This peaceful valley surrounded by mountains is called ‘Kumrat’. It may seem like a silent valley, but the river formed by the waterfalls that burst out of the mountains makes a lot of noise. Seeing this river that is intoxicated by hitting the rocks, ‘Subhan Allah’ comes out of the tongue.It was planned to spend a few days in the natural environment away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The journey that started from Karachi at 7 am ended the next day when we 6 friends reached Taimargarh a little before sunrise. Now without resting our next destination was ‘Thal Bazar’ for which we booked a car.
The route from Tamergarh to Thal covers 5 laps, but narrow and uneven roads add to the travel time. Second, the traffic is also jammed during the day due to the small and big markets on the way. It is better for tourists to travel late at night or early in the morning.While traveling from Taimargarh towards Thal, the river Panjkora passes on the left side. This river kept such a silence during the journey that we did not even feel that we were near. Kudos to Gul Khan (our driver) who told us ‘it’s called the Panjkora River’. The Panjkora River runs alongside the people like a shadow till the bottom.The Kamrat valley starts from Thal Bazar. Tourists can buy food and other necessities from here. From here, jeeps take tourists to Kumrat valley and ship to Banda at a reasonable fare. Here, mention must be made of the historic mosque built entirely of wood in Thal Bazaar, the artistry of its builders surely amazes the viewer. The mosque has mysteriously caught fire two to three times. Local people do not have any authentic information about this mosque which has existed for decades.
After a brief visit to the market, when we entered the valley for the first time in our life, every bit of the valley made us feel like saying ‘Merhaba, Marhaba’. The inhabitants of Kamrat have built a different world here. High mountains all around, rows upon rows of trees on them, waterfalls falling from the mountains, the noise of the Panjkora river rushing through the rocks, all this gives a strange peace. Seeing the beauty of Kamrat, they all forgot the difficult journey they had taken to reach here.The evening of Kamrat valley also seemed very beautiful like its beauty. The birds were returning to their nest chirping. An eerie silence followed as the darkness spread, locals making their way to their huts with the help of charging lights or mobile flashlights. Our Gypsies also found a place to spend the night. It was a tin-sheet hut on the banks of the Panjkora River for which I paid Rs.5,000. It also included delicious food for 6 people, generator facility, bonfire, tea and coffee.
After resting for some time, food was eaten and then a bonfire was arranged. As the feeling of cold increased, everyone sat around the fire as if they were fire worshippers. This sequence continued till late night. Hundreds of stars in the sky were talking to each other. There was darkness all around and the light from the fire was making everyone aware of our presence in the valley. At the same time, we were afraid that some animal would attack us from behind and swallow us raw in this deserted forest. That night, everyone got a good sleep and got rid of the fatigue of the journey.In the morning, when we came out of the hut with squinting eyes, the Kamrat valley seemed more beautiful than what we had imagined in our minds. If you look at the high mountains standing on all sides, nature is shining in them with all its splendor. The beauty of the valley is a testament to the bounties of nature.
After spending a few days in this amazing Kada Hussain valley, we slowly returned to the busy life of the city with its beautiful scenery in our eyes. This was my third trip to the Northern Territory.Tourists have flocked to Kamrat Valley for the past few years. It lacks the facilities that are available in other popular tourist destinations of Pakistan. Locals in Kamrat use only one private mobile network for communication, as there are no active signals of any other network.The road from Taimargarh to Bab-e-Kumrat is better and after that the roads are broken. This is the reason why tourists are afraid to come here in their own vehicles. If the road is constructed from Bab-e-Kumrat to Thal Bazar and beyond, the influx of tourists will increase and at the same time the employment of the local people will also shine. The natural beauty of the Kamrat Valley is being lost due to felling of trees and construction of solid houses. The provincial government should pay special attention to it.
