Trade routes of Zanskar

Namgyal Dorjey

In the past, the Zanskar region of Ladakh, India, remained isolated from the outside world during the winter months due to heavy snowfall. The Chadar trek through the frozen Zanskar river, which connects Zanskar to the Indus Valley, was the only popular winter route. However, during the summer, it was connected to surrounding areas through a network of passes from all directions. From the west, the Pensila Pass leads to the Suru Valley, where the road further diverges either to the Warwan Valley in Kashmir or to Drass through the Umba La Pass, or to Kargil District.  The southeastern Shinkula Pass leads to Darcha and Himachal Pradesh, while in the northeast, the Zunglam/Jumglam route through the Charcharla Pass was historically the most significant, leading to Dat in Kharnak Changthang or further to the Markha Valley. In the south, three main passes—Omasila, Akshow via Hangshula, and one near Bardang passing through Poat La Pass and Kangla Pass —connect Zanskar to other regions of Kishtwar. Namgyal Dorjey, 55 years, from Ating village, Zanskar, is one of the few people who have traversed nearly all of these passes.

Namgyal's journey across these passes began around the age of 18 when he accompanied his father on treks to Paddar in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. Paddar, which lies south of the Zanskar mountain range, is known for its rich vegetation and abundance of wood. At that time, it was common for the people of Zanskar to barter peas grown in their region for various goods from Paddar. Wood, wool, Shing Khem (wooden shovels), Saldang (a bark used as a tea supplement), butter, rice, and Kangshil Tsotma or Lingdi, a vegetable the Himachalis used to make pickles were the popular commodities traders from Zanskar brought from Paddar. Namgyal's father would return from Paddar with dried Lingdi, which they would later soak in water, mix with milk, and cook as a vegetable. The Zanskaris also brought back Tau seeds (likely buckwheat) from Paddar, which they cultivated in Zanskar. According to Namgyal, the plant is believed to have cancer-fighting properties and is easy to digest, allowing one to eat it and immediately return to work.

With its frigid climate and sparse vegetation, Zanskar relied heavily on Paddar as a primary supplier of different kinds of wood for much of its history. According to Namgyal, Kero Shing was the most prized wood of all. Although not very thick, it was extremely strong. In Zanskar, it was commonly used for making window frames because its strength allowed them to maintain their shape for a very long time. Namgyal’s father once took four of his seven sons to Paddar, and on their return to Zanskar, each son carried seven logs of Kero wood.  Another type of wood, Stakpa, known for its durability, was used to craft a part of the wooden plough called Shol. The Dungma, or Yulat, was used in the construction of the Makdum/Bheem of a room. A less sought-after variety, called Raydung in Paddar, was primarily used as Talu during roof construction in Zanskar. However, in Paddar, Raydung was not valued highly and was often used as firewood. Som—known as Keylong Shing in Paddar—was used to make Khem (wooden shovels). Namgyal explained that Som wood is thicker and softer than any wood available locally in Zanskar, making it ideal for crafting single-piece, wider Khem, which are more effective for fieldwork. This was not possible with the limited amount of narrow wood commonly found in Zanskar. Additionally, Som wood is much easier to cut—"like butter," as Namgyal described it.

Namgyal observed that Zanskar's sparse vegetation also led to limited grazing areas and, consequently, fewer livestock. This scarcity of livestock caused a shortage of wool for clothing in the region. As a result, people in the Stod region of Zanskar relied on wool, or Bal, from Paddar, known for its high quality and was used directly to prepare garments without any mixing. While the Changpa traders are recorded to have carried Bal for trade in Zanskar, it’s possible that by the time they reached Ating and other villages at the end of their trade route, they had already exhausted their supply of Bal. This situation would have made the villages in the Stod region more dependent on wool from Paddar.

Before the 1990s, the trade routes used by the people of Zanskar were popular among foreign tourists for trekking, and Nawang, like many men from Zanskar and other parts of Ladakh, found lucrative opportunities to earn extra income as a tourist guide along these routes. However, it has been 15 years since Namgyal last traveled these routes, either for trade or as a tourist guide.

