The Charding Nullah, traditionally known as the Lhari stream and called the Demchok River by China, is a small river that originates near the Charding La pass that is also on the border between the two countries and flows northeast to join the Indus River near a peak called "Lhari Karpo". There are villages on both sides of the mouth of the river, romanised as Demchok and Dêmqog. The river serves as the de facto border between China and India in the Demchok sector.
Etymology
The Indian government refers to the river as "Charding Nullah" after its place of origin, the Charding La pass, with nullah meaning a mountain stream. The Chinese government uses the term "Demchok river" by the location of its mouth, near the Demchok village. The historical documents name the river as "Lhari stream". Lhari, meaning "holy mountain" in Tibetan, is the name used for the white rocky peak behind the village of Demchok. It has also been referred to as "Lari Karpo" and "Demchok Lari Karpo" in Tibetan documents. "Lhari stream at Demchok" is the phrase used in the 1684 Treaty of Tingmosgang, forming the basis for the Indian government's identification of the stream with Charding Nullah.
Description
Charding–Nilu Nullah Junction
The Charding Nullah flows northeast along a narrow mountain valley. Halfway down the valley it is joined by another nullah from the left, called Nilu Nullah. The Charding–Nilu Nullah Junction is recognised by both the Indian and Chinese border troops as a strategic point.
The entire area surrounding the Charding Nullah is referred to as the Changthang plateau. It consists of rocky mountain heights of Ladakh and Kailas ranges and sandy river valleys which are only good for grazing yaks, sheep and goats reared by Changpa nomads. The Indian-controlled northern side of the nullah is close to Hanle, the site of the Hanle Monastery. The Chinese-controlled southern side has the village of Tashigang which also has a monastery, both having been built by the Ladakhi ruler Sengge Namgyal. At the end of Tibet–Ladakh–Mughal War, the Tibetan troops retreated to Tashigang where they fortified themselves.
Mouth
At the bottom of the valley, the Charding Nullah branches into a 2 km-wide delta as it joins the Indus river. During the British colonial period, there were villages on both the sides of the delta, going by the name "Demchok". The southern village appears to have been the main one, frequently referred to by travelers. Prior to the Sino-Indian War of 1962, India had established a border post to the south of the delta. As the war progressed, the post was evacuated and the Chinese forces occupied it. The Chinese spelt the name of the village as Dêmqog. Travel writer Romesh Bhattacharji states they expected to set up a trading village, but India never renewed trade after the war. He states that the southern Dêmqog village has only commercial buildings whereas the northern village has security-related buildings.
