Memories of Jazbanda, Katora Lake and Kumrat Valley (Part 4)

Part 4: Kumrat Valley

It took us less than two hours to reach back to Jazbanda. On our way back Sattar told me that the group of young boys and girls did not reach to Katora Lake they went back from the small lake way before Katora Lake. Which gave me a little satisfaction otherwise I was thinking that girls did that track easily and I was about to die there.

When we reached to Jazbanda I got slower again as I started taking pictures so Sattar and Junaid reached to the hut before me. When I reached there they were sitting on the same mat on which we had breakfast early in the morning. Our entire luggage was on that mat as the owner of the hotel gave our room to another group. We had some rest and then started our journey back to Jandarai. Now we were going downhill and this time we had to control our momentum. While going up is tiring, going down is more technical. My toes and knees were hurting. All of my weight was no them and the hill was so steep that we were literally pulled by gravity vertically down. When we reached the meadows where there was tea tuck shop under the tree, we stopped again and took some rest but then it was getting dark so we left earlier. We were running down and Junaid slipped twice on this steep slope. By the time we reached to the bottom of the hill we were exhausted. We were passing through that beautiful village track which I crossed without any struggle on the way up but this time taking one step through this track was like a hell. I had so much pain in my toes that I could not walk. Sattar encouraged me to keep walking and I did. It was getting dark and almost night when we reached Jandarai museum.

I was dead tired and feeling cold. I went to a room in Jandarai museum and lay down on a rug and was shivering. Someone gave me a quilt and I was burning in high fever. Sattar asked about dinner. I was not hungry but I wanted to eat something as I had not eaten properly for last two days, so I told him that I would have dinner but I have a high fever. He gave me two Panadol tablets and told me to take some rest while dinner was getting ready.

We were planning to have dinner and leave for Thal and stay there for a night but Alamgir came to us and said that there was a van going directly to Mardan from Jandarai and asked us if we have plans to avail this opportunity. This was a very good option as we would reach to Mardan next morning and form Mardan to Lahore it was only 6 hours. Sattar and Junaid did not want to go to Thal but I was very sick and wanted to take rest for one night before going back. I had a fever and also bad stomach and traveling for whole night in that condition was not easy. Looking at desperation of Sattar and Junaid to reach home as quickly as possible, I decided to go Mardan directly. We had quick dinner put our lauggage on van and soon we were on the van, ready to go to Mardan. At this point I remembered that Sattar and Junaid had left their wives gifts, which they bought from Thal, with shopkeeper. The van was not going through Thal so we requested the driver to take van to Thal first so we could collect the gifts form that shopkeeper. Locals there speak their own language it’s not Pashto but some totally different language so we requested our porter to help us convey our message to the driver. The driver said that it was no problem for him and he would stop at Thal for this purpose. We were now relaxed and discussing our last two days trip. After half an hour I asked driver how far Thal was. At that point he surprising told us that he did not come from that way and Thal was too far away. We asked him why did he not stop at Thal as he promised. He said he did not promise this to us. After a long discussion we became to know that he was not the same driver who promised us he was his cousin and the other driver had left the van after first stop.

I don’t know whether it was bad luck or blessing in disguise we made him go back to Thal and said that we would stay there. So he took us to Thal we paid full rent and left the van. The shopkeeper was thankfully waiting for us at the stop after getting the gifts from him we hired a hotel for night stay and we all were ready to sleep in no time.

This one night stay gave me a  chance to explore Kumrat valley which most people visit in that area, only few go to Katora Lake. Kumrat valley is famous because of Imran Khan (Now the prime minister of Pakistan) Visit. There is a jungle with a beautiful river flowing through it. So I woke up early in the morning arranged a land cruiser to visit Kumrat valley and came back to hotel room. I woke Sattar and Junaid up and told them that transport is ready get ready quickly for Kumrat valley.

Both of them said they did not want to go. I felt sad because I would have to go alone now but then Sattar agreed to accompany me. The reason was not the beauty of Kumrat valley, the reason he agreed to go with me was once he wakes up he could not sleep again. Anyways we both had a breakfast and were on our way to Kumrat valley.

