Nature has blessed Baltistan with other immense beautiful landscapes and the high peaks present make this region popular among tourists, mountaineers and adventurers from all over the world. Along with this, there are great opportunities for religious tourism in the region.
This land has been the center of nationalities and religions with different civilizations and cultures. Before the advent of Islam, Baltistan was inhabited by Buddhists until the 14th century AD. Buddhist culture reached here around the end of the 7th century and remained prevalent until the spread of Islam in the 14th century. The traces of Hinduism and Sikhism are scattered here, in which many important traces are still present in many places of Baltistan.
Traces of Buddhism
Bon religion was prevalent in Baltistan for centuries before Buddhism, traces of which are still present in Baltistan today. Most of the accounts of the Bon religion exist in the form of breast-to-breast traditions, the rituals here are deeply influenced by the Bon culture. The story of Halafu Kesar, the spiritual leader of this religion, is the longest and most popular martial story here.
On the mountains of the four districts of Baltistan, there are figures of different people and animals which reflect the culture and civilization of Bon religion. At different places in Baltistan, traces of Bon religion are also present in the form of different carvings on the mountains. For this, the areas of Mehdiabad, Kharfaq Ganache, Nar, Dim Sum and Selling are worth mentioning.
Mental Rock
The Buddhist relic at Skardu Manthal is one of the rarest and purest remains of Buddhism. This stone is located at a distance of three kilometers to the south from Skardu. Known as the Buddha Rock, this large rock has several images of Buddha seated in the form of a complete court. The big Buddha is seated in the center with two Buddhas standing on the right and left while another 20 Buddhas are seated in the form of a court on the sides. Seated Buddhas are depicted seated on lotus flowers.
The central image in this court is of Gautama Buddha. Buddha Rock is unique in that there is no other stone of this nature in such a complete court form. Such a court is called a mandala, which according to their belief is a symbolic representation of the universe. According to experts, it dates back to before 1000 AD and according to Buddhist belief, it is a depiction of different births of Buddha.
The pictures are accompanied by phrases in the ancient Tibetan language. Devotees from different parts of the world have been coming to visit this place for centuries and this process continues even today.
Wednesday Rock Touch Sugar
There is also a large rock in the early village of Lamsa in Sugar Valley. It depicts a large Buddha and two smaller sized Buddhas on its right and left.
Sikh Gurdwara
In 1840, after the end of the national government of the state of Baltistan, a large number of Sikhs and Hindus in Skardu settled in Baltistan for business and employment in Kashmir. The Sikhs living in Skardu built a Gurdwara in the center of the city along the Gangopi Canal. This Gurdwara consists of a two storied building.
As a result of the successful war of independence of 1947-48, since the end of the Dogra rule from here, this Gurdwara is no longer in use and due to the events of time, this building has become very dilapidated, but now only the traces of this building remain. Similarly, some relics of the Sikh era are also preserved in the Baltistan Museum, including a marble slab inscribed in Gaur Mukhi and Shahmukhi script, which was installed in Sikh Gurdwara Skardu in 1886.
Along with the cantonment in Skardu city, the remnants of a Hindu temple in the past are also preserved in Balti Museum Skardu. Yusuf Hussainabadi’s Balti Museum has a very rare item from the Buddhist period in the form of a stone statue.
On one side of the stone is an image of Kali Mata and on the other side is inscribed “Uday” in Brahmi with the shape of a dagger. According to experts, this statue belongs to the fifth or sixth century AD. The museum also has a fragment of a stone door frame with an inscription in the Balti (Age) script thanking the then king who contributed to the construction of the gompa. There is also a bell made of brass in the museum with the inscription “Agay” on it. This is the bell that the gompas used to ring while reciting certain dhikrs.
