, nickname =
, motto =
, image_skyline =
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, pushpin_map = Gilgit Baltistan#Pakistan
, pushpin_label_position = left
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, area_total_km2 = 77
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Country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
, subdivision_name =
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, subdivision_type1 =
Adm. Unit
, subdivision_name1 =
Gilgit−Baltistan
, subdivision_type2 =
District
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
, subdivision_name2 =
Skardu District
The Skardu District ( ur, ) is one of the 10 districts of Gilgit-Baltistan territory of Pakistan. The Skardu District is bounded on the east by the Ghanche District, on the south by the Kharmang District, on the west by the Astore District, on ...
, population_total = 26,023
, population_as_of = 1998
, timezone =
PKT
, utc_offset = +5:00
, coordinates =
, website =
, footnotes =
Skardu ( ur, , translit=Skardū, ; bft, སྐར་དོ་་, script=Tibt, ) is a city located in
Gilgit−Baltistan, a part of
Pakistan-administered Kashmir
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 Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompass ...
. Skardu serves as the capital of
Skardu District
The Skardu District ( ur, ) is one of the 10 districts of Gilgit-Baltistan territory of Pakistan. The Skardu District is bounded on the east by the Ghanche District, on the south by the Kharmang District, on the west by the Astore District, on ...
and the
Baltistan Division
Baltistan Division ( ur, ) is a first-order administrative division of Pakistan's dependent territory of Gilgit-Baltistan, overlapping with the historic Baltistan.
The divisional headquarters of the Baltistan Division is the town of Skardu. Sin ...
. Skardu is situated at an elevation of nearly in the
Skardu Valley
The Skardu Valley ( ur, ) is located in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The valley is about 10 km wide and 40 km long. It is at the confluence of the Shigar River and Indus River. It surrounded by the large Karakoram Range. With the n ...
, at the confluence of the
Indus
The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, flows northwest through the disputed region of Kashmir, ...
and
Shigar River
Shigar River ( ur, ) is located in the mountainous Baltistan region of northern Pakistan. The Shigar River is formed from the melted water of the Baltoro Glacier and Biafo Glacier. It flows through the Shigar Valley. The river is tributary to In ...
s. The city is an important gateway to the
eight-thousander
The International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) recognises eight-thousanders as the 14 mountains that are more than in height above sea level, and are considered to be sufficiently independent of neighbouring peaks. There is no ...
s of the nearby
Karakoram
The Karakoram is a mountain range in Kashmir region spanning the borders of Pakistan, China, and India, with the northwest extremity of the range extending to Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Most of the Karakoram mountain range falls under the ...
mountain range. The Indus River running through the region separates the Karakoram from the
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
.
Etymology
The name "Skardu" is believed to be derived from the Balti word meaning "a low land between two high places."
The two referenced "high places" are
Shigar
Shigar () is the headquarter of its namesake district and tehsil in the Baltistan division of Gilgit–Baltistan in northern Pakistan. It is located at the bank of Shigar River in the most remote and dramatic part of the region. It is a popular ...
city, and the high-altitude
Satpara Lake
Satpara sar Lake ( ur, سدپارہ سر جھیل) is a natural lake near Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, which supplies water to Skardu Valley. It is fed by the Satpara Stream.
Satpara Lake is situated at an elevation of 2,636 meters ...
The first mention of Skardu dates to the first half of the 16th century.
Mirza Haidar (1499–1551) described ''Askardu'' in the 16th-century text ''Tarikh-i-Rashidi Baltistan'' as one of the districts of the area. The first mention of Skardu in European literature was made by Frenchman
François Bernier
François Bernier (25 September 162022 September 1688) was a French physician and traveller. He was born in Joué-Etiau in Anjou. He stayed (14 October 165820 February 1670) for around 12 years in India.
His 1684 publication "Nouvel ...
(1625–1688), who mentions the city by the name of ''Eskerdou.'' After his mention, Skardu was quickly drawn into Asian maps produced in Europe, and was first mentioned as ''Eskerdow'' the map "Indiae orientalis nec non insularum adiacentium nova descriptio" by Dutch engraver
Nicolaes Visscher II Nicolaes Visscher II (1649, Amsterdam – 1702, Amsterdam) was a Dutch engraver, cartographer and publisher. He was the son of Nicolaes Visscher I Nicolaes Visscher I (25 January 1618, Amsterdam – buried 11 September 1679, Amsterdam) was a Dutch e ...
