Magic of “THREE” and Gurez

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View from Razdan Top.

“Three” spellings of Gurez

Just as a love child is called out by many a loving name, so is our little Gurez.

By that parameter the formal name or ‘school kanaam’ is Gurez. The other two are spoils of the first in what is considered affection or in endearment.

Gurez: is the formal name
Guraai: is its name in the local Shina language
Gurais: seems to be an endearment to its name

Pre-partition Gurez

Before the Indo-Pak partition, Gurez – the land of the Dards called Dardistan fanned out into “Three” regions. These were:

The area from Toabat to Sharda Peethor the Seat of Sharda, named after the goddess of wisdom Saraswati. It was an ancient centre of learning established in 273 B, even before the Takshila and Nalanda universities. Sharda Peeth today is the ruins of Holy Temple and center of great learning of Kashmiri Pandits. This area is administered by Pakistan, as Neelum District.
Between Kamri and Minimarg, it lies in the Astore District of Gilgit Baltistan (Pakistan).
From Taobat or Taobao to Abdullah Tulail, it is known as Gurez Tehsil falling in Bandipore District of state of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Gurez sits as a cusp of “Three” state borders including international

Gurez is ‘located’ in the state of Jammu Kashmir,
Touches’ the Union Territory of Ladakh.
Meets’ the border with Pakistan side of Kashmir with Kamri and further on with ancient Sharda Peeth Shrine, just 10 Kms from the Line of Control in Pakistan.

“Three” best edibles of Gurez

Gurez is famous for

Zeera or mountain cumin

Morchella or Morel or Guchchi mushroom
Potatoes

“Three” types of Trout fish found in Gurez

Gurez is an angler’s paradise with a wealth of seafood in its shimmery clear waters. Here “Three” types of Trout fish a delicacy of Kashmir is found which is a rarity.

Brown Trout (SalmoTruttal)
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchusmykiss)
Snow Trout (Schizothoraxplagiostomus)

“Three” archeological sites

Gurez is ensconced in proximity to “Three” archeological sites including:

Kanzalwan, where the last council of Buddhism was held.

Ancient Sharada University, a place of knowledge and learning, a Hindu shrine having great reverence among Kashmiris.
An archeological site at Wangath Temple complex, in Naranag- an ancient Hindu temple of learning.

“Three” languages

Gurezis broadly speak “Three” languages

Urdu/Hindi
Shina
Kashmiri

“Three” Ancient Scripts

Hundreds of carved inscriptions found in Gurez are inscribed in “Three” distinct ancient scripts. A poet observed about Gurez-“These rocks are full of texts and teachings, these cliffs are tables of stone graven with laws and commandments”. These ancient scripts discovered in Gurez comprise of

Kharoshthi
Brahmi
Tibetan.

“Three” major archeological sites of Gurez

These Rare scripts (Kharoshthi, Brahmi, and Tibetan) were discovered in “Three” major archeological sites of Gurez.

Dawar – the ancient capital of Dardistan of the Dards.
Kanzalwan – an ancient Buddhist site.
Sharada Peeth- a Hindu Shrine, University, and Temple of Learning now on the Pakistan side of Kashmir.

Gurez embodies “Three” ancient faiths

The Mighty Kishenganga River of Gurez is a unique blend of bonding of “Three” religions,

The Mighty Kishenganga flows by the famous ‘Buddhist’ site of Kanzalwan where the last congregation of Buddhist intellectuals was held.

The river touches Dawar, the mainstay of Gurez valley flanked by a famous and almost perfect pyramidal Peak named after a ‘Muslim’ Poetess queen Habba Khatoon, also known as “Nightingale of Kashmir”.
Kishenganga spreads to the world-famous ‘Hindu’ Temple University of Sharada, an ardent pilgrimage site in the pre-partition. A unique Library of rare books, scrolls, etchings, and lithographs, adds to the depth and layers of this repository of knowledge. The Sharda Peeth, an ancient seat of learning, revered by Kashmiri Pandits is located on the Pakistan side of Kashmir. The shrine played a key role in coining Sharda Script. Incidentally; it is a mere 10kms from the Line of Control between India and Pakistan.

