Hot Springs, Chang Chenmo Valley Explained

Hot Springs
Native Name:Kyam
Settlement Type:Border checkpost
Pushpin Map:India Ladakh#India
Elevation Ft:15400
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: India
Subdivision Type1:Union territory
Subdivision Name1:Ladakh
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Leh

Hot Springs (traditional name: Kyam) is a campsite and the location of an Indian border outpost in the Chang Chenmo River valley in Ladakh near the disputed border with China. It is so named because there is a hot spring at this location.[1] The Line of Actual Control near Kongka Pass is only 3km (02miles) to the east.[2]

Name

Historically, the name for the hot spring was Kyam[1] (Kiam, Kayam). The Chinese still refer to it by this name.[3]

Geography

Geologist Frederic Drew states that the Chang Chenmo river flows on a barren gravel bed, with occasional alluvial patches where vegetation is found. Hot Springs is one such location. In the vicinity are also other such patches, named Pamzal, Tsogtsalu (or Tsolu) and Gogra. 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.[4]

A large tributary called Kugrang joins the Chang Chenmo River near Hot Springs. Gogra is in the valley of the Kugrang River, northwest of Hot Springs. The Changlung River flows in from the northeast to join Kugrang at this location.[4] [5] [6]

According to the Gazetteer of Kashmir and Ladak, there are "celebrated" hot springs at Kyam, which were visited by the Ladakhis of the Pangong district and the Tibetans of the Rudok district. The water had a temperature of in August and was suffused with soda and sulphur. The local people believed that it was beneficial for ailments like rheumatism. The springs are believed to arise from the geological fault represented by the Changchenmo Valley, which separates the Paleozoic, Triassic and Jurassic rocks of the Karakoram range to the north from the older Paleozoic rocks to the south.

Transport

Within India, it is reachable via Tsogtsalu, which is further connected to mainland India via two motorable roads, the "Phobrang-Marsimik La-Tsogtsalu-Hot Springs Road" (PMTHR) or "Marsimik La Road" via Phobrang-Marsimik La-Tsogstsalu to Hot Springs,[7] [8] [9] and via the other alternate route the 55 km long "Changchenmo-Tsogtsalu Road" (CTR) from confluence of Changchenmo & Shyok River to Tsogtsalu.[10]

History

In the late 1800s, the Maharaja Ranbir Singh at the request of the British made improvements to the trails and facilities of the Gogra campsite in order to improve trade with Yarkand.[11] The valley was also a popular hunting spot for British officers on leave.[6] [12]

