Escape to/from Peshawar

axiss.rayil (xyan.ryil) 2021-10-25 06:46:36 +0500 #1

Disclaimer…

I have been to Peshawar twice, and both time one day trip. I have combined both trips into one and in order to do so, I had changed some events.

Peshawar has been on my list for very long. I remember my childhood days when I believed that it was an old city in the mountains. But then someone from Peshawar told me it was not. And he also told me trucks are not made in Peshawar as I always believed since all the truck drivers were from Peshawar.

As I grew old and started using google maps, where Peshawar was introduced as “City of Flowers”, it intrigued me to see it. Besides that I have always wanted to visit “Qissa Khawani Bazar”, late “Dilip Kumar” ‘s old residence and also “Kapoor Haveli” the home of showman of Bollywood Raj Kapoor. Kapoor’s family was basically from Punjab but moved to Peshawar for some time and later to Bombay as the stepped into Bollywood.

Must Visit Places in Peshawar
From top left to right
First row (Bab-e-Khyber, Nisar Charsi Tikka, Islamia College)
Second Row ( Kabul River, Peshawar Museum, Stupa)
Third Row (Jamia Masjid Jamrud, Blue Marble Ponds, Sethi Haveli)

axiss.rayil (xyan.ryil) 2021-10-25 07:00:49 +0500 #2

PART – 1

ESCAPE TO PESHAWAR

It was fall season, everything turned gray. I had finally decided to visit some landmarks on my trip to Peshawar. I had company of colleagues Naveed and Vishal. Naveed is from Peshawar. Hailed from Karak, Naveed’s family moved to Peshawar sometimes ago. Whereas Vishal is from Jhelum.

None of us slept during the night, although we live at difference places. I was woken up early by a phone call. Vishal had gone to see cricket match at stadium and Naveed, well let’s give him privacy.

The Travel

It was raining but thankfully when we left, it had stopped. Everyone needed cash so we stopped at ATM. Dropped off Vishal’s room mate on our way. Which reminds me, whenever I take Vishal anywhere, I have to drop his room mate somewhere. It was chilly but I was trying not to admit it, even to myself. We stopped on motorway to offer Fajar prayer and to stay awake we had tea. I must say it was one of the best tea I have ever had. I don’t know why but it had that taste of Coffee in it. It was made in machine so if you have any guess, let me know.

Haro River

We stopped at Haro River’s bridge. Haro river originates from Nathia gali and passes by Jabri. If you have ever been to Umbrella or Noori waterfall, you might remember that Bridge which is on Haro river. Not only that but Khanpur Dam is also built on Haro. After rain, it looked beautiful. Next we crossed the mighty Indus and then Kabul river. I realized motorway rest area shops are very expensive.

Haroo River after a rainy morning.

There is a lot more to come. Story has all the masala and twists.
To read whole story now, check out my blog at the link below.

axiss.rayil (xyan.ryil) 2021-10-27 12:23:24 +0500 #3

Naveed was our guide, so he guided us from an Peshawar Ring road towards Warsak Dam, our first destination of the day. As we got off from motorway, he go us on Ring road briefly and then to our surprise Ring Road ended suddenly into nothing. Thankfully we were driving slowly or we might have met an accident. Next we passed several towns and villages on our way to Warsak.

View of Motorway after rainy morning

Warsak Dam

Warsak Dam was the first major dam built by Pakistan on Kabul river. Queen Elizabeth, on her tour to Pakistan, visited it while it was under construction. Dam has completed it’s life of 50 years and is filled with silt hence it’s capacity is down. There is a Warsak Cadet college, outside of which there were some candidates waiting. We took a right from there and reached an F.C. Check post.

Kabul River after freeing from Warsak Dam. there were steel mills on the other side of the river, which provided the required steel for dam's repair.

The officer there diverted us to a Mr. Ishaq (the security incharge for Dam), in the Warsak Coloney whose permission we needed. We went to colony nearby, but since it was Sunday, so his office was closed. We came back and Vishal negotiated with the office to get us through.