The most popular route from Zanskar to Paddar was via the Omasila Pass. Namgyal would trek from Ating to a location called Gowra, where they would spend the night at Kanju Pulu before making the crossing. In 1981-82, Namgyal's father and uncle constructed a shelter there, which had three rooms—two featuring Dungma roofs and one made entirely of stone. After Gowra, some travelers would stop at a place called Rooa, while others continued on to Kache Phangsa, known for its expansive snow-covered plains called Chashee Thang. More experienced trekkers could go directly from Kanju Pulu to Sumcham, the first inhabited village in Paddar. Namgyal recounts a surprising incident when his father crossed the Omasila to reach Paddar and returned to Ating on the same day.

Namgyal has also traveled from Akshow village through Hangshula Pass to Sumcham in Paddar, a challenging path with no proper trail, according to Namgyal it was- only ice at the bottom and pebbles on top. This route was tough and slow, taking five to six days. The ground was so tough that Namgyal and his fellow traveler Thinley's shoes tore before they could reach Paddar. While there are fewer climbs on this route than on the Omasila Pass, there is a lot of ice to scale. In contrast, the trek before the Omasila Pass from Zanskar is relatively plain, while the trek after the pass is snowy. On the Akshow side, there is ice on one side and relatively plain towards Paddar.

Thirty years ago, Namgyal also traversed the Kang La Pass route to Paddar, originating from a place near the Bardan Gompa. Along with a trekker named Maymay Rigzin and another friend, he covered the route, which was very long and full of glaciers. On the third day, they encountered a glacier, which according to Namgyal, was as long as the distance from 'Ating to Padum', a site where they slept on the icy glacier for the night. In the extreme cold of the night, Namgyal and friends could hear the ice cracking beneath them. The other side, after crossing the glacier and the Kangla Pass, was very beautiful with a long slope, making it the most beautiful of the three popular routes leading to Paddar. On the fourth day, they reached the temporary shelters of Gaddi nomads called Dangsa and then at a place called Pattenam-Sattenam in Udaipur, in Kistwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, which had lots of Shukpa (Juniper) growing. According to Namgyal, at the end of the trek at Udaipur, he met some tourists who wanted a guide through Shinkula Pass, so he took that as a return route to Zanskar.

Namgyal mentioned a fourth route from Zanskar to Paddar, which is the least used of all the known routes. It is occasionally utilized by the Zanskaris to purchase Palang (cattle) from Paddar, though he has never trekked along it himself. According to trekking maps of Zanskar, this route starts at a location called Paddar Lungpa near Sani village in Zanskar, crosses the Munni La Pass, and then connects with the Omasila Pass route at a place called Bagjan, eventually leading to Sumcham in Paddar.

Towards the northeast, Namgyal took the Junglam route from Zanskar, crossing Chacharla Pass near Zangla village and eventually reaching Markha valley. On the first day, they camped at the base of Charcharla. The trek itself lasted about five days. After crossing Charcharla on the second day, they arrived at Standongsa, a location that requires careful navigation, as a wrong choice between left and right can lead to confusion. The correct path is to the left, which is more open. Further along, they reached Chanchu Sumdo, another spot where the route can be confusing. After reaching Markha village, some travelers continued to Spituk village via the Gandala Pass, while Namgyal took a vehicle from Chilling village back to Leh.

Among the many passes in the region, the Junglam in the northeast and a series of passes in the southeast served as key routes for the Changpa nomads, who visited Zanskar to trade salt. The nomads would arrive in Ating right after the harvest season, and settle in a plain area in the village called Toksham near where a school stands today. The Changpas followed an age-old tradition of slaughtering a male sheep on the first night of their visit and inviting all families for a feast to symbolize their arrival. The trading of salt would begin the following day. The Zanskaris had a relationship called dZagos or friendship with known Changpa nomads, and the Changpa dZagos would prioritize trading with their Zanskari counterparts. Every year, a Changpa named Mutup, who was Namgyal's family dZago would visit them with their annual supply of salt. The exchange rate was two Lugals of salt for four Lugals of barley.

Until recent times, Zanskar was renowned for its native horses, which are now rare across the region. According to Namgyal, these famed Zanskari horses were categorized by their color and the quality of their ride. Based on color, the classifications included black, white, blue, Tomar, Shau (a mix of Tomar and black), and Nyangpa, which had two subtypes: Nyangkar and Nyangmar. The best riding horses are known as Yorga. There are two varieties of Yorga: the Zyangyor, which had a smooth ride but ran very fast and required a skilled rider, and the Lugyar, which was slower but offered the best ride quality. Horses gave birth at the age of four to five years; some gave birth every year, while others did so every alternate year. The age of a horse in Zanskar was measured in years, known as Killings. A horse could live up to 30 killings, though the origin of this term is unclear.