, published between 1680 and 1700.
Location
The
Skardu Valley
The Skardu Valley ( ur, ) is located in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The valley is about 10 km wide and 40 km long. It is at the confluence of the Shigar River and Indus River. It surrounded by the large Karakoram Range. With the n ...
, at the confluence of the
Indus
The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, flows northwest through the disputed region of Kashmir, ...
and
Shigar River
Shigar River ( ur, ) is located in the mountainous Baltistan region of northern Pakistan. The Shigar River is formed from the melted water of the Baltoro Glacier and Biafo Glacier. It flows through the Shigar Valley. The river is tributary to In ...
s, is wide by long. Active erosion in the nearby
Karakoram Mountains
The Karakoram is a mountain range in Kashmir region spanning the borders of Pakistan, China, and India, with the northwest extremity of the range extending to Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Most of the Karakoram mountain range falls under the ...
has resulted in enormous deposits of sediment throughout the Skardu valley.
Glaciers from the Indus and Shigar valleys broadened the Skardu valley between 3.2 million years ago up to the
Holocene
The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togethe ...
approximately 11,700 years ago.
History
Early history
![The Land of Giants, Deosai](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/The_Land_of_Giants%2C_Deosai.jpg)
The Skardu region was part of the cultural sphere of Buddhist
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
since the founding of the
Tibetan Empire
The Tibetan Empire (, ; ) was an empire centered on the Tibetan Plateau, formed as a result of imperial expansion under the Yarlung dynasty heralded by its 33rd king, Songtsen Gampo, in the 7th century. The empire further expanded under the 38 ...
under
Songsten Gampo
Songtsen Gampo (; 569–649? 650), also Songzan Ganbu (), was the 33rd Tibetan king and founder of the Tibetan Empire, and is traditionally credited with the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet, influenced by his Nepali consort Bhrikuti, of Nepal ...
in the mid 7th-century CE.
Tibetan
tantric scriptures were found all over Baltistan until about the 9th century.
Given the region's close proximity to
Central Asia
Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...
, Skardu remained in contact with tribes near
Kashgar
Kashgar ( ug, قەشقەر, Qeshqer) or Kashi ( zh, c=喀什) is an oasis city in the Tarim Basin region of Southern Xinjiang. It is one of the westernmost cities of China, near the border with Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan ...
, in what is now
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 ...
's westernmost province of
Xinjiang
Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...
.
Following the dissolution of Tibetan suzerainty over Baltistan around the 9th-10th century CE, Baltistan came under control of the local
Maqpon Dynasty
The Maqpon kingdom ( bft, ) was a kingdom located in Baltistan. The royal family of the kingdom, the ''Maqpon dynasty'' was a Balti royal house based in Skardu which ruled over the region for around 700 years. The kings of the Maqpon dynasty e ...
, a dynasty of
Turkic extraction,
which according to local tradition, is said to have been founded after a migrant from
Kashmir
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 Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...
named Ibrahim Shah married a local princess.
Maqpon period
![Indus at Skardu (1)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Indus_at_Skardu_%281%29.jpg)
Around the year 1500, ''Maqpon Bokha'' was crowned ruler, and founded the city of Skardu as his capital.
The
Skardu Fort
Skardu Fort or Kharpocho ( Balti:; ur, قلعہ سکردو) means ''The king of Forts'' is a fort in Skardu city in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. Australian mountaineer and film maker Greg Child writes that the fort is "perched above the ...
was established around this time.
During his reign, King ''Makpon Bokha'' imported craftsmen to Skardu from Kashmir and
Chilas
Chilas ( ur, ) is a city and is the divisional capital of Diamer District located in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, on the Indus River. It is part of the Silk Road connected by the Karakoram Highway and N-90 National Highway, which link it to Islam ...
to help develop the area's economy.
