Zoji La is a high-altitude mountain pass—situated at 11,575 feet above sea level—that forms a gateway between the Kashmir Valley and the rugged landscapes of Ladakh. It is one of the most critical passes in the Indian Himalayas, known for its challenging terrain and strategic importance. Zoji La was part of the ancient trade routes connecting the Kashmir Valley to Central Asia via Ladakh. Travelers and traders carried goods like pashmina wool, tea, spices, and textiles through the pass, using caravans of ponies, yaks, or porters, since wheeled vehicles were not feasible on the rough and narrow pathways. Avalanches, landslides, and extreme weather conditions posed constant risks.
During the 1860s, when this photograph was made, Zoji La fell under the rule of the Dogra Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, who already had control over Ladakh. The British, who exercised suzerainty over the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, considered the region strategically important for its proximity to Central Asia and as a buffer against Russian expansion. British photographer Samuel Bourne visited Kashmir several times during his travels in India in the mid-1860s, as part of his broader aim to document the Indian subcontinent. Bourne was a partner in the firm Bourne & Shepherd, one of the most prominent studios in British India. His photographs of Kashmir were highly marketable, catering to the Victorian fascination with India as a valued colonial possession. These images were sold as prints, postcards, and albums, popular among both British residents in India and audiences in Europe.
Britt Salvesen
2025