Drass, Ladakh

Dras (also spelt Drass, ISO transliteration: '), also known locally in Shina as Himababs, Hembabs, or Humas, is a town and hill station in Kargil district of the union territory of Ladakh in India. It is on the NH 1 between Zoji La pass and Kargil town. A tourist hub for its high-altitude trekking routes and tourist sites, it is often called "The Gateway to Ladakh". The government's official spelling of the town's name is "Drass".

Etymology

Traditionally, Dras is known as ''Hem-babs'', which means "snow land"; the word "Hem" means snow. The average temperature of Dras in winter is -20 degrees Celsius.

Geography

Dras is often called "The Gateway to Ladakh". It is at a height of Dras lies in the centre of the valley of the same name (Dras valley). Dras is 140 km from Srinagar and 63 km from Sonmarg. Kargil town is 58 km from Dras on the national highway NH 1 from Srinagar to Leh.

History

In the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir (1846–1947), Dras was part of the Kargil tehsil of the Ladakh ''wazarat''.

During the invasion by Pakistan in 1947-48, the reinforced Gilgit Scouts, having gone over to Pakistan, attacked the Kargil area on 10 May 1948. The Indian army, by then in charge of defending Kashmir, sent reinforcements. However, they could not reach Dras in time and Dras fell to the Gilgitis on 6 June 1948. Kargil and Skardu also fell in short order. In November 1948, the Indian Army launched Operation Bison, supported by tanks, and retook Dras and Kargil. Skardu, however, remained under the control of Pakistan. The 1949 ceasefire line runs 12 km north of Dras through Point 5353.

The ceasefire line was renamed the Line of Control in the 1972 Simla Agreement, in which India and Pakistan agreed to respect the line without prejudice to their stated positions.

However, in the early months of 1999, Pakistani soldiers masquerading as ''mujahideen'', infiltrated the area and took control of the peaks overlooking Dras and the highway, in particular Tololing, 4 km from Dras, and Tiger Hill, 8 km from Dras. They directed artillery fire at Dras and the highway, leading to the Kargil War. The Indian army cleared the Tololing and Tiger Hill peaks by July 1999.

Climate

Dras is the coldest place in India, experiencing an altitude-influenced Continental Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Dsb). Winters are cold with average lows around −20 °C (−4 °F), and as low as −23 °C at the height of winter, which lasts from mid-October to mid-May. Summers start in June and go on up till early September, with average temperatures near 23 °C (74 °F) and little precipitation. Annual precipitation is almost entirely concentrated from December to May when Dras gets around water equivalent of snowfall. There is a popular claim as well various signs/boards showing Dras being second coldest inhabited place in the world. However, there is no reliable weather data to substantiate the claim.

Demographics

Ethnicity

The major ethnic groups are the Shina people, who speak the Indo-Aryan language Shina, and the Purigpa people, whose language, similar to Balti, belongs to the Tibetic group. Shina ethnic group forms majority of the population at around 65-70% while the Purgi/Balti ethnic group is a significant minority making up around 30-35% of the population. The local population is 64% male and 36% female. In total the population of Dras per the 2011 Census is 21988. Out of this, 14731 are males while 7257 are females. This block has 2767 kids in the age bracket of 0–6 years. Among them 1417 are boys and 1350 are girls.

Religion

The population is almost 100% Muslim. The Shina people are mostly Sunni making up around 65-75% of the population while the Purigi/Balti people are mostly Shias forming 25-35% of the population. The Kashmiris are a very small minority and are Sunni Muslims. Islam first arrived to the region due to the influence of Kashmiri merchants. Drass is the only area (now a district) in Ladakh where Sunni muslims comprise the majority of the population.

Culture

Many inhabitants of Dras cultivate primary crops like barley. The locals also raise livestock like cattle and ponies.

Common foods in the diet of the people include potatoes, barley, lamb, mutton and drinks like tea. Polo is a very popular pastime in Dras.

Tourism

Dras has been developed as a tourist destination since 1999, following the Kargil War, when visitors came to see the war zone. The 130-kilometer road connecting the Gurez Valley to Mushkoh Valley in Kargil’s Drass Sector, connected by Kaobal Gali (4,166.9 metres, between Abdullum and Batokul), the highest pass in Gurez, is now open for tourists, offering a glimpse into the historic landscape of the Kargil War. These areas, once battlegrounds, hold significant importance in the Kargil conflict. The Kargil War Memorial is 7 km from Dras. Dras is located on NH-1 Srinagar-Dras-Karil-Leh highway.

In early 2025, high-speed public 4G/5G mobile and internet connectivity was made available by India.लद्दाख में सैनिकों को ऊंचाई वाली चौकियों पर मिली 4जी/5जी कनेक्टिविटी, सियाचिन ग्लेशियर तक सिग्नल
navbharattimes, 19 Apr 2025.

See also

* Geography of Ladakh
* Tourism in Ladakh
* Transport in Ladakh

References

Bibliography

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External links

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Dras

{{Kargil district

Cities and towns in Kargil district
Kargil War
Hill stations in Ladakh

Geography of Ladakh