05/08/2021
When are you planning to visit Turtuk in Ladakh?
Turtuk, one of the most fascinating journeys in Ladakh is a less popular destination recently opened for tourists. If you have a thirst for a beautiful location this is the place for you, located in the northwest of Ladakh. It is a border village that was recaptured by the Indian Army in 1971 when the Indian Army captured Turtuk during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Before 1947, Turtuk was part of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir ruled by the Dogras. Culturally and ethnically, Turtuk is an extension of Baltistan. The changing geopolitics between India and Pakistan divided the Balti people and separated Turtuk from Baltistan, which now lies predominately in Gilgit-Baltistan, in Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir. Locals have relatives across the border (Line of Control) and depend mainly on farming of vegetables, apricots besides providing mules and porters to the Indian Army as well as Tourists. On the night of December 13, 1971, the people of this village went to sleep in Pakistan. The next morning, they woke up in India.