Bernard Grua | Media blog

English Version Le Pakistan s'est récemment fâcheusement illustré par les diatribes de son premier ministre et de sa ministre des droits de l'homme contre la France. Il existe pourtant des communautés qui y pratiquent un islam non sunnite et non fondamentaliste. Ainsi, la vallée de Chapursan, entre les chaînes de l'Hindou Kouch, du Pamir et du Karakoram, est principalement habitée par les Wakhis, une minorité ethnique et religieuse vivant aussi en Chine et dans les Wakhan afghans ou tadjiks. Dans un article précédent: Les Wakhis, un petit peuple écartelé et cloisonné aux confins de la haute Asie Centrale  nous avons présenté comment les frontières récentes (d'un point de vue historique) fragmentent cette population. Mais, nous  observerons que l'ensemble des Wakhis partage la même foi et les mêmes traditions religieuses enracinées dans un héritage commun centenaire si ce n'est millénaire.  

This short program is intended for travellers who would like to visit Hunza, around the Karakoram Highway, even if they just have a few days. Though it is adapted for families with children, opportunities for photographers will be developed regarding conditions of light, most scenic spots and local people portraying. It is considered you use a personal car. However, the last chapter presents the possibilities offered by public transportation means. Table of content Immerse yourself in scenic Passu Village Have road breaks at Rakaposhi viewpoints Enjoy worldclass sunset and sunrise at Eagles Nest Relax or do sightseeing in and around Karimabad Stay in high Chapursan Valley at the knot of past empires Go until Kunjerab Pass and China Share Hunza people way of life Monitor costs, transportation and time

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...

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 ...