The culture of Nasaalo helps mountain people fight against severe cold

The people of mountainous Gilgit – Baltistan region have adopted different methods for storage of food and fuel to cope with the harsh winters that bring down temperature below zero degree Celsius for several months. One

One of the methods for preservation of food is known as Nasaloo, in Shina, a major regional language.

As part of the tradition of Nasaloo, households slaughter an animal – yak, goat, sheep or an oxen, based on availability and financial status, and hang the meat in an airy, cold, storage, to dry.

The dried meat is then cooked during the months of January and February, generally the coldest months in the region.

This practice is prevalent across the Gilgit – Baltistan and Chitral region, under different names.