Sonamarg
| Sonamarg | |||
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 India
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| Union Territory : | Jammu and Kashmir | ||
| District : | Ganderbal | ||
| Location : | 34 ° 18 ′ N , 75 ° 18 ′ E | ||
| Height : | 2720 m | ||
| Residents : | 500 | ||
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Sonamarg ('gold meadow') is a small, scattered Himalayan town with around 500 inhabitants on the old Silk Road in the Ganderbal district in the Indian Union of Jammu and Kashmir . The place was used as a hill station during the British colonial times.
location
Sonamarg is located in the valley of the river Sind at an altitude of about 2720 m above sea level. d. M .; the 3528 m high Zoji La Pass is only about 20 km further east. The distance to the city of Srinagar is about 80 km in a south-westerly direction; the cities of Kargil and Leh in the Ladakh region are about 123 and 335 km northeast and east, respectively. The road from Srinagar to Leh is usually closed from late October to mid-April.
Population and economy
The population originally resident here already has clear Tibetan facial features, but people from other regions of India have also immigrated in the last decades of the 20th century. In the past, the green meadows of the valley, which was covered in snow for a long time in winter, were used as pastures. It was not until the 18th or 19th century that some former cattle nomads or caravan members settled down here. Today the place still lives from cattle breeding, but hiking and trekking tourism also makes a significant contribution to the income.
history
Sonamarg was an important supply point for humans and animals on the edge of the Silk Road coming from Tibet . The British took advantage of the comparatively European-looking climate in summer and founded one of their hill stations here . The place is now also popular with Indians and European hiking and trekking tourists.
Attractions
- The scattered place has no historically or culturally significant sights; However, the charming landscape in the area is ideal for hiking.
- The Sind River is also popular with white water canoeists.
- Surroundings
- The Amarnath -Höhle with a regularly forming in the summer months of July and August Shiva - lingam made of ice is about 30 km to the east.
- The Kolahoi Mountain with its imposing glacier is about 30 km south.
- Several mountain lakes surrounded by five-thousanders ( Vishansar Lake , Krishansar Lake , Gadsar Lake , Satsar Lake , Gangbal Lake ) are ideal for hiking tours.
