Khyber Pakhtun Khwa (KPK)

Introduction

KPK is the abbreviation of Khyber Pakhtun Khwa. It was previously known as NWFP (North West Frontier Province). This name was given by the British ruler during their rule. It is situated on the North West side of the Pakistan along the Afghanistan border. In 2010, under the18th amendment in Pakistani constitution its name was changed to KPK. The total area of KPK is 74,521 km2.  The official language of the province is Pashto. Others language include Chitrali, Kohistani, Urdu and Hindko.  The capital of KPK is Peshawar.  The Khyber Pakhtun Khwa means “The Pathan/Pashtun Culture and Civilization”.

Climate

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's environment fluctuates enormously for the region of its size, covering most of Pakistan's environment types. The territory extends southwards from Hindu Kush's Baroghil Pass, covering around six levels of the scope; it is principally a sloping landscape.

Dera Ismail Khan is perhaps the hottest district in South Asia, while the temperature in the mountain reaches toward the north is gentle in the summers and incredibly cold in the colder time of year. Since the air is frequently very dry, the everyday and yearly temperature ranges are very huge.

Dera Ismail Khan

 

·      Central KPK

Since muggy breezes starting from the Arabian Sea can invade the area, precipitation is generously heavier on the southern sides of Nanga Parbat and in the Lower and Upper Dir Districts than additional north. Winter despondencies produce critical precipitation when they conflict with mountain inclines. 

Nanga Parbat

 

Nanga Parbat

 

The storm, notwithstanding its brief term, is frequently powerful. As a result, the southern slants of KPK are Pakistan's wettest locale. Yearly precipitation has a scope of 500 mm (20 inches) in the most secured spots to 1,750 mm (69 inches) in spaces of Abbottabad and Mansehra Districts.

 

·        Southern KPK

The temperature in southern KPK is surprisingly high: Dera Ismail Khan, the region's southernmost locale, is perceived as being perhaps the most smoking region on the planet, with a normal temperature of 50 °C (122 °F). During the cooler months, evening time can be cold and ices are normal; snow is exceptional, while daytime temperatures remain sensibly warm with a lot of daylight.

Dera Ismail Khan

 

 Culture of KPK

Pashtun culture depends on Pashtunwali and Islam that is an old lifestyle. Its set of experiences and roots have been antagonistic, however there couldn't be any agreement shaped. There were various hypotheses about the starting points of Pashtuns, expecting that they have Jewish, Arab, Aryan, or mixed origin. None was adequately enticing to draw a choice. Pathans are profoundly inquisitive and anxious to be aware of their race's starting point; however it may not be a major worry for specific races. Certain individuals expect that they may likewise be connected to Khalid Bin Waleed and as a result of that that Pathans might have an Arabic foundation.

All the while, one hypothesis joins them to Adolf Hitler's, which has an association with the Afghans to the Aryans.

 

Vacations, Special Occasion and Rituals

Pashtuns observe Wada Koidana, Gham khadi, Topak tamacha, kat bistara, hujra, and furthermore the appearance of Spring Sparlay, otherwise called 'Nava Wroz' (New Day). It is an old yearly Pashtun occasion that commends the start of spring and the New Year.

Hujrah

 

Poetry and Tappa

 Pathan is very notable for verse; they are enthusiastic and energetic, as proven by their lovely abilities. Their well-known artists incorporate Khushkal Khattak, Rahman Baba, and Amir Kror Suri.

 

The most renowned and most established type of Pakhtun verse is Tappa. The first refrain is more limited while the following line is longer, yet it addresses generally human feelings. It is additionally famous among the Pashtuns that a student would sing tappa, the old in their hujrahs.

It's the main melody that is sung at the hour of grieving and marriage. In song, customary Pashto instruments 'mangai' and 'rubab,' are accustomed to sing it. It has up to sixteen distinctive amicability models and is sung with a full orchestra.

 

 

 

Tourist point of KPK

KPK is known for the traveler point for experiences and voyagers. The territory has shifted scenes, going from tough mountains, valleys, slopes and thick rural ranches. The district is likewise popular for the ancestral root. There are number of Buddhisht archeological destinations from Gandhara region like Takhtbhai Pushakalvati. There are different many historical monuments which attract people from all over world.

