700 years ago in Hunza Valley

In the summer of 2014, I traveled back in time.

August, 2014

It was a fine, sunny day in Karimabad, the capital city of Hunza in Gilgit-Baltistan, north of Pakistan. The little bazaar of Karimabad was bustling with tourists and locals and food vendors could be seen selling honey and jam.

I was on my way to see a renowned fort which I had heard a lot about. Known as the Baltit Fort and built in the 16th century, this fort was home to the rulers of Hunza. It had been the recipient of the Award of Excellence in the UNESCO 2004 Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation. I remember not knowing much about the fort at the time and I had certainly not planned on experiencing what followed when I climbed the stone steps to enter Baltit Fort.

Déjà vu is one thing but living and feeling a past that existed centuries ago is an entirely different experience. That is how I felt as soon as I entered the tiny entrance door to the fort. I was captivated and so caught up in the moment of discovery that I became completely unaware of other around me. Very soon, my ingenious brain took got the best of me and swept me off to a different age, the 16th century.

More than 700 years ago…

The hall was dimly lit, rather dark. A voice was guiding me around the fort.

“…and down there, the prisoners were kept…”

What others saw as a dungeon from the hall, I saw a pair of light brown eyes staring back at me, the eyes of a lone prisoner. I hurriedly moved away, scurrying to leave the hall.

Entering a large, open kitchen, I found a beautiful young woman, fully clad in red and black, sitting in front of a black pot. The smoke rising from the pot in spirals gave the whole room a hazy outlook, merging together ghostly presence with life. Surrounding her was an astounding assortment of shining black pots and pans, all holding the finest of the spices.

In another room, I saw a group of well-dressed men sitting with dignity on a beautiful carpet surrounded by multi-colored windows which overlooked the breathtaking view of Karimabad. I passed the royal men and moved on to the second floor of the fort.

With an elegant gait, I walked to the open terrace where a beautifully decorated royal throne with a deep purple cover awaited me. Ignoring the sign next to the throne, which stated that the throne was off the limits for people, I courteously sat on it and viewed the beautiful Hunza Valley cradled between the elevated snowy peaks.