Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Skardu

Skardu



Skardu (Urdu: سکردو‎, Balti: སྐར་མདོ་་) is a city in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, and serves as the capital of Skardu District. Skardu is located in the 10 kilometres (6 miles) wide by 40 kilometres (25 miles) long Skardu Valley, at the confluence of the Indus and Shigar Rivers[1] at an elevation of nearly 2,500 metres (8,202 feet). The city is an important gateway to the eight-thousanders of the nearby Karakoram Mountain range. The town is located on the Indus river, whicseparatesKarakoramRange from the Himalayas.[2]  
Etymology
The name "Skardu" is believed to be derived from the Balti word meaning "a low land between two high places."[3] The two referenced “high places" are Shigar city, and the high-altitude Satpara Lake[3]
The first mention of Skardu dates to the first half of the 16th century. Mirza Haidar (1499–1551) described Askardu in the 16th-century text Tarikh-i-Rashidi Baltistan as one of the districts of the area. The first mention of Skardu in European literature was made by Frenchman François Bernier (1625–1688), who mentions the city by the name of Eskerdou. After his mention, Skardu was quickly drawn into Asian maps produced in Europe, and was first mentioned as Eskerdow the map "Indiae orientalis nec non insularum adiacentium nova descriptio" by Dutch engraver Nicolaes Visscher II, published between 1680–1700.
Maqpon period
Skardu was founded around the year 1500 along the Indus River where it enters a broad valley at its confluence with the Shigar River.
Around the year 1500, Maqpon Bokha was crowned ruler, and founded the city of Skardu as his capital.[3] The Skardu Fort was established around this time.[3] During his reign, King Makpon Bokha imported craftsmen to Skardu from Kashmir and Chilas to help develop the area's economy.[3] While nearby Gilgit fell out of the orbit of Tibetan influence, Skardu's Baltistan region remained connected due to its close proximity to Ladakh,[6] the region which Skardu and neighbouring Khaplu routinely fought against.[5] Sikhs traditionally believe that Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, visited Skardu during his second udasi journey between 1510 and 1515.[7]
Dogra rule
In 1839, Dogra commander Zorawar Singh Kahluria defeated Balti forces in battles at Wanko Pass and Thano Kun plains, clearing his path for invasion of the Skardu valley.[14] He seized Skardu Fort on behalf of the Dogra Kingdom based in Jammu.[1] Singh's forces massacred a large number of the garrison's defenders, and publicly tortured Kahlon Rahim Khan of Chigtan in front of a crowd of local Baltis and their chiefs.[15]
Dogra forces failed in their 1841 attempt to conquer Tibet. Following their defeat, Ladakhis rose in rebellion against Dogra rule.[16] Baltis under the leadership of Raja Ahmed Shah soon also rose in rebellion against the Dogras, and so Maharaja Gulab Singh dispatched his commander Wazir Lakhpat to recapture Skardu. His forces were able to convince a guard to betray the garrison by leaving a gate unlocked, thereby allowing Dogra forces to recapture the fort and massacre its Balti defenders.[16] The Raja of the Baltis was forced to pay an annual tribute to the Dogra Maharaja in Jammu, while the fort's provisions were provided for by the Balti Raja.[16]
Following the Dogra victory, Muhammad Shah was crowned Raja of Skardu in return for his loyalty to the Jammu crown during the rebellion, and was able to exercise some power under Dogra administration.[16] Military commanders held real governing power in the area until 1851 when Kedaru Thanedar was installed as a civilian administrator of Baltistan.[16] During this time, Skardu and Kargil were governed as a single district.[16] Ladakh would later be joined to the district, while Skardu would serve as the district's winter capital, with Leh as the summer capital, up until 1947.[16]
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