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Dras
Town
Drass
View of Dras in Kargil district, Ladakh
Nickname: The Gateway to Ladakh
DrasLocation in Ladakh, IndiaShow map of LadakhDrasDras (India)Show map of India
Coordinates: 34°26′48″N 75°45′31″E / 34.446769°N 75.758629°E / 34.446769; 75.758629
Country	India
Union Territory	Ladakh
District	Dras
Tehsil	Dras
Elevation	3,300 m (10,800 ft)
Population
• Total	21,988 in 2,011
Languages
• Spoken	Shina, Balti, Kashmiri , Urdu, Purgi
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	194102
Vehicle registration	LA-01
Website	kargil.gov.in

Dras (also spelt Drass, ISO transliteration: Drās), also known locally in Shina as Himababs, Hembabs, or Humas, is a town and hill station, and the headquarters of Drass district of the union territory of Ladakh in India. It is on the NH 1 between Zoji La pass and Kargil. A tourist hub for its high-altitude trekking routes and tourist sites, it is often called "The Gateway to Ladakh". The government's official spelling of the town's name is "Drass".

Etymology

Traditionally, Dras is known as Hem-babs, which means "snow land"; the word "Hem" means snow. The average temperature of Dras in winter is -20 degrees Celsius.

Geography

Dras is often called "The Gateway to Ladakh". It is at a height of 10,800 feet (3,300 m) Dras lies in the centre of the valley of the same name (Dras valley). Dras is 140 km from Srinagar and 63 km from Sonmarg. Kargil town is 58 km from Dras on the national highway NH 1 from Srinagar to Leh.

History

In the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir (1846–1947), Dras was part of the Kargil tehsil of the Ladakh wazarat.

During the invasion by Pakistan in 1947-48, the reinforced Gilgit Scouts, having gone over to Pakistan, attacked the Kargil area on 10 May 1948. The Indian army, by then in charge of defending Kashmir, sent reinforcements. However, they could not reach Dras in time and Dras fell to the Gilgitis on 6 June 1948. Kargil and Skardu also fell in short order. In November 1948, the Indian Army launched Operation Bison, supported by tanks, and retook Dras and Kargil. Skardu, however, remained under the control of Pakistan. The 1949 ceasefire line runs 12 km north of Dras through Point 5353.

The ceasefire line was renamed the Line of Control in the 1972 Simla Agreement, in which India and Pakistan agreed to respect the line without prejudice to their stated positions.

However, in the early months of 1999, Pakistani soldiers masquerading as mujahideen, infiltrated the area and took control of the peaks overlooking Dras and the highway, in particular Tololing, 4 km from Dras, and Tiger Hill, 8 km from Dras. They directed artillery fire at Dras and the highway, leading to the Kargil War. The Indian army cleared the Tololing and Tiger Hill peaks by July 1999.

Climate

Dras is the coldest place in India, experiencing an altitude-influenced Continental Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Dsb). Winters are cold with average lows around −20 °C (−4 °F), and as low as −23 °C at the height of winter, which lasts from mid-October to mid-May. Summers start in June and go on up till early September, with average temperatures near 23 °C (74 °F) and little precipitation. Annual precipitation is almost entirely concentrated from December to May when Dras gets around 550 millimetres (21.7 in) water equivalent of snowfall. There is a popular claim as well various signs/boards showing Dras being second coldest inhabited place in the world. However, there is no reliable weather data to substantiate the claim.

Demographics

Ethnicity

The major ethnic groups are the Shina people, who speak the Indo-Aryan language Shina, and the Purigpa people, whose language, similar to Balti, belongs to the Tibetic group. Shina ethnic group forms majority of the population at around 65-70% while the Purgi/Balti ethnic group is a significant minority making up around 30-35% of the population. The local population is 64% male and 36% female. In total the population of Dras per the 2011 Census is 21988. Out of this, 14731 are males while 7257 are females. This block has 2767 kids in the age bracket of 0–6 years. Among them 1417 are boys and 1350 are girls.

Religion

The population is almost 100% Muslim. The Shina people are mostly Sunni making up around 65-75% population while they Purigi/Balti people are mostly Shias forming 25-35% of the population. The kashmiris are a very small minority and are Sunni muslims. Islam first arrived to the region due to the influence of Kashmiri merchants. Drass is the only area (now a district) in Ladakh where Sunni muslims comprise the majority of population.

Culture

Many inhabitants of Dras cultivate primary crops like barley. The locals also raise livestock like cattle and ponies.

Common foods in the diet of the people include potatoes, barley, lamb, mutton and drinks like tea. Polo is a very popular pastime in Dras.

Tourism

Dras has been developed as a tourist destination since 1999, following the Kargil War, when visitors came to see the war zone. The Kargil War Memorial is 7 km from Dras.

