Chitral and Kalash

A cherished memorable trip with SACP in July 2023:

On way to Chitral 

بسم اللہ الرحمٰن الرحیم 
By
Abida Rahmani 

It was raining heavily since early morning. The monsoon has erupted. 
Arrived at I-8 market,to ride the coaster van for the trip. It was already there .Some of the group members had arrived and after some wait , rest of them were there too.
We started at 8:30 am. It was still a heavy down pour.
Dr.Maqsooda is a very good friend and she was leading this entourage of 16 people .
The entrance to Peshawar motorway was  badly clogged and the traffic was turning back. There was an accident on the motorway. 
We got back on GT road,had a great informative commentary from Mr. Ziauddin our guide and a very knowledgeable person.He had worked with  Professor Ahmad Dani, the founder of SACP.
Entered on the motorway through Burhan interchange.
It's raining all along!
Today we were going to saidu Sharif Swat, there we will be staying at Serena hotel Swat. Then we  entered Swat motorway through Col.Sher Khan Plaza. The gateway to Chitral .
This network of Motorways have upgraded the travel requirements in Pakistan immensely.
On our way watched Sheen ghar شین غر stupa and the Churchill post.
شین غر (means green mountain) this whole area was part  of Gandhara civilization and followed Buddhism.Therefore the Buddha's relics could be
found in different places.
Churchill's Picket:
Churchill Picket is a historic British-era hilltop signal tower in Chakdara, near the Swat Valley in Pakistan, named after Winston Churchill, who participated in the Malakand Field Force campaign of 1897. The picket, built in 1895, offers strategic views of surrounding valleys and routes and is known locally as "Shisho Picket".
 We got off for lunch at Batkhela , khorak Mahal خوراک محل restaurant. There were different huts to dine in. We ladies have so far got befriended with each other. Initially I knew two of them but now we all have mingled in.
After having nice Kabuli polao and green tea,used washroom and restarted our journey.
My clothes were almost dry now.I was lucky enough to wear that material that dried soon. Otherwise when I stepped from the van, realized that because of the rains the water leaked on my seat from the side and it was drenched and so were my clothes. The driver then put some dry sheets and it was not bad for rest of the journey .
Visited Swat Museum and White palace Saidu Sharif prior to hotel. 
Swat Museum has great historical collection of this area including Buddhist relics.
White Palace مرغزار is an amazing white Marble building and  structure built by  Ruler of Swat known as والی سوات in 18th century.Whole of the marble was imported from Italy at that time.
In 1994 on a visit to Swat , we stayed there for couple of nights
Serena hotel too was the  resident of Swat's prime minister now turned into hotel.I stayed with Memoona Rauf, a nice lady who became great friend.
We had a sumptuous dinner and breakfast there before leaving for our next destination Ayun,Chitral.
On way we entered Dir and for a break went to a nice hotel restaurant, on the bank of river Dir. Had lunch there and after that restarted our journey on jeeps or four wheelers. In our jeep I joined Maqsooda ,Naeema and major Ghazafar with
Roads to Ayun resort were quite rugged.
Ayun resort is the home of shahzada Maqsoodul Mulk turned into hotel. Actually Mr.Maqsood was still living upstairs.
Ayun is quite scenic with an enchanting landscape and palatial terraces, gardens. The rooms were on three different floors. On our floor we occupied two rooms. The rooms were good enough with fan and a room cooler. The shower in the bathroom was quite substandard. Therefore used بالٹی۔ the primitive way.
Had appetizing, sumptuous dinners and breakfasts with Chitrali cottage cheese stuffed پراٹھا.
Next morning we had our trip to  Bamburate, Kalash  Valley.

Trip to Kalash valley!
Going and visiting Kalash tribe was a dream that came true! Approach road from Ayun Fort was a very rough ride on a quite narrow unpaved road ,scary at moments. Didn't understand the logic of keeping it in this  state.

Kalash People
The Kalash people, the tribe that inspired Kipling live their daily lives deep in the valleys of the Hindu Kush, the unforgiving mountain range at the border of Pakistan with Afghanistan.

How they got there is a mystery. How they manage to survive is another. The Kalash are a people who have links with Greece in almost everything but proximity. They dance around night-time fires; they make wine and indulge in ancient Olympic sports such as wrestling and shot-put. With their piercing blue-green eyes, strong features and olive skins, even Alexander the Great was convinced of the Hellenic connection.

Why, then, are they found tucked deep in the valleys of Brumboret, Rumbur and Birir then?

Kalasha Dance on Harvest Festival Whatever the answer, the Kalash are one of the most remarkable cultures on the planet. With a population of just over 3,000, the largest minority group in Pakistan, they are an oasis of color and warmth in stark contrast to the seemingly inhospitable land that surrounds them. Despite their isolation, or perhaps because of it, the Kalash people are welcoming to Western visitors.
Searched some of the above lines on Google.
After arriving at Bamburate we gathered at PTDC guest house
for lunch. It was a nice cuisine of red beans, fresh rotis and cottage cheese.  The fresh goat cheese was for sale and many friends bought it .
As we proceeded to the village, many Kalash could be seen around. The men in regular shalwar قمیض with Chitrali cap.The ladies and girls were in typical Kalash attire.  Their original attire used to be mostly black, which is quite colorful  now.
Went to their graveyard, now they bury their dead. There were a few old human bones for display in a coffin.
Going to their home was an uphill task. With the help of my can and Yusuf finally arrived into a very nice neat and clean four bedrooms house  of Kalash with a veranda and lush green lawn with fruit trees .on one side of veranda was a store of their artifacts. Ladies of our group borrowed their dresses for photos.
I and Naeema wanted to pray as it was Friday and Zuhar time. The bathroom was pretty clean and the girls speaking good urdu gave us prayer rugs جانماز. The rooms were carpetted with elegant furniture. I was just startled with this upgraded living. All of the young girls educated and the only difference was their dresses from rest of the  Pakistanis. After a few questions got the shocking answer that it was actually a regular guest house for rent.
I argued with the tour operator and guide for this action. They told that because their real homes are very dirty and unhygienic that's why we didn't take you there.
Brig. Nasrullah informed about an old man sitting in front of a store that he is here to buy a young beautiful girl for himself in marriage.
Road to Kalash is rugged, narrow and unpaved. 
We were lucky to go there, the next day roads were closed because of the landslide.
Stayed for tea in the rest house and started back for Ayun.
Could not go to Garam Chishma because of the rains and flooding.
Had a drive through to Gol Park, the resident of Mehtar Chitral and their ancestral  grave yard.
Leaving next day had photos with the kids around.

 Coming back from Chitral:
At some points the road situation is pretty bad.
It took us 10 hours in jeep and Coaster with a few stops from Chitral to Swat Serena hotel!
انجر پنجر ہل گیا
Anyway overall it was an incredible and enjoyable trip with great company history deeply narrated by Mr. Ziaul Haq and great arrangements by friendly, smart and supportive Yusuf of Syah group!