I am fascinated by forts and when I came to know about Zorawar Fort in Ladakh, I decided to visit it. Zorawar Fort is off the tourist radar. No tourist visits it, or perhaps, very few do. My compatriots were not enthusiastic about it, so I decided to locate and visit it on my own.
I had two hours between 6 am and 8 am, and no vehicle at my disposal. I was not expecting anything spectacular. If it was so, it would not have escaped the tourist radar. The majestic Shanti Stupa, for instance, built in recent times by the Japanese atop a hill in the Himalayan mountain range, is quite a popular place in Ladakh.
On the previous night, I had seen a nondescript board near the Leh city bazaar indicating the direction to Zorawar Fort, although not the distance. So, I had no idea how far it was from my camp in Leh.
It was a misty morning. I walked briskly towards the fort. The challenge was in reaching the fort, spending at least some time in and around the fort, clicking a few pictures, and then returning to the base camp (hotel) in time for the onward journey without making my fellow compatriots wait. I had, of course, embarked upon my mini adventure without informing anybody. They would have been asleep anyway.
My quick strides were briefly interrupted twice. Once to ask a young person, who just came out of a roadside Buddhist temple turning the prayer wheels, to ask and ensure if I was in the right direction. I made sure that it was not very far from that spot. My second interruption was for taking a picture of a yak. The yak looks menacing like a bull. But I was told that yaks were docile and harmless.
Walking briskly in the cold morning, I finally reached the fort. As forts go, it was not an impressive one. Yet, I was glad that I had accomplished my mission. As expected, there was no one around the fort. It was too early in the day for anybody to be there. I quickly took a few pictures. I realised that I had only about 30 minutes to return to my hotel and literally started to trot, canter and gallop so as not to be left behind by my colleagues. Of course, they wouldn’t leave me behind, but I would have to listen to a litany of abuses.
Every fort has a story behind it. Zorawar Fort was constructed in 1836 on the orders of Wazir Zorawar Singh (1786-1841), a general of Maharaja Gulab Singh of Dogra dynasty. He was known for his struggle against the Chinese rulers over Ladakh. He was an expert in mountain warfare, extending the boundaries of India in the north. It goes to the credit of Zorawar Singh that Ladakh became a part of India after its independence in 1947.
The fort is made of a local type of grey clay, sun-dried bricks, stones and wooden frames. The fort may not be very impressive today because it was abandoned and neglected for a long time. But the stories of valour of Zorawar Singh will instill a sense of patriotism and the legend behind the fort is enough to be proud of such a monument.
The fort is a national monument managed by the Indian Armed Forces. It is dedicated to Ladakhi and Dogra warriors, experts in high-altitude warfare. No wonder then they are nicknamed ‘snow warriors’ or ‘snow leopards’. The Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre is located in the vicinity. The insignia of the regiment is ibex, a goat which lives in the nearby mountains.