Batalik


Batalik is a town in Ladakh, India, located on the upper reaches of the Indus river. It has been a focal point in the Kargil War because of its strategic location between Kargil, Leh and Baltistan. Operation Safed Sagar, 1971 and the Kargil war, 1999 were both fought in this region. Batalik is 56 km from Kargil and is known for its four Brokpa villages: Dah, Hanu, Garkon, Chulichan, Sharchay and Darchak. The Brokpa tribe is believed to be directly descended from the soldiers of Alexander the Great. Most of the valley is made up of nominally Buddhist Brokpas, but a few communities have converted to Shia Islam and intermarried with other Muslim ethnic groups as a result.

Transport

Road

Batalik is well-connected by road to other places in Ladakh and India by the Srinagar-Leh Highway or the NH 1.

Rail

The nearest major railway stations to Batalik are Sopore railway station and Srinagar railway station located at a distance of 271 kilometres and 277 kilometres respectively.

Air

The nearest airport is at Kargil located at a distance of 60 kilometres but it is currently non-operational. The next nearest major airport is Leh Airport located at a distance of 205 kilometres.