found sometime again to share the Northern Experience with all of you lovely fellows here... So I would start from where we left last time
Day 5:
Phandar: We are in the middle of our travelling experience. Everything seems to be in place, and machine was doing great work so far. It was not an early wake up. Last night we had a wonderful dinner with Chicken Jalfraizy, Biyrani, & Daal Mash... So actually we all of the reserves they have with them. So early morning when we woke up, and asked for the Omelets or fried eggs they were out of everything. So we have to start the day with the our own reserves of Cookies and Juices.
Jeep was warmed up, and the fuel was checked which was near to "E" mark. Asked the PTDC manager regarding the Fueling options, he told us there is a fuel pump 15 KM toward Gilgit. Second option is to go back toward Teru and find any shop selling it in containers. Last day ended in a fast-forward and we literally did not stop anywhere from Barsat to Teru. So the going back option seems promising.
There was a Jeep Track beside the phandar lake which takes you deep into Phandar village. with morning light over the Lake, and refection of the mountains in the backdrop it was an amazing site... We started our journey by descending to the path below the PTDC Motel.
The reflections, light and shadows were dancing all around at this peaceful place. Brake... and some more photography...
With high rising popular trees on the both sides of the track, and sometimes you have to zig-zag around the houses, we keep enjoying the beauty of this remote place...
We stopped by a wooden bridge, this was not what we have seen in pictures, but family goes crazy ..
soon we left the river bank... and started out ascent up to the main road... The hunt for Diesel has started... and it would a close call. Even thou we had a spare fuel tank at the back, but dont feel like taking a bath with diesel at this time... So we started our journey toward Gupis...
Get a closer look
We fuel up and started to look for options for the food. We found pretty decent and clean food in the hotel serving food to the NATCO passengers going toward Mastuj. After yummy chicken Pulaoo we started our journey to one of most historically known valley of Pakistan... A center point of the book "Murder in the Hindukush". The Yasin Valley...
Panoramic View of Yasin Proper.
The entrance to the Yasin Valley is relatively dry and stony, until you reach the first green settlements at Damalgan and Gindai. The melted road goes as far as the Lalak Jan Shaheed (Nishan-E-Haider) grave.
Salute to Hero of the Nation... Lalak Jan Shaheed
The long sprawling series of settlements collectively known as Yasin. There are still remains of the fort built by Gohar Aman, one of the valley's most celebrated rulers. A member of Khushwakte ruling family, he is remembered for his ability as "an able and energetic Soldier".
Muduri, a small village has been identified with the site of the Dogra massacres about which history is written like this...
"They [Dogra Troops] threw the little ones in the air and cut them in two as they fell. It is said that pregnant women, after being killed, were ripped open and their unborn babies hacked to pieces. Some forty women who were not yet dead were dragged to one spot, and were there burnt by the Dogra Sepoys. With exception of a few wounded men and women who ultimately recovered, every man, woman and child within the fort, and in 1,200 of these unhappy villagers were massacred by the foulest treachery and cruelty."
The ground is white with bleached human bones and the remains of not less than 400 human beings are now lying on the hill.
After knowing it is good enough to thank Allah for our freedom.
so we reached hundur at the end of the Melted road. Had some quality time spent here, and planning for what to do next. The road goes straight to Darkhot, a mall village at the end of the jeepable track.. But what would be our prime destination for the night.. I had in mind Gupis PTDC Motel, beside Khalti Lake on the main road. But Family was moe interested in pushing my limits to more higher limits...
But for time being its time to relax and enjoy the scenery all around.
Hundur to Darkhot...
Nice place to spend a day....
and Baby seems to love it too.
There is here when I read the pages of the book "Footprint Northern Pakistan by Dave Winter" which says something like:
Among all the players mentioned in the 'Great Game' by George J Whitaker, Hayward must rank as one of the most extraordinary. Little is known about his early life, and even the details of his place of birth are uncertain. To add to the mystery, there only appears to be one photograph of the man, currently in possession of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) in London.
This relatively unknown man was sponsored by the RGS to undertake a journey to the Pamirs in search of the source of the Oxus. Within a year, Hayward had returned to this dangerous and unmapped region. Where he wrote to his fellow explorer:
"I shall wander about the wilds of Central Asia possessed of an insane desire to try the effect of cold steel across my throat."
On 18 July 1870, he was murdered at Darkot.
The reason for the murder have never really been known. One prime suspect is Maharaja of Kashmir, embarrassed by Hayward's revelations of the massacre at Muduri. Another prime candidate is Mir Wali, the local ruler,with whom Hayward is said to have argued in public just days before his murder.
Today, Hayward's body lies buried in the graveyard in Gilgit.
So we started out hunt for that fort, and after a long discussion with locals and twisted turns in the villages, we came across to see what is left of it... Presenting for your eyes.. the last standing walls of Yasin Fort..
So our decison was to travel back over the same road and get to Gilgit for some relaxation and feel of the city. It was a race against time as we were late, and gilgit is not one of my favourite cities to ponder the streets... But we reached safely around 8 pm and stayed in the Riveria, beside the Punial River... Next plan is to go the Naltar, and as younger brother never went to Hunza, so we planned to get to Karimabad.
So it was a good warm bath, and then amazing dinner, before we browsed our phones for facebook and get to sleep.
Thanks for your time fellows... Stay tuned, Naltar is a place of Mystery, Colors, and strange Sounds....