This Forbidden Valley in the Kishtwar Himalaya is Opening Up after Decades

I have not been this excited about visiting a new place in the Himalayas for a long time. The Paddar region of the Kishtwar Himalayas is absolutely breathtaking and more importantly, for my needs, has a lot of very interesting culture and traditions that are still intact. I plan to focus on this region for the next couple of years and bring some unique stories from there.
00:00 - Introduction to Paddar
01:10 - Meet Abhilash
02:38 - Hike to Dangail
03:57 - Paddar Haveli
06:49 - Sapphire Story
10:28 - Lamo Homestay
10:49 - Snow Camping
12:35 - Route to Zanskar
---
Song : Sontham festival ( • Sontham fastvel 29 30 ... )
---
*********
If possible please consider supporting me on Patreon. It is my one regular source of income these days. It helps me pay my bills and more importantly allows me to invest in the right kind of gear for my work.
/ indiainmotion
If you are from India then recurring payments may not work on Patreon, so you can support by becoming a Member of my Channel.
/ @indiainmotion
Google Pay UPI ID : saravkupi@okaxis (for those who prefer one time contributions. Please drop me a comment or message so that I can thank you).
*********
Follow me on Instagram / indiainmotion
My Travel Kit : kit.co/indiainmotion

[@catsofladakh]

It was between 1850 to 1870 when great scholar master and the 3rd throne holder of Stakna Monastery in Ladakh; Lama Tashi Tamphel who first discovered the presence of Sapphire in the mountains of Padder and mentioned about it to the then King of J&K Raja Hari Singh, who in turn send some samples to London for its authenticity! Later when he get confirmation of the originality of the precious Gem found in his Kingdom, Raja Hari Singh honoroed Lama Tashi Tamphel with cash, which he initially rejected but on the Kings consistent appeal to take the money, Lama took the money and distributed all money to the beggars outside Hari Singh's palace! after knowing of that instance, Raja Hari Singh further requested Lama Tashi Tamphel to ask whatever he wanted from the King, to that he ask the king to waveoff all the tax he had put on the poor residents of Ladakh, since than Hari Singh didn't collected any taxes from Ladakh and further the Raja inscribed an order on a copper plate not to collect any tax from Ladakh. The copper plate with the inscription should have been in Stakna Monastery but it is now at Hemis monastery. The king further alloted a piece of land to Lama Tashi Tamphel of Stakna Monastery at Skara, Leh, which later was taken away by Hemis monastery. Lama Tashi Tamphel of Ladakh who was born in Markha valley contributed immensely towards the welfare of whole Ladakh when Ladakh was under the severe tyranny of Raja Hari Singh and his discovery of Sapphire also contributed immensely to the people of Padder. The trade actually happened with the people of Kinnaur and Spiti and during that time, Padder people exchange Sapphire for Salt with the traders from Spiti and Kinnaur. Today possibly there are traces of sapphire still to be find with many individual households in Kinnaur and Spiti if they didn't sold them further!!!!

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you for sharing this. Very interesting.

[@LeonGustaveStuart1899]

@indiainmotion Namaste bhai. Wow i know many from paldar or paddar Valley. When i was a young teen in 2006 me and my dad had walked over ~Rohtang la when still late winter and was under deep snow. We followed the keylang postmaster over and some other Lahauli. Then there was no outsiders on Lahaul bcos closed off for winter. We went all throughout Lahaul and stayed many places. And we walked from udaipur to the first village In pangi called Purthi. (The road was blocked bcos huge Rock falls and etc) After we stayed we got ride to capital of pangi kilar and stayed there and went up to some bhoti Buddhist village like Sural Bhatori we just walked up into village and asked a Bhoti man if he can put us up (my father speaks Hindi and Tibetan well but I only very little Even now so I just learn haha) We stayed in his simple but warm house for a few nights as deep snow came. Later we returned kilar and went on that very scary road from kilar to The big town of paddar gulabgarh but sadly didn't stop or go up paddar properly. Then we went to kistwar where there was incredibly heavy tensions. With people and army. Later I found out at pretty much exact time we were there some extremist had did incredibly terrible things in villages near Doda. I since then have spoken to many people from paddar. They also have connections to villages we went in pangi and etc. Bhai I hope this valley doesn't to soon get to much tourism. Truly this place should be left. The traditional culture,pristine water, food, belief is much much more important then a few making money off to many tourists. Yes its incredibly tough life especially in winter but the still are incredibly happy. I talk to some also that go study In jammu and etc. This area should truly not be pushed into mass tours and etc. Its a true Gem. I was born and brought up as a Tibetan Buddhist and 5 of my siblings were born in India. 1 in Karnataka and 4 in Himachal Pradesh. I truly love India and especially the Himalayas. You are one of the best on KZbin a you respect these people and you also do things that many not do like trekking and camping in winter in Ladakh, spiti etc. Me and my dad did the ~Parang la from Kibber in spiti to ~Tsomoriri and onto Karzork and Leh. I seen your videos u in the area. I talked to a guy from Madras who is on Twitter with name Kyang and he meet you I Ladakh I think in winter!! Like you he is intrepid. Plesse encourage that this place not be overly touristy to fast. I dnt think it will as I asked some people there and I know you understand what I mean as you spend much time in places where not so many go and also at times of the year where almost none go. And you stay quite long periods with them and they treat you as like family. Your videos truly make me happy. You have a genuine heart my friend. Thank you

