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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Testa
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name = Tetha
| nickname =
| settlement_type = village
| image_skyline = South Testa Lungnak Zanskar Jun24 A7CR 01199.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Testa village from the south
| pushpin_map = India Ladakh
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|33.1782023|N|77.1666792|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Ladakh]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 = 1.71
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 3,980
| population_total = 460
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 =
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number]]
| postal_code = 194302
| registration_plate =
| website = https://kargil.nic.in/
| footnotes =
}}

'''Testa''' (also '''Tetha''') is a small village in the Lungnak valley in [[Zanskar|Zanskar tehsil]], [[Kargil district]], [[Ladakh]], [[India]]. The village is situated on a plateau at the base of a mountain range on the right bank of the Kargiakh River. It is located on a rural road that runs on the right bank opposite the [[Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road#Padum_to_Shingo_La_pass|Padum-Darcha road]]. Testa is {{Convert|61|km|mi|abbr=on}} south from [[Padum]].

==Description==
Testa (elevation {{cvt|3,980|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 2024 |title=Node: Testa |url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/926749964#map=17/33.18278/77.16202&layers=C |access-date=28 July 2024 |website=[[OpenStreetMap]]}}</ref>) is a small village in the Lungnak valley on the left bank of the Kargiakh Chu (river). It is located at a distance of {{Convert|61|km|mi|abbr=on}} from Padum on the Padum-Darcha road.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 July 2024 |title=Padum - Testa route |url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/directions?engine=fossgis_osrm_car&route=33.17820%2C77.16668%3B33.46914%2C76.87818#map=11/33.3142/77.0021&layers=C |access-date=28 July 2024 |website=[[OpenStreetMap]]}}</ref> The distance from [[Darcha]] in [[Lahaul]] is {{Convert|68|km|mi|abbr=on}}, the road climbing over the {{Convert|5,091|m|ft|abbr=on}} [[Shinko La]] pass. Testa village has an area of {{Convert|170.80|ha|acre}}.<ref name="CensusKargilB" />{{rp|page=80}}

== Demographics ==
[[File:Prayer Stone Testa Lungnak Zanskar Jun24 A7CR 01169.jpg|thumb|120px|left|Stone inscribed with Buddhist prayers]]
The population as of the 2011 Census was 460 with 71 households. Females comprised 48.5% of the population. The literacy rate was 53%. 97.4% of the inhabitants belonged to [[scheduled tribes]].<ref name="CensusKargilB">{{Cite book|last=|first=|title=District Census Handbook: Kargil, Jammu & Kashmir -- Village and Town Wise Primary Census Abstract (PCA)|publisher=Directorate of Census Operations, Himachal Pradesh, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India|year=2011|isbn=|series=3 Part XII B|location=}}</ref>{{rp|page=80-81}} The pre-dominant religion is Buddhism.<ref name="CensusKargilA" />{{rp|page=48}}

== Governance ==
The '''Testa Gram Panchayat''' is a government office and [[Panchayati raj in India|local self-government]] body that governs the villages of Testa and [[Kargyak]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Local Government Directory: LGD - Panchayat - Kargil - Jul24.xls |url=https://lgdirectory.gov.in |access-date=30 August 2024 |website=[[Ministry of Panchayati Raj]]}}</ref> The two villages together have a population of 889 as per the Census 2011.<ref name="CensusKargilB" />{{rp|page=80}}

==Amenities==
Testa has pre-primary, primary and middle schools. It has a dispensary, it is served by a mobile phone operator and electricity supply is available.<ref name="CensusKargilA">{{Cite book|last=|first=|title=District Census Handbook: Kargil, Jammu & Kashmir -- Village and Town Directory|publisher=Directorate of Census Operations, Himachal Pradesh, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India|year=2011|isbn=|series=2 Part XII A|location=}}</ref>{{rp|page=147-149,151}}

==Economy==
[[File:North Fields Testa Lungnak Zanskar Jun24 A7CR 01140.jpg|thumb|Fields on the Testa plateau, Kargiakh river on the left]]
The economy is largely agrarian with tourism also providing jobs and income. Annual precipitation is low, fields are irrigated through channels from streams fed by snow-melt.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 July 2024 |title=Kargil - Ladakh: The climate and soil condition of the district |url=https://kargil.nic.in/about-district/ |access-date=24 July 2024 |website=LAHDCK – Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil}}</ref> In 2011, 47% of the cultivated land was irrigated.<ref name="CensusKargilA" />{{rp|page=152}}

==Transport==
In June 2024, the [[Himachal Road Transport Corporation|Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC)]] announced that it would soon commence a bus service from [[Keylong]] in Lahaul to Padum. This would run on the Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road and would serve Testa.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tribune News Service |date=22 June 2024 |title=Keylong-Padum trial run a success, service on anvil |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/keylong-padum-trial-run-a-success-service-on-anvil-633256# |access-date=21 July 2024 |work=[[The Tribune (India)]]}}</ref>

== Tourism ==
Testa is a way-point on the popular Darcha-Padum trek. This trek of moderate difficulty takes 9-10 days. It crosses the {{Convert|5,091|m|ft|abbr=on}} Shinko La pass, then alternates on the left and right sides of the Lungnak valley. A day hike in the middle is a visit to [[Phugtal Monastery|Phuktal Gompa]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mahanta |first=R. |date=2011 |title=The Complete Guide to Darcha Padum Trek |url=https://indiahikes.com/documented-trek/darcha-padum-trek |access-date=28 July 2024 |website=India Hikes}}</ref> With the completion of the Darcha-Padum road, this trek has lost its appeal.{{cn|date=July 2024}}

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="100px">
File:Testa Kargiakh Chu Zanskar Oct22 A7C 03635.jpg|Kargiakh river and Testa plateau from the right bank
File:Sign Testa Road Lungnak Zanskar Jun24 A7CR 01201.jpg|Testa sign on the left bank road
File:Willow Birch Trees Testa Lungnak Jun24 A7CR 01177.jpg|Willow and birch trees
File:Women Stripping Willow Testa Jun24 A7CR 01196.jpg|Stripping bark from willow sticks
File:Old House Testa Zanskar Jun24 A7CR 01174.jpg|Traditional house
File:House Construction Testa Zanskar Jun24 A7CR 01179.jpg|Modern house under construction
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Phugtal Monastery]]
* [[List of villages in Kargil district]]

==References==
{{Commons category|Testa village}}
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Villages in Zanskar tehsil]]

Testa, Zanskar - Revision history

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