 

There are many tourist points in KPK which will be discussed in my next article.

 Beauty of nature at mountain peaks part 2:

Nature is delightful, and one of the loveliest manifestations of nature is lakes. Individuals all around the world like to invest energy sailing, fishing, and surprisingly swimming in lakes. Lakes likewise give awesome landscapes and are given incredible freedoms to picnics. Azad Kashmir is honored with tremendous regular excellence and Kashmir has its reasonable portion of lakes. In today’s blog we will discuss four of them in detail which are following

1) Ghatian

2) Saral Lake

3) Moon Lake

4) Ram Chakoor Lake

5) Mullan Lake

6) Shaunter Lake

7) Butt Canali Lake

8) Banjosa Lake

Ghatian Lake:

Rati Gali is about four hours from the base camp. This track runs from Rati Gali through Hans Raj / Kala Sir Lake to Ghatian Lake. That is, with proper planning and strategy, these three lakes can be easily tackled in a single tour.

You can easily get a view of Ghatian Lake from Kala Sar, while you can also get a view of Ghatian and Nanga Parbat from the top of the mountain behind Rati Gali.

While tracking along the bridge or drain coming from Sharda or Sargan at the end of Noori Top, that route will take you to Ghatian Lake after a four to five-hour track. There are also three lakes called Ghats. They are identified by the names of Ghats 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, get the wave clear, while the third has to hike to some height. Its local name is Donga Sar or Donga Nar.

            

Saral Lake:

This lake is also located in Neelum Valley which is 13600 feet or 4100 meters above ocean level. There are multiple ways of arriving.

The principal course prompts Basel and Dodi Pat Sar and from that point to Saral. This course is less utilized and the greater part of individuals coming from this course get back from Saral View Point. Since for this you need to go down the drop once and afterward climb and arrive at the lake.

The subsequent course is from Jalkhad, Noori Top to Mian Sahib Road to Saral. The third route comes to the Kashmir side with a ditch coming from the front at Noori Top. To do this, horses are also found and trekking is also done on foot.

Follow the 4th lane along the Gumot Nalla and it will take you to Saral Lake. Gumot Nalla is coming mainly from Saral. The third route comes to the Kashmir side with a ditch coming from the front at Noori Top. To do this, horses are also found and trekking is also done on foot.

Follow the 4th lane along the Gumot Nalla and it will take you to Saral Lake. Gumot Nalla is coming mainly from Saral.

                                   

Moon Lake:

Moon Lake also leads to Saral Lake. There is a track to the left of Saral which can be done in one day along with Saral. Do this with a local guide. You can also reach here from the backside of Gumot and Jabba.

Ram Chakoor / Charwali Lake:

Ram Chakoor is also located in Saral Valley which is at a distance of four to five hours. In 2019, a team of local guides discovered a track of five lakes. The lake is one of them. Due to the abundance of Ram Chakoor (bird) it is also called Ram Chakoor Lake while the local name is Phardar Nadar. Pharar is also called Chakoor in the local language. It can also be reached via Gumot, Jabba Beik and Sargan.

Lake Mullan:

Mulanwali Lake also known as Mulanwali Nadar is also located near Moon Lake and Ram Chakoor Lake.

Note: Moon Lake, Ram Chakoor Lake and Mulanwali Lake can also be done together. This will include a night camp and can be easily done with the help of local guide to avoid any hassle.

Butt Canali Lake:

After a car journey from Jagran to Shaal, the 7-8-hour track goes up from a place called Dhok Kunde and reaches Dhok Butt Canali from where the path to Mulanwali Lake is about one and a half kilometers on foot.

Shaunter Lake:

This lake is located in Shaunter Valley Neelum Azad Kashmir. It is located at an altitude of 3100 meters or 10200 feet above sea level. The lake is situated at the foot of the snow-covered mountains, and the wellspring of the lake's water is the ice sheets between the mountains. The lake is also called Spoon Lake, due to its shape resembling a spoon and can be easily reached by jeep through a nail. Where the road ends, there is a lake with a Shaunter waterfall. It is also locally known as Batar Lake.

