Astore Valley
Encyclopedia
Astore Valley is now located in Astore District
in the autonomous Pakistani regions of Gilgit-Baltistan,previously in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. The valley, adjoining the eastern side of mountain Nanga Parbat
, is about 120 km (74.6 mi) long, having area of 5092 km² (1,966 sq mi).
The entrance of the valley is located about 60 km southeast of Gilgit with four side-valleys. The valley has more than 100 villages with a total population of 71,666 (Census 1998), including Loas, Louze
, Chilm, Bubin, Gorikot, Parisheng Eid Ghah, Fina, Bulen, Chongra, Tari Shing, Rattu
, Kamri,and Minimerg. Chilm is the most beautiful village of Astore, being a starting point of Deosai, the world's second highest plateau. Rama lake and pastures are the most famous tourist attraction in the region. The majority of people practice subsistence agriculture and livestock is the main source of livelihood complemented by seasonal work in down districts of the country. Due to its diverse landscape and climatic conditions the valley provides excellent habitat for a variety of commercially important medicinal plants.
. Urdu
, which is the national language of Pakistan, is the second most frequently spoken language. Shina has many sub-dialects especially significant in Bunji, Dashkin, Doyan, Praishing, Gorikot, across the Burzil and Rattu regions. Shina is mild phonetically and uses the Arabic script. Poetry is not recorded, rather it is transmitted via folk songs and part of stories narrated by folk singers and artisans. Astore
, a corridor to Dardistan, has a rich linguistic background due to its centuries old connections with the rest of the Indian subcontinent. People living in this region were frequent visitors to India for trade and education and had access to the maharajas' royal courts. British officers visiting and surveying led to an admixture of foreign words in the local language.
Astore District
Astore is one of the six districts of the Gilgit Baltistan. The district contains the Astore Valley and is bounded to the west by Diamer District , to the north by Gilgit District, to the east by Skardu District and to the south by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Neelum District of Azad Kashmir...
in the autonomous Pakistani regions of Gilgit-Baltistan,previously in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. The valley, adjoining the eastern side of mountain Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat is the ninth highest mountain on Earth, the second highest mountain in Pakistan and among the eight-thousanders with a summit elevation of 8,126 meters...
, is about 120 km (74.6 mi) long, having area of 5092 km² (1,966 sq mi).
The entrance of the valley is located about 60 km southeast of Gilgit with four side-valleys. The valley has more than 100 villages with a total population of 71,666 (Census 1998), including Loas, Louze
Louze
Louze is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France....
, Chilm, Bubin, Gorikot, Parisheng Eid Ghah, Fina, Bulen, Chongra, Tari Shing, Rattu
Rattu
Rattu is a small town located at the Astore district at the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Rattu was traditionally used as a route for traders going to Kashmir from Astore, Gilgit and others parts of present day Northern Areas of Pakistan...
, Kamri,and Minimerg. Chilm is the most beautiful village of Astore, being a starting point of Deosai, the world's second highest plateau. Rama lake and pastures are the most famous tourist attraction in the region. The majority of people practice subsistence agriculture and livestock is the main source of livelihood complemented by seasonal work in down districts of the country. Due to its diverse landscape and climatic conditions the valley provides excellent habitat for a variety of commercially important medicinal plants.
History
According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India, around 1600:Climate
Astore valley has a moderate climate during summer. In winter it can snow up to 6 in (15.2 cm) in the main valleys and up to 2 foot in the mountains. In Mirmalik valley it snows up to 6 ft (1.8 m) in February.Languages
The main language spoken in the valley is ShinaShina language
Shina is a Dardic language spoken by a plurality of people in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan and Dras in Ladakh of Indian-Administered Kashmir. The valleys in which it is spoken include Astore, Chilas, Dareil, Tangeer, Gilgit, Ghizer, and a few parts of Baltistan and Kohistan. It is also spoken in...
. Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, which is the national language of Pakistan, is the second most frequently spoken language. Shina has many sub-dialects especially significant in Bunji, Dashkin, Doyan, Praishing, Gorikot, across the Burzil and Rattu regions. Shina is mild phonetically and uses the Arabic script. Poetry is not recorded, rather it is transmitted via folk songs and part of stories narrated by folk singers and artisans. Astore
Astore
Astore may refer to:*Astore District*Astore River*Astore Valley*Astore, Pakistan*Astore Sports, a sports brand...
, a corridor to Dardistan, has a rich linguistic background due to its centuries old connections with the rest of the Indian subcontinent. People living in this region were frequent visitors to India for trade and education and had access to the maharajas' royal courts. British officers visiting and surveying led to an admixture of foreign words in the local language.