Stuff Of My Life

 Hello Sweet Hearts!

Hope beating beautifully on the rhythm of life!

This is September, a month in which autumn starts to show it' s colour. It's been ages since i witnessed true autumnal beauty in my native village. Trees and plants stay here green for extended period because of hot weather. We wait for cooler days to witness little colours of the season in our small garden. Maybe it is slowly changing weather that brings nostalgia or aging that i am missing autumn more this year.

This is pleasant noon and i am saying this because i don't have to cook lunch in the kitchen today as we have some chicken curry and all i have to cook is two flat bread and that is it. So once i enter and work in the kitchen i encounter with much heat and forget to appreciate the weather that is getting less hot with passing days of September . Right now temperature is 38 c outside but fan air feel cool inside.

I am writing this post on dining table, my favourite place from where i can see bit of the sky, our garden and neem tree that is playing with air joyfully!

I sat here to write after so many days actually. The long and intensely hot  summers leave no room for feel anything but heat and laboured breathing during doing house chores. Our recent stay of 3 months in Islamabad went mostly in hospital visits sadly. Yet we had great time there. Eldest as wise precious soul he is has rented an apartment in posh area where the the huge park was right before where we lived. Though windows did not face the park directly but we took full advantage of this opportunity and took daily walks of 3 to 4 miles regularly. We knew that eldest son wanted us to do so and he knew how much we love walking in this park. God bless him for his kindness! 

I realised that only one thing that kept me pushing towards feeling ill there was that i had to skip exercise which my body needed badly due to arthritis. Actually most of the mornings we had to go to the hospital around 8 am for more than two months.Mornings were time for the exercise. Then business and hacks of the day would not leave energy to do anything but lay low. On the other hand meds started to make me feel more dull. I believe that if i could have continued exercise i would have not been much ill because meanwhile i became vulnerable to my severe anemia, arthritis, stomach ulcer and allergy that occupied the space completely.They have been with me whole life and i have kept them knocked off for decades with my exercise and meditation but this time i made mistake by not thinking about what i was missing actually.

Since here at home now all due cleaning and arranging is done ,i have started exercise and feel energetic already thankfully ! 

Do you ever feel that if you skip exercise for sometime and world around you seems to get enlarge and you feel shrunk before everything around you ?

I felt that way after skipping exercise for three months :( 

But it is just third day of workout and i feel strong and active again :)

Today i am little sad and happy at the same time because our youngest son has left home as he has got admission in the university in other city .

The day he left three of us were emotional and i saw my son trying not to show his emotions first but i could see his slightly wet eyes. Than before bus moved he got down second time and hugged us and said he is thankful for everything and that he will miss us . He asked us not to tire ourselves much .We are in touch daily and he seems happy with this change and is busy in preparation for joining his university.His brothers are guiding him too!

After him, next day when we got up house felt so empty and my eyes were shedding tears after each once in while .I know that today's children are not like us who were so naive and wouldn't survive without parents or will take long to adjust. They are smart and know how to move on and face what lies ahead. But being a parent i feel bit alone an sad! I know i will made peace with this transformation as well with time ,though an emptiness and sense of sadness will stay with us for the life we have ahead. It makes me at peace too and proud too that God has given me an open mind to understand how nature works and follow it's simple laws so life can be a good and light experience for everyone! 

This is the only earning i could made throughout out my life and i feel grateful for that! Everyone has his own way to earn happiness .It makes me utterly grateful and happy that God has gifted me heart who feels happy only when he gives happiness to people around him!

Thank you so much for being with me till here dear friends!

thank you so much for your exceptional love and support that strengthen me and encourages to share more🥹🙏❤️

Health ,peace and happiness to you all and to all you love!!!!

Series Of Inconveniences .......

 

 

Hello dear friends 

Hope having blessed times by the grace of God!

