https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Hot_Springs%2C_Chang_Chenmo_ValleyHot Springs, Chang Chenmo Valley - Revision history2026-08-05T06:53:27ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hot_Springs,_Chang_Chenmo_Valley&diff=503127&oldid=prevCharliVangundy: done2025-09-26T23:58:38Z<p>done</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian border outpost in Ladakh, India}}<br />
{{About|the Indian border outpost|the Chinese border outpost|Wenquan, Changlung Valley}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2020}}<br />
{{Infobox settlement<br />
| name = Hot Springs <br />
| other_name = <br />
| native_name = Kyam<br />
| native_name_lang = <!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} instead --><br />
| settlement_type = Border checkpost<br />
| image_skyline = <br />
| image_alt = <br />
| image_caption = <br />
| etymology = <br />
| nickname = <br />
| pushpin_map = India Ladakh#India<br />
| coordinates = {{Coord|34.2994|78.9501<br />
|format=dms|display=inline,title}}<br />
| elevation_ft = 15400<br />
| elevation_footnotes ={{sfnp|Gazetteer of Kashmir and Ladak|1890|p=496}}<br />
| population_total = <br />
| subdivision_type = Country<br />
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}<br />
| subdivision_type1 = Union territory<br />
| subdivision_name1 = [[Ladakh]]<br />
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]<br />
| subdivision_name2 = [[Leh district|Leh]]<br />
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --><br />
}} __NOTOC__<br />
<br />
'''Hot Springs''' (traditional name: '''Kyam'''<ref name="India1883"/>) is a campsite and the location of an Indian [[border outpost]] in the [[Chang Chenmo River]] valley in [[Ladakh]] near the disputed border with [[China]]. It is so named because there is a [[hot spring]] at this location.<ref name="India1883">{{cite book |author=Geological Survey of India |title=Lydekker: The Geology of Kashmir and Chamba Territories and the British District of Khagan |series=Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India |volume=XXII |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V0D9UyEecu8C&pg=PA44 |year=1883 |publisher=Government of India |page=44 |quote=Gogra and Kyam"" In the Changchenmo valley near the halting place Gogra (Gokra) and Kyam (Kium) hot springs are numerous. ... The spring at Kyam has a temperature of 147°F.}}</ref> The [[Line of Actual Control]] near [[Kongka Pass]] is only {{convert|3|km|mi|0}} to the east.<ref name="jindal">{{Cite magazine<br />
| title = The Story of Hot Springs<br />
| first = Akash<br />
| last = Jindal<br />
| issue = Special Issue on Police Martyrdom<br />
| magazine = Indian Police Journal<br />
| issn = 0537-2429<br />
| date = Nov–Dec 2018<br />
| access-date = 4 January 2020<br />
| pages = 20–33<br />
| url = https://bprd.nic.in/WriteReadData/CMS/Spl.%20issue%20of%20IPJ.pdf<br />
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231213130539/https://bprd.nic.in/WriteReadData/CMS/Spl.%20issue%20of%20IPJ.pdf<br />
| archive-date = 13 December 2023<br />
| quote = (p. 22) Karam Singh of ITBF was assigned the task of establishing outposts near the Chinese Occupation Line ... "Hot Springs" was barely three Km far from the site where Chinese Army had intruded.<br />
}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Name ==<br />
Historically, the name for the hot spring was ''Kyam''<ref name="India1883"/> (''Kiam'', ''Kayam''<ref name="white_paper"/>). The Chinese still refer to it by this name.<ref>{{Cite web<br />
| title = 中华人民共和国外交部给印度驻华大使馆的照会（1965年9月16日）<br />
| trans-title = Note by the Chinese Foreign Ministry to the Indian Embassy in China (16 September 1965)<br />
| publisher = RedChinaCn.net<br />
| date = 2017-08-16<br />
| access-date = 4 January 2020<br />
| url = http://redchinacn.net/portal.php?mod=view&aid=33050&page=3<br />
| language = zh<br />
| quote = 基阿姆温泉建立哨所<br />
}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Geography ==<br />
