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Padum (also known as Padam) is a town named after Padmasambhava. It is the only town and the administrative centre in Zanskar, Kargil district of Ladakh, India. It was historically one of the two main capitals of the Zanskar Kingdom, the other being Zangla. It is via the link road from Kargil, Kargil city (National Highway No. 1D). The new Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road (under construction) connects Padum directly to Leh in the east and to Darcha in Himachal Pradesh.
Padum is largely inhabited by people of Tibetan descent who follow Tibetan Buddhism, but there is a sizable Muslim population (accounting for ~40% of the town's population and growing steadily), mainly Balti (people), Balti, who have been present in Padum since the 17th century.
The sub-divisional capital Padum is a town of the Zanskar sub-division or tehsil in the Kargil district of Ladakh state, India. The Zanskar River flows through the valley from its source at the Drang Drung glacier of the Pensi La.The Zanskar River joins the Lungnak River near Pibiting village.
A number of notable Buddhist monasteries are located near Padum including Bardan Monastery and Karsha Monastery and the newly built Dalai Lama Photang. The Phugtal Monastery is accessible from here. It is a day's trek from Dorzang, the end of the road leading from Padum.
Photos of Padum
Images taken at the Karsha Monastery, near Padum
{{Kargil district Cities and towns in Kargil district Ladakh Geography of Ladakh
Description
The present population of Padum town is about 2,000 people. The traditional heart of the village is below the gompa and Palace khar (now in ruins) where two large chortens stand above old buildings. A road was constructed in 1980 from NH1 at Kargil over Pensi La which is 235 km away. The 145 km road to Darcha passing through Shinkula pass is now operational , which connects to Manali- Leh Highway. Padum has several hotels, homestays and restaurants meant for tourists. Padum has a post office, internet cafes and telephone booths.Geography
Padum is at the centre of the tri-armed Zanskar valley.Osada et al (2000), p. 298. It has an average elevation of . There are several villages to the north-east of Padum leading to Karsha monastery.People
Padum is largely inhabited by people of Tibetan descent who follow Tibetan Buddhism, but there is a sizable Muslim population (accounting for ~40% of the town's population and growing steadily), mainly Balti (people), Balti, who have been present in Padum since the 17th century.
Town
The sub-divisional capital Padum is a town of the Zanskar sub-division or tehsil in the Kargil district of Ladakh state, India. The Zanskar River flows through the valley from its source at the Drang Drung glacier of the Pensi La.The Zanskar River joins the Lungnak River near Pibiting village.
A number of notable Buddhist monasteries are located near Padum including Bardan Monastery and Karsha Monastery and the newly built Dalai Lama Photang. The Phugtal Monastery is accessible from here. It is a day's trek from Dorzang, the end of the road leading from Padum.
Access
By Bus: The bus operates during the tourist season between 1 June and 30 September only, after this period the Manali-Leh NH21 highway is normally closed. The other roads including the highway from Leh to Srinagar via Kargil, remain open until the end of October. Despite heavy blizzards, the road from Leh to Nubra valley over the extremely high Khardung La is kept open throughout the year. The Nimmu–Padam–Darcha road is being made which runs through Padum. The road to Darcha via Purne is now ready and half of the length is now 2 lane-tarmac, the remaining being unpaved.See also
* India-China Border Roads * Line of Actual Control * List of disputed territories of IndiaReferences
Bibliography
* Janet Rizvi. (1996). ''Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia''. Second Edition. Oxford University Press, Delhi. . *Osada ''et al.'' (2000). ''Mapping the Tibetan World''. Yukiyasu Osada, Gavin Allwright, and Atsushi Kanamaru. Reprint: 2004. Kotan Publishing, Tokyo. . * Schettler, Margaret & Rolf (1981). Kashmir, Ladakh & Zanskar. Lonely Planet Publications. South Yarra, Victoria, Australia. .External links
Photos of Padum
Images taken at the Karsha Monastery, near Padum
{{Kargil district Cities and towns in Kargil district Ladakh Geography of Ladakh