Gurez
During my childhood, my mom would tell us stories about how certain relatives of hers were once posted in the faraway and distant lands of Gilgit and Gurez. I would build an imagery of them, as she would explain how back-of-the-beyond and inhospitable these places were.
Dardistan is the land of Shina-speaking Dardic tribes. It is referred to as Daraddesa in Rajtarangini. Gurez is called Guráai in the local language. It formed a part of the ancient Dardistan which was on the Silk Route. A valley located in the upper Himalayas, it is about 86 km from Bandipora and 140 km from Srinagar. It lies to the north of Kashmir valley and is very close to the LoC. At around an altitude of 8000 ft, Gurez is surrounded by snow-capped mountains. The Kishanganga river is the lifeline of the Valley. People of Gurez are very distinct from Kashmiris and we must not mix up the two. The inhabitants of Gurez are called Dards or Shins. They are of Aryan origin. The word Dard comes from the Sanskrit word Daradas, which means people who live on hillsides. They speak Shina, which I felt was quite different from Kashmiri, even though both are a part of the Indo-Aryan group of languages. They have been here for thousands of years and have been mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist and Greek chronicles, dating back to the 3rd and the 4th centuries BCE. Carved inscriptions in Kharoshthi, Brahmi, and Tibetan have been found around Gurez.
I had been contemplating a visit to this exotic valley for many years, but somehow, it always felt almost-inaccessible and an arduous journey to undertake. Then Covid disrupted plans. Finally, it was only in the summer of 2024 that I was able to fulfil my dream! My friend and I decided to make the long-elusive trip. We took a taxi from Srinagar to Dawar, which is the biggest town of Gurez. It was a very smooth drive of about 5–6 hours via Bandipora across the Razdan Pass. The Pass is at an altitude of 11672 ft, which would have been treacherous at one point of time, and is still quite formidable. Due to heavy snowfall on and around the Pass, the valley of Gurez remains remains cut off from the rest of the world, for a few months every winter.
Gurez has three regions: Dawar, Tulail, and Bagtore. These regions are made up of numerous villages, each one very idyllic and quaint. As you descend the Razdan Pass, you cross Kanzalwan, before hitting Dawar. The drive in the mountains is stunning along the magnificent Kishanganga river that flows alongside, through the Tulail and Gurez Valleys. Kishanganga originates from the Krishansar lake in the Ganderbal district of Kashmir. You also get to see the Kishanganga Hydro-Electric Project on the river, on your right. There was no no grid electricity in Gurez until 2023. The same river was given the name Neelum in Pakistan in 1956, as it flows into the Neelum valley of Pakistan at Tarbal — the last village in Bagtore, Gurez.
We reached Dawar around lunchtime and checked-in into the government-owned TRC guest house. The location of the TRC is perfect. At the base of a mountainside, from where, we were told, brown bears often come down for a stroll at night! On the other sides we had snowy peaks and the handsome Habba Khatoon peak looking so radiant from across the fields. The Kishanganga noisily flowed through just a few-minutes-walk away. Quite basic, yet clean and comfortable, TRC probably is the best bet in Dawar, other a few more private hotels, that have recently come up. The only issue being that you could be ask to vacate mid-holiday, if a bureaucrat decides to drop in for a holiday on a whim! Kaka Palace, run by Haji Ghulam Mohd Lone is the oldest hotel of Gurez and is a great choice. There aren’t many options to eat out in Dawar but a handful of cafes and dhabas do suffice. Do try the locally-grown rajma with rice.
We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the stunning beauty of Gurez. There’s this fascinating village of Achoora (Chorwan) where you have the Habba Khatoon Peak and the Habba Khatoon Spring at the base of the same mountain. Named after the much-acclaimed Kashmiri poetess Habba Khatoon, this enchanting spring with water cascading over rocks, creates an aura of calmness. Surrounded by tall trees, sitting on the mountainside, you can see the waters of the spring empty into Kishanganga. A sight to reckon with. Mind you, you can’t stay in the freezing waters for long!
