Connect with us

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Epicentre of stand-off  between Sino-Indian forces has unique Kashmir connection | KNO

‘Galwan valley named after man of Kashmiri descent who explored it in 1889’

Published

on

kno news

Srinagar, May 27 (KNO): The Galwan river valley, which is the epicenter of standoff between India and Chinese forces in the newly carved out Union Territory of Ladakh, has a unique connection with Kashmir Valley. The geographical region is named after Ghulam Rasool Galwan whose ancestors ran away from Kashmir and settled in Ladakh. News agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), researched that Galwan was the first person to explore the Valley in 1899 when he was part of an expedition team that was exploring the areas to the north of the Chang Chenmo Valley. After working with English and American travellers in the region, he was appointed as Akasakal of Ladakh- the chief native assistant of the British Joint Commissioner, who under a commercial treaty between Great Britian and Maharaja of Kashmir, was an authority over the traders meeting at Leh to exchange goods coming in caravans from India, Tibet and Turkistan.  He died in 1925. In his autobiography book “Servants of Sahibs”, Ghulam Rasool Galwan traces his roots to Kashmir Valley. In the book written in broken English, Galwan states that his great grandfather “Kala Galwan (Black Robber)” was a clever robber. “He climbed high walls like a cat. He never lived in a house,” he writes. Galwan  says his great grandfather robbed rich and gave much money to poor and even Maharaja of Kashmir was afraid of him. As per the book, Galwan says Maharaja hatched a conspiracy with one of trusted friends of his great grandfather to catch him. According to Rassaul, his great grandfather fell into the well dug by his friend in his house and was caught by sepoys of Maharaja. Later, he says, Kala was hanged to death and many persons from his community ran away to different places, fearing the same fate at hands of Maharaja. “My grandfather came to Baltistan. My grandfather’s name was Mahmut Galwan,” he writes in the book. Sir Francis Younghusband, a British Army officer and explorer, writes that Ghulam Rasool Galwan behaved as a gentleman in every situation. “He came of the very poorest. He started as a simple village lad. But in every situation he behaved like a gentleman,” he writes. In his book—“Into the Untravelled Himalaya: Travels, Treks, and Climbs” Harish Kapadia writes that  Ghulam Rasool Galwan was among the pony-men taken on by Lord Dunmore to the Pamirs in 1890.  “He served a host of other explorers and travellers: Younghusband, Longstaff, Phelps , Church , Wellby and Littledale—particularly on the route along the Shyok,” he mentions. In 1914, he states that Galwan was appointed as the caravan leader (a very prestigious post) of the big Italian scientific expedition of Filippo de Filippi, which explored the Rimo glacier systems and spent several months in the area—(KNO)

Trending

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

CEO issues guidelines for Printers, Publishers of J&K | KNO

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

General Elections-2024 | KNO

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

Patients suffer as Nagbal Yousmarg PHC operates from rented building | KNO

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

Meet Abdul Gaffar Kanihami, the man preserving Kashmiri folk music legacy for decades | KNO

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

Entire JK lives in Jammu, city deserves quality infrastructure: Ghulam Nabi Azad | KNO

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

Baramulla admin geared up for free & fair elections: DEO Sherpa | KNO

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

Ramadan sees surge in street begging across Srinagar, elsewhere | KNO

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

Young Kulgam writer authors three books, delves into Einstein's Theory of Relativity | KNO

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

Have collaborated with J&K Police to eradicate drug menace: CCIK | KNO

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

Jammu and Kashmir Government to Fill Over 12,000 Vacancies to Tackle Unemployment | KNO

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

Teacher rationalization: | KNO

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

Centre sets-up tribunals to decide on ban on Muslim Conference factions | KNO

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

J&K admin sabotaging assembly elections, ruling like ‘uncrowned kings’: Omar Abdullah | KNO

TOP STORIES11 hours ago

In 5 years, MHA bans 9 separatist groups in J&K | KNO

TOP STORIES1 days ago

CRPF Sgr Sector wraps up inter-operational battalion tournament with spectacular finale | KNO

TOP STORIES1 days ago

In touch with Centre for more security forces, will ensure optimum utilisation of all forces in LS Polls: DGP Swain | KNO

TOP STORIES2 days ago

BJP will win 400 seats in LS elections: Tarun Chugh | KNO

Copyright © 2021