The year, 1995, marks the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo's 24-year-long trek through nineteen countries along the 2000 years old ancient and mythical route. Through endless desert, seemingly insurmountable mountains, countless trading towns and long-forgotten villages, the 4,030-mile-long trail meandering from Istanbul, Turkey to Beijing, China Marco Polo travelled for 24 years to complete his legendary journey.
The WTO (World Tourism organization) adopted most apprpri- ately the "Samarkand Declaration on Silk Road Tourism" last October and urged the governemnts of the nineteen countries to initiate a joint project to promote travel and tourism for a destination already a legend for almost two centuries.
For centuries caravans braved through tortuous mountains, angry rivers, high passes treading precariously along the path providing short cuts between the caravan towns of Central Asia and the rich markets of South Asia and the Orient. The mule trains had for centuries carried silk, tea and porcelain from China to br bartered for gold, ivory, jewels in the West.
Over the last decade the Karakoram Highway (KKH), a marvel of modern engineering skill, was built through the majestic Karakoram Mountain, linking the difficult terrain of Kohistan, Gilgit and Hunza, through the Khunjerab Pass with the sprawling Xianjiang Province of China. The Karakoram Highway is now open to International Tourism and the most convenient starting point, until the complete trail is opened, is IsIslamabd, the pictureque capital of Pakistan at the foothills of the Himalayas.
Caravanserais and old forts at regular intervals picturesquely dot the landscape along the highway. Atter the Margalla Pass, a sign marks the turn off to the historic city of Taxila, which was acclaimed through centuries as mthe most splendid city, boasting to have been the seat of learning and art during the Budhist era.
After the bustling bazar at Hasan Abdal and the imposing bridge spanning the Dor river at Havelin, you arrive at Abbottabad, surrounded by timber forested ranges at heights of 5000 to 9000 feet. Leaving Abbottabad, the KKH winds through gentle hills thickly planted with pines and fruit trees The three edicts, issued by emp- eror Ashoka (ca 257 B.C.) are inscribed on three massive boulders on the northern slope of Mansehra, a little township. After passing Batagram the road now hovers above the Indus that cuts through the mountains. gathering the turquoise waters of melting snows and glaciers. At Thakot one makes the first of many cross- ings over the Indus river and enters an area appropriately called, Kohistan, Land of Mountains. There is a large bazar, Basham Qila, after which the road passes through difficult terrain. After passing Pattan, Chilas and Jaglot, you arrive at the foot of Mt. Haramosh (24,279 ft.) , where the Indus is joined by the Gilgit river. and the KKH follows the river northward.
A rich saga is only partly unveiled through the study of petroglyphs pecked into the dark copper-red patina glazing the water -smoothed faces and rounded recesses of boulders scattered along the waterways, from the rock-strewn plains west of Chilas, north to Hunza and west to Gupis. The petroglyphs appear singly on small rocks or in exuberant profusion from variuos periods on massive outcrops. The designs are traced back to the days of kings and conquerors, politicians and pilgrims, merchants and missioneries over the last 2000 years. Symbols sacred to prehistoric, Budhist and Hindu rituals are in abundance. For millennia the graceful mountain goat - ibex - symb-olized fertility, and figured predominantly in rituals associated with life sustaining hunts. Drawings of bull and horses in the 3rdd-4th centuries B.C. of South Siberia suggest that horse-riders from Central Asia established kingdoms along this trade route to the rich markets on Ghandhara's plains. Ghandhara's rulers protected this part of the Silk Route between India and China, which was at its busiest time, from the first to the third centuries A.D. under the Kushan rule. These petroglyphs of sacred Budhists stupas strongly attest to the patronage of Budhism; Hindu symbols emerge with the rise of Himdu militants in Gandhara. After Central Asian Hephthalites displaced the Kushans, they added their tribal signs to these sacred boulders.
After Pattan, you arrive at Gilgit, which occupied an importaant positionas major depot on the trade route to Central Asia. The KKH runs north from Gilgit along the Hunza river which joins the Gilgit river a mile below the town. The ground slopes steeply up from the river bed to the Hunza capital, which stands high on the mountain side - a wall surrounded city, forming a pyramid of buildings rising in steps to the imposing castle of the Hunza monarchs, which crowns the summit. Hunza being on the borders of Afghanistan, former Soviet Union. China and India, is strategic in location. Buddhism passed through this way to China and famous early travelers, Fa Hien (400 A.D.) and Huen Tsang (7th Century A.D.) travelled through these areas on their way to the Buddhist centers of learning at Taxila, Ghandhara and Nalanda. Among the later day travelers, to name a few, are Lord Curzon, Lord Kitchner, Sir Francis Younghusband, Sir Aurel Stein, Prime Minister Nevil Chamberlain and President Roosevelt. The Hunza velley comprises the highest mountains in the Karako- ram range, surrounded by tens of peaks 23-25 thousand feet high. The Khunjerab Pass, the border post between Pakistan and China is only 117 miles from Baltit via Gulmit, Pasu and Sust The pass is now open to International Tourism from May through Novemberand remain open every day - the border posts at Sust (Pakistan) and Pirali (China) upto 1100 hrs Pakistan Time for exit from Pakistan and entry into China and upto 1600 hours Pakistan Time for exir from China and entry into Pakistan
SILK ROUTE - CHINA SIDE TASHKURGHAN
Tashkurghan, the ancient outpost, is the first settlementr in China as one croses Khunjerab pass from Pakistan. Fifty three miles north, it is the first town on the road to Kashgar from the Khunjerab Pass on the old Silk Route from Kashgar to Taxila and Gandhara. From here you enter into the city of Kashgar, one of those roamantic historical cities, a medieval oasis whre time seems to have stood still, one is lured to visist again and again Kashgar has a history of over 2000 years and has seen invaders, tribes on the run, wars and devastations, warrior kings, the greedy civil servants. Fa Hien, Huen Tsang, Marco Polo, Sven Hedin, Aurel Stein, Younghusband, van le Coq all have passwsed through this legendary city.
Urumqi, 1482 kilometers by air, to the north of Kashgar, is the capital of the Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region. Two thousand years ago, during the Han Dynasty, nomads of different nationalities roamed here with their flocks The ancient and historic Turfan lies 198 kilometres east of Urumqi in the foothills of the Flaming Mountains. Nearby located are the Thousand Buddha Caves - one of the finest collections of Buddhists frescoes and paintings from Tang, Sung, Yuan and Ming dynasties.
An alternate route from Kashgar to Turfan lies through some of the most legendary cities of Yarkand and Khotan before you arrive in Urumqi. Yarkand is an ancient city with a history of nearly 3000 years. An important stop on the ancient Silk Route, Yarkand is an oasis of 8283 square kilomtres is famous for its silk industry. Khotam, 200 miles from Yarkand, famous for its jade, silk and rugs, has been an center of Buddhist learning, culture and civilization. The renowned Buddhist monk Fa Hien described the presence of of 10,000 monks, many magnificent temples and monasteries in Khotan. In the fifteenth century Khotan embraced Islam and since then has been occupying a position of prominence in Islamic poetry and literature.
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