Sorry for my late posting .I have few natural excuses for that actually. As i have mentioned that i was trying to quit medicine as my course ended but felt sick immediately afterwords. I got upset stomach which was more concerning as we had to travel here in next few days.I thought that my body reacted negatively because i tried to break the routine of taking medicines at once. (couldn't think of something else because i have been taking medicines since my early life but felt absolutely fine whenever quit them). Anyway i bought half pack of meds and started to take half dose this time. Then after a week stop taking them. Although my stomach behaved normal this time but the weakness and flu took over. I broke all my previous records of excessive sneezing and feeling sick. I doubt that i made many passengers sick in the bus we rode to home because of my flu was so obvious  🫩So after three beautiful months in Islamabad, We are back home in our small hot and sweating city. We arrived on Tuesday noon. Loads of works were laying here and there idly and we tried to sweep them off with whatever energy was left thankfully. My flu is still accompanying faithfully despite the medication and i keep wondering if treatment or medicine i took in Islamabad was right decision ? And how long this strange side effect gonna stay with me ?

Let me share with you that our home appliances are too acting weird  since we have returned .Our dawlance fridge is not cool anymore . Right now a workman is trying to fix it . We brought lots of laundry to wash with us as machine back there wasn't automatic ,but dawlance front load washing machine started to make noise when reached close to end of it's cycle. Hubby tried to figure out by taking out it's manual guide book. We learnt that we should have wash the drum once in a month which we did not so noise could the be result of dried detergent and debris of threads. It took both of us more than half hour to identify which function will clean the machine. I selected steam function which chose 2 and half hours cycle of cleaning.Though I couldn't find how to set water temperature :(  Although machine is working fine afterwards and no noise anymore but i think hot water selection could have make more significant difference.Will keep try to find this water temperature function for next time.

Story doesn't end here, our tv is not working as well and so is internet device ,can you believe it 🤣

We have dropped our tv on repair shop before leaving and the workman is in Karachi since then and making promises he couldn't keep sadly . Even though we just want him to return advance money (50000 pkr) and tv and we will buy new one but he is responding with new excuse each next day .Lets hope he realises what is doing. None of this is more bothering than feeling ill constantly so i don't have time to worry about these things except wondering if i can feel better ever 😭

Oh did i tell you that we forgot one our very important piece of luggage in our Islamabad apartment . Yes and 100% because all of us were fluish ,add super fluish when talking about me 😩

Thankfully the apartment manger reacted  with sense of responsibility and  sent the bag through cargo service last night . We paid gratitude and money that process cost to him.

I think this is enough complaining for today dear friends ! Big thanks for staying with me till end . I feel encouraged by your love and support 🙏 Will try to get back to my routine asap including visit to my favourite blogs 😍

Sending heartfelt best wishes ,love and prayers on your way precious friends! God bless you all!

Altit Fort And Baltit Fort ,Legend Of Two princes And Personal Opinion And Query

 

Hello Precious Friends!

Hope having blessed days and enjoying the moments in your hands to fullest!

As you know that since few weeks my posts are mostly about our recent trip to Hunza valley in northern Pakistan. Today i am sharing about the two old forts situated in Hunza valley Altit Fort and Baltit Fort . We could visit only Altit that was not that far from where we stayed . I shared some photos that we captured while exploring Altit Fort. I have taken help from google to share history of both forts though .I hope you will enjoy !

Baltit Fort is a prominent historical site in Pakistan and this place offers a panoramic view of Hunza Valley and the highest mountain peaks in Pakistan. Baltit Fort was the home of Ayashkutz royal family of Hunza for 700 years. Formerly known as Kanjut, Hunza was an independent principality ruled by a hereditary monarch named Mir Tham in the local Burushaski language. In the 19th century, Baltit Fort was part of the Great Game. In 1891, as part of an overall strategy to contain the Russians, British troops invaded Hunza and eventually occupied Baltit Fort and Hunza state. The structure of the fortress has undergone many changes over the years. The fort was abandoned in 1945, and Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan later donated the fort to Baltit Heritage Trust. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture renovated the Baltit fort and is on the tentative list of UNESCO’s world heritage sites since 2004. The Baltit Fort now stands as a heritage site in Pakistan to be visited by tourists from all over the world. All the information and images are from this site A Brief History of Ancient Baltit Fort.To avoid making post more lengthy i excluded some parts that you can find there if interested .