[@ridlewrld]

There are many stories about the discovery of sapphires in Paddar. One such story is that locals initially found these gemstones and mistook them for quartz. They sold them to a trader from Lahol along with bauxite, who then sold them in the Shimla market. There, the blue stones were shown to a jeweler who recognized their true value. For decades, illegal extraction of sapphires continued, with the innocent Paddari people selling the sapphires for salt on a weight-for-weight basis. Eventually, the Maharaja learned about this and sent his army to take control of the sapphire extraction

[@withkaushikroy]

Precious information. Many thanks!

[@GOPALSINGH-bc2nl]

The Music is so pure natural prestine. No words can quite describe. Thank you Namah Shivay

[@stanzinkhar405]

that old man using slangs in between is totally innocence 😂

[@vishalsawale4779]

You've delivered on your promise with more videos on India In Motion, and they're making quite a bang! The familiar vibes are nostalgic, and having your videos back on this channel is truly heartfelt.

[@indiainmotion]

Thanks Vishal..

[@azharsheikh1493]

Nice to see you in our beautiful valley.....I'm also from padder❤❤❤

[@HarshvardhanArjariya]

Watching these videos brings me so much peace. It's like I'm actually there, touching those old houses, meeting the people, and soaking in the serene valleys. Huge shoutout for the incredible way you record them, especially with that cultural folk music. It really captures the original vibe of the place and makes it come alive for the viewer.

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you so much Harsh.

[@abhishakemehta]

I did my first machail trek in 2007 and second in 2009, approx 32 KMs one side at that time, we crossed apprx 16 mountains to reach the machail village from paddar. It was a mesmerizing experience at that time and stayed in one of the paddar kothis at night. Memories are refreshed. Great content!!

[@indiainmotion]

That's great to know. Thanks for sharing.

[@mrgyan129]

He is papa of all travel vloggers..GOAT 🙏

[@vinodbisht261]

Last yr in Oct - i visited kishtwar while coming from Sach Pass via Killar & Sural Bhatori on bike....this circuit is a magnet in itself.... & Man kishtwar is❤❤...

[@Whatreally123]

I did the route in reverse (Kishtwar, Killar, Sach Pass) on the now closed off Cliffhanger section. That section was absolutely epic to ride.

[@vinodbisht261]

@@Whatreally123 indeed that cliffhanger is show stopper, however it was closed during my trip☹️☹️ - now i m planning Sach Pass again this time frm Manali side in Oct ...😎😎

[@Whatreally123]

@@vinodbisht261 ya. When I was there in 2021, they were building the new route. Thankfully I did the Cliffhanger. Sach Pass is amazing. Good luck to you. Manali to Pangi valley will be adventurous 👍🏽

[@vinodbisht261]

@@Whatreally123 lucky u my friend, thanks for ur wishes.... happy exploring//riding to u Mate🤝🤝

[@siddharthwazir4607]

@@vinodbisht261 It will soon be opened for the riders again once the roads above it are properly built leaving no scope for fallen stones etc.

[@psng]

Wonderful!!! U r the first person who showed the true picture of paddar,(kishtwar) thank you sir. U still have much more to explore in paddar. ❤

[@indiainmotion]

Yes, definitely

[@Danish_DVS]

I think its among the best videos or maybe the best video about Paddar Kishtwar. Keep making such amazing content.

