Life in India’s Coldest Village: Drass | Ladakh (-60°C)
There is a place in India that holds the title for the coldest location, located in the world's highest mountain range—the Himalayas. This cold desert, known as Ladakh, is home to India's coldest village, Drass. So, how cold is it here? We all know that water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius, and human blood can freeze outside the body at -3 degrees. The temperature of a typical household freezer of a fridge can drop to about -5 degrees Celsius, while a deep freezer can go as low as -20 degrees. Now, are you curious about the temperature here? Right now, it is -28 degrees Celsius.
The ice has started to freeze on my face! However, this is not the lowest temperature ever recorded here. In 1995, the temperature dropped to an astonishing -60 degrees Celsius. Since then, Drass has held the title of the coldest place in India and the second coldest place in the world.
What happens when it gets extremely cold? How people live here? I have come to learn about all of it in this beautiful village. Surrounded by snow, you can probably tell how cold it is by looking at my clothes. There are many places in India where it snows, but the temperature doesn’t drop as much as it does here. When I first arrived, I knew that this was the coldest place in India, I didn’t have much idea of how it would look.
I had just imagined what it could be like, but this place is even more beautiful than I had envisioned. It is truly stunning, surrounded by tall mountains on all sides. You can see a panoramic view in every direction, and in the middle, there is a valley-like area with clusters of houses. You will see clusters of 8 to 10 houses together, followed by another group of 8 to 10 houses some distance away.
There are also 10 to 12 houses located in a small area, as well as some houses near the river. Despite its beauty, this place is famous primarily because it is the coldest location. However, I must admit, it is genuinely beautiful as well.
Drass is not special solely because of its cold climate rather, despite the extreme chill, it is remarkable that more than 22,000 people live here. To understand how such a large population survives in a temperature colder than a fridge. I decided to spend a few days with a family here. Ahmed Ji lives in a mud house with his family, as no typical house would be sufficient for this cold climate.
The mud houses in this area, constructed from a combination of mud, concrete, and wood, have been built with careful consideration. In fact, the design ensures that cold air has difficulty penetrating the interior to enter, one must pass through several doors. In these houses, a blanket is kept over the doors to prevent cold breezes from coming inside and taking away the warmth. After opening the gate, you cannot directly enter any room because any cold breeze that comes must first be stopped in the corridor. Following that, there is another corridor, and then a gate opens into the kitchen and other rooms. This way, cold air is blocked at various points and different doors.
In addition to the doors, the windows also require attention, as breezes can enter through them as well. Therefore, during winter, all the windows of the houses are completely sealed with sheets or films. However, for the windows that face south, which receive sunlight, they are opened every afternoon to let the warmth in. In fact, several layers of insulation are used on the floor of this house. They have installed a full carpet, with a layer of foam underneath, to prevent cold from seeping in from the ground, which also gets cold.
However, even with these measures, it is still not enough to combat the extreme cold in this area. That’s why, in every room, they have a “Bukhari”(Heater). A bukhari is a type of heater that keeps the room warm by burning wood and cow dung.
It is also used to prepare food. If it still feels cold, people often enjoy pink tea, which is being made. In winter, this beverage is particularly beneficial. Its taste resembles that of butter tea. You can add some butter to enhance the flavor. Is there butter in it? No, you need to add it yourself and see how it tastes.
Adding baking soda gives the tea a pink color. I won't elaborate too much on its flavor, but it's definitely healthy. Now is the time to gather the most essential resource for survival: water. Since all the pipelines and streams are frozen, leaving people with only one option for obtaining water using a hand pump to draw it from underground. However, even the hand pump needs to be protected from freezing, which can be done by using foam insulation.
They fill water and store it in tanks installed inside their houses. The water that has come out of this hand pump has flowed for only a short time before completely freezing beyond that point. See it has frozen. Look at how quickly the water has frozen. it covered a very short distance in just a few seconds before solidifying.
Some people even wash their clothes here. While washing is fine, what about drying them? If you live in the coldest place in India, ice will freeze on your wet clothes like this. When drying them, the water that clings to the fabric tends to freeze in the air. If I lift these clothes and show you, you’ll see that they are completely frozen.
Look at this sweater; it’s frozen. I just picked it up in my hands, and it feels like I’m holding snow. The entire sweater has become totally stiff.
Too stiff. When I rub these two items against each other, you can see how rigid they are. This is winter in Drass. Just think about how cold this area really is.
