AoA Pak Wheelers
This thread is dedicated to new discovery "SHAKARGARH". Only SHAKARGH (Most beautiful jungle) will be covered here. Rest of the trip is continued in below mentioned link:
https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/road-trips-vacations/221083-trip-neelum-valley-explored-valley-beyond-taobutt-2
I thought to start separate thread because of following reasons:
1) It is the new discovery
2) Amazing things happened during this journey
I hope you all will enjoy SHAKARGARH and will inspired with its beauty. So, here we go ...
We reached TAOBUTT at 11:00 AM and got really amazed to see the beauty of TAOBUTT VALLEY. The moment we reached there we became totally spellbound. We have not seen this kind of beauty in other valleys we met before. We analyzed the difference of TAOBUTT with other valleys. We noted some difference which makes TAOBUTT a more beautiful and different place for the tourist which gives the feeling of heaven. TAOBUTT is the only spot on its route (correct me if i am wrong) where river flow at ground level and water level is hardly 1 foot. Infact you can cross the river on your own foot. You can see every single pebble giggling under crystal clear water of river. As far as Huts are concerned, they are slightly different from the huts in other valleys, as most of hut roofs made up of diyaar wood which gives different look. However, in other valleys we observed teen (steel) sheet on roof. We were lost in the landscape around and there was complete silence everywhere. Later moment, one of our friend broke the silence and asked for the plan.
Everyone was with the same view k AAJ YAHAN HE STAY KARNA HY, unfortunately we left all of our luggage at some hotel in kel as our plan was to return to Kel on the same day. We thought k ab kia karna chahiye. We never knew it before that we are going to see the valley which is like heaven and will never let us to leave the place. TAOBUTT turn out too beautiful as we ever dreamed of.
There were two options available:
1) Whether to Explore the valley for 2 remaining hours and then return
OR
2) Forget luggage/camp/cloths/stove and stay at TAOBUTT with the only cloths we were wearing and to bear double rent (kel hotel + Toabutt hotel).
After few minutes of discussion we concluded that we will not leave this place today and somehow will manage to live with the only cloths we were wearing. We found a local man sitting besides river, he seemed to be in some deep thinking. We approached him and asked about the places to visit around. He suggested the place "army fishing point", but later he added "AP NAY TAOBUTT BALA DEKHA HY, AP WAHAN CHALAY JAO, 40 MINUTE KA RASTA HY LAKEN ACHA JAGA HAY", we thanked him and started to move towards TAOBUTT BALA with discussing a thought in mind that wo banda agar taobutt mai baith kar keh raha hy k taobutt bala khobsorat jaga hy to wo waqai khobsorat ho ga because abi tak ki sab sy khobsorat jaga hum ny taobutt he dekhi thi, now TAOBUTT BALA ahead. On the way we found another person coming from opposite side, we asked him about the places to visit, we just wanted to confirm that we are on the right trek. He said, TAOBUTT BALA sy 5 ghantay door ek jaga hy SHAKARGARH, we inquired more about SHAKARGARH, he said "AP LOG SEEDHA JATAY JAO, TAOBUTT BALA AKHRI POINT AA JAYE GA, IS K BAAD KOI ABAADI NAI HY SIRF JUNGLE HY, LAKEN AGAR AP NY SHAKARGARH JANA HY TO BOHAT TAIZ TAIZ CHALNA PARAY GA, PORA JUNGLE KA RASTA HY, AGAR AP LOG RUK RUK K CHALOGAY TO JUNGLE MAI HE REH JAOGAY SHAKARGARH NAI POHONCH SAKOGAY OR MAGRIB HO JAYE GI", he further guided us the way to SHAKARGARH, "AAP LOG BUS SEEDHA SEEDHA JAO YE EK HE RASTA HY, RASTAY MAI 12 PULL (RIVER CROSSING BRIDGE) AYENGAY, OR JAHAN JAHAN RASTA 2 JAGA NIKAL RAHA HO AP LOGO NY LEFT WALAY PE JANA HY", on our question about the accommodation there, he responded ?WAHAN TO BAKHARWAAL (BAKRAY WALAY) REHTAY HAIN JANAB, WAHAN KAISE ABAADI, HAAN BAKHARWAAL LOGO K TENT LAGAY HOTAY HAIN WO AP KO JAGA DY DAINGAY RAAT GUZAARNAY K LIYE". We thanked to that guy and stepped forward towards SHAKARGARH. Rastay mai hamain ek baba jee milay, he was holding 20 KG of grass on his back and he looked above 50. We took his pic and greeted him. Conversation started:
We: "ASSALAM O ALAIKUM BABA JEE"
Baba: before paying back our salam, he responded, "AAP MERE TASWEER UTAAR RAHAY HO. DIKHAO DIKHAO.."
