Sonamarg had historical significance as a gateway on the ancient Silk Road, connecting Kashmir with Tibet.[5][6] Today, the hill station is a popular tourist destination amongst fishers and hikers, and following the Kargil War with neighbouring Pakistan in 1999, serves as a strategically important point for the Indian Army.[citation needed]
On 25 May 2024, a section of a glacier near Thajiwas Glacier collapsed, leading to two tourists to fall into a snow cavity created by the break, killing one. On 2 June 2024, a section of Thajiwas Glacier collapsed, trapping three tourists that were rescued, and killed one laborer.[7]
Geography
The hill station is situated in the Kashmir Valley, at an altitude of 2,730 metres (8,960 ft)[8] Combined with the alpine meadows that bloom in the summer as well as rivers and lakes stocked with fish, Sonamarg is a notable tourist destination in Jammu and Kashmir.[9]
Climate
Given its high altitude and mountainous terrain, Sonamarg experiences the regionally-rare humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfb) with significant rainfall. The average temperature in Sonamarg is 5.1 °C (41.2 °F), and nearly 932 mm (36.7 in) of precipitation falls annually (not counting the heavy snowfall that falls occasionally in winter).
Sonamarg has no permanent settlement and is inaccessible during winter due to heavy snowfall and avalanches. Per the 2011 Census of India, Sonamarg had a seasonal population of 392 (51% male, 49% female), excluding tourists and those working in the tourism industry.[11]
Baltal, 15 km east of Sonamarg, is a valley that lies at the foot of the Zoji La pass. Trekkers can also reach the city of Leh—known as "the rooftop of the world"—by crossing over the Zoji La.
The Jammu and Kashmir tourism department organizes river rafting tournaments at Sonamarg throughout the year, which has recently seen the participation of teams from abroad.[13]
Access
Sonamarg is accessible by bus or car from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, via National Highway 1 (NH 1) and the Zoji La pass. During the winter, heavy snowfall and avalanches block the NH 1, meaning local traffic is only permitted up to Gagangear village, which is the last permanent settlement of this area. But now due to construction of Z-Morh Tunnel, the road will remain open throughout the year. [14]
Gallery
Sirbal Sonamarg
A view of the Himalayas from Sonmarg valley
A view of the mountains from Sonmarg valley
Sonmarg Thajiwas glacier in May 2013
Parking at stage 1 of Thajiwas Glacier, 3 km from Sonmarg
^Toshakhani, S.K; Koul, Lal; Hajni, Mohiuddin; Pushp, P; Mohiuddin, Akhtar (1968–1980). Kashir Dictionary (in Kashmiri). Vol. 4. Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. p. 244.
^Knight, E. F. 1893. Where Three Empires Meet: A Narrative of Recent Travel in: Kashmir, Western Tibet, Gilgit, and the adjoining countries. Longmans, Green, and Co., London. Reprint: Ch'eng Wen Publishing Company, Taipei. 1971
