Padum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Padum (also spelt Padam) is the largest town and administrative centre of Zanskar in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The town is located at 3,500m (11,640ft) in the Himalayas. There are several small villages around Padum.
The traditional heart of the village is below the gompa where two large chortens stand above old buildings. A road was constructed in 1980 across Pensi-La. Padum has several hotels and restaurants meant for tourists.
Padum is inhabited by people of Tibetan descent who follow Tibetan Buddhism. There is a sizeable Sunni Muslim number (accounting for ~40% of the towns population), mainly Balti who have been present in Padum since the 17th century. A mosque was built in Padum in recent years to cater the local Muslim population.