Baba: "WALAIMUM SALAM", he answered
Baba: "KIDHAR JA RAHAY HO PAKISTANIO????"
We: "BABA JEE HUM SHAKARGARH JA RAHAY HAIN"
Baba: unhon ny hamain hairat sy dekha or bolay, "AP LOG NAI JA SAKTA HO, KIS K PAAS JA RAHAY HO? WAHAN HOTEL NAI HY, KAHA RUKNA HO GA AP KO RAAT MAI??"
We: "BABA HAMARA BAKRAY WALO K PAAS RUKNAY KA IRADA HAY UN HE K CAMPS MAI, HUM NY SUNA HY SHAKARGARH MAI BAKRAY WALAY REHTAY HAIN."
Baba: "HAAN REHTA TO HY PAR UN K PAAS JAGA HO NA HO. JAO JAO DEKHO, MIL JAYE GA JAGA, AGAR KAL JANAY KA IRADA HO TO HUM LAY KAR JAYE GA AP KO."
Baba: "AAP SEEDHA SEEDHA JAO, RASTAY MAI 12 PUL AYENGAY, OR JIS JAGA B 2 RASTA NIKAL RAHA HO WAHAN ULTAY HAATH WALAY PE CHALAY JANA", he guided us the same route as we heard of before?
We: "BABA AP KA NAAM KIA HAY"
Baba: "ABDUL WAHAB"
We: "MASHALLAH, SHUKRIYA BABA JEE. ALLAH HAFIZ"
We again started towards TAOBUTT BALA. we reached TAOBUTT BALA after 40 minutes trekking, guyz believe me it heaven (its heaven, its heaven, its heaven), this was the last village on our way. We stopped at the only shop there and purchased some fruit, biscuit and mountain DEW. We discussed with shopkeeper about SHAKARGARH, he said "BILKUL JAYEN, WO BOHAT KHOOBSORAT WAADI HY OR PHOOL KHILA HOA HY JAGA JAGA, AP KO KUCH KHAREEDNA HY TO YAHAN SY KHAREED LAIN AAGAY KUCH NAI MILAY GA". we responded him with full excitement "BAKHARWALO K PAAS HE JA K KHAYENGAY AB, ALLAH HAFIZ".
Now we again thought our plan, we were going to SHAKARGARH which is at 5 hours distance and a jungle trek. We are just 4 boys who have never did the trekking before in lifetime. We were with little food and nothing else, but our excitement was at peak with some milay julay khoof k k jazbaat. These were the factors we were considering and now we started to move as per plan.
We met one guy on our way, he was also going to SHAKARGARH and holding some luggage on his shoulder. The way he met us was sounded weird as local people always meet with innocence but he seemed strange and met with us suspiciously. Anyhow, we were happy with the other reason that we have found someone who is also going to SHAKARGARH and he will help us finding our ways in jungle. We started conversation with him:
We: "AP KIA KAAM KARTAY HO"
Stranger: "MAI MUJAHID HON"
We: "MUJAAAHIDD?"., I bearly could hold my emotions and secretly give indication to other my fellows that he is mujahid
We: "AP ABI KIA KARNAY JA RAHAY HO SHAKARGARH"
Stranger: "BOOTIYAN KAATNAY JA RAHA HON", later in the trip we found many people who came to pluck some hidden BOOTIYAN in mountains.
We: "OKAY, AP K SHOULDER PE KIA SAMAAN HY", we thought he is carrying weapons on his shoulder and will harm us once we reach forest
Stranger: "DARU HY"
"DARUUU?.", I cannot explain my emotions in words after his response, that man totally shake the concept of Mujahid in my mind, as we never have seen mujahid in a war zone before, we start to assume that shayed mujahid bhi mountains mai jeenay or mushkil zindagi sy muqaabla karnay k liye shayed DARU ka sahara lay he laitay hongay. Khair I tried to slow down my foot steps to join my other fellows who were few steps back and I also wanted to let that stranger go forward. I discussed whole story with my friends and we decided to let him go forward so we stopped. After few mins of break, we again started to walk towards SHAKARGARH, O damn, we found that Drinker Mujahid again waiting for us, our bad, we tried to convince our own selves that he is not mujahid because mujahid can never drink alcohol. But this man, who claims himself mujahid and drink alchol, can be dangerous for us, luckily we found one local family heading towards SHAKARGARH, we joined them and left that drinker in a bit harsh manner. After crossing 2 of 12 bridges we found a troop of 11-12 guyz there who looked like chilasi, O man, we thought our game is now over. We were thinking like as soon as we reach them they will do something bad with us, we thought they are associated with that drinker mujahid, now don?t know how they will treat us. We made up our mind that we are over now . Guyz believe me, that was such a weird moment as we were completely silent and proceeding further as there was no option to go back. Drinker Mujahid again found nearby and the family which we were following, has already gone.
