Hindu Kush; The Hindu Slayer

Extending from central Afghanistan to north-western Pakistan is the great mountain range of Hindu Kush. It roughly marks the boundary between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The word Hindu-Kush means 'The Killer of Hindus' and the range has been named so because a number of Hindu slaves died here due to extreme climate. It's highest peak is Tirch Mir which has a height of 7690m while the average elevation of Hindu Kush is about 4500m.



Alexander the great, along with his great army, passed through this range in 327 B.C. Also the mid-eval Muslim traveler Ibn-e-Batuta mentioned this range in his chroniclers. The passes of this range have been of a great military importance because via these passes Soviet union could launch an attack against British India. Today America is fighting the war against Taliban in the part of Hindu Kush present in Afghanistan. The eastern part of Hindu Kush present in Pakistan is a heaven for mountaineers and tourists as some of the most sublime valleys (including the famous Chitral valley) and towering mountains are present in this region. The famous mountains include:

• Darban Zom- 23687 ft./7220 m.


• Istor-o-Nal- 23871 ft./7276 m.


• Koyo Zom- 22603 ft./6889 m.


• Noshaq- 24581 ft./7492 m.


• Saraghrar- 24110 ft./7349 m.


• Shachaur- 23241 ft./7084 m.


• Trich Mir- 25282 ft./7706 m.


• Asso peak- 19029 ft./5800 m.

"The Karakoram and Hindukush, at the western end of the great mountain chain of South Asia and Central Asia, contain the greatest concentration of high peaks and the greatest expanse of glaciers of any mountain range outside the subpolar zones of our planet. These mountains are also home to a kaleidoscope of people, whose diversity and uniqueness offer a personal counterpoint to the immensity of the physical terrain and climate extremes". [John Mock & Kimberley O'Neil ]

A picturesque hut with the Hindu Kush mountains in the background

Lake Saif-ul-Maluk

Located near the valley of Naran, at an altitude of 3,224 m (10,578 feet) Lake Saif-ul-Maluk is undoubtedly the most enchanting place in the world. The place casts such an immense impact on the onlooker that for a moment he considers himself in heaven. The famous Sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh wrote a legendary fairy tale which revolves around the lake. It tells the story of a Persian prince who came across a fairy at the lake and fell in love with her. Even now some people believe that, in full moon, fairies descend from there home in the sky, to take the a bath in the lake.

A breath taking view of the lake

Lake Saif-ul-Maluk is regarded as one of the top tourist attractions in Pakistan. The lake is accessible from Naran by a 14km long road. It can also be visited on foot from Naran which takes almost 4-5 hours. During the journey one witnesses some of the most beautiful sights and sounds of nature. The water source of this lake are the towering glaciers around it which provide it with fresh water and help to keep it clear. Although after the earth quake of 2005 in the northern areas of Pakistan, and the government's recent war against terrorism, their was a sharp decline in the number of tourists visiting the region but now the tourism industry is flourishing again. One needs a strong sense of adventure to enjoy this marvel. But believe me it is totally worth it!!

A recently built bridge

Fun Facts About Pakistan

Following are some interesting facts about Pakistan:

• Pakistan is the only Muslim nuclear state in the world.


• In 1970s Pakistan had the largest irrigation system.


• Terbella dam is one of the largest mud dams in the world.


• Siachen, situated in the northern region of Pakistan, is regarded as the world's highest battle field.


• Pakistan has world's oldest Juniper forest at Ziarat.


• Pakistan occupies 46th position on the A.T. Kearney/FP Globalization Index.


• Pakistan is the 6th most populus country in the world.


• The highest building in Pakistan is the Habeeb Bank Plaza, Karachi.


• Pakistan's first artificial setellite (Badar 1) was put into orbit on July 16, 1990.


• The largest mosque in Pakistan is Faisal Mosque situated in Islamabad.


• Pakistan is the largest producer of salt in the world.


• The first Pakistani president who took oath in Urdu was Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.


• Maulvi Abdul Haq is known as "The Father of Urdu Language.


• The national game of Pakistan is Hockey but Cricket is most popular among Pakistani people.


