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[/COLOR]The administrative center of Gilgit was an important city on the Silk Road, through which Buddhism was spread from India to the rest of Asia. A large number of Buddhist Sanskrit texts, including the long version of the Heart Sutra have been unearthed in Gilgit. The Dards and Cizinas also appear in many of the old Pauranic lists of peoples, with the former finding mention in Ptolemy's accounts of the region. Two famous travellers, Faxian and Hsuan Tsang, are known to have traversed Gilgit as per their accounts. Gilgit was ruled for centuries by the local Trakane Dynasty, which came to an end in about 1810. The area descended into internecine turmoil before being occupied by the Sikhs in 1842. It was ceded to Jammu in 1846. Gilgit's inhabitants drove their new rulers out in an uprising in 1852. The Khushwakhte Dynasty of Yasin and Gulapure led the people of Gilgit to drive out the Dogra rulers. After Yasin was conquered by the Katur Dynasty of Chitral, the power of the Khushwakhte was crushed. The rule of Jammu was restored in 1860. Gilgit came under British rule in 1889, when it was unified with neighboring Hunza and Nagar in the Gilgit Agency. When British rule came to an end in 1947, the region was briefly handed back to the maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequently, it came under Pakistani control.
Regions
Gilgit-Baltistan is divided into two divisions--the Baltistan Division and the Gilgit Division--which together comprise seven districts.
[edit]Baltistan Region
The Baltistan Region consists of two districts:
Skardu District – Skardu town is the administrative center of the Skardu District. Askole is the last settlement in the district for all treks to Concordia (the confluence of the Baltoro Glacier and the Godwin-Austen Glacier). Skardu is the district where the Indus River enters the Northern Areas from the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Ghanche District – The Ghanche District is the easternmost district of Baltistan. To its east is the Leh District of Ladakh, northeast is Aksai Chin, (China), to the north and northwest is the Skardu District, to the west is the Astore District, and to the south is the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The administrative center of the Ghanche District is Khaplu. The Hushe valleys form the gateway to the great Baltoro Muztagh, the sub-range of the Karakoram.
[edit]Gilgit Division
Gilgit Division now consists of five districts:
Astore District – The Astore District was recently carved out of the Diamir District. Previously, the Northern Areas was divided into five districts. The administrative center of the Astore District is Astore town and it includes many villages in the Astore valley. The Astore District is bounded by the Diamir District to the west and the Skardu District to the east.
Diamir District – The Diamir District is the district where the Karakoram Highway enters the Northern Areas from Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province. Chilas is the administrative center of the Diamir District. The Diamir District is bounded by the Astore District to the east, Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province to the south and southwest, the Ghizar District to the north and northwest, and the Gilgit District to the north and northeast.
Ghizar District – The Ghizar District is the westernmost district of Gilgit-Baltistan. It is bound by Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province on three sides (north, west, and south), by the Diamir District to the south and southeast, and by the Gilgit District to the east. A small strip of Ghizar District (roughly 35 x 12 km) is sandwiched between the North-West Frontier Province and the Wakhan Corridor of (Afghanistan). Gakuch is the administrative center of the Ghizar District.
Sherqilla is most famous town being capital of Rajas of Punial and Ishkomin. It is still a tourist spot with many attractions like trout fishing, treking natural swimming pools. Wazirs of sherqilla and Raja palace are still inscribe their period of splendour.
Gilgit District – The Gilgit District is bounded by the Wakhan Corridor of (Afghanistan) to the north, the Xinjiang autonomous region of (China) to the north and northeast, and the Skardu District to the south and southeast. Gilgit town is the administrative center of the Gilgit District. Gilgit is one of the two major hubs for all mountaineering expeditions to the peaks of the Karakoram and the Himalayas.
Hunza-Nagar District – The Hunza-Nagar District is a newly formed district which was previously part of the Gilgit District. The district encompasses the Hunza and Nagar valleys. The major town is Karimabad (actually a grouping of five to six smaller villages), surrounded on all sides by glorious mountain peaks, foremost amongst which is Rakaposhi. The Nagar Valley and the Hoper Glacier are situated a dizzying 40-minute drive from Karimabad, nestled below Golden Peak. Hunza is approximately 100 km from Gilgit, and is the last major town along the Karakoram Highway before entering China.
[edit]Cities
Gilgit is the major town along the Karakoram Highway before entering China.
Karimabad - supposedly the setting for James Hilton's Shangri-La, and the valley lives up to that reputation.
Skardu - Home to some of the World's highest mountain peaks, glaciers, forts, museums and resorts.
[edit]Other destinations
Fairy meadows is a point where world's three famous mountain ranges meet - the Himalayas, the Karakorams and the Hindukush
K2 (Mount Godwin-Austen) - world's second-highest mountain peak, Also visit K2 Museum located in the Skardu near K2 Motel.
Shangrila Resort [1] in Skardu Valley is a place of bliss, delight and peace
Shigar Fort [2]
Rock carvings Dating back to 8th century AD, a huge Buddha figure surrounded by small Buddhisatvas is carved on a rock, three kilometres from Skardu across Sadpara Nullah on Skardu-Sadpara Road. Pre-historic men and animal figures are carved on rocks along Kachura Lake. Some rock carvings and diagram of a monastery near Perkuta (Mehdi Abad) Nalah are also found.
Punial Sher Qila is the main village of the picturesque Punial valley.
Singal This spot in the Punial valley offers ideal trout fishing opportunities.
Rama A lake in this region offers an awe-inspiring view of the eastern side of Nanga Parbat, 8126 meters high. For the adventure-loving tourist, hiker, angler, art-lover, mountaineer or polo enthusiast, there are few places in the world that could compare with Gilgit.
Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindukush
Deosai National Park and Khunjerab National Park
Hunza Valley
Aerial Pictures of Cities
not scenic beauty
and from all around the world not only Pakistan
---------- Post added at 09:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:44 PM ----------
Aerial Pictures of Cities
not scenic beauty
and from all around the world not only Pakistan
---------- Post added at 09:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:44 PM ----------
Aerial Pictures of Cities
not scenic beauty
and from all around the world not only Pakistan
