Chitral - Kalash tribes:

Chitral, in Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan and a capital of the Chitral District, is situated on the west bank of the Chitral (Kunar) River in the backdrop of Tirich Mir, the highest peak of the Hindu Kush, 25,289 ft (7,708 m) high. It has a population of 20,000, The altitude of the valley is 3,700 ft (1,100 m). The area is connected from different routes which is absolutely uniqu of its kind. In the south, there is Lowari Pass (3,200 m or 10,499 ft) leads 365 km (227 mi) to Peshawar and in the north, the easiest route during summer runs over the Broghol Pass (3,798 m or 12,460 ft) to Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor, however during winter this route is usually closed. But the foreingers mostly used route is the east i.e. from Gilgit vis marvelous Shandur Pass where every year a Polo Tournament is played over the height of 3,719 m (12,201 ft). Another rounte is from southwest along the Chitral/Kunar valley towards Jalalabad. This route is open all year and provides direct access to Kabul. The other routes are over mountain passes.. And in the west, the Dorah Pass provides an additional route to Afghanistan. The territory is home to rare falcons and the snow leopard.
Chitral is multi lingual tribe. Their basic language is Khow, Chitrali, Khowar. which is also spoken in parts of Yasin, Gilgit, Ghizer and Swat. Pashto language is also spoken and understood by some in the city.
Kalash Valley: One of the major attractions of Chitral is Kalash tribe and Kalash Valley – the home of Kalash or "Wearers of the Black Robes" a primitive pagan tribe. Legends say that five soldiers of the legions of Alexander of Macedonia settled in Chitral and are the progenitors of the Kalash. There is also a sizeable population of Nuristanis, Tajiks and Uzbeks most of whom arrived from Afghanistan in the late 1980s.
Over 3,000 strong Kalash live in the valley of Birir, Bumburet and Rambur, south of Chitral.
Bumburet: the largest and the most picturesque valley of the Kalash, is 40 km from Chitral and is connected by a jeep able road.
Birir: 34 km away is accessible by a jeep able road.
Rambur: is 32 km from Chitral. The Kalash Women wear black gown of coarse cloth in summer and hand-spun wool dyed in black in winter. Their picturesque headgear is made of woolen black material decked out with cowries shells, buttons and crowned with a large coloured feather. The Kalash love music and dancing particularly on occasions of their religious festivals.
KALASH FESTIVALS:
Chilimjust or Joshi (14 - 15 May): This festival is held in Spring when the girls pick the first lowers. The days are marked by dancing, and the people visit each other and exchange milk, cheese, yogurt and flowers.
Utchal (mid July): Two days of celebration mark the harvest of wheat and barley. There is much singing, dancing and feasting which is worth seeing.
Phool (20 – 25 September): This festival celebrates the reaping of the grape and walnut harvests. Chowas (18-21 December): This is the winter festival celebrated to welcome the new year. The people remain indoors, feasting and drinking until the elders, who sit on hill-tops to watch the sun reach its orbit, declare the arrival of the new year. Everyone then lights the torches and performs the commemorative dance, and goat sacrifice is carried out. All this is unique, natural and worth seeing.

Picnic point of Rawal Dam::

Rawal Lake is beautiful picnic spot in Islamabad. Basically it is an artificial reservoir that provides the water needs for the cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. This lake covers an area of 8.8 km. and located within an isolated section of the Margalla Hills National Park. The lake is 3 square miles long with a maximum depth 102 feet.
After construction of a Murree road and a beautiful named as Ankara Park with the help of our brotherly country Turkey, the popularity of this lake has increased and huge gathering can be seen there especailly Sunday or at the eve of eids etc. There are a lot of activities of fishing and boating all the time. The highest point in the garden offers a panoramic view of the lake, Margalla and Murree hills. There is a private club that provides different facilities like boating, water, skating sailing and diving here.
The place famour for Birds of Islamabad also a resident mammals include the common fox, Pangolin, Porcupine, Jungle cat, Jackal, Wild boar and yellow-throated marten.

KKH to Deosai by Road with Music

the sweetest thing...: sweet sunday sketch challenge #30

Deosai Plains - The Spectacular

Whenever I visited Northern Areas I always had a plan to explore Desoai, about 30 from Skardu. a plateaus among high mountains and unique landscape in the world with an average height of 4114 metres above the sea level, covering 3,000 square kilometers. It is snow bound area, surrounded by snowy mountains exceeding 5,000 meters in height and suspended glaciers. However, enjoying real beauty and crystal clear water streams with snow covered peaks in the background covered by a carpet of millions of wild flowers begin to bloom all over the lush green grassland is May-September. Every year local and foreign tourists go to the area. Deosai is at the distance of 30 Kms and accessible with a narrow track from Skardu in the north. There is alternate route through Astore Valley, in the west, which is rather easy route.Gilgit to Astore onwards is a wide jeepable track which winds through beauty valleys.
Deosai Plains make up one of the last frontiers of natural habitat for the Himalayan Brown Bear, a creature that once roamed the mountains freely and multitude of Golden Marmots. There is Deosai National Park, established in 1993 to protect & survival of the bear and its habitat. The Deosai Plains are interlaced with streams, also home to the Himalayan Ibex, Red Fox, Wolf, the Ladakh Urial, the Snow Leopard, and over large number of resident and migratory birds. Birds in the National Park include the Golden Eagle, Lammergeier, Griffon Vulture, Laggar Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel, Indian Sparrowhawk and Snowcock..
The Deosai Plains are also home to the Himalayan Ibex, Red Fox, Golden Marmot, Wolf, the Ladakh Urial, the Snow Leopard, and over 124 resident and migratory birds. Birds in the park include the Golden Eagle, Lammergeier, Griffon Vulture, Laggar Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel, Indian Sparrowhawk and Snowcock.