenmo route', who proceeded through the Changlung river valley and the
Aksai Chin
Aksai Chin is a region administered by China as part of Hotan County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang and Rutog County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet. It is claimed by India to be a part of its Leh District, Ladakh Union Territory. It is a part of the ...
plateau.
In the late 1950s, China began to claim the Changlung river valley as its own territory. Clashes occurred here during the 1962
Sino-Indian War
The Sino-Indian War took place between China and India from October to November 1962, as a major flare-up of the Sino-Indian border dispute. There had been a series of violent border skirmishes between the two countries after the 1959 Tib ...
. During the
2020–2022 skirmishes, the area around Gogra was again a scene of conflict, and continues to be a subject of active dispute between the two countries.
Geography
![Changchenmo-Valley-map-by-US-Army-Map-Service](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Changchenmo-Valley-map-by-US-Army-Map-Service.jpg)
The
Chang Chenmo ("Great Northern") Valley lies in a depression between the
Karakoram Range
The Karakoram is a mountain range in Kashmir region
Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great ...
in the north and the
Chang Chenmo Range
Chang Chenmo River or Changchenmo River is a tributary of the Shyok River, part of the Indus River system. It is at the southern edge of the disputed Aksai Chin region and north of the Pangong Lake basin.
The source of Chang Chenmo is near the ...
in the south.
The Changchenmo river flows through the depression, originating near
Lanak La
Lanak La () or Lanak Pass (; hi, लानक दर्रा) is a mountain pass in the disputed Aksai Chin region, administered by China as part of the Tibet Autonomous Region. It is claimed by India as its border pass.
History
Lanak La ha ...
and joining the
Shyok River
The Shyok River is a tributary of the Indus River that flows through northern Ladakh and enters Gilgit–Baltistan, spanning some .
The Shyok River originates at the Rimo Glacier, one of the tongues of Siachen Glacier. Its alignment is very ...
in the west.
Immediately to the north of Chang Chenmo, the Karakoram range divides into multiple branches, between which lie the Kugrang Valley and Changlung Valley, both running northwest–southeast. The Kugrang river flows southeast within territory under present Indian control, joining the Chang Chenmo River near
Hot Springs
A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by circ ...
(also called Kyam or Kayam). The Changlung river flows in territory under present Chinese control, but bends southwest a little above this junction and flows into the Kugrang River near the pasture of Gogra.
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][
]
The combined river of Kugrang and Changlung is much more voluminous than the Changchenmo stream flowing from Lanak La, so much so that
Hedin regarded Changchenmo as a tributary of Kugrang.
Gogra thus forms a key link, connecting the Kugrang valley, Changlung valley and Chang Chenmo.
It was also called "Nala Junction" or "Nullah Junction" (junction of rivers) by the Indian military in the 1950s and 1960s.
The Chang Chenmo river as well as its tributaries flow on gravel beds which are essentially barren. The valleys are dotted with occasional
alluvial
Alluvium (from Latin ''alluvius'', from ''alluere'' 'to wash against') is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluv ...
patches where vegetation is found. Hot Springs and Gogra are two such patches. They were historical halting places for travellers and trading caravans, with a supply of water, fuel and fodder. Nomadic Ladakhi graziers also used them for grazing cattle.
[
Eight miles to the north of Gogra along the Changlung valley is a second hot spring, currently known by its Chinese name Wenquan (). Here, a one-foot tall jet of hot water at 150 °F is said to emanate from a rounded boulder. Several other warm springs are also present in the vicinity. China established a military post at this location in 1962.
About two miles west of Wenquan, Changlung is joined by a tributary called Shamal Lungpa from the northeast. It provided a popular route to the Lingzithang plains via the Changlung Burma pass. About a mile upstream from the mouth of the stream is a camping ground of the same name, which was regarded as the next stage from Gogra for travellers.
]
History
The first European to traverse Gogra was Adolf Schlagintweit in 1857, accompanied by his Yarkandi guide Mohammed Amin. It is said that his men had to dig steps in the Changlung valley for the ponies to ascend the slope. Schlagintweit went on to Nischu and the Aksai Chin plateau via this route. Then he proceeded to Yarkand, where he was killed in an insurrection.
Amin later entered the service of the Punjab department of trade in British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
. With his information, the British were inspired to develop a trade route between Punjab and Yarkand via this route, which came to be called the "Chang Chenmo route". They signed a treaty with the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, who was persuaded to "develop" the route.[ A ''sarai'' (rest house) with facilities was built at Gogra and was stocked with grains and supplies for travellers.][ The route was in use between 1870–1884, but did not prove to be popular with the traders. It was abandoned in 1884.]