While nearby
Gilgit
Gilgit (; Shina: ; ur, ) is the capital city of Gilgit–Baltistan, Pakistan. The city is located in a broad valley near the confluence of the Gilgit River and the Hunza River. It is a major tourist destination in Pakistan, serving as a h ...
fell out of the orbit of Tibetan influence, Skardu's Baltistan region remained connected due to its close proximity to
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 ...
, the region which Skardu and neighbouring
Khaplu
Khaplu (Urdu: ) and ( Balti: ཁཔ་ལུ།), also spelt Khapalu, is a city that serves as the administrative capital of the Ghanche District of Gilgit-Baltistan, in northern Pakistan. Lying east of the city of Skardu, it was the second-lar ...
routinely fought against.
Sikhs traditionally believe that
Guru Nanak
Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also referred to as ('father Nānak'), was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated wor ...
, the founder of
Sikhism
Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
, visited Skardu during his second ''udasi'' journey between 1510 and 1515. Gurudwara Chota Nanakiana, locally known as Asthan Nanak Peer, is believed to be the place where the Guru stayed in Skardu.
Mughal period
In the early 1500s,
Sultan Said Khan
Sultan Said Khan (; 1487–1533) ruled the Yarkent Khanate from September 1514 to July 1533. He was born in the late 15th century in Moghulistan, and he was a direct descendant of the first Moghul Khan, Tughlugh Timur, who had founded the state ...
of the Timurid
''Yarkent'' Khanate, based in what is now
Xinjiang
Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...
province of China, raided Skardu and Baltistan. Given the threat illustrated by the Sultan Said's invasion,
Mughal attention was roused, prompting the 1586 conquest of Baltistan by the Mughal Emperor
Akbar
Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...
.
The local Maqpon rulers pledged allegiance, and from that point onwards beginning with
Ali Sher Khan Anchan
Ali Sher Khan Anchan ( Balti: علی شیر خان انچن) (also called Ali Rai, Ray Alī, Alī Rai, Raja Sher Ali Mir, Mir Ali, Sher Ali and Ali Zad; 1590–1625) was a famous Balti king. He was a Maqpon dynasty king who unified Baltistan an ...
, the kings of Skardu were mentioned as rulers of Little Tibet in the historiography of the
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
.
Mughal forces again incurred into the region during the reign of
Shah Jahan
Shihab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram (5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666), better known by his regnal name Shah Jahan I (; ), was the fifth emperor of the Mughal Empire, reigning from January 1628 until July 1658. Under his emperorship, the Mugha ...
in 1634-6 under the forces of Zafar Khan, in order to settle a dispute to Skardu's throne between Adam Khan, and his elder brother Abdul Khan. It was only after this point, during the rule of Shah Jahan and
Aurangzeb
Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
, that Skardu's ruling family was firmly under Mughal control. The ability of the Mughal crown to fund expeditions to territories of marginal value, such as Baltistan, emphasises the wealth of the Mughal coffers.
Dogra rule
In 1839, Dogra commander
Zorawar Singh Kahluria
Zorawar Singh Kahluria (1784–12 December 1841) was a military general of the Dogra Rajput ruler, Gulab Singh of Jammu. He served as the governor (''wazir-e-wazarat'') of Kishtwar and extended the territories of the kingdom by conquering Lada ...
defeated Balti forces in battles at Wanko Pass and Thano Kun plains, clearing his path for invasion of the Skardu valley. He seized Skardu Fort on behalf of the
Dogra Kingdom based in Jammu. 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.
Dogra forces failed in their 1841 attempt to conquer
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
. Following their defeat, Ladakhis rose in rebellion against Dogra rule.
Baltis under the leadership of Raja Ahmed Shah soon also rose in rebellion against the Dogras, and so Maharaja
Gulab Singh
Gulab Singh Jamwal (1792–1857) was the founder of Dogra dynasty and the first Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, the largest princely state under the British Raj, which was created after the defeat of the Sikh Empire in t ...
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.
The Raja of the Baltis was forced to pay an annual tribute to the Dogra Maharaja in Jammu, while the fort's provisions were provided for by the Balti Raja.
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 Dogra administration.