• Pkistani Hockey star, Safdar Abbas is regarded as the youngest hockey player in the world.


• Inzimam-ul-Haq was the first Pakistani cricketer who made 10,000 runs in ODI Cricket.


• Pakistani cricketer Hanif Muhammad is known as little master.


• Pakistani cricketer Abdul Qadir is called dancing bowler due to his peculiar bowling style.


• Benazir Bhutto was the first Muslim woman who became the prime minister of a democratic state.
  
  

Thatta

The historic town of Thatta is situated at a distance of 100km (60 miles) from Karachi, the financial capital of Pakistan. Population is about 22000. The biggest lake of Pakistan known as the Keenjhar Lake is also present in it's proximity. People from all over Pakistan come here to see the monuments and tombs present here. A number of these monuments are on UNESCO's World Heritage list.

The history of Thatta dates back to the 14 century when it was the capital of Lower Sindh region. Later on during the reign of Soomro tribe, Thatta was made the capital of whole of Sindh. From 1592 to 1739 it remained under the Moughal throne. Then in 1739 Nadir Shah, the reckless ruler of Persia, occupied it. Following are some remarkable places of this city:

Shah Jehan Mosque:

Moughal empror Shah Jehan, also known as the builder king due to his architectural intellect, built this mosque in 1674. The mosque has been built with red bricks and blue colored glazed tiles. It has 33 arches, 100 domes and no minaret. It is regarded as the largest mosque in the world with such number of domes and has been built in such a manner that sound of Imam can be heard in every corner of the mosque without any loud speakers. On the whole the mosque, with it's combination of red and blue, looks like an enormous Mosaic!

Makkli Hills:

Makkli is a burial place covering an area of 8km diameter. It started from the shrine of fourteenth-century Sufi, Hamad Jamali. Gradually the cemetery grew around the shrine and it became one of the largest necropolises in the world with the graves of some 125,000 Sufi saints. Imperial mausoleums are also present in the cemetery which are divided into two major groups, those from the Samma (1352–1520) and Tarkhan (1556–1592) periods. The tomb of the Samma king, Jam Nizamuddin II (reigned 1461–1509), is an impressive square structure built of sandstone and decorated with floral and geometric medallions. Similar to this is the mausoleum of Isa Khan Tarkhan II (d. 1651), a two-story stone building with majestic cupolas and balconies. In contrast to the syncretic architecture of these two monuments, which integrate Hindu and Islamic motifs, are mausoleums that clearly show the Central Asian roots of the later dynasty. An example is the tomb of Jan Beg Tarkhan (d. 1600), a typical octagonal brick structure whose dome is covered in blue and turquoise glazed tiles.

Tomb of Prince Ibrahim Bin Mirza

Islamabad

Islamabad is the capital and one of the most beautiful and modern cities of Pakistan. It is the tenth largest city of Pakistan with respect to area while in terms of population it is third largest. It is located in the Potohar Plateau in the north of the country. It was built in 1960s during the reign of Ayub Khan. Before Islamabad, Karachi was the capital of Pakistan. It is also regarded as one of the most well planned cities of South Asia and has been ranked as a Gamma World City, as of 2008.

This area was first inhabited by the Aryan community. It was present at one end of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization about 5000 years ago. Also, the armies of Alexander and Genghis Khan passed through this region. In the recent past a small town known as Saidpur was present here.

There were a number of reasons due to which capital was shifted from Karachi to Islamabad. Firstly Karachi was vulnerable to attacks from the sea whereas Islamabad is situated 750 miles inland. Secondly such a capital equally distant from all the major parts of the country was required. Other reasons include a better climate and its nearness to GHQ Rawalpindi.

Famous tourist attractions of the city include Shakar Parian Hills, newly constructed National Monument, the fascinating Heritage Museum, and the huge marble Shah Faisal Mosque, a unique example of modernist Islamic architecture, are the major highlights of the city. Faisal Mosque was constructed on the suggestion of King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz. With the area of over 5000 square meters and a capacity of over 300,000 worshipers, it is the biggest mosque in Pakistan and one of the biggest in the world. The newly constructed Lake View Park alongside Rawal Lake has become a favorite picnic spot in the city. The model village of Saidpur is also worth seeing. In short the city is a fascinating tourist attraction.