[[File:Changchenmo-Valley-map-Survey-of-India-1916.jpg|thumb|left|270px|Changchenmo Valley in a Survey of India map of 1916]]<br />
Geologist [[Frederic Drew]] states that the Chang Chenmo river flows on a barren gravel bed, with occasional [[alluvium|alluvial]] patches where vegetation is found. Hot Springs is one such location. In the vicinity are also other such patches, named '''Pamzal''', [[Tsogtsalu]] (or ''Tsolu'') and [[Gogra, Ladakh|Gogra]]. They were historical halting places for travellers and trading caravans, with a supply of water, fuel and fodder. Nomadic Ladakhi graziers also used them for grazing cattle.<ref name=Drew>{{cite book |last=Drew |first=Frederic |title=The Jummoo and Kashmir Territories: A Geographical Account |url=https://archive.org/details/jummooandkashmi00drewgoog/page/n5 |year=1875 |publisher=E. Stanford |via=archive.org |pages=329–330}}</ref><br />
<br />
A large tributary called [[Kugrang River|Kugrang]] joins the Chang Chenmo River near Hot Springs. Gogra is in the valley of the Kugrang River, northwest of Hot Springs. The [[Changlung River]] flows in from the northeast to join Kugrang at this location.<ref name=Drew/><ref name="Ward1896"><br />
{{cite book |last=Ward |first=A.E. |title=The Tourist's And--sportsman's Guide to Kashmir and Ladak, &c |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3opNAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA106 |year=1896 |publisher=Thacker, Spink |page=106 |quote=The Changlung stream joins the Kugrang near Gogra}}<br />
</ref><ref name="Hayward1870"><br />
{{cite journal |last1=Hayward |first1=G. W. |title=Journey from Leh to Yarkand and Kashgar, and Exploration of the Sources of the Yarkand River |journal=Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London |volume=40 |year=1870 |pages=33–37 |issn=0266-6235 |doi=10.2307/1798640 |jstor=1798640 |quote=(p. 33) 'Kiam' and 'Gogra' located near bottom of last map insert ... (p. 37) Chang Chenmo is now well known, being visited every year by at least half-a-dozen officers on long leave to Kashmir. The game to be found...}}<br />
</ref><br />
<br />
According to the ''Gazetteer of Kashmir and Ladak'', there are "celebrated" hot springs at Kyam, which were visited by the Ladakhis of the [[Pangong Tso|Pangong]] district and the Tibetans of the [[Rudok]] district. The water had a temperature of {{cvt|179|F|C}} in August and was suffused with soda and sulphur. The local people believed that it was beneficial for ailments like rheumatism.{{sfnp|Gazetteer of Kashmir and Ladak|1890|pp=496–497}} The springs are believed to arise from the geological fault represented by the Changchenmo Valley, which separates the Paleozoic, Triassic and Jurassic rocks of the Karakoram range to the north from the older Paleozoic rocks to the south.<ref>{{citation |first=Emil |last=Trinkler |title=Notes on the Westernmost Plateaux of Tibet |journal=The Himalayan Journal |volume=3 |year=1931 |url=https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/03/5/notes-on-the-westernmost-plateaux-of-tibet/}}</ref>{{efn|The Changchenmo depression is now recognized as a geological fault called the ''Longmu Co fault'', part of the larger Longmu–Gozha Co fault system.<ref><br />
{{cite journal |last1=Chevalier |first1=Marie-Luce |last2=Pan |first2=Jiawei |last3=Li |first3=Haibing |last4=Sun |first4=Zhiming |last5=Liu |first5=Dongliang |last6=Pei |first6=Junling |last7=Xu |first7=Wei |last8=Wu |first8=Chan |title=First tectonic-geomorphology study along the Longmu–Gozha Co fault system, Western Tibet |journal=Gondwana Research |volume=41 |year=2017 |pages=411–424 |issn=1342-937X |doi=10.1016/j.gr.2015.03.008|bibcode=2017GondR..41..411C }}<br />
</ref>}}<br />
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==Transport==<br />
<br />