Banjosa Lake:

Banjosa Lake is an artificial lake located in Poonch district, 18 km from Rawalakot. It is a famous traveler objective and is effectively available to each vacationer. It is situated in a thick timberland. There is additionally a rest house. 3.9 km long, 2 km wide and 52 m profound, the lake is situated at a height of 1981 m or 6499 ft.

                                                  

 

Beauty of nature  at mountain peaks

Nature is huge and loaded with lovely things which calm our physical and enthusiastic faculties. The magnificence of nature is fairly interminable, endless and never-ending. The delights of nature are a finished impression of the masterfulness of Allah Almighty. The actual magnificence of nature might die for now however as a "amazing thing is a delight until the end of time" so the effect of that excellence on psyche could never pass into nothingness

Delights of nature are such a fortune which can never debilitate. Nature has many appearances. They are all over. Natural eye experiences the excellent items at each squint

Nature is delightful, and one of the loveliest manifestations of nature is lakes. Individuals all around the world like to invest energy sailing, fishing, and surprisingly swimming in lakes. Lakes likewise give awesome landscapes and are given incredible freedoms to picnics. Azad Kashmir is honored with tremendous regular excellence and Kashmir has its reasonable portion of lakes. In today’s blog we will discuss four of them in detail which are following

1) Rati Gali Lake

2) Rati Gali Samal

3) Hans Raj Lake

4) Black head

 

1) Rati Gali Lake

Most importantly, eliminate the disarray called Rati Gali. Until 2010, the name of Rati Gali was Darian Sarian Sar. The head is privately called a lake or a characteristic supply of water.

In 2010, the lake was authoritatively named after Mian Barkatullah Sarkar, a nearby Sufi holy person, whose name is Astana Barakatiya, and in light of the acknowledgment and regard for his strict administrations, the lake and the street prompting it were named after him. Lake Rati Gali Barakatiya was named. There is likewise a normal government warning.

Rati Gali lake is a snow capped icy lake in the Neelum Valley, implying that the wellspring of its water is the ice sheets nearby.

The lake is around 75 km south of Muzaffarabad and is available from Dwarian on Neelum Road. Which prompts the headquarters later a 16 km jeep track from Dwarian. The lake can be reached following a simple hour's trip from headquarters. The lake is situated at an elevation of 12130 feet or 3700 meters above ocean level.

It is a famous vacationer location nearby with every one of the offices. There is an enormous camping area at the headquarters where reasonable tents and food, power and Wi-Fi are accessible just as horseback riding offices for those keen on getting to the lake. Recollect that this lake is the biggest lake nearby. Encompassing it are 26 other little and enormous lakes. Additionally, four cascades are framed from the water of this lake.

2) Rati Gali Samal 2

Around 10 to 15 minutes' stroll from Rati Gali Base Camp, this lake is called Sarian Sar. There are numerous supplies of water here which are called Sar in the local language. To that end this spot is called Sarian Sar. There is a water fall and neighborhood dhok and dhara where local people stay throughout the mid-year.

3)Hans Raj Lake

This lake is additionally situated in Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir. The lake was initially called Ratta Sar and is renowned for the red mountains that encompass it. There is likewise a red light pack in the space which has been utilized in geology reviews during the British rule. There are three tangled packs nearby, one at Rati Gali, the other at Sargan and the third at Kail.

The name Hans Raj is because of the distinction of Pakistan's most noteworthy travel journalist and traveler Sir Mustansir Hussain Tarar. When he came to this lake, he described the pieces of glacier floating in it as similar to floating Hans Raj and wrote it as Hans Raj and this lake became famous as Hans Raj Lake. Since then, the lake has been called Hans Raj Lake.

About one and a half to two hours’ drive from Rati Gali Lake Base Camp, this lake is located on the Rati Gali Pass, about 3900 meters high between Rati Gali and Noori Top. Then again, the popular Dodi Pat Sar of Kagan Valley can likewise be followed through Saral Lake. In winter, the lake, like other lakes in the Neelum Valley, is covered with snow.

4) Kala Sar Lake

The three lakes in Neelum Valley are known as Kala Sar 1, Kala Sar 2 and Kala Sar 3. Kalasar 1 is an hour's stroll from Hans Raj Lake. Another one-hour track for Kalasar 2 and some more heights for Kalasar 3.

