Chorbat Valley (Urdu: وادی چھوربٹ, Balti: ཆོར་བད, romanized: chor bad) is a section of the Shyok river valley divided between Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan and Indian-administered Ladakh. The Pakistan-administered portion is in the Khaplu tehsil of Ghanche District in Gilgit–Baltistan, and the Indian-administered portion is in the Nubra tehsil, Leh district of Ladakh. Chorbat stretches from the edge of Khaplu to the Chalunka village of Nubra.[1]
The Khan of Chorbat moved his capital from Siksa (originally called "Chorbat") to Turtuk in the 18th century. These two villages (now in Pakistan and India respectively) are the largest villages of the Chorbat region.
Chorbat is an indistinct region[2] at the border between Baltistan and Ladakh near the course of the Shyok River. It is marked by
In the early decades of the Jammu and Kashmir princely state, there was a Chorbat ilaqa (subdistrict) in the Baltistan wazarat (district). It stretched along the Shyok River valley from a village called Dou-U (Dawou[5]) in the west to Chalunka in the east.[6]
Between the Chorbat village and the Chorbat La pass lies the Chorbat Lungpa valley.[7][8] To the south of the Chorbat La pass, the Hanu valley carries a stream that flows down to join the Indus River near the village of Dah. The Chorbat Lungpa and Hanu valleys constituted the main route from Baltistan to Ladakh in the past.[3] The villages in the Hanu valley as well as Dah are fortified, indicating that they experienced raids from Baltistan in the past.[3] Being the main travel route between Baltistan and Leh, the route carried part of the Silk Road traffic, which enriched the people of Chorbat.[9]
The main populated areas in Chorbat are in the Shyok River valley, comprising some 13 villages in present-day Baltistan, and 5 villages in Indian-administered Ladakh.[5][10] The area is said to have been originally settled by people from Ladakh.[11] At present, the people display a mix of Ladakhi and Balti influences.[12]
Geographically, the wide valley of the Shyok river in "Lower Nubra" narrows to a mountain gorge near the Yagulung village (34°46′N 77°08′E / 34.77°N 77.14°E / 34.77; 77.14). The Shyok flows through the gorge until Khaplu, where the valley widens again.[13] A string of villages dot this gorge, wherever possible along the banks of the river: Bogdang, Chalunka, Turtuk, Tyakshi, and Thang on the Indian side of the Line of Control; Franu, Siari, Piun, Siksa, Hassanabad, Marcha, Lunkha, and Dawou on the Pakistani side. The folklore includes all these villages in Chorbat.[5][10]
The valley is surrounded by high rising peaks of the Karakoram mountain range and the bank the Shyok River. The climate is hard with little rain and extremely cold winters due to proximity to Siachen Glacier and other peaks and glaciers.[5]
Chorbat occupies 4,052 square kilometres (1,564 sq mi).[citation needed]
According to Rohit Vohra, the original settlers of the area were