In Autumn 1959, the Kongka Pass incident occurred near here. At the time, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were given the mandate of constructing this camp.[2] During the construction, the scouting team was captured by the PLA who had advanced to Kongka Pass since the previous years. On 21 October, the search team tasked to find the missing scouts encountered the Chinese and were caught in a firefight. That led to the death of 9 members during the firefight and 1 member later due to his injuries.[13] [14] They have been since honored as martyrs by the law enforcement in India annually on this day. In the 1960s, a Police Memorial was erected here at Hot Springs.[15]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Geological Survey of India . Lydekker: The Geology of Kashmir and Chamba Territories and the British District of Khagan . Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India . XXII . 1883 . Government of India . 44 . Gogra and Kyam"" In the Changchenmo valley near the halting place Gogra (Gokra) and Kyam (Kium) hot springs are numerous. ... The spring at Kyam has a temperature of 147°F..
  2. The Story of Hot Springs. Akash. Jindal. Special Issue on Police Martyrdom. Indian Police Journal. 0537-2429. Nov-Dec 2018. 4 January 2020. 20–33. (p. 22) Karam Singh of ITBF was assigned the task of establishing outposts near the Chinese Occupation Line ... "Hot Springs" was barely three Km far from the site where Chinese Army had intruded..
  3. Web site: 中华人民共和国外交部给印度驻华大使馆的照会（1965年9月16日）. Note by the Chinese Foreign Ministry to the Indian Embassy in China (16 September 1965). RedChinaCn.net. 2017-08-16. 4 January 2020. zh. 基阿姆温泉建立哨所.
  4. Book: Drew, Frederic . The Jummoo and Kashmir Territories: A Geographical Account . 1875 . E. Stanford . archive.org . 329–330.
  5. Book: Ward, A.E. . The Tourist's And--sportsman's Guide to Kashmir and Ladak, &c . 1896 . Thacker, Spink . 106 . The Changlung stream joins the Kugrang near Gogra.
  6. Hayward . G. W. . Journey from Leh to Yarkand and Kashgar, and Exploration of the Sources of the Yarkand River . Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London . 40 . 1870 . 33–37 . 0266-6235 . 10.2307/1798640 . 1798640 . (p. 33) 'Kiam' and 'Gogra' located near bottom of last map insert ... (p. 37) Chang Chenmo is now well known, being visited every year by at least half-a-dozen officers on long leave to Kashmir. The game to be found....
  7. https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2022/jul/22/india-boosts-road-links-to-lac-standoff-points-2479299.html India boosts road links to LAC standoff points
  8. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/forbidden-zones-in-ladakh-to-soon-welcome-tourists/articleshow/100512677.cms Forbidden zones in Ladakh to soon welcome tourists
  9. News: Amid Doklam standoff, MHA asks BRO to build stand-alone road for access to vantage points . The Indian Express . 23 August 2017 .
  10. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/epaper/delhicapital/2023/aug/03/et-poli/over-20-strategic-roads-close-to-lac-have-year-end-deadline/articleshow/102366166.cms Over 20 strategic roads close to LAC have the ear and deadline
  11. Book: Accounts and Papers . East India . XLIX . 1874 . House of Commons, British Parliament . 23–33 . (p. 23) From Gogra there are two routes to Shadula in Yarkand (p. 33) Every endeavour has been made to improve the Changchenmo route--serais having been built at some places, and depots of grain established as far as Gogra.
  12. H.I.N. . Sport in the Changchenmo Valley, Ladakh. . 15 . 1902 . Hudson & Kearns . iv . . London.
  13. Web site: Notes, Memoranda and letters Exchanged and Agreements signed between The Governments of India and China . White Paper III. Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Claude Arpi. November 1959 – March 1960. 4 January 2020. [Chinese interrogation of Karam Singh] We established a checkpost at Kayam and we had to establish one at Shamul Lungpa. On 20th October, 1959, our two men missed. On the morning of 21st October 1959 Tyagi took 60 men and reached the hill (battle field). ... [Indian debriefing of Karam Singh] we had inadequate cover and the Chinese were in a favourable position ... five of us were made to carry the dead body of a Chinese soldier who had been killed..
  14. Hot Springs: Saga of Heroism . R.R. . Bhatnagar . Special Issue on Police Martyrdom . Indian Police Journal . 0537-2429 . Nov-Dec 2018 . 4 January 2020 . 16 . Fighting gallantly nine men laid down their lives and ten were wounded. Later on, one of the injured also succumbed to his injuries. ... Seven men were taken Prisoners of War by PLA .
  15. Hot Springs: Saga of Heroism . R.R. . Bhatnagar . Special Issue on Police Martyrdom . Indian Police Journal . 0537-2429 . Nov-Dec 2018 . 4 January 2020 . 14–19 . (p. 17) Ceremonial Homage being paid at Hot Springs Memorial in 1960's (p. 18) The day 21st Oct is befittingly observed as "Police Commemoration Day" and every year, members of police forces from different parts of the country trek to Hot Springs which is currently manned by ITBP to pay homage to the brave hearts who made the supreme sacrifice on 21st October 1959. .
  16. Snehesh Alex Philip, 14th round of military talks fails to break Hot Springs logjam, breakthrough 'likely next time', The Print, 13 January 2022.

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