Ahmed Hussain
As a teenager, Ahmed Hussain, 83, from Kargi village in the Suru Valley of Kargil, Ladakh, India, began making annual trips from the Suru Valley through the Chelong Valley to the Warwan Valley in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, to sell "chota zombos"—young dzhos (a hybrid between yaks and domestic cattle). During these journeys, Ahmed Hussain would transport approximately 50 to 60 "chota zombos" at a time. The journey from Kargi to Warwan, with a herd of cattle, typically took three to four days. The route involved navigating the narrow Nala path from Kargi and crossing challenging terrains, including the difficult Gali Sher Glacier. Upon reaching the other side of the glacier, Ahmed Hussain would stay with the Bakarwal nomads camped there before continuing toward Warwan. In Warwan, Ahmed Hussain exchanged the "chota zombos" for "balda zombos" (adult dzho) at a rate of two "chota zombos" for one "balda zombo". Ahmed Hussain noted that Warwan had significantly more grass compared to the Suru Valley. Back in Kargi, Ahmed Hussain would mostly sell the "balda zombos" to traders from Kargil.
In addition to his annual travels to Warwan, which Ahmed Hussain continued until the age of 50, he also ventured to Zanskar to acquire salt from the Changpa traders. These traders arrived in Zanskar with approximately 400 to 500 sheep, each carrying small bags of salt neatly tied to their backs. During these trips, Ahmed Hussain traded rice and apricots, which he bought from Kargil, for the Changpa salt. He then sold the salt in the Suru Valley. Ahmed Hussain also spent two months working as a laborer in Stakna. He played a significant role in a major infrastructure project when Nurbo Sahib, the famous Ladakhi engineer and leader, sought the assistance of the local Pir and organized around 160 laborers from the Suru Valley to work on the Srinagar-Leh road at Lamayuru village. Ahmed Hussain recalls that the construction site featured 18 challenging turns on the road being built.
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