Military commanders held real governing power in the area until 1851 when Kedaru Thanedar was installed as a civilian administrator of Baltistan.
During this time, Skardu and Kargil were governed as a single district.
Ladakh would later be joined to the district, while Skardu would serve as the district's winter capital, with
Leh
Leh () ( lbj, ) is the joint capital and largest city of Ladakh, a union territory of India. Leh, located in the Leh district, was also the historical capital of the Kingdom of Ladakh, the seat of which was in the Leh Palace, the former res ...
as the summer capital, up until 1947.
Under the administration of Mehta Mangal between 1875 and 1885, Skardu's ''Ranbirgarh'' was built as his headquarters and residence.
A cantonment, and various other government buildings were built in Skardu during this period.
Sikhs from Punjab were also encouraged to migrate to Skardu in order to set up commercial enterprises during this period.
The Sikh population prospered, and continued to grow - eventually also settling in nearby Shigar and Khaplu.
1947–48 Kashmir War
After the
Partition of British India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: India and Pakistan. T ...
, on 22 October 1947, Pakistan launched a
tribal invasion of Kashmir by
Pashtun
Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
s leading to the Maharaja
Hari Singh
Maharaja Sir Hari Singh (September 1895 – 26 April 1961) was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir (princely state), Jammu and Kashmir.
Hari Singh was the son of Amar Singh and Bhotiali Chib. In 1923, followi ...
acceding to
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. The
Gilgit Scouts
The Gilgit Scouts constituted a paramilitary force of the Gilgit Agency in northern Jammu and Kashmir. They were raised by the government of British India in 1913, on behalf of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, to police the northern front ...
, under the leadership of
Major William Brown, mutinied on 1 November 1948, bringing the
Gilgit Agency
The Gilgit Agency ( ur, ) was an agency of the British Indian Empire consisting of the subsidiary states of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir at its northern periphery, mainly with the objective of strengthening these territories agains ...
under the control of Pakistan. Major
Aslam Khan took over the command of the Gilgit Scouts, organised a force of some 600 men from the rebels and local recruits, and launched attacks on the remaining parts of the State under Indian control. Skardu was an important target because Aslam Khan felt that Gilgit could be threatened from there. The Skardu garrison defended by a contingent of 6th
Jammu and Kashmir Infantry
The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. Its origins lay in the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. After the accession of the state to the Indian Union in October 1947, ...
under the command of Col.
Sher Jung Thapa
Brigadier Sher Jung Thapa Maha Vir Chakra, MVC (15 April 1907 – 25 February 1999) was a military officer of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces and later the Indian Army. Revered as ''the Hero of Skardu'', he was a recipient of the Indian Army ...
.
The initial attack was repulsed, but the city fell into the rebel hands.
After holding the garrison for 6 months and 3 days, Thapa and his forces surrendered on 14 August 1948, Pakistan's independence day.
Geography
Topography
Skardu's Airport is situated at an elevation of
above sea level
Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''.
The comb ...
, though the mountain peaks surrounding Skardu reach elevations of .
Upstream from Skardu are some of the largest glaciers in the world, including the
Baltoro Glacier
__NOTOC__
The Baltoro Glacier ( zh, 巴爾托洛冰川, ), at in length, is one of the longest glaciers outside the polar regions.The Fedchenko Glacier in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan is 77 km long, the Siachen Glacier which lies so ...
,
Biafo Glacier
The Biafo Glacier ( ur, ) is a -long glacier situated in the Karakoram mountain range in Shigar district, Gilgit−Baltistan, Pakistan. Geography
Biafo Glacier meets the -long Hispar Glacier at an altitude of at Hispar La to create the worl ...
, and
Chogo Lungma Glacier
Chogo Lungma Glacier is a glacier in the Karakorum mountain ranges in Shigar District of Gilgit-Baltistan. It was the first of all the big Karakorum glaciers to be discovered, in 1835.
See also
*Baltoro Glacier
* Biafo Glacier
*Godwin-Auste ...
.