The Kugrang valley and Gogra also formed a popular hunting spot for British officers on leave.
Sino-Indian border dispute
After India became independent in 1947 and China took control of Tibet in 1950, both the countries laid claim to the Aksai Chin
Aksai Chin is a region administered by China as part of Hotan County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang and Rutog County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet. It is claimed by India to be a part of its Leh District, Ladakh Union Territory. It is a part of the ...
plateau. In its 1956 border definition, China claimed the Chang Chenmo Valley up to the Kongka Pass
The Kongka Pass or Kongka La () is a low mountain pass on the Line of Actual Control between India and China in eastern Ladakh. It lies on a spur of the Karakoram range that intrudes into the Chang Chenmo Valley adjacent to the disputed Aksa ...
, near Kayam Hot Springs, but excluded the majority of the eastern Karakoram range. In particular, the Changlung valley, Shamal Lungpa campsite and the Wenquan hot spring were all left as Indian territory. (Map 4)
Not recognising Chinese claims, India continued to send border patrols in "all directions". In 1957, one party went via Gogra and Shamal Lungpa to Dehra Compass, Sumdo and Karatagh Pass. Finding telltale signs of Chinese activity, the border police decided to strengthen outposts by stocking them with essentials at Kayam Hot Springs and Shamal Lungpa. In 1958, the border police again used this route to go to the Sarigh Jilganang lake and to the Ladakh border, planting an Indian flag at the latter location. In 1959, a police party to sent to set up police posts at Tsogtsalu, Hot Springs and Shamal Lungpa was confronted by Chinese troops when it tried to reconnoitre in the Chinese claimed area, and a serious clash occurred. The ensuing Kongka Pass incident
The Kongka Pass or Kongka La () is a low mountain pass on the Line of Actual Control between India and China in eastern Ladakh. It lies on a spur of the Karakoram range that intrudes into the Chang Chenmo Valley adjacent to the disputed Aksai ...
exacerbated tensions between the two countries.
After the Kongka Pass incident, the two countries engaged in serious negotiations. A summit between the prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat—
*
*
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* and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...
and Zhou En-lai
Zhou Enlai (; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman and military officer who served as the first premier of the People's Republic of China from 1 October 1949 until his death on 8 January 1976. Zhou served under Chairman Ma ...
was held in 1960, where Zhou is believed to have proposed an "east west swap" of disputed territories. India is believed to have rejected such a barter. Sector-by-sector border discussions were held later in 1960 between the officials of the two countries, where China enlarged its border claims. (See Map 4.) In the vicinity of the Kugrang valley, the Chinese officials declared:
The new "1960 claim line" meant that China laid claim to the entire basin of the Changlung river, stopping just before its confluence with the Kugrang river. Even then, the "approximately" described coordinates, , are problematic in that they lie within the Kugrang river valley, dropping below the watershed. The place where the "watershed between the Kugrang Tsangpo River and Changlung River" crosses the Changlung River is determined by Indians to be , where a post called "Nala Jn" was established by them.
1962 standoff
In the summer of 1962, sensing that China was trying to advance to its 1960 claim line, India initiated what came to called the "forward policy A Forward Policy is a set of foreign policy doctrines applicable to territorial ambitions and disputes in which emphasis is placed on securing control of targeted territories by invasion and annexation or by the political creation of compliant buff ...
", setting up advance posts in the territory between the 1960 and 1956 claim lines. The 1/8 Gorkha Riles battalion was ordered to set up a post in the upper reaches of the Galwan River
The Galwan River flows from the disputed Aksai Chin area administered by China to the Union Territory of Ladakh, India. It originates near the caravan campsite Samzungling on the eastern side of the Karakoram range and flows west to join the Sh ...
. Setting out from Phobrang, the platoon first established a base at Kayam Hot Springs. A platoon of the 'A' Company then moved towards Galwan in July 1962. Along the way it set up a post near Gogra called "Nala Jn". China gave the coordinates of the post as , which lie along the ridge dividing Kugrang and Changlung. The date of establishment of the post was 2 July 1962.
By this time, the Chinese troops already had a post at Shamal Lungpa. (Map 4, blue line) So the Nala Jn post would appear to be a defensive post meant to secure the Kugrang valley. The Gorkha Rifles used an alternative route through the Kugrang valley to Galwan, setting up a post in its vicinity on 5 July. Despite a seriously threatening posture by the Chinese troops, the post held firm and remained intact until the beginning of the war in October 1962. It was supplied by air. Despite a supply route having been established through the Kugrang Valley, it was seen that its use would be provocative. Indian sources claim that additional supporting posts were set up by the Indian troops: a "ration party" post at and observation posts at and .