Within India, it is reachable via [[Tsogtsalu]], which is further connected to mainland India via two motorable roads, the "[[Chang Chenmo River#PMTHR|Phobrang-Marsimik La-Tsogtsalu-Hot Springs Road]]" (PMTHR) or "Marsimik La Road" via [[Phobrang]]-[[Marsimik La]]-Tsogstsalu to Hot Springs,<ref name=etau2>[https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2022/jul/22/india-boosts-road-links-to-lac-standoff-points-2479299.html India boosts road links to LAC standoff points], Indian Express, 2 July 2023.</ref><ref name=etau4>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/forbidden-zones-in-ladakh-to-soon-welcome-tourists/articleshow/100512677.cms | title=Forbidden zones in Ladakh to soon welcome tourists | newspaper=Times of India | date=26 May 2023}}</ref><ref name=IE>{{cite news |title=Amid Doklam standoff, MHA asks BRO to build stand-alone road for access to vantage points |newspaper=The Indian Express |date=23 August 2017 |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/mha-asks-bro-to-build-stand-alone-road-for-access-to-vantage-points-4809356/}}</ref> and via the other alternate route the 55 km long "[[Chang Chenmo River#CTR|Changchenmo-Tsogtsalu Road]]" (CTR) from confluence of [[Chang Chenmo River|Changchenmo]] & [[Shyok River]] to Tsogtsalu.<ref name="etau1">{{Cite news |last=Vishnoi |first=Anubhuti |date=2023-08-03 |title=Over 20 Strategic Roads Close to LAC have Year-end Deadline |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/epaper/delhicapital/2023/aug/03/et-poli/over-20-strategic-roads-close-to-lac-have-year-end-deadline/articleshow/102366166.cms |access-date=2024-10-30 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}</ref><br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
In the late 1800s, the Maharaja [[Ranbir Singh (Maharaja)|Ranbir Singh]] at the request of the British made improvements to the trails and facilities of the Gogra campsite in order to improve trade with Yarkand.<ref>{{cite book |title=Accounts and Papers |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IStcAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA5-PA25 |series=East India |volume=XLIX |date=1874 |publisher=House of Commons, British Parliament |pages=23–33 |quote=(p. 23) From Gogra there are two routes to Shadula in Yarkand (p. 33) Every endeavour has been made to improve the Changchenmo route--serais having been built at some places, and depots of grain established as far as Gogra}}</ref> The valley was also a popular hunting spot for British officers on leave.<ref name="Hayward1870"/><ref>{{cite magazine |author=H.I.N. |title=Sport in the Changchenmo Valley, Ladakh. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TX9IAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PR4 |volume=15 |year=1902 |publisher=Hudson & Kearns |page=iv |magazine=[[The Navy and Army Illustrated]] |location=London}}</ref><br />
<br />
In Autumn 1959, the [[Kongka Pass incident]] occurred near here. At the time, the [[Central Reserve Police Force]] (CRPF) personnel{{efn |The units manning the post were called "Indo-Tibetan Border Force" but they were regular members of the CRPF.<ref>[https://www.police.gov.in/content/martyr-detail/index.php?id=7901 Martyrs of CRPF]{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, police.gov.in (Indian Police web site), Retrieved 29 January 2020.</ref> The present [[Indo-Tibetan Border Police]] was raised later in 1962.}} were given the mandate of constructing this camp.<ref name="jindal"/> During the construction, the scouting team was captured by the [[People's Liberation Army|PLA]] who had advanced to Kongka Pass since the previous years. On 21 October, the search team tasked to find the missing scouts encountered the Chinese and were caught in a firefight. That led to the death of 9 members during the firefight and 1 member later due to his injuries.{{Efn|[[B. N. Mullik]] dedicated his book "The Chinese Betrayal" to the nine policemen who lost their lives on 21 October 1959 near Hot Springs.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mullik |first=BN |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.pahar.3408 |title=My Years with Nehru--The Chinese Betrayal |publisher=Allied |year=1971 |pages=Dedication page |quote=To the memory of THE NINE POLICEMEN (capitalization in text) who were killed by the Chinese near Hotsprings in Ladakh on October 21, 1959, and who, by their supreme sacrifice, made the country aware of the true nature of Communist China. |via=archive.org and PAHAR}}</ref>|name=|group=}}<ref name="white_paper">{{Cite web<br />