These snow-filled valleys look beautiful, but only until you have to clean it every day, spending hours. So this is the roof of your house? roof of the house? Is it? Yes sir. too much snow on the roof of the house.
It is difficult to find out if it is a roof. It seems like a ground. The coldest weather here was recorded in 1995-96, our father and grandfather say the temperature dropped to between -50 and -60 degrees. During that time, cows tragically froze to death against the wall of its shelter. With what? Wall wall. Okay.
froze against the wall in its stall. Despite such extreme cold, people here don’t find it difficult to live. We take pride in the fact that we reside in the second coldest region.
Yes, right. We feel proud about it. I, too, felt a sense of pride in my decision to come here when I witnessed the beautiful snowfall after some time.
Right now, it is beautifully snowing in Drass. The scene is enchanting. as the flakes are so fine that it looks like dust in the air. The snowfall is so intense that everything has turned white the sky, the ground, and even the houses.
The snow here is very powdery, and when you brush it away, it doesn't wet you at all; it simply falls away like powder. It's quite cold, and the temperature is very low, which gives the snow a slightly powdered texture, almost resembling cotton. Now the whole village is visible from here, and it looks very beautiful. The small houses are completely white, and there is frost covering everything.
It's the frost that comes with winter, and in some places, you can also see lights. No matter how many times you've seen snowfall, the joy it brings feels just like the first time. While I watch it, I hardly even notice when night falls. You might be wondering how I manage to sleep in this cold. I'm sleeping in a mud house with a room in a home stay that has a bukhari (a traditional heater) in the center for warmth.
Despite that warmth, I've added a blanket, another doubled blanket, and a thick quilt. If it still feels cold, I have a heating pad as well. This is how I manage to sleep on such chilly nights when the temperature drops significantly outside. So, lets sleep now. I have to prepare myself to go out in the cold in the morning to capture the sunrise. The morning begins with milking the cows, to survive the harsh winters here, one must be self-sufficient For this reason, every household in the village raises cows to meet their dairy needs and keeps chickens for eggs.
Since the winters are long, all necessary supplies need to be gathered in advance. This includes cow dung and wood for the bukhari (heater), which must be stored in separate rooms: wood in one room and cow dung in another. "Is this the cow dung from your cows?" Yes, it is their cow dung, and we also bring some from outside. From the outside as well. Okay. How many months does it take to collect this much cow dung? June-July-August and September till September.
That means it took the whole summer for you to arrange this. Yes. They need to store the food grown here in the summer, which is primarily barley in a room.
This is why there are more storage rooms than bedrooms. Additionally, to protect their animals from the cold, they must keep them inside the house. It is the small one. 1.5 months old.
1.5 months old? Yes. Does he has a name? Yes Lulu. Lulu. Laughs! You don’t let it go outside? No, we can’t let it go outside. just roams around inside like this.
She is quite naughty. Another interesting aspect of their living situation is the dry toilet. The pipelines in the area often get jammed, and along with that, the drain or sewer can also become blocked.
That's why these people use a dry toilet, which can later be used as fertilizer. While a frozen toilet may not look very appealing, there’s one thing that does look stunning when frozen just like a frozen waterfall. I recently discovered a frozen waterfall and decided to set out to see it.
However, the route to reach it is quite challenging. The suspension bridge you see is many years old and has been abandoned in a way, no one uses it anymore. Unfortunately, I have to cross it to get to the frozen waterfall. The truth about this bridge is that if you walk on this bridge, large gaps have formed in some areas, and a person could easily fall through. The concerning part is that these gaps are covered with snow, and you can’t see them. For example, let me show you this hole I'll move away to show you just how big it is.
I didn’t even realize this significant gap was in the middle of the bridge. Now, I have to risk my life to guess where the gaps are as I try to cross it. This is the only path. After crossing a broken bridge and making my way through the bushes, I now have to cross a river. What you see behind me is a river that is completely frozen. Following this frozen river will lead you to a frozen waterfall.
You can see the entire river frozen here. One has to move forward very carefully otherwise I slid along the ice. With cautious steps, finally reached the waterfall. There is frozen waterfall.
It was challenging to get here, but this waterfall is truly beautiful. Seeing it is so unique it feels as if only nature could create something as stunning as a frozen waterfall. In fact, after looking at it closely, it seems as if it has been crafted and that makes it even more captivating. You’ve seen the frozen water of the waterfall, but don’t underestimate the cold here, as it can freeze even the boiling water.
