The Indus River, which originates in Tibet, enters India at Changthang and flows through Chulichan village, located about 60 kilometers from Kargil, before continuing into Baltistan, now part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Today, the entire population of Chulichan practices Islam. Many residents in Chulichan trace their ancestry to the Dardi people, similar to those living in villages of Dah, Hanu, Garkhon, and others. The Dardi language is still spoken by the community. In Chulichan, two neglected and previously unrecorded chortens can be found, likely among the last of their kind in this part of Ladakh.
According to local legend, many centuries ago a Lama (a Buddhist monk) named Konchok Sherbstan from Lehdo village in Leh district, founded Chulichan by constructing an irrigation canal in the barren land. Gradually, people started settling in the new village. In the beginning, everyone in the village followed the Lama’s Buddhist teachings, but over time they converted to Islam. After the Lama’s death, the original Buddhist residents built two chortens in his memory.
Haji Mohd
Haji Mohd, 82, from the Kyonpa family, shares that he was born in a Luklo, adhering to the traditional Ladakhi age-counting system. He reminisces about a time when the villagers lived simply, relying mainly on Bro (buckwheat) and Tsya (millet) to prepare Paba a traditional Ladakhi dish. Apricot water was also a staple source of nourishment for the community.Haji Mohd's family currently owns two cows and eight goats, a significant decline from the nearly 100 goats they had in his youth. In line with their Dardi tradition, they keep only a few cows, a practice that is relatively recent, as the Dardi community traditionally avoided drinking cow's milk. While many families in Chulichan continue to honor their ancestral family deities, known as Sabdak, in their old homes, this practice is gradually fading in the new houses being built. Haji Mohd recalls when traders from Changthang and Sham region regularly visited Chulichan to trade their salt and other goods, often braving harsh winter conditions. A site called Luksa in Chulichan served as a well-known resting spot for these traders. Most traders relied on donkeys for transport, with sheep occasionally accompanying them. Chulichan also welcomed visitors from Baltistan, who typically arrived at night to purchase salt that the natives had purchased from the Changpas.
Haji Mohd remembers the Angrezpas (Europeans) who visited Chulichan to 'take photographs'. In the village, there is a mountain with a glacier that serves as the primary water source. According to Haji Mohd, long before he was born, these foreigners constructed a tower on the mountain ( likely as part of the Great Trigonometric Survey, which the British used to survey all of India). According to Haji Mohd, the tower has some numbers engraved on it.
Haji Mohd's wife, Ama Misabi le, recalls that for many years, the villagers honored the deceased Lama's chorten by following a Dardi tradition that involved offering threcho, wood dipped in butter and lit, along with butter lamps. Today, however, the chortens are in a state of disrepair, indicating that few people have visited the site in recent years. During the visit, the author placed katakhs, ceremonial scarves, at the site to pay tribute to the memory of the late lama.
Tashi Lundup
Nawang Sharap
The author would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to Tashi Lundup le, Nawang Sharap le, and Tsewang Gyaltsen le, of the Labdakh family in Garkon village for making this visit possible.
