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The last rays of sunshine in Deosai bathes the surrounding plains in a golden light.
In Satpara village, I can smell the fragrance of junipers.
In the distance, the Satpara Lake resembles a dark blue dot. I ask my driver to stop the jeep there.
Have you ever seen the sunset in the mountains? It’s a sight of a lifetime.
I keep concentrating on the natural sound of the chimes across the valley.
The water of Satpara Lake is a stunning turquoise colour, that left me mesmerised.
A stunning view of the Hunza River.
There are many narratives about the origins of music. Some say that when Brahma saw that man was sad despite the beauty of nature, it saddened him as well. So his wife, Saraswati, granted melodies to people.
Songs of David are another embodiment of God’s appreciation for melodies. Whether the songs are in God’s praise, or God himself creates music through waterfalls, cattle bells, flowing waters, rustling flowers, and winds, these melodies are powerful enough to instantly mesmerise the listener.
It is late by the time I reach Skardu. I lie down in bed and fall asleep instantly.
The next morning, I pick up my luggage and leave for Gulmit village, located in Gojal, the northernmost part of Pakistan, from where I have to go to the Khunjerab Pass.
After a nine-hour-long journey as I enter Gulmit, the last rays of the sun are shining on the Passu Cones, bathing them in a copperish colour.
The last rays of the sun shining on Passu Cones in Gulmit village.
The moonlight blankets Gulmit village as seen from the Karakoram Highway.
I place my luggage at the Gulmit Tourist Inn, cross Karakoram Highway, and find a calm place next to the Hunza River.
Sitting there, I keep contemplating about the river’s flowing water, the birds chirping as they return to their nests, and the constant humming of the wind.
Darkness and an eerie silence engulf everything as the sun goes down.
All of a sudden, I hear the chimes of rabab’s strings.
I follow the sounds through an alley next to the Gulmit Tourist Inn, and then all the way to the Gulmit Polo Ground. Unable to find the source, I return to my room.
The next morning, I return to the Polo Ground, but this time, it is bustling with people and school children playing in the field.
I ask the locals about rabab, and a man points me to a building nearby. They tell me it is a
music school being run in collaboration with USAID. I was surprised.
Deedar Ali, who is leading this project, greets me outside the school. A jolly young man, Ali gives an introduction to the project and then leads me inside the building.
The building, constructed in a fashion similar to traditional Pamiri-style houses, is the temporary campus of this one-of-a-kind music school.
Inside, there are young men and women practicing on the rabab, sitar, flute, and other traditional musical instruments.
Locals try to keep the traditional Wakhi music alive.
Girls play different musical instruments at the school.
Students practice their instruments with their teachers.
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