In the past, Zanskar had a tradition of Zyon-lop trainers who specialized in training non-Yorga horses to correct their gait and achieve a smooth motion, a process known as Yorga Lapches. The trainer would ride the young horse and gradually slow its steps, repeating this exercise over many days until the smooth gait became second nature. If the process was rushed, the horse would revert to its original gait. This training typically occurred when the horse was less than two years old (Choba); beyond that age, it became more challenging to train them. According to Namgyal, Meme Nawang and Tsering Dorjee, a retired soldier, were both well-known Zyon-lop trainers in Ating. Training sessions were always held during Ston (autumn) when the fields were empty, and the trainers provided their services pro bono.

Namgyal also practiced a popular tradition for horses known as Turchet. Under this practice, the owner of a pregnant horse would temporarily hand over the horse to a caretaker. The caretaker was responsible for taking care of the horse until it gave birth. Once the foal was born, the horse would be returned to its original owner, while the caretaker would keep the foal as compensation for their efforts. Namgyal regularly practiced this tradition in collaboration with the Rangdum Monastery. He would take care of the pregnant horses from the monastery, and in return, he was allowed to keep the foals as his service charge.

Besides the horses, until about twenty years ago, Zanskar was home to many donkeys, but their numbers have since diminished. Namgyal observes that, unlike horses, donkeys show little variation in performance or market value, though they can be distinguished by their color and size—large or small, black or gray. Additionally, donkeys are categorized by the appearance of their noses and snouts, with two specific types known as Kha Nakpo and Kha Karpo. The decline in donkey populations can be attributed partly to the increasing use of vehicles for transportation and labor, which have replaced the donkeys previously employed for these tasks. Additionally, there has been a significant surge in demand for donkeys over the last ten years, as many donkeys have been purchased from Zanskar by contractors in the Kargil region for government construction projects. According to Namgyal another contributing factor, though not the main reason, has been attacks by Brown bears, which pose a threat to the remaining donkey population, most of which are left unattended in the open.

Ating village is also known for producing high-quality butter. It seems that the popularity of Zanskari butter is a relatively recent phenomenon as in the past Namgyal's father like many in Zanskar used to source butter from Paddar. As mentioned, Zanskar, which was much colder in the past, had fewer grazing sites and therefore less livestock and less butter production. According to Namgyal, the best butter in Zanskar comes from Ralakung village in Stod region. Other places known for good-quality butter are Paldar Lungpa and Rangdum. Namgyal has visited these areas with an Amchi: Traditional Medicine-man, who would come to Zanskar every year to source Man-saa, the medicinal plants for his medicines. The cattle feed on these medicinal plants, which is believed to contribute to the fine quality of Zanskari butter.

Zanskar to Paddar, Salt, Horses and Butter

Sonam Phunsog

Sonam Phunsog, 68, from the Changmachan family in Akshow village, Zanskar, Ladakh, is one of the most experienced travelers in the Zanskar Valley. His father, Tundup Stanzin, mentored him in the skills of long-distance travel. In his youth, Tundup would journey to Paddar in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, transporting Changthang salt—obtained by exchanging barley in Zanskar—to trade for rice and wheat. The people of Zanskar have long-standing ties with Paddar, and Sonam has an aunt married to a man in Losan, Paddar, where she has five daughters, all of whom are married within the region.

Wood, Shovels and Zongba from Paddar

At 14, Sonam embarked on his first journey to Paddar with his father, traversing the Hangshula pass route to reach Sumcham, the first inhabited village in Paddar. During that time, wood was scarce in Zanskar, with only a place called Yaga having some Talu (narrow wood). Sonam continued traveling to Paddar,  always travelling in groups from Akshow, sometimes comprising over 30 men. In Paddar, Sonam acquired Dungma (wood logs), Khem (wooden shovels), and Palang (cattle). Business in Paddar was difficult due to local police objections to transporting wood and other goods. According to Sonam, to overcome this, Zanskari traders enlisted the help of the Chukpo (wealthy individual) of Paddar, who managed the police on their behalf. In return, each Zanskari was expected to bring shing khuru-a large log of wood, as a gift for the Chukpo. The Chukpo often provided accommodation and food. Once the wood was delivered to the Chukpo, traders could freely conduct their business and leave Paddar without police interference. Logs were typically 4-5 feet long; older men carried four logs, while younger men carried two. Khem, or wooden shovels, were popular items, with strong individuals able to carry up to 20 Khems back to Zanskar. Each Khem cost 5 Muls or Rs 5, and a log of wood was valued at one Mul or one Rupee. At 14, Sonam carried two Khems and one Zongba, a wooden tray used for cleaning wool. Back in Akshow, while the wealthy owned their own Zongbas, the less fortunate borrowed those of the wealthy. Then there were the professional who would visit the villagers at  their home and clean the wool charging Rs 5 or two Marnaks ( bottle of cooking oil) for the service. Today, wool cleaning costs Rs 1000. 