Faisal Mosque

Karachi, The City of Lights.

With an area of 3,530 km² (2,193 sq mi) Karachi is the largest city of Pakistan and the 20th largest city in the world. It is also regarded as one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Upon the independence of Pakistan it was made capital of the country. These days it serves as a major sea port, financial capital, center of social and educational activities and the capital of Sindh province. Being the birth and death place of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah it is respected by every Pakistani and due to the same reason it is known as "The City of Quaid". Karachi has been ranked as Beta World City, as of 2008. People from all over Pakistan visit Karachi to get higher education and for better employment.

In the past Karachi was visited by Alexander the Great who camped here for some time and prepared a fleet for the conquest of Babylonia after conquering Indus Valley. The Greeks used various names for the city including Krokola and Morontobara. In 712 the Arab commander Muhammad-bin-Qasim, in his early twenties, entered the Indus Valley through this port and fought with the armies of Raja Dahir. Raja was defeated and Sindh along with Karachi and it's port came under the control of Arabs. The Arabs called it Debal. The present city started life as a small fishing town found by Balochis. In those days it was called Kolachi. Soon it became a center of commerce and trade links were developed with Muskat and Persian gulf. A small fort was constructed for its protection, armed with cannons imported from Muscat. The fort had two main gateways: one facing the sea, known as Kharra Darwaaza (Brackish Gate) (Kharadar)and the other facing the Lyari River known as the Meet'ha Darwaaza (Sweet Gate) (Mithadar). The location of these gates correspond to the modern areas of Kharadar (Khārā Dar) and Mithadar. In 1839 British took over the fort and afterwards in 1843 British army annexed whole of Sindh. In 1864 the first telegraph line was laid between Karachi and in 1878 the city was connected to the rest of British India via rail. At last in 1947 it became a part of Pakistan.

Karachi is locally called "The City of Lights" and the night view of the city is truly magnificient. The highest building of Pakistan, Habib Bank Plaza, is also present here. The most remarkable places and tourists attractions include Clifton, Empress market, Mohatta palace, Tomb of Quaid-e-Azam and the Chaukandi tombs.

The Mohatta Palace

Chaukandi tombs

Kalash

In the mountain valleys of northern Pakistan live the people with most extraordinary rituals, beliefs and culture, the Kalash. Kalash are an ethnic group residing among the towering mountains of Hindu Kush range. Their population is about 6000 and they speak the Kalasha language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of languages (Urdu and Pushto are also understood widely as secondary languages). The word Kalash has been derived from the name of Kafiristan Kalasha which was present in Afghanistan.



These people are polytheists and their culture is completely different from the overall culture of Pakistan. The most remarkable element of their culture is the dress they wear. Women use long black robes and head gears with eye-catching beads, buttons and feathers on it while men distinguish themselves by wearing special woolen hats with feathers and small metallic bells on it. Most men use Shalwar Kameez as their general dress. Nature plays central role in the lives of these people. Every year a number of festivals and sacrifices are arranged to give thanks to gods. The three main festivals include Joshi festival in late May, the Uchau in autumn, and the Caumus in midwinter. Crows represent the ancestors of Kalash people. That is why crows are treated with respect and are fed at special occasions and festivals. In general the Kalash have a close link with Indo-Iranian traditions.

A man dancing during Uchaw festival

The Kalash were ruled by Mehtar of Chitral from 1700s onward. Although the original Kafiristan Kalasha (Afghanistan) was converted to Nuristan by Amir Abdur Rehman after the Durand agreement in 1890s, the Kalash of Pakistan enjoy a complete social and religious liberty and have strong relations with the Muslims of nearby areas. Strong measures are being taken to conserve the Kalash language as it has been declared endangered by UNESCO. Currently about 5,000 people speak Kalasha. Badshah Munir Bukhari unicoded the Kalasha Language in 2005. Working in close collaboration with various international researchers and linguists. Today the Kalash people are prospering and their numbers are increasing. Tourism now makes up a large portion of the economic activities of the Kalash. To cater to these new visitors, small stores and guest houses have been erected, providing new luxury for visitors of the valleys. People attempting to enter the valleys have to pay a toll to the Pakistani government, which is used to preserve and care for the Kalash people and their culture.

