Chah (also Cha) is a small village and one of tehsil in the Lungnak valley, Zanskar district, Ladakh, India. The village is situated at the base of a mountain range on the right bank of the Tsarap River. It is located on the Padum-Darcha road, south from Padum.
Description Chah (elevation ) is a small village in the Lungnak valley on the right bank of the Tsarap River. It is located at a distance of from Padum on the Padum-Darcha road. The distance from Darcha in Lahaul is , the road climbing over the Shinko La pass. Chah village has an area of .
Demographics The population as of the 2011 Census was 465 with 61 households. Females comprised 40.2% of the population. The literacy rate was 56%. All but 2 of the 465 persons belonged to scheduled tribes.
Governance The Cha Gram Panchayat is a government office and local self-government body. The villages of Chah and Shunshday (Shan Shaday) come under its jurisdiction. In 2011, the population of these two villages was 709.
Amenities Chah has a pre-primary and primary school. Household power supply and mobile phone coverage are available. The village has a primary health sub-centre (PHS). There is an India Post branch post office with PIN code 194302.
Economy The economy is largely agrarian with tourism also providing jobs and income. As the annual precipitation is low, fields are irrigated through channels from streams fed by snow-melt. About 46% of the agricultural land is irrigated.
Tourism
From Chah there is a trail to Phugtal Monastery. The trail is difficult in some places. The distance can be covered in 2-3 hours.
Transport In June 2024, the 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 Chah. Taxis are available.
See also Phugtal Monastery
References