Gilgit - BaltistanPakistan
The Beautiful Misgar Valley of Gojal
Misgar Valley is one of the most beautiful and geographically important regions of Gilgit-Baltistan. Misgar is home to the Mintika pass that connects Pakistan with China. The historic Kilik pass is also located in Misgar and it leads travelers to Afghanistan. The historic “Kalam Darchi Fort” [Fort of the Naked Saint], constructed by the Britishers to keep a watch on Russian and Chinese advances, is also located in Misgar. The fort is in a dilapidated condition and demands the attention of relevant authorities. [Photo: Attiq]
I would like to add further with the significance of Misgar Valley. Besides Mintaka, Kilik and Qalandarchi Fort, there are also the Dilisung Pass and the old post office of 1912.
The Qalandarchi Fort (the name distorted, spelled wrongly by the military persons as Kalandarchi or shortly advertized as KD)was built in 1932-33 by the British-Indians in order to ingress the Russian influence.
After its construction, the Qalandarchi Fort safegaurded and evidenced many historical events and revolts such as the political revolt of late arbab Adaab Khan (arbob Odob Khon) of Passu.
Late Odob Khon revolted against the Mirdom of Hunza in 1940 during the reign of Mir Ghazan Khan against the heavily levied taxes on the subjects of Gojal running from the period of his father, Mir Nazim Khan and before.
He mobilized the peoples of Passu and Hussaini, came to Gulmit and demanded for reduction in the taxes etc. But the Ghazan Khan agressively and arrogantly rejected it. According to Bai Mal and other respondents as partipants of this adventure, Adab Khan along with his group members from the specified villages (also included two of his sons, Muhammad Bati Khan & Muhammad Sayab Khan) stood agains the Mir. Physical attacks were made between the revolting group and the body gaurds of the Mir. Muhammad Sayab Khan was arrested but other revolting groups led by Adab Khan started to enter China. On the way, they took the peoples from other villages also such as Khyber, Murkhun, Gricha and Sost. They reach Misgar Valley and stayed here in this Qlandarchi Fort for more than a week. Forces were sent behind them, but after a truce made between both the parties, Col Ayash Khan s/o Mir Ghazan, Secretry of the Hunza State and a family member of Adab Khan, played the role of middleman. The people of Gojal, except for Gulmit, Ghulkin and Shishkat, were brought back to Gulmit. The genuine demands of the people were accepted by the Mir.
In the recent decades, the Pak Army usded the Qalandarchi Fort as the battle school and safeguarded the borders. It is an unfortunate news to know that the condition of the fort is deteriorating. The Qalandarchi Fort is an asset of not only the people of Misgar valley, rather a heritge to the entire communinty of Gojal and Hunza and of course the country. Whenever crtical security risks and challenges came up, this valley and the fort did play its vital role. When the border situation, the military has left the area, the fort has been left like an orphan. Why the respective stakeholders are silent? Pakistan Army should restore this historic fort, which is the asset of the community but used by the army.
I would earnestly request and stongly recommend to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Islmabad, the Aga Khan Cultural Services and all those philanthropic organizations and individuals interested in restoration and revival of the historic buildings to kindly come forward and promptly work for the restoration of the Qalandarchip fort as well as other archeological sites of Misgar and other valleys of Gojal Hunza, which are very rich indeed. There is also a shrine in Misgar called Astana. More informaiton needs to be taken on this site as well.
Fazal Amin Beg
Being a very crucial valley strategically, the Pakistan army ue
In summer I have in mind to visit Misgar to see friends and the beautiful valley
Thats great!! I was not aware about such revolt…. it is understood that every revolution and positive changes starts from Passu. appreciated. I would like more information from the Fazal Amin Beg.
No doubt about the historical and natural beauty of misgar valley in Gojal.and I want to add more about the people of Misgar and their loyalty to their home land Gojal. Most of the people from Misgar are now living in Gilgit and adjoining areas, they established the Gojal colony in Gilgit and they are proud of being Gojaly. And I always apreciate the people of Misgar for their support and participation in every filed of development in Gojal valley
Ali from Gircha
MR. IMTIAZ
will u further explain ur comment tht every posative change starts frm Passu..??,,,( EVERY)…?
My comment create a new space for discussion on Malang’s question seems a bit aggressive!!! isn’t it? we should accept and learn from good and positive things.. I learn from my family members and villagers that, the people of Passu are always united for their common interests and progress. We outsiders knew that active political and social reformers born there. high literacy rate, representing the areas in government and non government services, I remember PSA start inter village sports activities in 80s etc. Mr. Malang can add more or oppose….. but keep in mind please visit Misgar in the summer.
wow it is looking so beautiful and it is also a tourist spot area and a very nice and panaromic view of all the village. and it is really an attractive place .