Hunza Valley

Lush green fields, snow capped mountains, beautiful springs and friendly people make the enchanting Hunza valley a perfect spot for tourists and nature lovers. It is located in the north of Pakistan at an elevation of 2,438 meters (7,999 feet). The local languages spoken here are Burushaski, Wakhi and Shina, while many people understand Urdu (National language of Pakistan). Most of the people are Muslims. Hunza is administratively divided into 5 districts run by D.Cs controlled by the chief minister of Gilgit which is, in turn, controlled by the federal government of Pakistan itself. The capital is Karimabad.

In the past Hunza was a princely state near Nagar. This state continued to survive until 1974 when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto finally dissolved it. There are many versions about who inhabited the valley first. According to one, Alexander Zulkarnain made an effort to inhabit and develop the sublime valley. An other version implies that Alexander The Great annexed the area and at the last moments of his life alloted it to his loyal commanders. Who made it irrigable and inhabitable. Yet another version says that many people fled from the Tartar country after a great revolution and settled in the valley. About 200 years after the introduction of Islam in the area, the first Muslim ruler Mayroo Khan (Given the title of Thum) married, and twin sons were born. His sons were always hostile towards each other and Mayroo Khan had to break up his empire into two parts (Nagar and Hunza), when the question of succession arose. The British conquered the valley at some time between 1889 to 1892.

Hunza valley is a Heaven for mountaineers and climbers because of the towering mountains surrounding the valley. These include Rakaposhi 7,788 m (25,551 ft), Ultar Sar 7,388 m (24,239 ft), Bojahagur Duanasir II 7,329 m (24,045 ft), Ghenta Peak 7,090 m (15,631 ft), Hunza Peak 6,270 m (20,571 ft), Darmyani Peak 6,090 m (19,980 ft), and Bublimating (Ladyfinger Peak) 6,000 m (19,685 ft). The picturesque Baltit Fort is also worth seeing. Valley's tourists season is from May to October. The Karakoram highway connecting China and Pakistan provides easy access to the exotic valley. Regular bus services are also present for tourists.

Baltit Fort

Rakaposhi, Northern Areas,Kashmir, 27th highest of the world at 7788m

Hyderabad

Hyderabad is the third largest city of Pakistan and one of the oldest cities of Sub-continent. The city was regarded as “The Paris of Hindustan” before the partition (1947). Hyderabad also served as the capital of Sindh province. It is situated at a distance of 110 km from pre-Harappan Amri. It is one of the most exiting places in the world for Paleontologists and Archaeologists.

The history of Hyderabad dates back to the days when Ganjo Takan (Barren Hill), a nearby hill-tract, was used as a place of worship. In ancient times it was known as Neroon Kot named after its hindu ruler Neroon. In 1768 the city was re-built by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro and later on his son Sarfraz Khan adorned it. Ghulam Shah also built the fort Pacco Qillo (The strong fort). Later on the Talpur rule began. The Indus river changed its course and Mir Fateh Ali belonging to Talpur dynasty shifted the capital from Khudabad to Hyderabad. He used Pacco Qillo for his residence. In 1943 the British fought with the Talpur rulers to gain control of the city. British army successfully did so and the Talpur rulers had to flee. In 1947 upon the partition of Sub-continent Sindh was made a part of Pakistan.

The tourist attractions of the city include Pacco Qillo, Kacha Qilla, Amri, the monuments of Talpur and Kalhora rulers and the beautiful bazars of city. Hyderabad is connected to all the major cities of Pakistan via rail, road and air. Hyderabad has always been a place of political turmoil and unrest due to which the ancient buildings are in a desolate state. Immediate attention is required to preserve this asset.

Pacco Qillo