[@indiainmotion]

Thanks Danish

[@rny_r-z1t]

amazing, the local music took the video to next level

[@dhritibhattacharya8282]

This video made me grateful for the internet :)

[@chanderthakur6960]

Another gem of video, keep discovering and showcasing us the hidden paradise of Himalaya, that background song and music is so soothing❤…

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you very much!

[@Bhaveen-hl1og]

Amazing as always and worth the wait❤❤❤❤

[@ashishjha3867]

Thanks for such videos - have been an ardent fan of your videos since last 5-6 years now and it has helped me always to overcome my anxiety since COVID days till now! Love you sir ji ❤ and loads of heartfelt wishes for your future endeavours too 🎉❤

[@indiainmotion]

That is wonderful to hear. Thank you.

[@Balidan2412]

thank you for showing beauty of Jammu region... Everybody just obsessed with Kashmir.valley. we need to explore Pahadi cultures of Jammu region too...

[@AnilKumar-bh2me]

Its great that u made great friends in mountain

[@chriswil78]

The way you captured the stunning landscapes, the challenges of the climb, and the raw beauty of nature was absolutely breathtaking. Your storytelling is so engaging and made me feel like I was right there with you on the journey. The attention to detail and the effort you put into filming and editing truly shine through in the final product.

[@indiainmotion]

Glad to hear that.. thanks so much for watching.

[@anindyadasgupta3606]

Hi. Were the shoes shown at the end the grass shoes that were commonly used in snow bound expeditions in the old times ? Explorers used to carry 7-8 pairs of them for an expedition it seems .

[@indiainmotion]

@@anindyadasgupta3606 I dont remember the conversation that lead to them showing the shoes. But it definitely wont be used for snow bound expeditions. Their traditional yak leather and yak wool shoes would be better suited for that purpose.

[@user-gg3oy4wr6h]

I have been there from zanskar to kishtwar via oma sila. Amazing places during trekking , trekking, ❤❤❤

[@gagan143]

Great and most Genuine Vlogger i ever known in India

[@shreshthmohan]

bhai vlogger bol ke beizzat mat karo. this is almost documentary level filmmaking

[@theridgelinestories]

Amazing video by you. Beautiful landscapes and it was great to also listen to him describing his experience of falling into the Crevasse.

[@indiainmotion]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@km-fl2gb]

Beautiful experience... yes unexplore destinations.... glad to note now its good to treck now... waiting for more such wonderful locations....

[@timjordan1268]

Thanks for your hard work and dedication.

[@indiainmotion]

You are welcome Tim and thank you so much for the support!

[@mariaalphonso4434]

The local folk music takes the videos many notches up . Hope the innocence of these places remains intact. Thanks for documenting these places and their people.❤❤ 17:00 .❤❤❤❤

[@indiainmotion]

You are welcome Maria.. Roads are being built to these places as we speak. I give it a couple more years before these places are 'developed'

[@tenzennarboo7707]

Truly a genuine informative vlog of our paddar, a real shoutout to acho Tenzin and Acho Gyatso 😉

[@indiainmotion]

Absolutely.. both of them have been incredibly helpful for me.

[@ChillVibesLofimusic]

Loved this My mind is at peace watching this video. Thanks

[@mrholmes3367]

Beautifully depicted Hope you comeup with more videos from the region 🔥

[@Stanbawangsch]

Sir, Your vlog ...is so adventurous and very different from other utube. It is the valley untouched , beautiful and many more to unearth... I trek once from paddar to Zanskar 20years...got fascinated to hear the Sapphire story the way uncle was telling!

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you so much.. that trek must have been amazing. I want to try it sometime but afraid of the glaciers and I do not like going with big groups.

[@Stanbawangsch]

@@indiainmotion sir, I was student then...knew little about the landscape and appropriate know how's about the trek...we took the Akshow la pass.the very last village of the western side of the Zanskar Stod valley. It was in April- May Month...The best is to hire a good local guide or a porter from Sumtsam village...from Paddar valley. One Lama Dokpa in Karsha Monastery is very well known guide for this route.. Sep/Oct is also a good time to start for this trek/ post monsoon. Omasila is higher pass ,,,is also good option. Take very good precautionary measures beolfore you head on!! Wish you a good luck ! Finger crossed for another long awaited episode.

[@dataheartist]

Really well narrated and beautifully shot video, great work Saravana! 👍🏼

[@indiainmotion]

Thanks Anoop

[@thewayfarer468]

You are finally here. Thanks for such a beautiful coverage

[@indiainmotion]

You are welcome..

