Pakistan
Out of context: Reply #132
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- KuzII0
The saddest thing about the Western Himalayans is that they contain hidden uknown pockets of people that have unique cultures and languages, that even to this day are left to their own devices. The Western Himalays have long been the gateway to the Tibetan plateau, it was the route that the Buddhists from the Pakistani plains took when they converted the “mountain tribes". If you ever go there, the whoe region is such a mythical place. The legendary city of Shangrila is said to be in these mountains where the Himalayas meet the Hindu Kush. 7 of the 30 heighest mountains in the world are in the Western Himalayas. It's such a beautiful place, and the people practice such diverse religions from the Hunza valleys to the Kalash valleys. If you go to the Kalash valleys, hidden away, after days and days of trekking you'll get to Bumburet where there are people, only a few hundred or so, practicing an ancient pagan religion. And they are said to be direct descendants of Alexander the Greats troops who came this way thousands of years ago. Its so crazy seeing blonde haired blue eyed women who could be swedish models all dressed different and talking different. And in the Hunza and all over the place, the Muslims there practice a unique form of Islam, Sufism, and Ishamailis. Well apart from the unfrotunate introduction of Wahabi Islam since the mujahadeen have been fighting to re-unite the whole of the ancient kingdom of Kashmir. they only have populations of a few hundred. Because where they live is so damn inaccessible. But the natural beauty is breathtaking. It's no surprise that so many explorers who came to this region said "if there is heaven on earth, surely this is it.".
And this is the biggest tragedy - no one can get to these people. As i said, most of em are in political limbo, and the rest are so remote, that i heard today that even helicopters out there have been grounded cos it's too treacherous. Whilst all the while India and Pakistan are pouring biliions of US D's in stationing troops at the Siachen Glacier (biggest glacier in the world outside the polar ice caps), most of the troops die of hypothermia, and no one is gonna do fuck all to help these battered communities.
On his deathbed, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb is said to have uttered "Kashrmir, sirf Kashmir"
:(
*sirf = only