In Zanskar, Sonam used the wood from Paddar for repairing old buildings and roofing new ones, while selling the Khems to Balti traders entering Zanskar from Pensila. Khems purchased in Paddar for Rs 5 were sold for Rs 10 to the Baltis. The Baltis, numbering around 14-15, traveled throughout Zanskar to Padum, selling horses, rice, chickens, and cattle. They also came from Damna, Kashmir, through the Chilong Valley near Panikhar, bringing cows to exchange for sheep and money. They were followed by Shamma traders from Tingmosgang, Nurla, and other places in the Sham region, who brought 30-35 donkeys loaded with kerosene in jerrycans. The Shamma traders would charge separately for the empty jerrycans.

Changpa Salt traders

During the 8th or 9th month of the Ladakhi calendar, the Changpas would visit Zanskar. Sonam vividly remembers the arrival of the Changpas. They would set up in a large field at the edge of the village and begin an age-old tradition of killing a big male sheep, Khalpa, presenting the meat to every family as a gift and announcement of their arrival. Only after this ritual would the Changpas start selling salt to the Zanskaris. The exchange rate was one Lugal (a bag used to load salt on sheep) of salt for an equal quantity of barley, whereas in central Zanskar, the rate was double—half a Lugal of salt for a full Lugal of barley.

For the Changpas entering Ladakh from the Zunglam crossing the Chacharla and from Lingti River crossing the Chumik Marpo, Akshow was the last point in Zanskar. For the Baltis entering from the west side, Padum was the last point where their goods would be sold. A popular saying in Zanskar reflects this: Akshow and Abran is the place for distress sales for the Changpas, while Padum is the place for distress sales for the Baltis.

Zanskari Horses

Sonam also notes that, until a decade ago, horses were a crucial part of Zanskari life. Every family in Akshow owned 2-3 horses, but now only his and his brother's families have horses. Zanskari and Spiti horses were highly valued, with Spiti horses being particularly prized. People from Akshow would travel with their horses to Kargil and return in 25 days with rice, salt, marnak, samar (kerosene oil), and pakpey (wheat flour). Sonam traveled on horseback to Sankoo to buy sarnak, samar, das (rice), and pakpey for the winter. Fifty years ago, a winter purchase of Mul 100 (Rs 100) was considered very good. The best Zanskari horses, known as Yorga, were prized for their smooth ride. Sonam’s brother recently sold a two-year-old Yorga for Rs 50,000 to a Kashmiri from Warwan. Yorga horses are now scarce in Zanskar, and the tradition of training horses to improve their gait has nearly vanished. According to Aba, traditionally, the best horses in Zanskar came from the Yulsum area near Karsha Gompa. Friends from Yulsum would graze their horses in the Stod region near Akshow due to its superior grazing grounds.

Zanskari Butter

The Stod region of Zanskar, is renowned for its high-quality Zanskari butter. It is believed that it owes its special taste to a variety of herbs in the region that the cattle feed on. According to Sonam, the best butter comes from dzomo (a mix of yak and domestic cattle). A dzomo yields about 1.5 to 2 liters of milk per day. Producing one liter of Zanskari butter requires about 10 liters of dzomo milk. In the past, Shamma traders visiting Zanskar to sell kerosene would exchange a jerrycan of kerosene for 3 kilos of butter. The money value of butter was Rs 33 per batti (2 kilos). Sonam’s father had a Shamma trader friend who would buy their butter for Rs 37 per batti. With the proceeds, Sonam would go to Kargil to buy food items.

Sonam's Yorga Horse

Yorga horse, Video courtesy of Stanzin Rabga, Reijing, Zanskar 

Business Lessons from Latoo village, Kargil, Ladakh.

Haji Mohd Hussain is the last remaining member of the original settlers.