Baltit Fort History

The Mirs of Hunza knew how hard it was for invaders to attack this region, but that did not mean it was impossible. The clever move was to create a fortress or stronghold to shield the citizens against attack from outsiders and any sieges set upon them.

While the Mir’s of Hunza originally resided in the Altit Fort, later Mir’s of Hunza built Baltit Fort and moved to Baltit Fort placed high above the valley, against the side of the glacier for the best vantage point. Baltit fort age is around 700 years. The foundation of the fort dates back to the 8th century, although the structure itself has undergone many additions and modifications over the years. Carbon dating indicates some of these additions were made in the 13th century.

In the 16th century Mir of Hunza, Ayashoo II wed Princess Shah Khatoon from Baltistan. She brought with her many artisans who influenced the design visitors to the fort see today. Baltistan was heavily influenced by Tibetan culture and architecture, so the face-lift the new Princess ordered resembled the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Additional changes were made to the fort, including the addition of colored glass, a more colonial-style front elevation, and limewashing

Mir Nazeem Khan Picture: SOAS UK

Picture:SOAS UK

Fort Preservation

Baltit Fort was abandoned in 1945 when Mir Jamal Khan and their family moved to the newly built palace in Karimabad, Hunza. Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan gracefully donated the fort to the Baltit Heritage Trust to restore and preserve it. The donation of the fort went to the Baltit Heritage Trust which was established as a caretaker for the facility. In1985 The Aga Khan Trust for Culture brought on Richard Hughes and Didier Lefort to develop a plan to save the Baltit Fort from further disrepair. Their ideas became a full-scale, complex conservation proposal. Hughes, an English engineer specializing in seismic proof structures and soil buildings, worked with Lefort, a French architect, and designer. Now the restoration could begin, and the current museum was established. Baltit Fort has been on the tentative list of UNESCO’s world heritage sites since 2004. On 29th September 2006, The President of Pakistan, Mr. Farooq Laghari, and Prince Karim Aga Khan inaugurated the restoration of Balti Fort in Karimabad Hunza

                                                            

      image source here , we visited this Altit Fort that was half hour drive from our hotel. This image i chose because it gives idea how high and aloof it stands on the dry mountain peak. All the photos below are taken by us 

                                                              

                 

    you can imagine how harsh weather conditions must be during winter season. This building has survived through time and tough weather conditions. The area is protected and well maintained by authorities Agha Khan Trust  .                                                    

The total area for the fort is 300 to 400 meters,a vertical  drop down straight to the Hunza river , we could not see the houses below except some remnants but river was flowing with all his might and elegance . looking down from such height and seeing such view takes breath away for a moment literally !

from the lush front yard with grazing sheep here and there few staircase lead to the main old fort building . A guide is provided once we buy tickets who leads his group towards the small entrance of the tower like timber palace. We saw two other guides who were leading their groups too. Our guide called people so they can gather and he can tell the story of  this Fort and a family of younger prince who lived here. If you have checked the link given above or read the the paragraphs written about Baltit palace (one we could not visit) you know that Baltit palace was home to royal family where two brother lived together with their families . 

image source here, according to legends the dispute over power between two brothers made younger brother move here in other palace where he tried to form his own army and was buried alive in this standing grave by his elder brother .Although story does not have documented proof but stories travels from generation to generation over the centuries as we know . I was so disheart to listen this part of the story as i wanted to leave the room but i stayed anyway. Throughout my life i have read and the watched in shows and movies how power seekers shed their own blood for something truly trivial and i could never grasp such mindset nor ever i will that how this can happen ! i could not take the photo of this standing grave but hubby and sons did .

tourists standing front of the office for buying tickets which was close to the main entrance of the palace yard. from the languages spoken by people we noticed that tourists  from all corners of Pakistan have come to visit , we spotted many foreigners within and outside the building on different places  

when our group was moving to second floor this couple appeared ,the man called the guide man if he is free .Guide man replied that it will take some time because he has group to guide already, he said they can join the group if they want to .but man said quite loudly "o no we don't like groups " that sounded bit ill mannered to me and i think to all . whatever he liked or not it was his personal business and he should not have said this front of many people who were a group at that moment ( this is my personal opinion . but i would like to listen what you think about it .

