Writing needs passion and that passion only comes from the inspiration. It’s true what they say, that you have to find your inspiration, to gather your thoughts and put them in black and white. Same is what happened with me. The reason that I didn’t and couldn’t write for so long was because I was searching for some muse, a divine inspiration that I finally found in the midst of mighty mountains.
I’ve spent three and a half months in Gilgit Baltistan and one thing I can say for sure is that place is much more alive than any other I had ever been to. This is the place where I found my lost inspiration, not just of writing, but of living the life anew. This article is different than my previous ones in a sense that it is the part of my travel diaries. The mighty Karakoram Mountains have the uncanny power to alter a person. An individual who has been to that land can never be the same once he comes back.
The enchanting beauty of GB:
I am pretty sure that everyone of us already know about the unmatched beauty of GB, and might also even visited it- given the fact that internet has provided us the multiple facts and things to see in Gilgit Baltistan. Without dwelling in such details, I’ll put forth the reason why one should at least once in his lifetime live not just visit GB.
As Gilgit is the capital city of Baltistan Province, it is an ideal city to live in, considering it has:
• A domestic Airport, which is rather small but convenient given the setting of the place and environment. You don’t have to take long hectic road travels to reach Gilgit when you can just fly right in. Plus one can always enjoy the Karakoram and Himalaya peaks from up above, which unquestionably offers the spectacular views.
- Hunza literally at its doorsteps. It is a two hour drive from Gilgit to Hunza. It was a formerly princely state. Having the exquisite thousand years old royal history, it has two famous forts, namely Altit and Baltit. The history seekers absolutely love to roam around there. In addition to the forts, one can never ignore the mighty peaks of Rakaposhi, Ladyfinger, and Golden Peak.
- Karaloram International University KIU. The university offers almost all the disciplines of graduate and undergraduate. It is an International level University established in 2002 by Pervaiz Musharraf.
- Longest glaciers in the world namely, Batura, Baltoro and Hispar, which gives the ultimate beauty to the region. Though the temperature drops at night and especially in winters, but the place is worth seeing.
- Multilingual society. Many diverse communities live in Gilgit and they bring along with them their own cultures, languages and even religions. More than 5 different are spoken in Baltistan, namely; Shina, Brushaski, Waki, Khowar and Balti. One can experience living in a diverse culture and have the opportunity of learning languages of that region.
- Unlimited picnic spots. You’ll never run out of the places to spend quality time. GB is extremely famous for its landscape, hunting, fishing and camping. Plus you can even plan a weekend getaway to Khunjarab Pass, Skardu, Ghizer and Astore.
Minerals and Gemstones in GB:
Nature has blessed Baltistan with invaluable deposits of the quality minerals and over 25-30 types of precious and semi-precious gemstones alluring worldwide attention of the beauty queens. These include Emerald, Ruby, Aquamarine, Tourmaline, Quartz, Topaz, Kunzite, Granite, Jade, Fluoride and Peridot. These gemstones are found in the legendary mountains of Karakoram, Himalayas, and Hindukush. There are shops in the local markets where you can also buy the replicas of these gemstones in rather low prices.
Mountaineering:
Gilgit Baltistan is home to more than 20 peaks of over 20,000 feet, including K-2 the second highest mountain on Earth. Other well known peaks include Masherbrum (also known as K1), Broad Peak, Hidden Peak, Gasherbrum II, Gasherbrum IV, and Chogolisa, situated in Khaplu Valley.
Rakaposhi is the majestic mountain in the Karakoram Mountain Range. It means “snow covered” in the local language, also known as Dumani (“Mother of Mist” or “Mother of Clouds”). It is ranked 27th highest in the world. Rakaposhi is more popular for its beauty than its rank might suggest. In local Brushaski tongue Rakaposhi means “Shining Wall”.
Attributable to the mountain’s outstanding position in the midpoint of the Hunza valley many have painstaking mountaineering the summit but comparatively a rather small amount has succeeded. For this reason the mountain preserves a convinced mystery for many who visit the area. Rakaposhi is not simple to ascend from any route. Rakaposhi is the only mountain that has its own majestic grace. It makes its seer fall in love with it instantly.
Gilgit Baltistan is a strange land, a beauty that can’t be described in mere words. It attracts the very soul of a person, and one who has already been there always yearns to go there again. It is enchanting, mesmerizing, soulful, and very much alive all at the same time. That’s why I can proudly say that it felt like home, because it did for me. More than a home actually, a paradise, heaven on Earth.