Some of the surrounding glaciers are surrounded by some of the world's tallest mountains, including
K2, the world's second tallest mountain at ,
Gasherbrum
Gasherbrum ( ur, ) is a remote group of peaks situated at the northeastern end of the Baltoro Glacier in the Karakoram mountain range. The peaks are located within the border region of Xinjiang, China and Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The m ...
at , and
Masherbrum
Masherbrum ( ur, ; formerly known as K1) is a mountain located in the Ghanche District, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. At , it is the 22nd highest mountain in the world and the 9th highest in Pakistan. It was the first mapped peak in the Kar ...
at .
The
Deosai National Park
Deosai National Park () is a high-altitude alpine plain (plateau) and National Park located in Astore, Gilgit-Baltistan.
Deosai Plains are situated at an average elevation of 4,114 metres (13,497 ft) above sea level and considered as the ...
, the world's second highest alpine plain, is located upstream of Skardu as well. Downstream from Skardu is located the
Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat ( ur, ) (; ), known locally as Diamer () which means “king of the mountains”, is the ninth-highest mountain on Earth, its summit at above sea level. Lying immediately southeast of the northernmost bend of the Indus River in ...
mountain at .
Geology
![Baltoro_glacier_from_air](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Baltoro_glacier_from_air.jpg)
Skardu is located along the Kohistan-Ladakh
terrane
In geology, a terrane (; in full, a tectonostratigraphic terrane) is a crust fragment formed on a tectonic plate (or broken off from it) and accreted or " sutured" to crust lying on another plate. The crustal block or fragment preserves its own ...
, formed as a magmatic arch over a
Tethyan subduction zone that was later accreted onto the
Eurasian Plate
The Eurasian Plate is a tectonic plate that includes most of the continent of Eurasia (a landmass consisting of the traditional continents of Europe and Asia), with the notable exceptions of the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian subcontinent and ...
.
The region has low seismic activity compared to surrounding regions, suggesting that Skardu is located in a passive structural element of the
Himalayan thrust.
The stone in the Skardu region is Katzara
schist
Schist ( ) is a medium-grained metamorphic rock showing pronounced schistosity. This means that the rock is composed of mineral grains easily seen with a low-power hand lens, oriented in such a way that the rock is easily split into thin flakes o ...
, with a
radiometric
Radiometry is a set of techniques for measuring electromagnetic radiation, including visible light. Radiometric techniques in optics characterize the distribution of the radiation's power in space, as opposed to photometric techniques, which cha ...
age of 37 to 105 million years.
Numerous complex granitic pegmatites and a few alpine-cleft metamorphic deposits are found in the Shigar Valley and its tributaries. Shigar Valley contains the Main Karokoram Thrust separating the metasediments (chlorite to amphibolite grade) on the Asian plate from the southern volcanoclastic rocks of the Kohistan-Ladakh island arc.
Climate
![Unexpected Snow in Katpana Skardu](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Unexpected_Snow_in_Katpana_Skardu.jpg)
Skardu features a
cold semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''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
A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
, 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 and a minimum (in October) .
Temperatures can drop to below in the December-to-January midwinter period. The lowest recorded temperature was on 7 January 1995.
Tourism
![Shangrila, Lower Kachura Lake](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Shangrila%2C_Lower_Kachura_Lake.jpg)
Skardu, along with
Gilgit
Gilgit (; Shina: ; ur, ) is the capital city of Gilgit–Baltistan, Pakistan. The city is located in a broad valley near the confluence of the Gilgit River and the Hunza River. It is a major tourist destination in Pakistan, serving as a h ...
, is a major tourism, trekking and expedition hub in
Gilgit–Baltistan
Gilgit-Baltistan (; ), formerly known as the Northern Areas, is a region administered by Pakistan as an administrative territory, and constituting the northern portion of the larger Kashmir region which has been the subject of a dispute be ...
. The mountainous terrain of the region, which includes four of the world's 14
Eight-thousander
The International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) recognises eight-thousanders as the 14 mountains that are more than in height above sea level, and are considered to be sufficiently independent of neighbouring peaks. There is no ...
peaks, attracts tourists, trekkers and mountaineers from around the world. The main tourist season is from April to October; at other times of the year, the area can be cut off for extended periods by the snowy, freezing winter weather.