A beautiful house at the bank of Kumrat River near Thal

 

The river is flowing through the village this is the only water source for villagers. The river, fields and small hut like houses were looking like a view of small heaven on earth. We were passing through the jungle alone side river, it was amazing. There were many camps and huts for tourists in that jungle. People stay there for night and I am sure that would be a stunning experience.

We stopped at few points and took some pictures. The really beauty of the valley cannot be captured in picture but one can see the unique landscape of the valley if not feel it.

Our destination was a water fall in Kumrat valley so we did not stop in jungle. We directly reached to the waterfall. It was morning and very few people were there. So I and Sattar enjoyed the waterfall a lot. We put our feet in the cold water took pictures and had lots of fun. We did not have spare clothes otherwise we would be taking bath under the waterfall and this was what we missed.

A bridge connection a small village on the other side of river

River flowing in Kumrat valley near thal. One can see snow covered mountains of Kumrat valley

Another view of beautiful river with Kumrat snow covered mountain in background

A shepherd with his coats at the beginning of Kumrat valley Jungle

Beautiful view of Kumrat valley

This cluster of pine trees along the river bank and lush green fields is forte of Kumrat valley

River flowing in the middle of Kumrat valley. One can see snow covered mountains of Jazbanda in background

Kumrat valley its jungle and the beautiful river

The beautiful waterfall of Kumrat valley. It has two stages one can see both of them in this picture

When we were taking each other’s pictures, two ladies, I think from Karachi, were also busy in taking pictures. I am good in finding frame for picture so I was telling Sattar about frame for my picture and he was taking the exact picture of me. One of the ladies requested Sattar to take her picture. I was looking at the lady when she requested Sattar to take her picture, then I started looking towards waterfall, after few seconds when I looked back at that lady, there was very beautiful lady standing and posing for picture instead of the previous one. I was surprised where had the first lady gone but when I looked carefully I noticed that she was the same lady but just had untied her tied hair. What a dramatic change that was. Well only girls have this kind of magic.

Enjoying the clod sprinkle of Kumrat valley waterfall

Sattar giving thumbs up to the waterfall.

Standing at the bottom of milky waters of Kumrat waterfall

Kumrat valley

River of Kumrat valley

Another view of river flowing through Kumrat valley

Me at the banks the beautiful river

Sattar looking at the amazing river at Kumrat valley Jungle.

We had lots of fun at Kumrat valley and I am sure Junaid will repent on his decision when he will see these beautiful pictures. We were getting late as now we wanted to start our journey back to home. So we came back to Thal at 12 pm and tried to arrange some local transportation to Upper Dir but to our surprise one van or fielder was going to Upper Dir. I was really tired so gave this task to Junaid and Sattar and stayed at hotel. While they were gone to arrange transportation I decided to eat something as now I did not want to travel empty stomach. I went to a restaurant in the hotel and observed a new dish which locals were eating. I decided to eat that dish as I wanted to taste the local flavor. It was beef but with lots of gravy. The taste was terrible but now I had to finish it so I did. But later on this proved to be my big mistake.

The local dish made of beef.

Sattar and Junaid came back, they had arranged a land cruiser (a very old one) and we had to accompany with another group of boys from Lahore. This was a private transportation so we had to pay more fair than local transportation but we had no other choice. So we decided to go to Upper Dir on that, soon we were on our way to Upper Dir. During the journey we had lots of fun we sang songs and discussed about many hot topics but then happiness does not suit us well, our cruiser got out of order. There was some problem with gear of the cruiser we were not very far away from Upper Dir. The driver somehow arranged a mechanic and we fixed the problem a little bit so we could reach Upper Dir.

Now we were in Upper Dir and again no local transportation was available to Islamabad. Only vans were going to Timargira or one van was going to Mardan. We chose the Mardan one and the other group of boys with us chose the Timargira one. Our decision was wrong as always. Our van never got full and never left the bus stand. We waited for van to get full for 2 hours but there were no passengers for Mardan. So we started looking for other options. One option was to hire a tayota 2D car to Mardan, which was very expensive actually that was the only option left. So we hired a private car to Mardan. We were short of money so we requested that we would pay money from ATM in Mardan. This is where I felt like throwing up and again my condition got worse.

