There are not many special things in Kargil, if one discounts the people and their tasty roadside kebabs of course, but it does boast a Silk Road Museum. I was told of its existence by a friend whom I first met in Leh in the summer of 2004.

Roman* told me only, that I had to cross the Saru river and turn right, somewhere at the top of town you'll find a 'silk road museum'.

...from the top of the road you need to take the road to the right, it's just below the hotel car park. After a couple of hundred metres, look for a large house on the left. You are looking for the home of Gulzar Munshi.

The museum is his and his brother's work. Though most of the exhibits he told me, had been dragged from the collapsed remains of his father's General Store in Kargil - now long since closed, and some too were donated by local people.

So many ancient artifacts, left by travellers and traders in a store room at the back of his father's General Store. Everyday objects, books, garments, lamps, old copies of the Koran, guns, coins, maps, farming tools, paintings, books, all left in the care of Mr Gulzar's father.

Together Gulzar and his brother have cleaned, restored, preserved and catalogued thousands of near-priceless exhibits and housed them on the top floor of his house.

He told me he was involved in education and politics, and insisted I stay in his house on my second night in Kargil. He was most hospitable, sending me off for Drass on a breakfast of eggs, Kashmiri bread and hot sweet tea, despite my early departure the next day.

The day before, having ridden to see the Buddha murti**. Indeed, Gulzar was responsible for me finding the location of the statue, having furnished me with rudimentary directions. Ask the local boys - anywhere in Kargil market, for Gulzar ‘Kingi’ Munshi. They’ll show you where he lives. That's how I found him!

* Roman and I have since met and travelled on several occasions touring India, including Karnatika, Tamil Nadu and the Anderman Islands. We continue to explore out of the way places and we are both still keen co-respondents.

 ** Murti = Statue in Hindi.