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Showing posts from April, 2019

At the knot of past empires: Zoodkhun, a Wakhi village in the high Chapursan Valley of Pakistan

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At the top of Upper Hunza in an area called Gojal, Zood Khun stretches in Chapursan Valley . It is a village having numerous characteristics in common with other Wakhi settlements of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and, may be, China (though, not directly observed in this last country). However, its isolation at the very end of a narrow dirt road, coming from Sost, and its altitude of 3,300 m, make it, sometimes, different in term of tradition resilience, scenery, available resources and way of life. The following description will try to show this specificity as to project it into a more general background. May some readers decide to visit this interesting place, to discover its peaceful beauty, and to enjoy the cordial hospitality of its friendly inhabitants. Table of content Part 1 - Zood Khun preserves a scenic and authentic oasis landscape Part 2 - Zood Khun ressources are limited but represent tangible assets Part 3 - Zood Khun sources of past and present religious traditio

Pamir Serai, Chapursan Valley, where Zoodkhun nights unveil the universe

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Zood Khun, mountain in front of Pamir Serai at 10:30 PM, early August Remote and isolated Zoodkhun, the high mountain village of Gojal in Gilgit Baltistan, is a remarkable place to observe and to photography night skies. This article is the translation of the French one published by Bernard Grua, from France, on his travel blog: “ Chapursan, quand la nuit de Zoodkhun dévoile l’univers ”. Zood Khun, western ridges, light going down to the Valley at 05:45, early August The gate to another endless world In the Upper Hunza , on the borders of Central Asia, at the end of the narrow Chapursan Valley , Zood Khun is surrounded by the high ranges of Karakoram , Hindu Kush and Pamir . There, by the end of twilight, the observer does not feel himself in a wide space encircled by the lower edges of a celestial vault. He gets nearly the sensation of being in an almost closed environment. However, he soon understands his first impression was wrong. While, looking up, it seems to