While travelling we discussed how science and religion are not separate. I tried to get myself busy in this discussion but I was not feeling well so I could not concentrate on it properly. We had camp and sleeping bags with us and we had to return them to Shoaib in Islamabad. I was the one who was going to Islamabad and Sattar and Junaid were going to Lahore directly. When we reached Mardan I went to ATM and drew money for payment. I only had 6000 Rs in bank which I withdrew and out of them I gave some to driver and some to Sattar as they also didn’t have money with them. I only saved 1000 Rs for myself as the rent from Mardan to Islamabad was only 300 Rs. The car stopped at Daewoo bus stand where there was a single bus ready to go. The bus was going to Lahore, Sattar and Junaid purchased tickets and I asked the car driver to take me to general bus stand which he refused. He said that the general bus stand was too far and opposite to the direction he was going. I requested him that I am sick and it was almost 2 am at night, it would be difficult for me to go to bus stand with this luggage but he harshly refused me again.

When Sattar saw me still standing at the road he left the bus, came to me and said that I should also go to Lahore with them. He suggested sending camp and sleeping bags back to Shoaib from Lahore later on. While he was discussing this option with me his bus left the terminal and was going away in front of us. I told Sattar that he should catch his bus I would manage. He had no option except to run after the bus. He ran too fast but bus did not stop. Junaid was in the bus I still wonder how he had let the bus to go. After a long struggle Sattar had managed to stop the bus. The driver was not letting him in but then after intense conversation he let Sattar to come in.

Now Sattar and Junaid were gone and I was standing all alone on a road then I hired an auto rickshaw for general bus stand. To my surprise the bus stand was not far away as the Toyota car driver mentioned. Anyway now I was at the general bus stand and not a single transportation was available. The rickshaw driver was very nice in contrary with Toyota car driver, he stayed with me and asked many people if there was any van or bus going to Islamabad but all the time answer was in no. Then I requested him to ask a taxi driver if he could take me to Islamabad? You must be thinking why I was requesting him to ask from people, the reason was language. They speak Pashto in Mardan so wanted him to negotiate on my behalf in local language. A taxi driver asked 5000 Rs to Islamabad. There were 5 more people waiting for bus to Islamabad, I requested them that we all would share the rent but they did not respond positively. So I requested the rickshaw driver to ask the taxi driver for concession in fare as was the only one going on taxi. So he requested the taxi driver and told me that total expense of CNG for his taxi from Mardan to Islamabad and again back to Mardan would one be 2000 Rs max. After a small discussion taxi driver was agreed to take me to Islamabad in 3000 Rs. I was sick and could not afford to spent whole night on the road waiting for bus, so I took that offer.

I only had 1000 Rs with me so I requested the driver to take me home in Islamabad so that I could give him the rent which he rejected. When I told him on the way that I don’t have enough money then we got agreed on dropping home instead of bus stand in Islamabad. It was a long day and still I was not home. I thought next city from Mardan would be Islamabad but it was not the case we passed by three cities before reaching Islamabad. Finally at almost 5 am I was at my uncle’s home in Islamabad.

By reading this, one would think that why to leave one’s comfortable life and go to these places and risk one’s life. Yes! The journey was difficult and there was a time when I was thinking that I had made the worse decision of my life and would never come back again to mountains but believe me that feeling which one gets being at these places cannot be describe in words.

Sometimes I wish to close my eyes and imagine that place and then write about it so that others also, after reading my words, can close their eyes and imagine the same place exactly how I had felt and witnessed. When I try to find words to express my feelings which I felt when I was there, I always fail. I sometimes think feelings are there to feel not to express, actually we can’t even come close to what we feel while translating them in words. So I took help from pictures. I thought words together with pictures of that place will reveal the magic which I felt but believe me although I have tried to choose best of the words which suits the description and tried to take best of the pictures to show the beauty of that place but still I fell short. I wish one day I could find such words which could describe the beauty and feeling of these places to those people who even can’t see. I want them to see these places through my eyes with the words I write.