Habba Khatoon’s real name was Zoon and she was from Pampore in Kashmir. She was married to the king Yusuf Shah Chak, who was a Dard. It is said that when Yusuf Shah was imprisoned by king Akbar in Bihar, his wife was miserable with longing. She wandered in these lands — singing and looking for him. The tragic tale of the couple in love!
In the evening, we went up to the Khandyal top, which is a vantage point overlooking the entire Gurez Valley. It’s a raised mountainside with a table-like shape. The backdrop is fantastic with deep gorges and a thick pine forest, which I am sure has wildlife. We were a little sceptical to explore it, though wanting to, as it was already getting dark after sunset.
The next morning we went back to Kanzalwan to reach the mesmerising meadows of Izmarg and Bagtore. Vast spans of greenery, tall conifers with the gushing river in-between, we are very close to the LoC. As you drive down the winding roads, you can smell the alluring pines.
We parked our car a little away and walked to the last village on this side – Tarbal. We wanted to go down to the river and have a little picnic, however, the security forces posted there didn’t let us, saying, it could get very risky in case of any unexpected event from across the border. One of the most beautiful cricket grounds, is here, in Bagtore.
You need to keep an entire day for Tulail. The Tulail Valley is situated at an altitude of 9020 ft. Its headquarters are at Badugam.
The Valley is untouched and pristine. It is a couple of hours drive from Dawar. The roads are bad on some stretches, though work was being carried out when we went. The river flows alongside when you drive to Tulail. You seem to go back in time in this part of the world.
Tulail has a lot of villages that one can explore. Sheikhpora, Badugam, Badoab, and Angkaikot and are some not to be missed. Chakwali is the last village on this side. Across the LoC is the Astore district of Gilgit-Baltistan. You get a good peek into the lives of the locals while strolling through these hamlets. A very peculiar sight of this region is the logwood houses that people live in. Unlike Gurez, Tulail is still undeveloped. People look at you with curiosity and shy smiles. Little kids feel intrigued seeing different faces. One such bunch tried saving us from a nervous cow that almost ran into us while we stood frozen on top of a wooden-log bridge with Kishanganga raging below. Please carry your own food as there is no place for a meal.
Chachaji — the caretaker at our guesthouse was a short and sweet fellow who tried making appropriate guesses at his age when we asked him about that. He would fetch us our umpteen cups of chai from the dhaba outside and set our breakfast table in the lawn every morning.
Seeing that we had fallen in love with Gurez, he invited us to his home in a nearby village. It was just a 5–7 min drive from the guesthouse. As we stepped out of the vehicle, we had one of the most heavenly walks of our lives along a gorgeous stream which quietly flowed through the village. Close to his home, he pointed us towards a stone and wood hut which once served as the Maharaja’s hut, whenever he visited Gurez along with friends and family. Chachaji lived in a lovely mud and wood house with his wife, children and grandchildren. We were sat in a cosy carpeted room and served food and drinks so lovingly. The warm hospitality is hard to forget. I think the mountain folks are such :)
Make sure that you visit the Shina Cultural Centre in Dawar. It has been curated beautifully by the locals and the Indian Army and you can read everything about the ancient Dardistan, its origin, culture, people, art and craft, wildlife and so on. There’s a small entrance fee.
People of Gurez are lovely and hardworking. Since there aren’t many avenues of employment in Gurez, many temporarily migrate to Kashmir for work, especially in the harsh winters. We met many ploughing the fields. They primarily grow potatoes, maize and beans. Morels (Gucchi)and black Cumin seeds (Kaala Zeera) grow wild in the upper reaches of Gurez, both being prized food commodities. The Dardic features, the chestnut-colour hair and their light-colour eyes make them look like Greek gods and goddesses!
For any queries or feedback, you may write to me at namratawakhloo@gmail.com
