ghazi52
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Under the Balochistan sun
NOMAN ANSARI
At Hingol National Park, a 'Princess of Hope,' a sphinx and a quaint Mandir thrive amidst the desolation
Deep in Balochistan, The Princess of Hope rises up against the horizon. — Photo: Noman Ansari
“What we are going to see is nothing special. It has become a popular spot because a famous Amreekan actress Magelina Bolee thought it resembled a beautiful shezaadi (princess). If I was a famous actress I could have also named something.”
So says the portly, cynical driver who's taking us through Balochistan to visit Hingol National Park. He doesn’t quite resemble a glamorous Hollywood actress, but he's been entertaining company nonetheless.
Like insignificant ants, we tear through Hingol National Park’s coastal highway in search of what is billed as the most sublime of all the natural formations in Balochistan: The Princess of Hope.
As the driver, clearly not versed in the art of enchanting tourists, does his best to dampen our hopes for the princess, I gaze at the unfamiliar sites we're passing through.
Thinking back to the terrain we covered already, I have a funny feeling this trip into the heart of Balochistan is going to be something special...
Alone in the vastness
Under the gentle kiss of the warm afternoon sun in the middle of Balochistan’s bipolar winter, a few goats energetically bustle across the rocky terrain in search of water, yellowing vegetation, or whatever it is that gets goats frolicking.
On our way to Hingol National Park on this trip organized by The Karachi Gliding Club, riding comfortably in a modern Japanese bus, our group of 25 Karachi-based tourists zips past the bouncing furry creatures with little care for the fact that they are the first living beings we have come across in quite a while.
Although we’ve only been in Balochistan for six hours, any preconceived notions I had had about the province have been left behind coughing in our dust. For one, I feel remarkably secure in the barren surroundings. For the other, the beautifully paved roads are unexpectedly flat, certainly flatter than the delicious parathas gorged on by our group at a secluded dhaba in the bone-chillingly cold hour of the morning.
Knowing that Balochistan is the largest Pakistani province in terms of landmass, yet is only home to five percent of the nation’s teeming population, I certainly expected our journey to feel isolated.
Still, I wasn’t prepared for our small group to be larger than any other company of people we would encounter for most of the day. Only adding to this feeling of solitude is the absence of cellphone signals for the hundreds of kilometers that surrounded us.
This isolation embraces my soul with the peaceful essence of calmness. The deep blue sky, unsullied by the grey pollution that smears the Karachi skyline, adds to the naked beauty of our landscape.
But the real stars of this earthy canvas are our rocky surroundings, which rise from the ground to imposing dimensions. These endless hills share deliciously earthy tones and are peppered with darker soil, as if they are nature’s version of an intense chocolate cake. In fact, it seems as if each hill we pass resembles a delicious dessert, or perhaps it has simply been a long time since breakfast?
Coming back to the Princess...
As we draw nearer to The Princess of Hope, I correct our driver: the actress he spoke of goes by the name of Angeline Jolie rather than Magelina Bolee.
He snorts.
Perhaps it is because our expectations had been lowered, but the Princess of Hope turned out to be an impressive sight at Buzi Pass. Wearing what resembles a heavy crown, the royal rock formation stares off haughtily into the horizon.
Eager to give her a closer examination – and normalize the blood flow in our legs – we use the opportunity to trek nearer to the tourist attraction. After a short hike, we finally come within spitting distance of the Princess, who as someone in the group joked, up close seems to have more in common with a ninja turtle than a princess. I suppose like all royalty, this princess carries her secrets.
In close proximity to the Princess is an uncanny looking sphinx that has been completely shaped by nature, and is every bit as impressive.
NOMAN ANSARI
At Hingol National Park, a 'Princess of Hope,' a sphinx and a quaint Mandir thrive amidst the desolation
Deep in Balochistan, The Princess of Hope rises up against the horizon. — Photo: Noman Ansari
“What we are going to see is nothing special. It has become a popular spot because a famous Amreekan actress Magelina Bolee thought it resembled a beautiful shezaadi (princess). If I was a famous actress I could have also named something.”
So says the portly, cynical driver who's taking us through Balochistan to visit Hingol National Park. He doesn’t quite resemble a glamorous Hollywood actress, but he's been entertaining company nonetheless.
Like insignificant ants, we tear through Hingol National Park’s coastal highway in search of what is billed as the most sublime of all the natural formations in Balochistan: The Princess of Hope.
As the driver, clearly not versed in the art of enchanting tourists, does his best to dampen our hopes for the princess, I gaze at the unfamiliar sites we're passing through.
Thinking back to the terrain we covered already, I have a funny feeling this trip into the heart of Balochistan is going to be something special...
Alone in the vastness
Under the gentle kiss of the warm afternoon sun in the middle of Balochistan’s bipolar winter, a few goats energetically bustle across the rocky terrain in search of water, yellowing vegetation, or whatever it is that gets goats frolicking.
On our way to Hingol National Park on this trip organized by The Karachi Gliding Club, riding comfortably in a modern Japanese bus, our group of 25 Karachi-based tourists zips past the bouncing furry creatures with little care for the fact that they are the first living beings we have come across in quite a while.
Although we’ve only been in Balochistan for six hours, any preconceived notions I had had about the province have been left behind coughing in our dust. For one, I feel remarkably secure in the barren surroundings. For the other, the beautifully paved roads are unexpectedly flat, certainly flatter than the delicious parathas gorged on by our group at a secluded dhaba in the bone-chillingly cold hour of the morning.
Knowing that Balochistan is the largest Pakistani province in terms of landmass, yet is only home to five percent of the nation’s teeming population, I certainly expected our journey to feel isolated.
Still, I wasn’t prepared for our small group to be larger than any other company of people we would encounter for most of the day. Only adding to this feeling of solitude is the absence of cellphone signals for the hundreds of kilometers that surrounded us.
This isolation embraces my soul with the peaceful essence of calmness. The deep blue sky, unsullied by the grey pollution that smears the Karachi skyline, adds to the naked beauty of our landscape.
But the real stars of this earthy canvas are our rocky surroundings, which rise from the ground to imposing dimensions. These endless hills share deliciously earthy tones and are peppered with darker soil, as if they are nature’s version of an intense chocolate cake. In fact, it seems as if each hill we pass resembles a delicious dessert, or perhaps it has simply been a long time since breakfast?
Coming back to the Princess...
As we draw nearer to The Princess of Hope, I correct our driver: the actress he spoke of goes by the name of Angeline Jolie rather than Magelina Bolee.
He snorts.
Perhaps it is because our expectations had been lowered, but the Princess of Hope turned out to be an impressive sight at Buzi Pass. Wearing what resembles a heavy crown, the royal rock formation stares off haughtily into the horizon.
Eager to give her a closer examination – and normalize the blood flow in our legs – we use the opportunity to trek nearer to the tourist attraction. After a short hike, we finally come within spitting distance of the Princess, who as someone in the group joked, up close seems to have more in common with a ninja turtle than a princess. I suppose like all royalty, this princess carries her secrets.
In close proximity to the Princess is an uncanny looking sphinx that has been completely shaped by nature, and is every bit as impressive.