Situated on a high plain on the left of River Shingo, village Latoo, Kargil was established around 1967 when seven families from the border village of Dreyloung were relocated to the present area. According to Haji Hussain, Life in Latoo is much better than the remote Dreyloung. Latoo is derived from a Shina word meaning "low-lying barren area." 

Once, during his youth, Haji Mohd Hussain made a long journey from Dreyloung to Leh to buy salt, a trek that took 9-10 days. The route passed through Hardas, Wakha-Mulbekh, Khangral, Heniskut, Lamayuru, Khalste, Nurla, Saspol, Api Chenmo Thang, and finally Leh. Haji Hussain carried ghee, butter, and apricots from Dreyloung, which he traded in Leh for salt and soda. This trade, which Haji Hussain called "Adla-Badla" or barter, was done only once before the 1965 war. 

In those days, the people of the region owned many yaks, which they kept in the mountains most of the time. In Leh, there was a competition among people eager to host them, as payment was made in the form of waste of the animals which Haji and his company traveled with. The salt Haji Hussain purchased was only for personal consumption. 

Before 1965, Haji Hussain also made the arduous journey to Sonamarg to buy rice, a trip so difficult that he remembers his legs swelling from the travel. From Sonamarg, he would buy corn, rice, and wheat. In those days, corn was a common food item, though this practice has now disappeared. Haji Hussain carried money earned from selling his livestock, with Rs 1 fetching him 10 kilograms of corn or 1 kharwar (a local unit) of rice. He bought 5 kharwars of rice and the same quantity of corn. At that time, there were no vehicles beyond Sonamarg, and all trade was conducted using yaks or khacchar (pack animals). Haji owned three zhos, two zhomo, and a few cows.

According to Haji Hussain, before the Partition, a few elderly villagers made stone utensils known as "Doltoks". These were crafted from a special stone called "Meltsey", sourced from the Black Mountain near the village of Babachan. The artisans would give the Doltok a rough shape at the source mountain to reduce carrying weight. Once the rough shape was made, the half-prepared Doltoks were carried down to the Dreyloung village on frames known as "Kir-Kir," where the final finishing was done using an iron tool called "Khokor," made by the local ironsmith, known as "Garba." The villagers would then take the Doltoks to distant places for sale, though some customers would visit Dreyloung to buy the Doltoks directly from the source.

Nisar Hussain

Nisar Hussain, 58 years old, is a second-generation inhabitant of Latoo, born shortly after the village relocated to its current site. Nisar Hussain shared insights into a new practice among herders in the Kargil region, where traditional Bakarwal shepherds are now employed and paid a monthly income to care for the entire village's livestock. While the villagers of Badgham, Hardas, Chanigund, and Kaksar continue to maintain their livestock, many communities closer to Drass have gradually abandoned this ancestral practice. In the past, villagers spent much of their time in the hills with their livestock, using their own wool for personal needs. However, with the decline in livestock keeping, partly due to modern lifestyles, there is now a shortage of "Bal" (wool) in surrounding villages. To compensate, they have begun purchasing wool from outside sources, particularly from the Bakarwals.

Nisar Hussain belongs to one of the most affluent families in Latoo and has been a serial entrepreneur throughout his life. As a child, he assisted an old man named Abdullah in an experiment to grow rice in Latoo. However, due to rice's high water demands, they were only able to produce 2-3 kilograms, leading to the abandonment of the experiment. Over the years, Nisar tried his hand at various trades, from welding to working as a bus conductor and driver.

Nisar Hussain is recognized by the Department of Agriculture as a “progressive farmer.” In Latoo, he grows "Nas" (barley) and "Toe" (wheat) in March. "Nas" is harvested by the end of July, and "Toe" is harvested 15 days later. After that, it's time to grow "Chaa" (jowar) and "Tsey-Tsey" (bajra), which are harvested around late September. Raw "Nas" is used for making "Roti," while roasted "Nas" is used for "Kholak" and "Pabha." "Toe" is mainly used for "Roti," though it can also be roasted to make flour for "Kholak," though this is rare. "Chaa," considered a warming food, is used for making "Thukpa" and "Pabha" and is believed to help cure coughs and chest problems. According to Nisar Hussain, "Chawal" can be made from "Chaa" by slowly grinding it in a stone cup to remove the chaff without breaking the grain, resulting in a stickier rice compared to regular rice. "Tsey-Tsey" is primarily used for "Kholak" but has an alternate use in treating chronic back pain and boils—10-12 kilograms of "Tsey-Tsey" are used to prepare a mattress-like layer for the patient to sleep on.