References

1. "Revenue Villages | District Kargil, Union Territory of Ladakh | India".
2. ^ Singh Negi, Sharad (2002). Cold Deserts of India. Indus Publishing. p. 226. ISBN 8173871272.
3. "Page on Dras from". ladakh-kashmir.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
4. "About District | District Kargil, Union Territory of Ladakh | India". Retrieved 23 November 2024.
5. Schuh, Dieter (2014). "Drass". Tibet-Encyclopaedia.
6. Karim, Kashmir The Troubled Frontiers 2013, pp. 30–31.
7. Cheema, Crimson Chinar 2015, pp. 48, 102–103.
8. Cheema, Crimson Chinar 2015, pp. 111–112.
9. Swami, Praveen (11 August 2000). "Pakistan still occupies key Dras point". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
10. "Climate of Jammu & Kashmir" (PDF). Dras is on page 126, the low temperature page 124: India Meteorological Department. Retrieved 18 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
11. ^ "Page 4. Rambirpur (Drass)". Censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
12. ^ Aabedi, Zain-ul-aabedin (2009). Emergence of Islam in Ladakh. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. p. 35. ISBN 978-81-269-1047-2.
13. ^ Keatinge, Hilary (1993). "The Road to Leh". Aramco World. Archived from the original on 12 February 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
14. Bhan, Mona (2013). Counterinsurgency, Democracy, and the Politics of Identity in India: From Warfare to Welfare?. Routledge. pp. 1, 178–179. ISBN 978-1-13450-983-6.

Bibliography

• Cheema, Brig Amar (2015), The Crimson Chinar: The Kashmir Conflict: A Politico Military Perspective, Lancer Publishers, pp. 51–, ISBN 978-81-7062-301-4
• Karim, Maj Gen Afsir (2013), Kashmir The Troubled Frontiers, Lancer Publishers LLC, pp. 30–, ISBN 978-1-935501-76-3

External links

• Drass travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Dras
• Kargil area Archived 28 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine

v t e Union Territory of Ladakh
Capital: Kargil; Leh
State symbols	Animal: Snow leopard Bird: Black-necked crane
History	Pre-Independent India Maryul Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh Tibet–Ladakh–Mughal war Treaty of Tingmosgang Dogra–Tibetan War Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir Post-Independent India 1947–1948 India-Pakistan War 1948 military operations in Ladakh 1971 battle of Turtuk 2010 Ladakh floods 2019 Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh reorganisation Conflicts Demchok conflict India–China conflict India–Pakistan conflict Kashmir conflict Siachen conflict
Administration	Districts Politics of Ladakh Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh Ladakh Police Ladakh Renewable Energy Development Agency Jammu and Kashmir High Court Lieutenant Governors Ladakh (Lok Sabha constituency)
Geography	General Four types of Himalayan ranges Geology of the Himalaya Ranges Baltoro Muztagh Ladakh Range Saltoro Mountains Zanskar Range Kailash Range Plateau Depsang Plains More plains Sirijap Teram Shehr Plateau Valleys Leh Rupshu Salt Valley Mushkoh Valley Padum Shyok Suru Valley Nubra Zanskar Aryan valley Glaciers Chumik Glacier Drang-Drung Glacier Machoi Glacier Parkachik Glacier Shafat Glacier Siachen Glacier Lakes Tso Moriri Pangong Tso Rivers Sutlej Beas Ravi Shyok Chenab Drass River Indus Zanskar Tsarap Doda Yapola Suru River Markha Galwan Chip Chap Passes Bilafond La Chang la Fotu La Gyong La Indira Col Karakoram Pass Khardung La Kongka Pass Lachulung La Taglang La Marsimik La Namika La Pensi La Rezang La Rimo Sasser Pass Sia La Shingo La Spanggur Gap Zoji La Mountain peaks Bana Top Chumik Kangri Ghent Kangri Gurung Hill India Saddle K12 Saltoro Kangri Sherpi Kangri Tiger Saddle
Human settlements	Meenamarg Burtse Chalunka Chemrey Chushul Daulat Beg Oldi Demchok Diskit Dras Dzingrulma Fukche Hemis Hanle Kargil Khalatse Leh Likir Murgo Nimo Nyoma Padum Panamik Purne Rangdum Sankoo Sasoma Shey Shyok Thiksey Thoise Turtuk Ukdungle Upshi Zangla
Culture	General Music of Ladakh Languages Ladakhi Purgi Balti Zangskari Changthang Brokskat Festivals Bono-na festival
Tourism and wildlife	Wildlife Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary Hemis National Park Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary Tourism Khurnak Fort Ladakh Marathon Shanti Stupa, Ladakh Siachen Base Camp Indo-Tibetan Buddhist monasteries Alchi Bardan Basgo Chemrey Diskit Hanle Hemis Hundur Korzok Karsha Lamayuru Likir Lingshed Mashro/Matho Monastery Mulbekh Namgyal Tsemo Phugtal Phyang Rangdum Rizong Sani Sankar Saspul Shey Monastery Spituk Stakna Stok Stongdey Takthok Thikse Tserkarmo Tonde Wanla Zangla Zongkul
Transport	Airports Kargil Airport Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (Leh) Military AGLs Roads Darbuk–Shyok–DBO Road India-China Border Roads Leh–Manali Highway NH1 Leh–Kargil–Srinagar Highway Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road (under construction) Sasoma–Saser La Road Railway Bhanupli–Leh line (Planned) Srinagar–Leh line (Planned)
Infrastructure	General Indian Astronomical Observatory Dams and hydroelectric project Chutak Dumkhar Salal Education Central Institute of Buddhist Studies Defence Institute of High Altitude Research Druk White Lotus School Eliezer Joldan Memorial College Leh, Ladakh Government Degree College, Kargil Phuktal Monastic School Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh University of Ladakh
See also	Borders Line of Actual Control Line of Control Actual Ground Position Line Other Curious BRO roadsigns

• Cities and towns in Kargil district
• Kargil War
• Hill stations in Ladakh
• Kargil
• Geography of Ladakh