:salam2:
Where mountains stretchng nortwards from Arabian Sea, the plains of Pakistan culminate into the lush valleys of Dir, Swat and Kaghan. Beyound them, lie the great northern valleys of Chitral, Gilgit, Hunza and Baltistan.
Separating the two rivers systems, which drain from these valleys, is the Hindu Raj range, a chain of mountains that forms one of the sharpest cultural boundaries in the world: the cultrual line between Central and NMorthern Asia. Further north, the Karakoram and Hindu Kush ranges shape the western extension of the Himalayas.
Tough and sparesely populated, Pakistan’s northern valleys exhibit the diversity one would expect of a boundary area. In the east, Baltistan shows and affinity with Tibet; in fact, its language is a dialect of archaic Tibetan and many remnants of Tibetan culture can still be observed. In the Gilgit region, Shina is the dominant language. Gilgit’s most prominent contribution to the area seems to be the Gilgiti cap worn throughout most of northern Pakistan. To the north, legendary Hunza confirms its reputation as one of the world’s great mountain communities. Its language - Burushaki - seems unrelated to any other and its origins remain a mystery.
Like Chitral to to the west, Hunza mainfests its age-old-contact with Central Asia, the consequence of lying abreast the Caravan routes that spread southwards from the all-important passes. Within the borders of Chitral are the Kafir valleys of Birir, Rambur and Bomburet. In a nation that is almost entirely Muslim, the Kafir are unique; they are Pagans (Kafir mean infidel) with their very original beliefs, customs and art forms.
The land of these northern valleys is best described as mountainous. During winter, heavy snow seperate the valleys from the rest of the world for six months. In the summer, temperatures over 100 degrees are common. In Skardu, one is immediately struck by the juxtaposition of sand dunes and snow-capped peack.
