Gilgit Baltistan- the land of my dreams

by FIZRA SATTAR (Pakistan)

I didn't expect to find Pakistan

I didn’t expect to find to have my life turned upside down so quickly. Even though I knew exactly this would happen. I guess I was being naïve thinking everything would be the same when I return, that I would be the same; which quite likely was not the case as it turned out. Life drastically changed for me in those precisely ninety-six days. It took me almost these three months to realize that miracles do happen in real life. I’ve been so happy, yet sad, alone, yet with the best person I could be with. I could never, even in my wildest dreams would have imagined that this magic will happen to me. Sometimes in my solitude, I wish maybe for a split second that those three months should’ve have happened. Maybe that would save me the ache, the sleepless nights and longing, yet I don’t regret the single moment of it. Not one. This piece is not about relationship drama as I might’ve indicated unintentionally. This is solely about the unexpected folly that I and my best friend made when we decided to apply for teaching in the Karakoram International University of Gilgit Baltistan. We didn’t know at that time that we would actually be going there. We applied just for the fun of it and it turned out to be most stupendous experience of a lifetime. It literally is going from one corner of Pakistan to another, maybe that’s part of the reason it seem impossible. “I’ll never let you go that far from me”. My mother had implied. “It’s not in a million years possible that I would send my only daughter to an unknown place.” Father said firmly, and yet he was the one to drive us all the way to Gilgit, from plains to mountains. After almost of three days journey, we finally arrived in our wonderland. It was nothing we had expected. Gilgit turned out be the exact opposite of our doubts. It was not at all the backward area as we thought it would be, as it is a common notion here in Pakistan that North is not worth it because it lacks development and education. Gilgit Baltistan was nothing like that. It is a free province having given equal rights to men and women in education and so forth. It has uncanny beauty as well as progress. The tourists from all over the world specifically visit these lands. The hospitality of Balti locals is known across the world. Everyone has their own happy place in which they wander to escape from this spiteful world. Gilgit is that happy place for me. My fairyland, where everything was achievable, all dreams could come true. Those mystifying high broad peaks; covered with thick white clouds enveloping them in its embrace was such a sight to behold. In all its quietness and calmness I became the nature’s tire lover. Living there (in nature) was like living the right type of life as Wordsworth would say. People could only dream of their dreams to come true, but the funny thing is Gilgit and mountains were not even my dream at all. I found myself more and more growing under its spell as each day went by, in those three months. It was the first time that I literally lived in the moment without worrying about the future, because I am that person who thinks about the future first; my goals and aim. Thinking about tomorrow always left me restless and with bothered thoughts, I was the exact representation of a modern human but Gilgit reminded me of who I am. Gilgit blew a romantic spirit in me of which I am indebted to that place beyond words. Living and working there I realized how beautiful my country is, that how beautiful this world is. Gilgit changed me forever, and for the better. I could still here those mighty mountains calling me from the great beyond, to its lover to come home. I didn’t expect to find myself in love with mountains, more alive than I could ever be, more happy and full of life. I guess that’s what love is.