Checkout "Queen Elizabeth II in Pakistan (1961)", which includes her visit to Warsak Dam

But our happiness was very short lived as just a kilometer away there was Wapda’s own check post. We were stopped there and no matter how much we tried, we did not get permission. The guards were of mature age and genuinely kind and hospitable but they followed the rule. They even showed us the register in which they had noted the expected visitors and their vehicle numbers.

So if you are going to Warsak Dam, do reach out to Wadpa's security office for permission in advance.

Dam was couple of kilometers away, there were steel factories on the other side of the river which provided necessary steel for dam. While we were standing at Khyber Agency, there was Bajore Agency on the other bank. We took some pictures and went to see Irrigation Department’s rest house.

Door was opened, so we entered. A few minutes later a man came and Vishal spoke to him. They let us tour the beautiful landscape. Which was not only a scenic rest house but also headworks for a canal from the river. Rest hour was on the edge of river bank with canal on it’s back. What I liked the most was the shed while was surrounded by the trees and covered by a single vine. It has big lawns and wide view of river. What ruined some of views was the trash in the river. Ahead of the rest house, some people were fishing. I was shocked to know that people used Tyre tubes to not only fish in the river but also to cross it. Which takes their lives too some time. Have we not evolved enough to build the boats?

Irrigation Department's rest house water build on headwords of Kabul River's Canal System. Old Canal was built during Mughal reign but new headworks were build in 1902.

axiss.rayil (xyan.ryil) 2021-12-20 11:15:59 +0500 #4

Continued....

We left, and from cadet college, we went straight toward Jamrud. The road was under construction and narrow so we were slow. What really caught our attention on our way were the marble ponds. There were a lot marble factories on the road and the dust from marble cutting had accumulated and formed heaps there. Somewhere in those heaps water has accumulated and since it’s floor is of marble dust, the water color is ocean green. When you look at it, it looks like a place out of fairy tale. As the pond is green and heaps of marble dust look like glaciers in the far sight.

We reached Jamrud Bazar, I had a naan with yogurt, Naveed and Vishal had Beef Pulao. Took some pictures and moved ahead towards Torkham Border. Naveed has a romantic soul so he told me about a romantic Pashto poet who’s village we were passing by. Then he pointed at the old and abandoned railway track from Colonnial Era.

Bab-e-Khyber

Road is good as it’s used for trade with Afghanistan. After Jamrud we saw a lot of mud houses like there were on road towards Jamrud from Warsak but now houses were bigger. Naveed told us that these are called “Kalay”, sort of Haveli’s. And there might be many families, from same ancestors, living in one kalay. We also saw “Ayub Khan Kalay”, who was the richest man in Khyber Agency.

Torkham Border

As we reached Torkham, we saw a lot of tucks and trailers parked there, because it was Sunday and custom office was closed. They were all loaded with onions. Torkham Bazar was closed. Road was fenced on the side and just before the border, we were stopped. We parked the car in the bazar nearby, there were car parking available which we found out later. We had tea at a hotel, the owner refused to take money from us. Torkham has a sizable population too as I was surpised to see a lot cars going upwards from Bazar. On the other side of border, I remember seeing Minarets of a mosque in Afghanistan. The border fence, I was told was for the animals, like there is on Khunjerab Pass for Yaks. Some Vehicles crossed the border, there was nothing much to do there to we started our travel back to Peshawar. Both the boys were intrigued to go to Landi Kotal for their famous “Dumba Karahi” but I Vetoed the decision.

Jamrud Bazar

Back to Jamrud, we needed to use the rest room, we went to the Jamia Masjid at main road but we were surprised to know that there were no restrooms there, we went to another mosque but same situation. The public restroom in Bazaar were of such condition that we decided to wait. As I took pictures, I was asked by authorities to delete some of the pictures.

There is a lot more to come including the famous Karkhano Market and Namak Mandi.
If you can't wait, you can read the full story on my blog by clicking on following link.