From Kala Sar 3 you can also get a glimpse of the Gathian lake if you follow the guidance of a local guide. For the night you should return to Rati Gully Base Camp or Private Camp however for that too neighborhood guides can direct you better.

 

Why to visit Azad Kashmir?

After the partition of Sub-Continent in 1947, the royal States were given the choice of joining either India or Pakistan. Notwithstanding, Hari Singh, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, needed Jammu and Kashmir to stay autonomous. To delay, he consented to a stop arrangement, which evaded the understanding that each regal State would join either India or Pakistan. Considering topographical, strict and recorded connections individuals of Jammu and Kashmir state requested opportunity, all things being equal, gone into a sad trick with the Hindu initiative and consented to India. This started the freedom development of the Muslim populace of the State against the Dogra and Indian powers in Kashmir. Because of this opportunity development, a piece of the State was freed from the Dogra-cum-fadian control in October 1947, and named Azad State of Jammu and Kashmir. It has its own chosen President, Prime Minister, Legislature, High Court, Supreme Court and Official Flag.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir has an area of 13,297 kilometer square. The state of Azad Kashmir is divided in three divisions which are further divided in 10 districts. Its capital is Muzaffarabad. Its largest district by area is Neelum and biggest by population is Kotli.Sudhnati is smallest by area and Haveli is smallest by population. According to 2017 census population of Azad Kashmir is 40.05 million. According to 2017 census 99% people in Ajk are Muslims,0.6% follow Hinduism,0.3% Buddhism and 0.01% others.

The southern parts of Azad Kashmir, including the Bhimber, Mirpur, and Kotli regions, have amazingly blistering climate in the late spring and moderate chilly climate in the colder time of year. They get downpour for the most part in rainstorm climate. In the focal and northern pieces of the express, the climate remains decently warm in the late spring and cold and crisp in the colder time of year. Snowfall likewise happens there in December and January.

The official language of Azad Kashmir is Urdu, while English is utilized in higher areas. Most of the population, nonetheless, are local speakers of different dialects.  The transcendent among these is Pahari–Pothwari with its various dialects There are likewise sizeable networks speaking Gujari and Kashmiri just as pockets of speakers of Shina, Pashto, and Kundal Shahi. Except for Pashto and English, those dialects have a place with the Indo-Aryan language family.

Azad Kashmir is blessed with natural beauty. and has extraordinary potential for advancement of the travel industry. The beautiful excellence of its valleys, thick forests, winding rivers, fierce frothing streams, grand transcending mountains, propping Climate, historical and cultural legacy, all-encompassing shrines and celebrations and variety of verdure all go together to make it a brilliant vacationer resort. The region is full with assortment of scenes. Climbing and following destinations, trout fishing in the frozen waters of the Neelum River and the remaining parts of the Buddhist human advancement in the Sharda Valley are different spaces of vacation spot. The lovely wood work, the renowned Kashmiri handiworks, customary Kashmiri food varieties or more each of the a spotless and flawless climate presents different spaces of joy for the sightseers on this 'paradise on the planet'. The custom rich and conventional Society of AJK is additionally a subject of anthropological worth. The State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir contributes a particular cultural substance created by its kin, which is significantly unique in relation to the rest of the Sub-Continent.

 Its mountain territory and wide valleys emptied unforgiving terms on the improvement of its way of life. This is the reason individuals of Azad Jammu and Kashmir have formed into a tenacious persevering, non-forceful race which drives a straightforward and economical life. Their dances, music, dress, customs, gems, painstaking work and performing arts all are windows to their character.

The northern part of Kashmir consists of lower part of Himalayas, including Jamgrah peak (4,734m). The highest peak in the state is located in Neelum valley which is sarwali peak (6,326m). Azad Kashmir is producing gemstones and other minerals like bentonite, beryl, fluorite, garnet, hematite, limonite, margarite, mica, quartz, ruby, topaz and tourmaline. Gemstone especially Ruby which is found in Azad Kashmir is more valuable than diamond being used in the world.

Its top tourist destinations are following:

Sharda, Keran, Kel, Taobat, Red Fort, Banjosa Lake, Devi Gali, Ganga choti, Sudhan Gali, Leepa valley, Mangla lake, Ramkort fort.