How is that possible? Wait, I will show you. Science says that when boiling water is thrown into air with a temperature colder than -26 degrees Celsius, the water turns into ice crystals in the air. This phenomenon is due to the Mbemba effect. While you may often see people doing this in Antarctica or regions near the Earth's poles, I decided to try it in my own country, India.
However, it wasn't as easy as it looks. Sometimes the temperature wasn't right, sometimes the method of throwing isn't correct, and even when everything seems perfect, it might not be captured properly. But I was determined not to give up. I tried my best every day after getting up in the morning and finally, I got that perfect shot the kind of moment that can only happen in cold places like Drass, where you can splash boiling water into the air. Ohh! Wow! Ohh! Wow! Look at that cloud. Wow! I loved it.
It is so cold here that when boiling water is thrown into the air, it completely freezes. What is the reason for it being so cold? The reasons for its frigid temperatures are not singular but rather a combination of factors makes drass the coldest place. One major factor is the unique location of Drass, which is situated at an elevation of approximately 10,500 feet, just below the high mountains of the Zanskar Range. These mountains block most of the cold winds coming from Siberia.
Additionally, Drass experiences very little rainfall during the summer, while most of the precipitation occurs in the winter, primarily as snowfall due to the humid continental climate. The significant snowfall means that the ground remains covered in snow for most of the year, reflecting the sun's heat. And all these factors combine to make Drass the coldest inhabited place in India.
It is very cold here, which also affects the games that children play. Just like we play cricket in the streets, the children here play ice hockey. Are you playing ice hockey? Play, play. I joined in with the children for a while, the two of us vs all of you.
Yes, the two of us vs all of you. After we played ice hockey in the street, I discovered a government school nearby. Even though it is so cold, neither play nor studies stop here. The school is currently closed, but tuition classes continue during this time? Yes.
The studies continue so that the children don't forget what they've learned during the winter months. Okay. Observing the children's enthusiasm for studying, it's clear that the future of Drass is bright. Goodbye, children. However, the past of Drass was not so fortunate.
This land witnessed the Kargil War in 1999. A Kargil War memorial was built here in honor of the martyred soldiers, which I was fortunate enough to visit. One of our fighter jets is stationed here, which was used during the Kargil War, and it stands as a testament to that time. All the cannons and guns used in the war are displayed here, these are the actual weapons, not replicas. To honor the soldiers who were martyred in the Kargil War or in Kargil, memorials have been built for nearly 397 soldiers. So many brave men sacrificed their lives to secure this land.
While it feels very peaceful here now, with only the sound of the Indian flag (Tiranga) fluttering around the stories behind these events are quite daunting. Visiting this place allows you to experience both the tranquility and the heavy history it embodies. Another remarkable place in Drass is is not far from the Kargil War Memorial which is Mushkoh Valley. Mushkoh Valley is a hidden corner of Drass, offering some stunning views, charming homes, and wonderful people. During my visit, I also met some smiling children.
Children giggling! and when their family noticed me taking their photos, they invited me for tea. In the cold weather, I couldn't refuse their kind offer. This lovely shina family not only served me tea but they also laid out a variety of dishes in front of me. I wouldn't be able to eat everything. "Please, everyone, join me! Take something each.” We have just eaten.
I won’t feel right eating alone, So what happened? One dish they offered was sattu, paired with ghee, a local specialty of this place. How do you like it? It's very good, truly wonderful! Everything here is completely organic, natural , you grow it all yourself. No, no that's enough. Thank you. I had expected to only have tea, but I ended up enjoying a full meal. I bid farewell to this lovely family. Bye, Bye! Even in the coldest villages of India, people are gentle by nature.
No matter how much the temperature drops drops during the upcoming winters, life will go on as usual here. Do you get water from a hand pump here? Yes. So, you will fill all these containers yourself? Yes. And you will take them back home? Okay. While we have filled our cities with complaints, these people know how to maintain their homes without any modern facilities and keep it warm without complaining.
They have proven that it's not just the right facilities that matter for living, but also having the right attitude. Bye! If we approach life with the right attitude, we can endure even the harshest weather with a smile. I know many of you are interested in creating videos or YouTube films just like I do. After receiving numerous comments and emails from you, I decided to share my knowledge with all of you.
I am planning to launch a course that will provide in-depth knowledge about YouTube filmmaking. If you're interested, you can join the waitlist by clicking the link in my description. whoever joins, they will be the first to know about the course launch.
However, this course will only be created if enough people show interest, as it will require a significant amount of hard work and time to develop. Please do join the waitlist, if you want to pursue your passion for making videos like I do,
2025-03-12 06:29