Bech Fazal has touched upon a very important point, (the heavy taxes on the people of Gojal by the Mirs of Hunza state). I don’t comment on the revolt and the outcome and its impact on the misseries of the people of Gojal before and after the revolt. As whole history of the statehood of Hunza has to be documented and offered for a serious discussion on every events and the people who played different roles are recorded for the information of our future generations.
I invite people from the whole area to discuss this with open heart for the information of our younger generations of today and tomorrow. I personally call the Mir rule as the darkest days of our history as how our parents and thier parents lived as subjects of an autocratic ruler paying heavy taxes and getting nothing for themselves as the concessions were ment for some lites of Hunza.
Let this be the begening of a blog as how the meers treated the people of Gojal, how much liberty to get educted, how did Mir and his people denied the people of Hunza and in particular the people from Gojal and Shinaki the right to go to places for education and to work, how did they forcfully acquired properties of people and gifted them to their agents to facilitate their rule in Gojal and Shinaki.
I would like to to take this opportunity to thank and salute those who somehow managed to go to Karachi and got educated and struggled to finish the opperessive autocratic rule and succeeded to liberate us.
We are endebted to their courage, sturggle and the able leadership of Late Gul Mohammad and his collegues, maney of them have left us and there are quite a few living amongst us. I would like to request our young sociologists to locte them and get the history of their sturggle documented before losing anyone of them.
Sher Karim
dear pamiirtimes viewer it very happy moment of my life that my gojal media do same unforgettable work to introduced gojal.i pray for all who wark this noble cause .i am very excited to see pitcher of misgar gojal valley.coutnive your affarts. i perasanaly help till last drop of my lifeeeeeeee
Thanks to all those who shared their views about Misgar (literally as “te front stone; and also nose-type stone” valley in Wakhi). Thanks to all of you. My discusion on Misgar was about its signfiances and the stories this valley owning and has been wtinessing. The purpose of relating such stories never ever means to uphold someone and underestimate others. Facts are facts. The story on the first ever revolt, which came up at communal level according to my limited capacity through academic investigation, so far was of the 1940. This is not an event related in the air rather the documents are also found in the Dehli office. So, this is, if I am not wrong, the first ever revolt in the political history of Hunza. Unfortunately, this event has not been given coverage in the book of late Wazir Qudrat Ullah Baig. Whatsover the reason may be. On 16th july, 2000, I took the interview of the late and actual Rani of Hunza, Mrs. Shams un Nihar, wife of Mir Jamal Khan. She also endorsed this event that this revolt was on the affairs of the taxes. I am not going to share all those events here but was just giving a litte touch to present the signifiance of Misgar valley in terms of both natural and cultura perspective. For the whole stories, I have my interviews collection that would come up in a shape of book later in which every village has itws own signficance in one way or other.
I agree with the points with Sher Karim with regard to the heavily levied taxes on the people of Gojal especially, and then comes Shinaki. When we look around our neighour and distant neighbouring states in historical perspective, same sitations are also found there. For instance, in the Sariqol, Wakhan State, in Darwoz, in Shughan, in Khiva, in Sarakdand, in Bukhara, in Chitral, in Yasin, in Baltistan, and in Nagar. What could be the reasons?
Actually, societal shift or transforamtion was takeing place in an evoluationary perspective. From the hunting and gathering society to agriculture socities, from the fewdalism to statehood and nation states.
I would appreciate all of your participation in such discussions and I would prefer all of us to be more academic than peronalizing sometthing.
Every village in Gojal and Hunza are signficant in one way or other. So, we need not to udnerestimate others.
Like Sher Karim and other friends, I would also request the students of anthropology, sociology and other descipline to please come foward and let’s take an academic start in learning in a true sense and objectively our own societies in a practical way. Hunza valley and the entire Northern Areas of Pakistan (which I in goegraphical and in an integratedly manner call Kuhimir (Karakoram, Himalaya, Hindukush & Pamir) is very much rich both in natural and cultural domains. Let’s come forward and start working on the diverse thematic areas and broaden the frontiers of knowldge on our own societies.
I would appologize finally from the readers if there are errors, being human embrassed with errors.
I was, indeed, delighted in seeing a very bueatiful snap of Misgar; gate way to china, Afghanistan and Central Asisa.
