India / Jammu & Kashmir/ Ladakh/ Ladakh

Sight Address : Dha and Hanu are two villages situated in the Dhahanu valley, about 163 km southwest of Leh in Ladakh. Edit

Detail InformationEdit

Dha hanu, being on lower altitude is warmer than Leh and many fruits and vegetable grown here. The valley in the main settlement of the Dards in Ladakh called Drokpa or sometimes pronounced Brokpa. The Dards of Dah Hanu are nominally Buddhist but also worship their own Pantheon of gods. They have an Indo-European appearance in contrast to the predominant Tibeto-Mongol inhabitants of Ladakh. They are believed to the descendent of pure Aryan race, migrated to this area via Gilgit around 1000 year ago from Central Asia. They live in very primitive conditions even when judged by the standards of Ladakh. The Drokpa or sometime Brokpa is a Dardic community residing in the Dha-Hanu valley in Ladakh. They speak an archiac Shina language.
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HistoryEdit

Dha and Hanu village are settlements of Drokpa or Brokpa community in Ladakh. Renowned as ‘the Land of Aryans’, The village is located about 163 km northwest of Leh at the confluence of rivers Shyok and Indus in Kargil region in Jammu and Kashmir. According to popular belief, the Brokpas were part of the army of Alexander the Great and came to the region over two thousand years ago. The Brokpas reside in five villages; however, tourists are allowed only in two villages – Dha and Hanu. Besides tourists, the villages also attract anthropologists. The custom of marrying within the community has ensured the Brokpas have retained their distinctive features. Brokpa have fair complexion and blue coloured eyes. The custom of marrying within the community has, however, limited the population of Brokpas. The community hardly numbers over 2000. Drokpa or Brokpa community is racially and culturally distinct from the common Ladakhis. The community has a unique sense of dressing. The community especially women makes it a practice to wear flowers on their hats. The practice has earned them the sobriquet of flower women of Ladakh. The community also practices polyandry. Unlike rest of Ladakh which is predominantly Buddhist, Brokpas are animist and follow the Bon religion. They consider Ibex as sacred animal. The Brokpa people have preserved their traditions and rituals over the ages.
The villages of the Brokpas are also famous for their scenic splendour. Unlike the spartan landscape of Ladakh, the Brokpa villages have more green cover. Temperature in the villages is also higher than in other parts of Ladakh which has also led to the thriving vegetation. Temperature during summer reaches up to 40 degree Celsius. Isolated from the modern world, the community mainly thrives on horticulture. Apricot and apples are the main crops. Apricots, especially from Dha, are renowned for their sweetness. The apricot stones are used for producing oil.

Must SeeEdit

Attraction.

Visiting TimeEdit

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Closed OnEdit

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Best Season to VisitEdit

June to October.

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning , Afternoon, Evening.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

4-5 hours.

Ticket Required : No Edit

Individual National Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A.

Video Camera Rs. : N.A.

Guide Required : No Edit

Approximate cost: N.A.

Dress Code (If Any) : N.A. Edit

Dress Require: No

Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

How to ReachEdit

Taxi : This place is well connected by road.Dha and Hanu are two villages situated in the Dhahanu valley, about 163 km southwest of Leh and is easily accessible by taxis from leh within 3-4 hrs.

BUS : Himachal Tourism and State Transport Corporation along with J&K SRTC and several other travel companies run regular bus service to Leh. From Leh you can take bus to the Dha and Hanu situated in the Dhahanu valley, about 163 km southwest of Leh in Ladakh.

Train : The closest railway station is Jammu, there are regular train services from Delhi and many other cities to Jammu railway station, from Jammu you can take buses or taxi ride to Srinagar and then to Leh. From Leh you can take bus or taxi to to Dha and Hanu is about 163 km southwest of Leh in Ladakh.If you are for more adventures you can also rent bikes, available on rent in Leh and will cost you anywhere between rupees 600 a day for an Enfield to rupees 300 for others.

Air : Nearest Airport is Leh Airport .The following airlines (Kingfisher, Jet Airways, and Air India) operate regular flights to Leh from Delhi, Jammu and Srinagar. The duration of Delhi-Leh flight is just an hour long. Better booked the air-tickets before 2 or 3 months in advance because during May to October tickets prices are very high due to heavy tourist influx. From Leh you can take bus or taxi to dha hanu valley from Leh. If you are for more adventures you can also rent bikes, available on rent in Leh and will cost you anywhere between rupees 600 a day for an Enfield to rupees 300 for others.

Others : Truck : Trucks often stop for hitchhikers, who are usually expected to pay half the bus fare, bargaining may be necessary. They are slower than the buses and sometimes stop for long periods to unload cargo.

Things to CarryEdit

• Carry your own food & plenty of drinking water.
• Carry woolan cloths,camera etc.

Safety / WarningEdit

• Ladakh is one of the safest parts of India, and the most basic precautions are enough to keep you and your possessions safe. Most of the region is dotted with military cantonments every 50-80 kms, but mainly because of its strategic position on international border between India and China. The army plays major part in rescue and aid efforts and that is why you will require to produce identification documents or written permission from local authorities before entering some remote places.

HelplineEdit

• Police Control Room : 100
• Fire Station : 101
• Ambulance : 102/108

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