[@krishpy100]

Beautiful. Made like Poetry in motion..

[@santoshbedwal7229]

Always waiting for video sir,

[@sumitsteyn]

beautiful video, absolutely loved it

[@sivarampalutla4892]

Saravanan, thanks for your video. Amazing, excellent and you nailed it. Great work Bro. Wonderful to experience this.

[@indiainmotion]

Glad to hear that.. thank you.

[@anindyaborgohain2423]

❤❤❤❤ Amazing content. Waiting for next episode

[@kavindersingh5929]

Beautiful and beautiful.. Great Saravana bhai.

[@debabratasengupta3486]

Visited Kistwar when we made a trekking for Brahma Base Camp on 1987.

[@splashingbee]

Really nice depiction of Paddar and superb storytelling.

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you

[@AyushRana-hv8tk]

loved it and the traditional houses are so similar to Pangi as we are neighbouring valleys, it felt so homely to see this❤️

[@indiainmotion]

oh really? that is interesting to know

[@arunnishad1773]

Excellent video as always and you have spoilt us with your high quality content. Now I do not find other guys videos as satisfying as yours.

[@srividya9877]

Sir,your works are awesome.the way you explain in your soothing voice....oh wow.,....i feel like i am living in that place while watching the video.can u give a detailed video of the people living in kishtwar Himalayas (Paddar)..like how the people mingle with each other,their routine life..their education..etc

[@indiainmotion]

thank you for the suggestion.. i will try it next time i visit

[@sunilwalunj7162]

Raja Gulab singh's general Zorawar singh went to ladakh via paddar valley via Umasi la pass (Pass of death) in 1834-35...thenafter General Zorawar singh reached and wins skardu then he reached till Takalakot near Kailas - mansarowar ..tibetian build chortan near takalakot....So paddar valley also has historic background.

[@rmsharma1957]

Thank you for sharing!

[@sukalyan_naskar]

Good to see an upload. :)

[@Rigdoldrukpa800]

Love it sir, drop some more .

[@arupkumarpaul5482]

Feeling lucky to have a friend like you are. Please keep it up.

[@indiainmotion]

Thanks Arup

[@vishalkumarsinha301]

I love your videos! 👍

[@isheetampancholi]

💕 another Jem from you Sarvanji ! The Paddar Haveli _ WoW Humans n their animals Living together - that's how it should be ! n the Shoes w the Bug :) Laage Raho #IndiaInMotion ;)

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you

[@tanvirsingh5783]

great video sir. top notch quality and the background music complements the video. waiting for more videos from kishtwar region.

[@davon0088]

Something about the landscape, the people and the music feels like deep contentment.

[@sourabhkullu]

Excellent vlog Saravana, great locations and great background music 🎶

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you so much 🙂

[@withkaushikroy]

Just incredible....! & also the background score....!

[@indiainmotion]

Thanks Kaushik

[@withkaushikroy]

@@indiainmotion You are just amazing 👏! You deserve a ton of praise!

[@navsenjoy]

Thanks alot. As always beautiful... Had not mistake by subscribing

[@rohitrajr9829]

Wonderful Video :)

[@tashi97spitian59]

Amazing content

[@rajatchauhan17]

Thanks Sharavan Sir for introducing us to PADDAR. 😊🙏 Enjoyed the Vlog and hope see much more in the future. Best Wishes. ❤

[@user-vi7go1dj2o]

Get job Suvarna bhai it's amazing you are such good man I ever meet. Carry on. Bst of luck from zanskar❤❤❤❤

[@atulyanama6092]

It is always a delight to watch your videos sir❤ the way you tell the stories of these beautiful places is just amazing ❤

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you so much 😀

[@rohitkango2064]

great and honest work. Keep it up brother.

[@johanneskop4683]

Superb

[@sham9340]

Best video as usual

[@Prideofpaddar]

Love from the sapphire valley #Padder ...

[@rafirozes6907]

Beautiful place 😻

[@rajeevpushkar]

Awesome vlog ❤❤❤❤

[@rinzinnegi4738]

great video

[@AadiNayudu]

Best Sensible KZbinr ever 🌟

[@yashh0909]

So peaceful

[@gouravshrivastava1602]

Another masterpiece, I ccouldn't stop smiling whenever i see your documentaries

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you so much Gourav

[@MANPREETSINGH-gz4bz]

Excellent content

[@pankajchangotra8711]

Just wow...... amazing sir....u r tremendous

[@indiainmotion]

thank you

[@VijayKBodh]

Thank you for the video in advance! I haven't seen the video yet but I am sure this will be informative like others from you! Wanted to learn about Paddar!

