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Padum Padam
Town
View of Padum town from the southwest
PadumLocation in Ladakh, India
Coordinates: 33°27′50″N 76°52′43″E / 33.46389°N 76.87861°E / 33.46389; 76.87861
Country	India
Union Territory	Ladakh
District	Kargil
Tehsil	Zanskar
Government
• Type	Autonomous Hill Development Council
• Body	LAHDC, Kargil
Elevation	3,669 m (12,037 ft)
Population
• Total	1,550
Languages
• Official	Ladakhi, Hindi, Tibetan
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registration	LA 01 XXXX
Website	http://www.kargil.nic.in/

Padum (also known as Padam) is the main town and the administrative centre of the Zanskar tehsil in Kargil district, Ladakh, India. Named after the Buddhist guru Padmasambhava, it was historically one of the two main capitals of the Zanskar Kingdom, the other being Zangla. It is 235 km (146 mi) via the link road from Kargil city (National Highway No. 1D). The new Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road (under construction) connects Padum directly to Leh in the east and to Darcha in Himachal Pradesh.

Description

The present population of Padum town is about 2,000 people. The traditional heart of the village is below the gompa and Palace khar (now in ruins) where two large chortens stand above old buildings. A road was constructed in 1980 from NH1 at Kargil over Pensi La, which is 235 km away. The 145 km road to Darcha passing through Shinkula pass is now operational, connecting to the Manali-Leh Highway. Padum has several hotels, homestays and restaurants for tourists. Padum has a post office, internet cafes and telephone booths.

Geography

Padum is at the centre of the tri-armed Zanskar valley. It has an average elevation of 3,669 m (12,037 ft). There are several villages to the north-east of Padum leading to Karsha monastery.

People

Padum is largely inhabited by people of Tibetan descent who follow Tibetan Buddhism, but there is a sizable Muslim population (accounting for ~40% of the town's population and growing steadily), mainly Balti, who have been present in Padum since the 17th century.

Town

The sub-divisional capital Padum is a town of the Zanskar sub-division or tehsil in the Kargil district of Ladakh state, India. The Zanskar River flows through the valley from its source at the Drang Drung glacier of the Pensi La. The Zanskar River joins the Lungnak River near Pibiting village.

A number of notable Buddhist monasteries are located near Padum, including Bardan Monastery and Karsha Monastery and the newly built Dalai Lama Photang. The Phugtal Monastery is accessible from here. It is a day's trek from Dorzang, the end of the road leading from Padum.

Access

A bus operates between 1 June and 30 September, after which the Manali–Leh (NH21) highway is normally closed. Other roads, including the highway from Leh to Srinagar via Kargil, remain open until the end of October.

The Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road is under construction. The road to Darcha via Purne is open as of spring 2024, and half its length is now 2-lane tarmac, with the remainder unpaved.

Jio Has started providing its 4G connectivity from 2020, and now Padum is also connected to 4G network.

Airtel has also started providing its mobile services in Padum in 2023.

See also

• India-China Border Roads
• Line of Actual Control
• List of disputed territories of India

References

1. Osada et al (2000), p. 298.
2. Osada et al (2000), p. 298.
3. "Phugtal Monastery". Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
4. "Airtel connects Zanskar Valley in Kargil district with superfast Airtel 5G Plus".

Bibliography

• Janet Rizvi. (1996). Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia. Second Edition. Oxford University Press, Delhi. ISBN 0-19-564546-4.
• Osada et al. (2000). Mapping the Tibetan World. Yukiyasu Osada, Gavin Allwright, and Atsushi Kanamaru. Reprint: 2004. Kotan Publishing, Tokyo. ISBN 0-9701716-0-9.
• Schettler, Margaret & Rolf (1981). Kashmir, Ladakh & Zanskar. Lonely Planet Publications. South Yarra, Victoria, Australia. ISBN 0-908086-21-0.

External links

• Photos of Padum
• Images taken at the Karsha Monastery, near Padum Archived 2 April 2015 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
• Ladakh
• Geography of Ladakh