Mountains
![Jamia masjid(mosque) skardu](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Jamia_masjid%28mosque%29_skardu._photo_by_me.jpg)
Accessible from Skardu by road, the nearby
Askole
Askole, Askoli, or Askoly ( ur, اسکولی) is a small town located in Shigar Valley, in the Gilgit–Baltistan region of Pakistan. Askole is located in a remote region of the Karakoram mountains 3040 meters above sea level. It is notable for ...
and
Hushe
Hushe ( ur, ہوشی) is the last village of the Ghangche District of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. It is the highest village in the once extremely remote and impoverished Hushe Valley. Hushe men began working as cooks and porters for mountaineeri ...
are the main gateways to the snow-covered peaks including
K2, the
Gasherbrum
Gasherbrum ( ur, ) is a remote group of peaks situated at the northeastern end of the Baltoro Glacier in the Karakoram mountain range. The peaks are located within the border region of Xinjiang, China and Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The m ...
s,
Broad Peak
Broad Peak ( ur, ) is a mountain in the Karakoram on the border of Pakistan and China, the twelfth-highest mountain in the world at above sea level. It was first ascended in June 1957 by Fritz Wintersteller, Marcus Schmuck, Kurt Diemberger, an ...
, and the
Trango Towers
__NOTOC__
The Trango Towers ( ur, ) are a family of rock towers situated in Gilgit-Baltistan, in the north of Pakistan. The Towers offer some of the largest cliffs and most challenging rock climbing in the world, and every year a number of expedi ...
, 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 Plains
Deosai National Park () is a high-altitude alpine plain (plateau) and National Park located in Astore, Gilgit-Baltistan.
Deosai Plains are situated at an average elevation of 4,114 metres (13,497 ft) above sea level and considered as th ...
, the second highest in the world at above sea level, after the
Chang Tang
The Changtang (alternatively spelled Changthang or Qangtang) is a part of the high altitude Tibetan Plateau in western and northern Tibet extending into the southern edges of Xinjiang as well as southeastern Ladakh, India, with vast highlands and g ...
in
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
, either start from or end at Skardu. In the local
Balti language
Balti (Nastaʿlīq script: , Tibetan script: སྦལ་ཏི།, ) is a Tibetic language natively spoken by the ethnic Balti people in the Baltistan region of Gilgit−Baltistan, Pakistan, Nubra Valley of the Leh district and in the Karg ...
, Deosai is called Byarsa ''བྱིར་ས'', meaning 'summer place'. With an area of approximately , the plains extend all the way to Ladakh and provides a habitat for
snow leopard
The snow leopard (''Panthera uncia''), also known as the ounce, is a Felidae, felid in the genus ''Panthera'' native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia, Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable species, Vulnerable on the IUCN Red ...
s,
ibex
An ibex (plural ibex, ibexes or ibices) is any of several species of wild goat (genus ''Capra''), distinguished by the male's large recurved horns, which are transversely ridged in front. Ibex are found in Eurasia, North Africa and East Africa. ...
,
Tibetan blue bear
The Tibetan bear (''Ursus arctos pruinosus'') or Tibetan blue bear is a subspecies of the brown bear (''Ursus arctos'') in the eastern Tibetan Plateau.
One of the rarest subspecies of bear in the world, the blue bear is rarely sighted in the ...
s and wild horses.
Skardu Fort
Skardu Fort
Skardu Fort or Kharpocho ( Balti:; ur, قلعہ سکردو) means ''The king of Forts'' is a fort in Skardu city in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. Australian mountaineer and film maker Greg Child writes that the fort is "perched above the ...
or Kharphocho Fort lies on the eastern face of the Khardrong or Mindoq-Khar ("Castle of Queen Mindoq") hill 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
The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, flows northwest through the disputed region of Kashmir, ...
. It was built by
Maqpon dynasty
The Maqpon kingdom ( bft, ) was a kingdom located in Baltistan. The royal family of the kingdom, the ''Maqpon dynasty'' was a Balti royal house based in Skardu which ruled over the region for around 700 years. The kings of the Maqpon dynasty e ...
rulers of Baltistan. It was a seven-storey building. Mostly local people say that Kharpoocho is made by a ghost as they were servants of the ruler of that time.