| title = Notes, Memoranda and letters Exchanged and Agreements signed between The Governments of India and China <br />
| work = White Paper III<br />
| publisher = Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India<br />
| via = [[Claude Arpi]]<br />
| date = November 1959 – March 1960<br />
| access-date = 4 January 2020<br />
| url = http://www.claudearpi.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/WhitePaper3NEW.pdf<br />
| quote = [Chinese interrogation of Karam Singh] We established a checkpost at Kayam and we had to establish one at Shamul Lungpa. On 20th October, 1959, our two men missed. On the morning of 21st October 1959 Tyagi took 60 men and reached the hill (battle field). ... [Indian debriefing of Karam Singh] we had inadequate cover and the Chinese were in a favourable position ... five of us were made to carry the dead body of a Chinese soldier who had been killed.}}</ref><ref name="bhatnagar">{{Cite magazine |title=Hot Springs: Saga of Heroism |first=R.R. |last=Bhatnagar |issue=Special Issue on Police Martyrdom |magazine=Indian Police Journal |issn=0537-2429 |date=Nov–Dec 2018 |access-date=4 January 2020 |pages=16 |url=http://bprd.nic.in/WriteReadData/CMS/Spl.%20issue%20of%20IPJ.pdf |quote=Fighting gallantly nine men laid down their lives and ten were wounded. Later on, one of the injured also succumbed to his injuries. ... Seven men were taken Prisoners of War by PLA }} </ref> They have been since honored as martyrs by the [[law enforcement in India]] annually on this day. In the 1960s, a Police Memorial was erected here at Hot Springs.<ref name="bhatnagar1"> {{Cite magazine |title=Hot Springs: Saga of Heroism |first=R.R. |last=Bhatnagar |issue=Special Issue on Police Martyrdom |magazine=Indian Police Journal |issn=0537-2429 |date=Nov–Dec 2018 |access-date=4 January 2020 |pages=14–19 |url=http://bprd.nic.in/WriteReadData/CMS/Spl.%20issue%20of%20IPJ.pdf |quote=(p. 17) Ceremonial Homage being paid at Hot Springs Memorial in 1960's (p. 18) The day 21st Oct is befittingly observed as "Police Commemoration Day" and every year, members of police forces from different parts of the country trek to Hot Springs which is currently manned by ITBP to pay homage to the brave hearts who made the supreme sacrifice on 21st October 1959. }}</ref><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
{{chinese<br />
|s=（基阿姆）温泉<br />
|t=（基阿姆）溫泉<br />
|p=(Jī ā mǔ) wēnquán<br />
}}<br />
* [[Hot Springs, Changlung Valley]]<br />
* [[Jianan Pass]] – a border pass in the Kugrang Valley, sometimes called "Hot Springs".<ref>Snehesh Alex Philip, [https://theprint.in/defence/14th-round-of-military-talks-fails-to-break-hot-springs-logjam-breakthrough-likely-next-time/802551/ 14th round of military talks fails to break Hot Springs logjam, breakthrough 'likely next time'], The Print, 13 January 2022.</ref><br />
* [[Tourism in Ladakh#Hot|List of hot springs in Ladakh]]<br />
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==Notes==<br />
{{notelist}}<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
== Bibliography ==<br />
* {{citation |title=Gazetteer of Kashmir and Ladak |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.43256/page/n7 |publisher=Superintendent of Government Printing |location=Calcutta |year=1890 |ref={{sfnref|Gazetteer of Kashmir and Ladak|1890}}}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
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* [https://twitter.com/itbp_official/status/921656686263201792 Remembering supreme sacrifice of martyrs of CRPF on this day at Hot springs, Ladakh in 1959] - ITBP Twitter<br />
[[Category:Chang Chenmo Valley]]</div>CharliVangundy