Hunza Dastan (Book Review)
Hunza Dastan: چلو ہنزہ چلیں
(Book Review)
Author: Mustansar Hussain Tarar
Published By: Sangemeel Publications
Mustansar Hussain Tarar by no means, is a man who needs no introduction. He is a self-evident man whose introduction is his name and Pakistan is proud to have him.
Trust me, this travelogue takes you to the most precious gem in the heart of Pakistan which leaves you at the end of the book longing for the scenic and picturesque land called "Hunza". It takes you back in the old days of Hunza when the word Hunza even sounded queer to people of cities, when the refrigrators were uncommon in Hunza and they used the waters of melted glacier as their refrigrators, when the roads to Hunza used to be peculiar and bizarre, when the Hunzakuts were so naive and loving (although I am sure they still are) but things used to be good back in those days & gives me nostalgia of the times I never got to live.
Its strange yet refreshing.
پانی ایک جگہ ٹھرا رہا اس پر کایی کی موٹی تہ جم گئی اور سانس ایک جگہ رکا رہا۔
عمر تمام ہوتی رہی اور پھر کچھ ہوا۔
شاید بلاوا آگیا۔
میں اپنے بیٹے سلجوق کے ہمراہ گلگت جانے والی ویگن میں سوار تھا اور گلگت سے پرے ہنزہ تھا۔
I have no words to describe the feelings after reading this book and I am not sure if my words can be fair to this gem of Urdu literature.
If I would have asked to wrap up the whole review in handful of words I would call it "Dream Vacation in your pocket" or maybe "Pocket Vacation" (Just like Pocket Dictionary)
It makes you wonder struck of mighty mountains of Karakoram and roaring depths of River Indus "شیر دریا سندھ" and between the two lies the slithering wonder of Pakistan "شاہراہ قراقرم", starting from the city of Havelian covering 1300 km to end up in Khunjerab Pass, built by the relentless endeavor of 15,000 Pakistani and 10,000 Chinese labor workforce.
Its only the last quarter of the book where you actually got to see Hunza, prior to that they were somehow managing to go to Hunza and depicts all the troubled parts of their "high road to Hunza" and thats what made Hunza even more appealing and enchanting.
You don't get to sit in the vehicle, get a good night sleep to open your eyes to the most alluring valley of Hunza. (Although it has become like this for a couple of years) It is the delight which you can't get to be served in plate. You have to earn this destination and to be very very honest, I absolutely loved all pre Hunza events which took place in the book.
And lastly (because I think seriously if I would not write about him it would be unfair to the book and him.) Saljook. He is the absolute treat for the readers. He is that one character of the story who gets to ask silly questions yet we absolutely love them.
Let me introduce you to him in his very own words
ہاہا۔ چھوٹا ہوں ؟ "
آٹھویں میں پڑھتا ہوں ۔
قد آپ سے ایک سنٹی میٹر زیادہ ہے۔
فٹ بال کھیلتا ہوں۔
" چھوٹا کیسے ہوں ؟
It was a wonderful experience to show how a father and son cares for each other, almost tender and nurturing like a mother's love. Although Saljook forcefully came with the Mustansar Hussain Tarar but it is so cosy to see the author by the end of the journey thanking Allah for his son being by his side.
میں نے ہاتھ اس کندھے پر رکھا جو کے میرے ہم سفر اور عزیز ساتھی اور میرے بیٹے کا تھا۔
It is for sure that the people of Northern areas of Pakistan will forever be indebted to this wonderful man named Mustansar Hussain Tarar.
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