I would suggest, rather request, Dr. Faza Amin to add some more historical facts on the very stttlement of this oupost vilalge of Hunza Valley.
Finally, Misgar is one of the unexplored tourism destinations of Hunza valley, hence, friends and nature lovers need to promotion this part of Hunza Valley to a wider range of toursts.
well
it is indeed a pleasure for me to post my first comment here about the beautiful valley, Misgar. Since i have been attached for last couple of years, with studying history of Hunza valley, especially its religious history and I have documented various historical facts in a case study, “Transition of Ismaili dawa from traditional medieval setup to the modern institutional nature in the context of Hunza.”Here I would like to highlight the significance of Misgar valley from Dawa point of view that, this is the place from where the first successful Dai Syed Yaqut Shah came to Hunza and successfully introduced Ismail faith in some 170 years ago. Notables from Hunza came to Misagar to recieve Syed Yaqut Shah, and carried him to the court of Mir, in Central hunza. from this historical point which is roghly doucumented as 1838 Hunza experienced a trnasition in its socio-historical outlook.
I hope those who love their identity through studying history shall comment and carry this disscuss forward.
thanx
sabbah
Islamabad
misgar valley, i think iz da most beautiful valley.i love misgar
heaven on earth in summer season but hell on earth in winter season
MISGAR IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL; THRE ARE MORE INTERESTING PLACES FOR PICNIC .MANY PEOPLES ARE VISITING IN THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE BECAUSE OF ITS BEAUTIFUL AREAS LIKE MINTAKA ,KILIK MURKUSHI, LUP JANGLE ETC ARE THE MORE INTERESTING PLACES FOR PICNIC
ONE OF THE SPECIALITY OF THESE PLACES IS THAT THERE ARE MANY FISHING AREAS ANG PEOPLE ARE GOING THERE FOR SPECIALLY FISHING PURPOSE
Misgar has a historica background, and geographical importance.
We should to promot the tourism and utilize the natural resource for the progress of the people of misgar it is depend upon the youth of Misgar.
i m thanks full to all my homeland people who repesent our valley.new name of misgar is now misgarland.
Misgar is spot of heaven in upper gojal, historically, culturally and traditionally… furhther, this valley is meadow for the trekers, for ekpeditioners.
misgar valley has been carvan route for the traders in the early times.. silk route…. rout of marco polo his journey towards asia minor… a unique place for wildlife…
in net shell tranquility is here for all nature loving people… …
hii this is sher baz Resident of misger. now residing in islamabad.it is indeed a great pleasure for me to being a resident of this great valley.o well misger is pin point for the tourest around the world due to fablous music,unique culture,hospitality in people of misger.obviously misger have great importance geographically that touch pakistan to china and central asia.
Being a Misgarian
It’s a corporal dignity to determine the beauty of valley in the words,these master pieces of creation on the earth are the signification of heaven of Allah Almighty !
I am so grateful to God that thee blessed me my brith in this precious place which is a magnificant to watch and live at extreme in all four of the seasons.
Through this I welcome every reader to my villa !
Misgar is the most significant historical region in Gilgit Baltistan. It is a treasure for students who are studying linguistics, anthropology and history.Although it is inhabited by Burushaski speakers, the word Misgar comes Wakhi language meaning “nose-type stone”. I googled “misgar” to find the meaning in Persian. Misgar means copper smith in Persian language. I played with the word because Wakhi is an Indo-European language in the branch of Eastern Iranian language family and is intimately related to other Southeastern Iranian languages in the Pamir languages group.
The history of Misgar goes back to 330 B.C. A simple evidence for that statement is Burushaski language which goes back to an unknown period because it is a linguistic isolate .A language isolate, in the absolute sense, is a natural language with no demonstrable genealogical (or “genetic”) relationship with other languages. And Wakhi language which is from Indo-European family of the Eastern Iranian language family.
Misgar was the historical route which connected China and Afghanistan through its snow free Kilik and Mintaka Passes. These passes frequently crossed by pilgrims and traders coming from China along the ancient Silk Route.
Misgar valley can be an ideal location for an Institution for Silk Route studies.
The trekking along the ancient route is fascinating experience for travelers. It is a wonderful tourist spot for visitors of varied interests.
I would like to thank people of Misgar who drove out Kirgyz intruders and permanently settled in the beautiful village. Hats off to our parents
Piar from Misgar
Student of linguistics
University of North Texas
United States
our valley is very beautiful in
gojal