Kharphocho (Skardu) fort was built on a design similar to that of
Leh Palace
Leh Palace also known as Lachen Palkar Palace is a former royal palace overlooking the city of Leh in Ladakh, India. It was constructed circa 1600 by Sengge Namgyal. The palace was abandoned when Dogra forces took control of Ladakh in the mid-19 ...
and the
Potala Palace
The Potala Palace is a ''dzong'' fortress in Lhasa, Tibet. It was the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas from 1649 to 1959, has been a museum since then, and a World Heritage Site since 1994.
The palace is named after Mount Potalaka, the mythica ...
in
Lhasa
Lhasa (; Lhasa dialect: ; bo, text=ལྷ་ས, translation=Place of Gods) is the urban center of the prefecture-level city, prefecture-level Lhasa (prefecture-level city), Lhasa City and the administrative capital of Tibet Autonomous Regio ...
,
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
. The name Kharpochhe means the great fort — ''Khar'' in
Tibetan
Tibetan may mean:
* of, from, or related to Tibet
* Tibetan people, an ethnic group
* Tibetan language:
** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard
** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken dial ...
means castle or fort and ''Chhe'' means great.
Shigar Fort
![Shigar fort](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Shigar_fort.JPG)
Located on the route to the world's second highest mountain, K-2 is Shigar Fort. It is also known as Fong-Khar, which in the local language means the "Palace on the Rock". The complex at Shigar comprises the 400-year-old fort/palace and two more recent buildings: the "Old House" and the "Garden House". The former palace of the Raja of Shigar has been transformed into a 20-room heritage guesthouse, with the grand audience hall serving as a museum of Balti culture and featuring select examples of fine wood-carvings, as well as other heritage objects.
Kachura Lakes
There are two Kachura lakes in Kachura Valley — the less well-known (Upper)
Kachura Lake
The Kachura Lakes ( ur, کچورہ جھیل) are three lakes in the Skardu District of Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan. The lakes, at in elevation, are Upper Kachura Lake and Lower Kachura Lake. The latter is also known as Shangrila Lake an ...
and the more famous
Shangrila Lake
Lower Kachura Lake ( ur, زیریں کچورا جھیل), also known as Shangrila Lake ( ur, شنگریلا جھیل, label=none), is a lake located near the city of Skardu in Gilgit−Baltistan, Pakistan. Situated at a height of , it has had ...
("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
Pakistan-administered Kashmir
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 Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompass ...
. The resort has a unique restaurant, set up inside the
fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...
of an
aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines ...
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 meters in elevation.
Satpara Lake
Satpara Lake
Satpara sar Lake ( ur, سدپارہ سر جھیل) is a natural lake near Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, which supplies water to Skardu Valley. It is fed by the Satpara Stream.
Satpara Lake is situated at an elevation of 2,636 meters ...
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 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.
Transport
Road
The normal road route into Skardu is via the
Karakorum Highway
The Karakoram Highway ( ur, , translit=śāhirāh qarāquram; known by its initials KKH, also known as N-35 or National Highway 35 ( ur, ) or the China-Pakistan Friendship Highway) is a national highway which extends from Hasan Abdal in ...
and a
Skardu Road (S1)
Strategic Highway 1 (S-1), also known as the Gilgit–Skardu Road () or Skardu Road, is a highway in Pakistan that links the cities of Gilgit and Skardu in Gilgit−Baltistan. It was constructed by the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers and the ...
into the
Skardu Valley
The Skardu Valley ( ur, ) is located in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The valley is about 10 km wide and 40 km long. It is at the confluence of the Shigar River and Indus River. It surrounded by the large Karakoram Range. With the n ...
from it. Roads once linked Skardu to
Srinagar
Srinagar (English: , ) is the largest city and the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies in the Kashmir Valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchar lakes. The city is known for its natu ...
and
Leh
Leh () ( lbj, ) is the joint capital and largest city of Ladakh, a union territory of India. Leh, located in the Leh district, was also the historical capital of the Kingdom of Ladakh, the seat of which was in the Leh Palace, the former res ...