The ‘blessed’ blossoms of apricot, cherry and almond
Apricot, cherry and almond trees are abundant in Gilgit-Baltistan. Every year in the months of March and April, flowers appear on these trees. Because the flowers of these trees are very auspicious for followers of many religions, every year a large number of tourists from many countries including Japan, Hong Kong and Korea visit Baltistan during this season to feast on the trees. One can get spiritual satisfaction by seeing and visiting flowers.
Happy birthday
Muay Mubarak is kept in a special box in Mohalla Sadat Wali Masjid on the mound near the old Anthok Khar in Kharming. From 1653 to 1685, Khurmang was ruled by Sher Shah. During this period, an elderly fakir from Kashmir arrived in Kharmang. He brought this blessed hair with him. Muay Mubarak comes in a small silver box. The box is contained within two to three wooden boxes and the box is protected by a multi-layered cloth cover.
This blessed moi has never been opened for pilgrimage since it arrived here. Locals say that once when they tried to open these boxes, they gave up on opening them due to strong stormy winds. People from far away bring their needs in this mosque with Muay Mubarak and the guardians of this mosque and Muay Mubarak hold a funeral meeting and pray here and people’s needs are fulfilled.
Chechchen Mosque
In the main town of Ghanche District, Chaqchan Mosque, built by Amir Kabir Syed Ali Hamdani, the first preacher of Islam, who came in the fourteenth century AD, still exists in its original condition. It is also known about Gamba Skardu Khanqah Maali that this monastery was also founded by Amir Kabir Syed Ali Hamdani.
Amburak Mosque and Chha Baranji Mosque in Shagar were also built by Iranian architects who came with him during the reign of Amir Kabir Syed Ali Hamdani and these are among their monuments. The Ambork Mosque is a national heritage site based on its magnificent architecture and UNESCO awarded the mosque a unique award in 2005.
Tombs
The tombs of many elders in Baltistan are also very famous historically. About four and a half hundred years ago, three
Sadat brothers came for religious preaching, one of them, Syed Ali Tusi, has his shrine in Kwardo, who came to Baltistan for religious preaching in the eleventh century AH and spent his whole life here and died here in 1081 AH and is buried in Kwardo. . One of his brothers, Syed Mahmood, has his Astana in Kisho Bagh, Skardu, while Syed Haider Ali’s Astana is in Qumrah. Thugs is a historic mosque in Ghanche district which was built by Syed Ali and Syed Nasir Tusi in 1603 AD.
The monastery built by Mir Arif is also in Thugs. The monastery built by Mir Mukhtar is still in good condition at Mali Kreis. Mir Mukhtar migrated from Darfani in 1132 H. His tomb is in Kres. All these buildings are related to seeing due to their specific architectural style.
Assad councils
Apart from Muharram, funeral processions are held in Skardu from the 1st to the 10th of Asad according to the solar calendar for centuries to pay homage to the martyrs of Karbala. According to the Christian calendar, the date is July 23 to August 1. These Majlis are celebrated in the same order as Muharram.
In Muharram, funeral gatherings are held all over the world. However, in the month of Asad, these majlis are organized only in Baltistan, in which a large number of people are present not only from different districts of Gilgit-Baltistan but also from the cities of the country. With the passage of time and with the increase in facilities and means of transportation, the number of participants from the country and abroad during Asad Ashura in Baltistan is increasing.
Other works
In the museum, there is a cane used by Amir Kabir Syed Ali Hamdani, the first Islamic preacher of Baltistan, while two of the blessed canes used by Amir Kabir are in Farano Ganache, while his personal bowl is also in the possession of a person in Naveen.
Built around 1800 in Skardu, the Imambargah popularly known as Imambargah Kalan is situated in the center of the city.
It is one of the ancient Imambargahs where the last Tajdar of Baltistan, Ahmad Shah Maqpun used to attend the Majlis-e-Iza.
The scepter of the famous preacher Syed Tusi, who came to preach in Skardu, and the personal aftaba of Agha Syed Shah Abbas, who received the title of prime minister, are also the adornment of Balti Museum.