We reached those 11-12 guys and greeted them. They greeted us beautifully in response. We asked them we are going to SHAKARGARH, where you people are going to. One of them waved his hand and pointed towards one mountain and said, "HUM WAHAN JA RAHAY HAIN BOOTIYAN KAATNAY", with few greeting words we stared to breathe normally as they were so nice people and not associated with that drinker mujahid. We replied them, Okay please tell us is this safe for us to visit SHAKARGARH, they responded, ?ABI TO BOHAT TIME HO GAYA HY, AP NAHI JA SAKTAY HO, AP KO JALDI NIKALNA THA SUBHA, HUM YAHI MASHWARA DAIN *** K AP WAPIS TAOBUTT BALA CHALAY JAO KAL SUBHA 7 BAJAY NIKALNA OR KISI GUIDE KO SATH LAY LAINA, WARNA AP RASTA BHOOL JAOGAY?, in all this story Drinker was completely silent and staring all of us, those 11 men moved forward and 1 of them stayed with us for few moments. His name was GULBADEEN, he holded us in conversation in the meanwhile Drinker realized that we will not proceed with him, so he went away. Immediately after his departure, Gulbadeen started with some Jazbaati Style:
Gulbadeen: "BHAI JAAN AP LOG IS BANDAY K SATH KAHAN JA RAHAY HO?", he pointed out that drinker who just left us
We: "NAI YAR YE BANDA HAMARAY SATH HE CHALTA JA RAHA HY, HUM NY BOHAT KOSHISH KI K YE AGAY CHALA JAYE LAKEN YE THORA AAGAY JA K RUK JATA HY"
Gulbadeen: "BHAI AP JANTAY NAI HO PHIR B IS BANDAY PAR BHAROOSA KAR K CHALAY JA RAHAY HO IS K SATH, MAI TO SAMJHA YE AP KO KAHIN LAY K JA RAHA HY, YE H***MI KOI SHARABI HY, AAGAY JA K AP K SATH KUCH GALAT KAR DIA TO KIA KAROGAY AP, YE JUNGLE HY AP KI DEADBODY B KISI KO NAI MILAY GI, PICHLAY SAAL HUM JIHAAD SY WAPAS AA RAHAY THY TO ISI TARHA K 2 BANDAY MUQAAMI GROUP KO LOOT RAHAY THY, HUM NA AATAY TO WO UN KO MAAR DAITAY"
We: "YAR HUM KO TO SAB NY YAHI BATAYA THA K YAHAN KOI MASLA NAI HO GA, AP ARAAM SY SHAKARGARH POHONCH JAOGAY"
Gulbadeen: "MAI SIRF AP LOGO KI WAJA SY RUK GAYA OR MERE SAATHI AAGAY CHALAY GAYE, MJY ANDAZA HO GAYA THA K YE BANDA THEEK NAI HY AP LOGO KO AAGAY JA K LOOT LAY GA YA MAAR DY GA, KOI PATA THORI HY K KON HY WO" in a meanwhile one baba jee came from somewhere, he was above 80 and very kind hearted person, he also instructed us the same.
We: "AB HUM KIA KARAIN? SHAKARGARH JAYEN YA NAHI"
Gulbadeen: "AP KI MARZI HY, AP KISI GUIDE KO SATH LAY K JAO TO ZIADA ACHA HO GA"
(a little war of words started among our group, I wanted to proceed further as I thought k koi masla nai ho ga, hazaar bando ny bola hy k bohat safe jungle hy ek banday nay agr keh dia k safe nai hy to why should we change our mind? We should continue with our plan. Other 3 members were with different opinion, they din?t want to proceed further at any cost. Anyways, majority wins)
We returned with sad and angry faces :(. We covered only 2 hours distance as yet, so it took further 2 hours to go back to TAOBUTT, we reached TAOBUTT BALA and realized that why not to stay in TAOBUTT BALA instead of TAOBUTT. So, we found the only hotel in TAOBUTT BALA and stayed there. Luckily we found that baba jee (who was carrying grass) nearby our hotel, we told him complete story and asked him to take us to SHAGARGARH tomorrow morning. He agreed and came early morning tomorrow.
