OK the history of the place:
- Hunza Version:
Around 400 years ago, the ruler of Hunza used to sentence the hard core criminal by banishing them from his territory to a very very remote place called Shimshal. Only the fittest could survive there. Now it is a small town of around 1600 inhibitants.
- Shimshali version:
Long ago around 300-400 years ago, an explorer named Mamoo Shah came to Shimshal along with his wife. He liked the place and after diverting a stream towards the plains, he was able to cultivate the land. His wife was so angry at his descision of living at the remotest place that she stopped speaking with Mamoo.
Once She was alone in the house and suddenly a heavenly figure (Buzurg) appeared at her house. She didnot have anything so she offered her duptta to him to sit on it. That buzurg was impressed with her hospitality and told her that she will have a son and prosperity. They should name there son as Sher Ali.
After that buzurg disappeared. She was so happy that she started to run towards Mamoo shah and called him in a very happy voice. Mamoo got excited that something good must have happened as his wife had not spoken to him in months.
Anyways, they had a son and named him Sher Ali. He ended up as a very energetic and strong lad.
One day he was grazing his yaks in the Pamir region and saw some Chinese. The chinese claimed that he was on their land whereas Sher Ali told them that its his fathers land. Ultimately it was decided that Chinese will play the Polo match against him and the winner will be the owner of the land. Sher Ali had Yak. Chinese horses got scared of the Yak and did not run against Sher Ali. Ali got the land. The Shimshalis are the great great great grandsons/daughter of Mamoo Shah.