That is it dear friends , many thanks for your incredible support and love ! It gives me strength to speak my heart and share my thoughts with you all !

Sending heeartfelt best wishes ,love and prayers on your way blessed souls! God Bless You All!

Ice Bridge The Coolest Experience Ever And Happy Birthday

 Hello Amazing Hearts !

Hope and pray that beating wisely on the rythem of life!

I am fine and trying to deal with after affects of my medication . Yes thankfully ,i got my medicine course ended finally . But strangely i am experiencing bit more heavy head and upset stomach :(  I don't know why . Hubby says taking pill immediately for upset stomach isn't good so i waited for two days and then started . Feeling relieved thank goodness ! But still waiting for my old version i sued to be before starting medication😒

I believe like i do ,you too will keep me in your prayers dear friends!

Recent highly destructive earthquake in Colombia made my heart very heavy! And brought back memories of Venezuela!!!

Being human sense of vulnerability and helplessness dominates my heart sometimes🥺😞

On bright side ,we are getting lots of rains throughout the country :) Rainy season makes hilly areas more beautiful😍

Though rains like other aspects of the weather have become unpredictable in a way that sometimes an area receives rain in a day two to ten times more than it used to  get in a month before .Sounds scary to me. 

I am feeling sad because we are leaving Islamabad at the end of August and i will be missing this weather and scenery greatly😞

But living here for three months are gift given by eldest son by the grace of God! and we are happy and grateful to have this opportunity!🙏🥹❤️

Today is the Happy 79th birthday of my homeland Pakistan! Despite all the odds it feels nice to have a homeland that one can call "ours"🙏❤️May God enlighten authorities and inhabitants to play their significant role in the well being of this gifted piece of land!

Sharing some more glimpse from our recent tour to higher northern pakistan Hunza valley dear friends .Hope you will enjoy them as we did .

sorry i couldn't locate video of the history told by guide as it is tough to locate one video among hundreds , i promise i will asap . This is backyard of the fort area or room .below river was flowing joyously singing wild songs ,everything was unbelievably beautiful . Walls of the fort did not last but area is protected with wooden fence . The wide spread yard around the fort is lush and has many pretty flowering plants along with old and new trees . Wooden stair curing along upwrds leads to the top floor room that is still standing and maintained by local authority with funding and income from tourism.This was taken by kind guide man.

Hubby is standing beside the river called "Ice Bridge" formed by melting glacier behind. It took our breath away when we saw it in first trip there .I thing it was best thing ever we encountered . As after getting down from the car we felt a powerful sense of joy and excitement as the rushing water was producing such a high therapeutic and healing voice and we could feel it's cool fog in the air from many meters 😍😊

           Mountain HinduKush was laying behind us while soaking timely appearance of sunlight 

   I stayed with very cold rising fog of water for long while everyone felt cold and wandered around , i wanted to bring all my people from the hot city here to experience that cold as i had missed it bitterly for ages 🥹It gave me flue later lol but no regret and i can do it ever and ever as i miss cool weather badly in our sindh 'hot weather :(

     youngest son crossed fenced area and got close to the river ,his elder brother took this photo and when i realised i was scared and called him back in protected area with seats of restaurant beside this awesome water 

we visited this place on my insistence second time and i was happy that family agreed too ,i knew i won't be able to revisit soon so i wanted to live these cool moments once again  🥹❤️

Heartfelt thanks for your incredible support and love precious friends! I truly appreciate your kindness . It strengthen me to keep sharing! 

I will be visiting you all asap! Health <peace and Happiness to you and yours❤️🙏