Drang: A beautiful place of peace in Tangmarg

Tousif Raza

Admiration is a tendency to provide focus over beauty. It could be physical, or metaphysical. It could be internal or external beauty. Kashmir is a land having many discovered, undiscovered, or semi-discovered spots with admirable beauty. Drang is one of those beautiful places of Kashmir which is growing as a famous spot of picnics day by day.
Its original name is WECH WOG (The land of wild animals) or a furious land. The nearby people used to go there for fuel wood collection 2 or 3 decades before. But nowadays it has been considered as a discovery in the field of tourism for one decade. Globally it is not a much-published place yet but state and national level tourists love to visit Drang. It was about a decade before when I visited Drang for the first time.
It’s about 3.5 km from Tangmarg and has a motorable road as it has a hydroelectric plant providing power supply to the whole Tangmarg area. It was very hard for me that day because while climbing high a dog ran after me and bit me at the very bugging of the picnic day. The road to Drang is in good condition, except for the final three kilometres which are still under construction and will soon have a polished surface.
The development work of this place has been undertaken by the Gulmarg Development Authority, which is putting in fast efforts to bring it to the tourist map of Jammu and Kashmir. As of now, the place is being promoted for trout fishing and rock climbing. The place does not have any restaurants or hotels, however, travelers can find accommodation in Tangmarg which is just 3 km away so is a noise-free place. Drang is a beautiful place, which is still fresh and protected from human interference. Pine forests and the stream with many log bridges make the place beautiful. Many nearby places are also interesting. Across the hill is a place where you will find some monuments believed to be the ruins of the Pandava temples. Through the woodlands are some beautiful fields with pine trees lining them and old mud houses dotted here and there. The villages like Ferozpor, Mahain, and many others villages are also very interesting and attract every to visit repeatedly.
Drung” glacier looms into full view. A long and winding river of ice and snow, the Drang-Drung” is perhaps the biggest glacier in Ladakh, outside the Siachen formation. It is from the cliff-like snout of this widespread glacier that the Stod or Doda River, the main tributary of river Zanskar, rises. Its road winds down the steep slopes of the watershed to the head of the Stod Vale, one of Zanskar’s foremost tributary vales, the majestic “Drang-Drung” glacier looms into full view. A long and winding river of ice and snow, the Drang-Drung” is perhaps the biggest glacier in Ladakh, outside the Siachen formation. It is from the cliff-like snout of this widespread glacier that the Stod or Doda River, the main tributary of river Zanskar, rises.
Transport is available up to Tangmarg and after that, you can either walk or take a pony. Ideally, you should visit the area on your visit to Gulmarg, which will add flavor to your trip. Gulmarg is probably the only tourist place in Kashmir that does not have any water body in it, a visit to the region will fulfill this aspect of the Gulmarg tour. Make sure to carry eatables and other necessary items along, if you wish to spend your day in Drang. Drang is not fully a discovered site to visit yet but the glacier and waterfall around have added light to the beauty of Drang. People who visit love to visit Drang to fulfill their curiosity about making an open waterfall shower. This open waterfall shower is not possible at Gulmarg or any other famous tourist spot in the valley.
Among all nearby tourist spots, drang is getting more and more popular with time. People of nearby areas prefer to visit here for photo shoots and many other enjoyments like waterfall baths, water fighting, swimming, etc. Drang is a beautiful place in Kashmir that was originally a tax collection point for the vehicles passing to Gulmarg. It became a favorite tourist destination due to the Ferozpur stream and the hills forming the backdrop. A park has been constructed along the banks of the Nalla. During most visits to Gulmarg people love to visit Drang.