Jadhang Village

Jadhang Village is an abandoned high-altitude village in Nelang Valley, Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, near the Indo-Tibetan border at about 3,800 metres. Once inhabited by the Jad Bhotia community, it has remained uninhabited since 1962 and is known for its traditional stone houses along the Jadh Ganga river. Reopened for regulated tourism with permits, it offers stark cold-desert landscapes and insight into trans-Himalayan heritage.

Visitors can expect a remote, abandoned village with traditional stone and wood houses in a stark, cold-desert valley surrounded by high Himalayan peaks and the Jadh Ganga river. The settlement is uninhabited and preserved in its original layout, with narrow lanes and ruined structures. Access is regulated and only during daylight hours with a permit. There are no shops or stays inside the village; the visit is a short sightseeing stop as part of a Nelang Valley day excursion with photography and nature viewing.

Jadhang was historically inhabited by the Jad Bhotia community engaged in trade and pastoralism in the Nelang Valley. The village was vacated in 1962 and has remained uninhabited since, with residents resettled in lower areas of Uttarkashi district. Its traditional architecture and layout remain preserved as an example of trans-Himalayan settlement heritage.

The village reflects the cultural heritage of the Jad Bhotia community, with Tibetan-influenced stone architecture, traditional building techniques and pastoral traditions adapted to high-altitude life along the Jadh Ganga.