Because of the change in itinerary (riots and landslides ahead), we stayed an extra day in the Hunza Valley today which turned out to be an unexpected boon. The Ganish settlement near Karimibad is definitely a must-see in this part of Pakistan. The settlement is over a thousand years old and its village houses have been conferred a UNESCO heritage award for their preservation.
Ganish was a Silk Road stop-over in ancient times and its village walls still have the remains of wooden hooks for tying camels as well as a small caravanserai with a lovely carved wooden terrace. Inside the village walls are small two-storey stone houses with stepladders leading to the second floor as well as five different tribal "mosques". These "mosques" aren't exactly mosques in our modern understanding in that in the past, different tribes would each worship at their own mosque although the tribal peoples may share the same faith. Each mosque is a small squarish wooden and stone house (perhaps seating only 10-12 persons) with intricately carved wooden pillars, entrances and windows. (See photos).
Today, the Ismaili villagers would pray at their local Jamat Khana (loosely translated as "community centre"). Ismailis apparently do not worship at a mosque as a mosque is traditionally open to Muslims of any form (Shia, Sunni or other) whereas Ismailis prefer to pray at a Jamat Khana which is specific to their faith.
The Ganish village is still populated today and seems to have a lively young population. We were followed by almost a dozen young children as we wandered around Ganish, with many of the teenage boys fighting to serve as our tour guides. Again, we fortuitously stumbled upon an interesting rite - the burial of a round of butter that has been wrapped in tree bark and reed. Each village home will dig and mark its own hole in the cool mud for burying its butter and will dig the butter up for future consumption. (See photo)
As with the nearby 800-year old Altit Fort and village, many nations including the Japanese and Norwegians have contributed to restore and preserve the old architecture. Much of these efforts have been initiated by the Aga Khan and his personal relations with royalty and heads of states of many nations. While no Chinese tourists have yet been sighted, I've met a few independent Thai and Japanese tourists who like my group, are travelling across Pakistan either to or from China, including a very stylishly-dressed Japanese couple also staying at the Eagle's Nest (colour coordinated from top to bottom) and a group of Dutch bikers who are on a heroic motorbike journey from Holland to Beijing (we bumped into them actually in Tashkurgan after they crossed from Pakistan into China).