1962 war
The Sino-Indian War
The Sino-Indian War took place between China and India from October to November 1962, as a major flare-up of the Sino-Indian border dispute. There had been a series of violent border skirmishes between the two countries after the 1959 Tib ...
began in the western sector on 19 October 1962. The Chinese attacked all Indian posts that were beyond their 1960 claim line. The Nala Jn post, which was technically beyond the line, was also fired upon. The section
Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea
* Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents
** Section sign ...
of troops manning the post sustained some casualties. Their telephone line was also cut. So the commander sent two men to the Hot Springs base to report the firing, and a reinforcement of a section of troops arrived on 25 October. However, the Chinese did not attack the post, and it remained intact till the end of the war.
The Line of Actual Control
The Line of Actual Control (LAC), in the context of the Sino-Indian border dispute, is a notional demarcation lineAnanth KrishnanLine of Actual Control , India-China: the line of actual contest, 13 June 2020: "In contrast, the alignment o ...
resulting from the war remained on the dividing ridge between the Kugrang and Changlung valleys.
2020–2022 standoff
In April 2020, Chinese forces amassed on the border of Ladakh and started intruding into previously uncontrolled territory at several points. Gogra was one of them. Indian forces had their base at the Karam Singh Post () near Hot Springs, and periodically patrolled up to the location of the erstwhile "Nala Jn" post on the Line of Actual Control, now called Patrol Point 17A (PP-17A). Around 5 May, clusters of Chinese forces appeared in its vicinity and soon blocked the Indian forces from patrolling up to this point. The Indian Army moved troops to the border in a counter deployment effort, which was completed by early June.
On 6 June 2020, the senior military commanders of the sides met at the Chushul–Moldo Border Personnel Meeting point, and agreed to a "disengagement" of forward troops, to be followed by an eventual "de-escalation". However, this was not followed through. Inexplicably, there was no pull-back at Gogra and Hot Springs. At the Galwan valley, the Chinese forces continued to remain at the disputed border point, leading to a clash between the two sides on 15 June.
Following the clash, the Chinese forces doubled down at all the friction points. Near Gogra, the Chinese forces came down 2–4 km from the Line of Actual Control, and set up posts close to Gogra itself. According to Lt. Gen. H. S. Panag, "the Chinese intrusion here ear Gogradenies India access to nearly 30-35 km long and 4-km wide Kugrang river valley beyond Gogra.". It took several months and 10 rounds of talks between the military commanders to agree on the first pull-back in February 2021, viz., at Fingers 4–8 on the bank of the Pangong Lake
Pangong Tso or Pangong Lake (;
; hi, text=पैंगोंग झील) is an endorheic lake spanning eastern Ladakh and West Tibet situated at an elevation of . It is long and divided into five sublakes, called ''Pangong Tso'', ''Tso ...
. In the 12th round of talks in August 2021, the two sides agreed to disengage at Gogra. It was reported that troops of both the sides dismantled all temporary structures and allied infrastructure and moved back from forward positions.
However, a de-escalation has not yet taken place. Both the sides continue to claim the area in dispute, and continue to deploy troops in strength behind the forward lines. India has demanded the status quo ante April 2020 to be restored, while China is believed to insist upon imposing the " 1959 claim line", either by physical denial or via a "buffer zone".[H. S. Panag]
India-China talks on Ladakh face-off have hit a wall. Only a Modi-Xi summit can resolve it
The Print, 12 May 2022.
See also
* Kongka Pass
The Kongka Pass or Kongka La () is a low mountain pass on the Line of Actual Control between India and China in eastern Ladakh. It lies on a spur of the Karakoram range that intrudes into the Chang Chenmo Valley adjacent to the disputed Aksa ...
* Jianan Pass
Notes
References
Bibliography
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* {{citation , last1=Sandhu , first1=P. J. S. , last2=Shankar , first2=Vinay , last3=Dwivedi , first3=G. G. , title=1962: A View from the Other Side of the Hill , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=boBNCgAAQBAJ , year=2015 , publisher=Vij Books India Pvt Ltd , isbn=978-93-84464-37-0 , ref={{sfnref, Sandhu, Shankar & Dwivedi, 1962 from the Other Side of the Hill, 2015
External links
Remembering supreme sacrifice of martyrs of CRPF on this day at Hot springs, Ladakh in 1959
- ITBP Twitter
Chang Chenmo Valley