[@KALARAD]

Excellent

[@naturenexus444]

I am from the region of Paddar, and there are many stories about the discovery of sapphires here. One such story is that locals initially found these gemstones and mistook them for quartz. They sold them to a trader from Lahol along with bauxite, who then sold them in the Shimla market. There, the blue stones were shown to a jeweler who recognized their true value. For decades, illegal extraction of sapphires continued, with the innocent Paddari people selling the sapphires for salt on a weight-for-weight basis. Eventually, the Maharaja learned about this and sent his army to take control of the sapphire extraction.

[@indiainmotion]

Yes.. I just read that story in the 1889 archives of the Geological Society

[@diwyanshvats2460]

Thank you so much sir for sharing about Machail it is where my routes are from and haven been their since last 3 years and it’s so much fun to watch everything thank you so much .

[@indiainmotion]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching.

[@RahulSharma-pq2gd]

Our kishtwar 🖤🖤

[@Starchildkulu]

Aaya angreez badsha BC saara le gaya 😂👍 uncle total tribal style ❤

[@indiainmotion]

lol.. he was quite a character

[@sonisharma1208]

Most beautiful village❤❤❤

[@monikagautam8482]

After long time nice vlog

[@arrunngopaal]

Amazing Saravana Ji. Simply outstanding to see the Himalayas from your Camera Lens. Also happy that I bumped on to you last week. All the best for your future expedition.

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you so much Arun, glad you enjoyed the video. It was great meeting you as well. All the very best on your fitness journey.

[@shaillll]

Sir, your videos are very simple which is why they feel very nice to watch. I also from Uttarakhand in the Himalayas, so I feel connected to the videos of these hills. Background music is very beautiful. Thanks once again for lovely videos.

[@indiainmotion]

You are welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@pranjivhazarika3068]

It's incredibly serene to watch your videos. I have been an avid admirer of your work from the very beginning, and I must say that your content never fails to impress me. Your dedication and passion shine through in each video, making them a true delight to watch. Keep up the fantastic work!❤❤

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you so much 😀

[@AJAYKUMAR-zk9xo]

Sir i always wating your vlogs ..❤

[@pramilashivabasappa7643]

Just like a wow. 👌 Sharavana Sir

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you so much.

[@rohitandotra9562]

Wow, this video really blew me away! Your dedication to delivering top-notch content shines through every frame. I love how you constantly push the boundaries and explore unseen areas, taking us on adventures we never even knew existed. Keep up the amazing work, you're truly setting the bar high for quality content on KZbin...i am your suscriber form last 4 years..Please try to keep posting videos on Rebo on wheels..

[@indiainmotion]

Thanks Rohit

[@TheHimalayanLollipopper]

-- thanks for sharing -- ❤❤ --

[@muthua1518]

Another beautiful content and you are using drone from your last video, that's nice. 👌 love from chennai ❤❤❤❤❤ muthu

[@indiainmotion]

I've been using that drone for a very long time.

[@imtiyazahmadi8007]

Love it MAN... For this type of content I pay my internet bill

[@MsGoonerette]

Thank you so much for posting this vlog. I always had this doubt in my mind that how the Perak headdress and other ornaments had saffires and from where Ladakhi and Tibet people used to get those. I had asked locals in Ladakh but they had no clue. Now, i know 😌 Bless you, sir !

[@indiainmotion]

You are welcome.. glad you enjoyed the video and found it informative.

[@mkr30494]

Really Amazing 😍😍

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@seemadatta5634]

😊😊

[@upsccapfdecoded1373]

❤❤❤

[@tondupdorje8477]

❤❤❤❤

[@krishpy100]

Thanks

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you so much for the support

[@hopeuk25]

hey saravana ,do visit dunda uttarkashi of uttarakhand & explore the culture of bhotiya tribe .

[@vishalkumarsinha301]

👍👍👍

[@msridharc]

Thanks!

[@indiainmotion]

Thank you so much Sridhar

[@naanuunkownu]

❤

[@Sharmmand]

❤❤

[@nagarajprasadh]

Advantage of your videos is that we can comment and like without watching them ❤

[@indiainmotion]

I would prefer people to watch them as well.. lol :)