MAGIC OF THREE PAIRINGS IN GUREZI DANCE.

“Three” point LoCs

“Three” Sides of Gurez are located on the Border – the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan.

Kaobal Gali –Connects to Drass, a flashpoint of the Kargil War. Civilians are disallowed, and army permission is very subjective and choosy. The DrupadiKundlake at 13,000 ft is one of the most beautiful azure alpine lakes in the virgin mountains of the Kaobal Gali.
Bagtore- Is plateau land at 8000 ft above sea level and its uniqueness emerges from the fact that it is bang on the LoC. “Where India plays cricket and the audience includes Pakistan army personnel stationed on a few mountain peaks in an arch spread on one side. The Peaks overlooking the ground watching Indians play through binoculars.
Sikander Point -On the Indian side is flanked by mountains on a riverfront, where Indian and Pakistan armies sit eyeball to eyeball on mountain peaks.

“Three” Treks

“Three” Prominent Trekking routes from Gurez valley lead to:

Sonmarg
Gangbal
Zanskar and Drass on the same tangent

“Three” Sister Mountains

Gurez is a study in contrasts of mountain-scapes. They are the typical fraternal triplets that are worded as the Golden triangle of mountain formations. From a point, if you look towards East they stand as stark crags, barren and bald, in the North, the mountain flanks are lush with fir forests and in the West –wide and peeking meadows holding a basket of permanent snows. They refuse to be one eyeful before the other abuts and pokes with its teasing tongue, to break your spell; interlocked as they stand united. These “Three” sisters fall into the following classifications.

Rugged Mountain carp, rock-faced, snow-covered, cold desert for the most part of the year.
Mounts of grass, green meadows, with lurking lichens, peeking out below cracks of snow of snows on mountain rims, garlanding slopes into blushing crimson hues.
Richlybejewelled mountains covered with deep thick fir forests and anglicized Birches, joined by plunging, tumbling waterfalls.

“Three” Namesake Doppelgangers of Gurez

Did you know our Gurez has namesakes all over the world? I discovered “Three”

Gurez is the name of a village in the former FusheKuqe Commune Lezhe County in Northwestern, Albania.
Gurez is the name of a village in the Jagdishpura block of Bhojpur district in Bihar.
Gurez is the name of a railway station in Ferizaj nearby to Enha Profile and close to Mondial, Kosovo

Gurez stationed Army’s “Three” best friends

An Army personnel stationed at Sikander point, told me –We enjoy “Three” permanent friends wherever we are posted in remote areas. And Gurez didn’t fail us; here too we enjoy these following friends.

Dog: “Since dog barks on any trespass, it warns us about impending intrusion -man or animal. Dogs and other animals possess an intense sense of seismic movement and behave strangely when disasters such as earthquakes are looming”. And adds -“Dogs are our home alarms and serve as nightguards that keep our areas free of wild animals too.
Crow: Crow too sounds the alarm of any killing of man or animal even before the stench of the decomposition spreads around. You can often see them continuously cawing together, looking at each other, and continuing that competition for who-caws-loudest. It is an indication of an incident. Mostly it is a death that is indicated.
Rat: Rats clean up garbage left-overs; they are known to store seeds that eventually lead to ecological contribution. They are also known in army circles as easy to get trained as affectionate pets.

Last Call

“We have one nimble rat here named Haseena,” an army guy smiled and called out to her- “Haseena! Ek Aur dost Haseena tumhe milene ayi hai koi …aajao bahar!” causing a huge guffaw of merriment around that seemed to echo in the mountains of Gurez and perhaps reach the sentries standing guard on mountain tops of both side of the border. Suddenly seized of the sensitive location, I urged them to sound low- “shhhhh”. To which the army man answered in the most loved film “Sholay” style – “Sunney doo unko bhii, kon Hasii chal rahi hai Hindustanion mein, shayad woh bhi apni hassi walli team tyaar kar le..aur kon pataa donoHaasye Teamo ka Mukablaa Karii Dey, kaa pata”, his smile widened flashing his set of perfect bateesii ”. (32teeth)

I am loathed to translate this into English, it is sure to lose its flavor. (CONCLUDED)