, though none are open for cross-
LoC
LOC, L.O.C., Loc, LoC, or locs may refer to:
Places
* Lóc, a village in Sângeorgiu de Pădure, Mureș County, Romania
* Lócs, a village in Vas county, Hungary
* Line of Contact, meeting place of Western and Eastern Allied forces at the e ...
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
Skardu International Airport is an international civil airport in Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. It also serves as a forward operating base of the Pakistan Air Force.
On 2 December 2021, Skardu Airport was designated and re-inaugurated ...
was designated and re-inaugurated as an international airport after providing upgrades to the airport to become a tourism hub for
Gilgit-Baltistan
Gilgit-Baltistan (; ), formerly known as the Northern Areas, is a region administered by Pakistan as an administrative territory, and constituting the northern portion of the larger Kashmir region which has been the subject of a dispute bet ...
.
Flydubai
Flydubai ( ar, فلاي دبي), legally Dubai Aviation Corporation ( ar, مؤسسة دبي للطيران), is an Emirati government-owned low-cost airline in Dubai, United Arab Emirates with its head office and flight operations in Terminal 2 ...
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.
Infrastructure
Satpara Dam
The
Satpara Dam
Satpara Dam is a medium-size multi-purpose concrete-faced earth-filled dam located downstream from Satpara Lake on the Satpara Stream approximately 4 km from the town of Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.
The dam has enlarged the si ...
development project on the
Satpara Lake
Satpara sar Lake ( ur, سدپارہ سر جھیل) is a natural lake near Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, which supplies water to Skardu Valley. It is fed by the Satpara Stream.
Satpara Lake is situated at an elevation of 2,636 meters ...
was inaugurated in 2003. It was completed in 2011. It is south of Skardu city and is at an elevation of from mean sea level. The main source of water is melting ice of the
Deosai plains
Deosai National Park () is a high-altitude alpine plain (plateau) and National Park located in Astore, Gilgit-Baltistan.
Deosai Plains are situated at an average elevation of 4,114 metres (13,497 ft) above sea level and considered as th ...
during the summer season. Now Satpara Dam provides drinking water to the whole city of Skardu and agricultural water to major areas of Skardu, for example, Gayoul, Newrangha, Khlangranga, Shigari Khurd, etc.
It is a multipurpose project, which will produce 17.36 megawatts hydro generation, irrigate of land and provide 13 cusecs drinking water daily to Skardu city.
[
]
See also
*Baltistan
Baltistan ( ur, ; bft, སྦལ་ཏི་སྟཱན, script=Tibt), also known as Baltiyul or Little Tibet ( bft, སྦལ་ཏི་ཡུལ་།, script=Tibt), is a mountainous region in the Pakistani-administered territory of Gilg ...
*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 ...
*Northern Areas
Gilgit-Baltistan (; ), formerly known as the Northern Areas, is a region administered by Pakistan as an administrative territory, and constituting the northern portion of the larger Kashmir region which has been the subject of a dispute bet ...
*Satpara Dam
Satpara Dam is a medium-size multi-purpose concrete-faced earth-filled dam located downstream from Satpara Lake on the Satpara Stream approximately 4 km from the town of Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.
The dam has enlarged the si ...
*Haji Gham
Haji Gam is a town in the Skardu District of Gilgit–Baltistan in Pakistan. It is bounded to the west by Satpara Lake, to east by Abbas Town/division, to north by Khargrong, and to south by Hargisa. Skardu. The most common spoken language is Sh ...
References
;Bibliography
*
**
*
**
*
*
*
Further reading
* Jettmar, Karl et al. (1985): ''Zwischen Gandhara und den Seidenstrassen: Felsbilder am Karakorum Highway: Entdeckungen deutsch-pakistanischer Expeditionen 1979–1984''. 1985. Mainz am Rhein, Philipp von Zabern.
* Jettmar. Karl (1980): ''Bolor & Dardistan''. Karl Jettmar. Islamabad, National Institute of Folk Heritage.
External links
Skardu - Emerging Pakistan
*
{{Skardu District
Populated places in Skardu District
Skardu District
Baltistan
Populated places established in the 2nd millennium