Nisar also grows more than 14 varieties of fruits, including "Naspati," "Alu Bukhara," "Aaldu," a Kashmiri apple called "Bumchold," used for making pickles, "Khubani," 3-4 varieties of apples, 2 types of cherries, and strawberries. His wife sells these fruits, along with vegetables, in the Kargil market.

Nisar Hussain at Denmo, a rock resembling a demoness holding a child. 

This rock serves as the traditional boundary between Latoo and Karkit villages, with the Shingo River in the background."

In 1985-86, while transporting goods for the Food and Civil Supplies department to Zanskar in his vehicle, he began experimenting with various business ideas. During his trips to Zanskar, he started purchasing "Bal" for personal use from the locals in Sani, Abran, Phey, and Zangla. His family back home would then use the wool to make socks, mufflers, caps, and vests. This experience opened his eyes to the business opportunities Zanskar offered in the 1980s. He began purchasing butter, peas, "Phukma," and grass from Zanskar to sell in the Kargil region. At that time, he drove a low-powered "1210 (Bara Dus)" vehicle that could barely carry 6 tonnes of weight, so the scale of his business was small. Additionally, payments from contractors for the loads he transported to Zanskar were often delayed, limiting his cash flow for further purchases.

Back then, "Bal" was available for just Rs 20 per kilogram, compared to the current price of Rs 200-300. Nisar could only afford to buy about 10 kilograms for personal use. He also bought butter, peas, "Phukma," and grass, with notable profit margins—ghee, for instance, which he bought for Rs 25 per kilogram, was sold for Rs 60-70 in Kargil. However, due to limited cash, his purchases were small. 

Nisar struck gold when he realized the potential in buying donkeys from Zanskar and selling them in Kargil. He purchased donkeys for Rs 200-250 from Zanskar and sold them for Rs 1000-1200 in Latoo and nearby villages. Soon, others in his area recognized the opportunity and began competing with him. The last donkey he bought cost Rs 8,000, which he sold for Rs 18,000. Nisar always preferred male donkeys because female donkeys could not be used during pregnancy or when their foals were young. 

Camels and Salt at Changla Pass, Ladakh

                              

Sonam Wangdu

Sonam Wangdu, 95 yrs, from Chemrey village in Leh, Ladakh, India, distinctly recalls that when he was young, Hor traders ( Turkic origin people from Yarkand, Kashgar, and surrounding regions), would descend the Changla Pass with camels and Horbungs-large donkeys from central Asia, that resembled Ladakhi horses. The Hor traders brought high-quality goods, especially sought-after items like silk and carpets. They had two varieties of silk: Shayee, which was considered superior, and Tutsey, which was of slightly lower quality. On the way back these traders preferred to return via the Khardungla Pass rather than Changla.

The other travelers to cross the Changla Pass were the Tibetan traders, who would bring salt from the lakes of Mindum Tsaka and Kyeltse in Tibet during the 8th or 9th month of the Ladakhi calendar. There was an unwritten code in Chemrey that required Tibetan salt traders to camp on land belonging to the Chemrey Gompa for at least three days before moving on to land owned by local families. In return for using the Gompa's or the families' land, the traders would leave behind rilmang (sheep/goat dung) to fertilize the land.

The salt market in Chemrey lasted for two to three months,during which the Tibetan traders would come and go. The market would attract traders from all over Ladakh including Sham and Baltistan. Baltistani traders would bring goods such as Phating (apricots), Osey (mulberries), and sometimes butter, which Wangdu recalls was of inferior quality compared to the butter brought by the Tibetan traders. Occasionally, a few Zanskari traders would venture to Kharu and Chemrey to sell butter, but this was rare.

During the Dogra rule, there was an important government official, known as the Munshi, residing in Tangste village. The Munshi was responsible for controlling trade, including salt, and for collecting fees from traders entering and leaving Ladakh via Changla. There was a government Kutti (house) in Tangste where the Munshi lived. Wangdu remembers that the father of the renowned Ladakhi scholar, the late Tashi Rabgais, from the Tukchupa family of Sakti village, once served as the Munshi at Tangste.

Sonam Wangdu fondly remembers many of his Tibetan friends, including Rabang Talmo and Thinley, who would come to Chemrey every year to trade their salt.