Phuntog Tundup (aged 71), of the Chuyinkpa Family, Photoksar Village

 

Phuntog Tundup, a lifelong resident of Photoksar, recalls the oral histories passed down by his elders. According to him, the earliest settlers of Photoksar were Brokpas. However, in ancient times, an unusually heavy snowfall devastated the region, destroying crops and making life unsustainable. As a result, the Brokpa settlers are said to have abandoned the village of Photoksar.

Tundup spent most of his life as a Barzee—a traditional herder responsible for tending to the livestock of fellow villagers in the high-altitude pastures. In return for this service, he was required to pay a Shey (fee), typically four battis (measures) of butter for every one demo (female yak or cow) he tended. Whatever remained—be it butter or produce—was his to keep.

Around the age of twenty, Tundup began travelling to Leh, carrying with him butter and churpi for sale. From the modest income he earned in the Leh market, he would purchase essentials such as tea, salt, and spices. He distinctly remembers his elders sourcing salt from the Changthang region, which he describes as being far tastier and more desirable than the salt later distributed through government ration shops.

Wool from local livestock was often insufficient for the needs of the Photoksar villagers. As a result, they would purchase additional wool from Changpa traders who brought it from the Changthang plateau and sold it in Leh. According to Tundup, Changthang wool was of exceptional quality, available in shades of white, black, and beige. He recalls paying approximately ₹250 per kilogram for the best grade wool.

Apart from his herding duties, Tundup was also skilled in various traditional Ladakhi crafts. Using the wool collected during his time in the mountains, he produced tsali, tsogtul, shoes, and rebo. He also crafted traditional baskets known as tsepo. Unlike the people of Hanupata, who typically used chipkyang for their baskets, Tundup preferred Langmey, a sturdier plant he considered more durable.

He also recalls that in earlier times, his elders prepared and sold charcoal at a site known as Ashkuta Rong. During those years, Balti traders would make annual visits to Photoksar, often purchasing livestock from local residents.

Of historical interest is Tundup’s reference to Photoksar’s past reputation as a source of rare iron in Ladakh. He speaks of a bao (cave) in the nearby hamlet of Machu Pharka, where iron smelting was once practiced. Another smelting site is located in Ashkuta, where iron was similarly extracted and forged. The iron from these sites was used to manufacture tsogtse and khem.

Tashi Rigzin, Photoksar, Sengge Lalok, Ladakh

Tashi Rigzin

Tashi Rigzin, 62, originally from Photoksar village, and now residing in Chushot, Leh, reflects on the past when Photoksar, with its fertile grazing lands, was home to large herds of yak and demo. The locals produced surplus butter and churpi, which they traded in nearby regions. Tashi fondly recalls his childhood, especially the time after the annual barley harvest during the ston season (autumn), when his grandfather would journey to Spang Chenmo in Sakti village to secure the family’s yearly supply of salt. To purchase the salt, his grandfather would either take money or Chuli-Phaating (dried apricots), which he had bartered on the way, in the area around Khalsi village for homemade butter or churpi. In Sakti, his grandfather exclusively traded with trusted Changpa traders, who he called  Dzagos ( friends). 

In those days, the Sengge-la pass, connecting Photoksar and Zanskar to the Sham area was only open for a few months in summer. Due to the scarcity of grazing land in Yurchung and Nyerak, villagers from those areas would bring their livestock near to Photoksar for grazing in the 4th month of the Ladakhi calendar and return before Ston just before the harvest. There was a longstanding agreement that their animals would not cross beyond Maneychan Tokpo (a stream), a rule enforced by the Goba members  (village leaders). The people of Photoksar frequently sold butter in Leh, and they occasionally sold yak and demo to visitors from Tia and Timosgang villages. 

Before the construction of the new motorable road to Zanskar, two main routes connected Photoksar to the Indus Valley. In summer, traveling from Hanupatta to Wanla villages beyond a spot called Demdemcha was treacherous due to the swollen rivers, which sometimes carried away horses. This route was primarily used after the Ston season, when the water froze, making the passage safer. In warmer months, they followed the Wanla Chutsan route, exiting at Lamayuru village, where they purchased essential supplies. This journey involved an overnight stop near Chutsan, but during Ston, the route to Wanla could be completed in a single day. At Wanla, barley grown at Photoksar was traded for locally grown wheat and peas, with an equal exchange rate.

Due to Photoksar's cold climate, it was difficult for plants other than barley to flourish. Pea plants, if grown did not bear fruit and was often served as fodder for cattle. While many in Photoksar consumed peas from Wanla mixed with barley, Tashi preferred to plant the pea seeds solely to grow fodder for his livestock. He also remembers the Res system, where the people of Photoksar were required to provide free services to government officials traveling between Wanla and Yulsum. Occasionally, traders from Chiktan would come to the area to sell Doltoks (stone utensils). In earlier times, when resources were scarce, Tashi had heard from the elders that their ancestors would travel to Nyingti (a generic term used for Mandi and nearby places in Himachal Pradesh) to earn extra income through labor.