Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c13.s3.t2.133

v2.c13.s3.t2.133

The Leh-Yarkand route was the most favoured route for trade between Punjab in northern India and Xinjiang. It was physically very taxing with the high passes through the Karakoram range posing great difficulties to traders and their caravans. However, it was generally preferred over the several other routes in existence for various reasons including the relatively settled political conditions and better infrastructure in Ladakh. The journey from Leh to Yarkand took about a month, and the journey up to Leh from the major cities of Punjab like Amritsar also took about a month. In the earlier decades of the 19th century, the main items of trade on this route from India were cotton piece-goods, indigo, tobacco, spices and so on, while the main items coming from Xinjiang were shawl wool, felt, carpets and silks. Silver ingots (*yambo*) were also an important item imported from Xinjiang. However, after the mid-19ᵗʰ century CE, the drug *charas* made from hemp became the main item imported from Xinjiang while in the reverse direction, opium was transported to Xinjiang from India.