Travelogue – Skardu

We consider office busyness and exertion to be a way of life, but it’s not life; it’s part of it. Someone has rightly said that life is not just a 9 am to 6 pm routine. Routine change is necessary for physical and mental health for a few hours, and there is no better option than travel, as the soul gets refreshed by observing the images of nature my employer Honda Atlas Cars Pakistan (Ltd) considers this fact and cares for associates’ mental health too by arranging a fully funded ladies’ recreational trip to northern areas every year, and every workplace should arrange such events for associates health well, this time our destination was Skardu, “an embodiment of nature’s perfection.”

We left from Lahore to Islamabad, where our flight was to Skardu. Flying over in the sky just before Chillas, we saw a giant mountain covered in a white sheet of snow; we come to know that it is mighty Nanga Parbat whose awe overwhelms the world. It was the end of June afternoon, and the sun was shining at its brightest when we landed at Skardu airport.

Standing on the hot land of Skardu, I recalled that someone told us to keep warm clothes as it would be a bit cold there, and everyone did so. Thank God I kept regular clothes.

The weather was hot but much better as compared to Lahore. The plane was full of foreigners, so the Skardu airport too, especially mountaineers, were there for climbing.

SKARDU: A Short History:

Located at the confluence of the Indus and Shigar Rivers, the Skardu Valley is 10 kilometres wide and 40 kilometres long. Active erosion in the Karakoram Mountains has resulted in enormous sediment deposits in the Skardu valley. Glaciers from the Indus and Shigar valleys broadened this valley. The Skardu region was part of the cultural sphere of Buddhist Tibet since the founding of the Tibetan empire under Songsten Gampo in the mid-7th century; due to the region’s proximity to central Asia, Skardu kept in touch with tribes near Kashgar.

After the collapse of Tibetan rule in Baltistan around the 9th–10th century AD, Baltistan came under the control of the local Moqpun dynasty, a family of Turkic origin said to have been founded by immigrants from Kashmir. It was named after an immigrant, Ibrahim Shah, who was married to a local princess.

Around 1500, Maqpon Bokha was crowned ruler and founded the city of Skardu as his capital. He imported artisans from Kashmir and Chalas to Skardu to develop the economy of the region.

In 1839, the Dogra commander, Zorawar Singh Kahluria, defeated the Balti forces in battles in the plains of Wanku Pass and Thanokan, clearing the way for an invasion of the Skardu valley. Capturing the Skardu fort, Dogra forces failed in their attempt to conquer Tibet in 1841. After their defeat, the Ladakhis and Baltas revolted against Dogra’s rule. Maharaja Gulab Singh sent his commander, Wazir Lakhpat, to recapture Skardu. Somehow, Dogra managed to win the area, and Muhammad Shah was crowned Raja of Skardu in return for his loyalty during that time; Skardu and Kargil were governed as a single district.

 ITINERARY

We had three days to explore Skardu, a short time. It takes a week or more to explore this colourful city.

We had Upper and Lower Kachura, Shigar Desert and Fort, Manthoka Waterfall, and Khaplu in our plan.

The day we landed in the city, we went to our hotel to eat and read. It was just 5 to 10 minutes away from Skardu Airport. We were welcomed with fresh cherries of two types: black and red. While writing this, it was so delicious that I could still feel its taste and smell. It is not wrong to say that I had never eaten such cherries before in my entire life. The hotel was between the mountains and the lake; fortunately, the room I got had a terrace and a view of the lake surrounded by mountains.

You can live a comfortable life while being at home in the metropolis. Still, as soon as you travel to the northern areas, you find that absolute peace of mind lies within these beautiful mountains, lush greenery, waterfalls, and lakes.

So, we just went to our rooms because our first stop was Shangrila and Upper Kachura.

After an hour of travel, we reached Shangrila, called “Himalayan Paradise.” Shangrila was established in 1983 with the opening of the first resort hotel in Skardu. It was named after Shangri-La, an idyllic Himalayan paradise described in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by British writer James Hilton, which narrates a tale in which the surviving passengers of an early-1920s aeroplane crash encounter a group of Buddhist monks from a nearby temple who answer the passengers’ call for help and take them to a lamasery filled with a variety of fruits and flowers; the monks claim to be hundreds of years old, but appear youthful in their appearance. The seemingly earthly paradise is referred to as Shangri-La, a Tibetan-language word meaning “Heaven on Earth”.

And no doubt, it’s the paradise of lush green trees with apples, apricots, and flowers all over, with a lake in between. Having transactional colours that captivate one’s eyes

 Then, by walking, we headed for Upper Kachura; the track was beautiful. The trip to Skardu is not complete without visiting Upper Kachura Lake, located between the majestic Skardu Valley mountains.

Track to Upper Kachura

Upper Kachura Lake is of clear water and has a depth of 70 meters. In summer, you can see and feel the cold fresh water, whereas, in winter, the surface is frozen solid. The upper Indus River flows at a lower altitude.

After passing through the rocky path full of dandelions, yellow flowers, and apricots, there was an eye-catching lake in front of my eyes, vast and peaceful with fresh crystal-clear water and colourful boats. While we enjoyed the water, it was as cold as ice. Despite the bright and sharp sunshine, the cold wind freshened the mind and soul.

 We went back to Shangrila for dinner, and the night view was no less captivating than the leguminous Shangrila, which looked like a palace.

BAB E SHIGAR AND SHIGAR FORT

After a 2-hour drive from the hotel, we entered Shigar Door “BABE-SHIGAR”. The side area was the KATPANA dessert, and from there, one could see the Sarfaranga area.

The place looks like Mars. But the paragliding makes you realise you are abroad.

BABE SHIGAR

From Babe-Shigar, we headed towards Shigar fort, also known as FONG-KHAR (fort/palace on the rock). Initially built by the Raja of the Amacha Dynasty, the Mughals destroyed the fort, but some parts were restored. More recently, Agha Khan Cultural Services restored the majestic fort, partly converted it into a museum, and handed it over to a luxurious hotel chain.

A local guide took us through the museum housed in the historical, 400-year-old Shigar fort.

The whole structure was built with stones, bricks, and wood. Visiting the kings and queen’s room and other halls, we entered TZHUNTZAE HASRIKHANG, the small kitchen of centuries-old pots, stoves, vessels, and other culinary items.

Small Kitchen

The most exciting yet astonishing piece of information I got was about a 400-year-old maple tree having a hollow trunk that catches fire every 300 years. The tree was mighty, and its beauty fascinated me so much that I couldn’t resist capturing myself with the mighty tree.

After visiting the museum, we had lunch in the royal garden full of cherries and apricots; we were entertained with fresh cherries, sweet apricot dishes, and delicious food.

 Manthoka waterfall and Khaplu

Early in the morning, we got up for Manthoka and Khaplu; after excessive travelling, we reached the majestic place full of blue, white, green, turquoise, and many more.

Crossing the small bridge was a waterfall, spraying its cold water on you, making you fresh.

Sitting there for a while was a relaxing and peaceful time.

 There were tree houses on rent that were adding more interest and beauty to the place.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get time to visit Khaplu and returned after having lunch at Dewan e Khas, whose sitting place was very traditional yet beautiful.

The following day, we checked out of the hotel and headed to the airport. At Skardu airport, while scanning the bag, the airport police inquired if I had little pebbles in the bag and took them all out. He further inquired, “What else do you have”? I smiled and said, “Memories and dried leaves.” He smiled back and gave me my small stones, declaring it a sweet memory of Skardu.