Of Evenings & Heaven - Mullah ki Basti

Evening is perhaps the most beautiful hour of the day. As the sun gets lower in the sky, a whole new range of colors is spread across the land. Slowly continuing its journey west-wards, the Sun continues to lose its shine until it turns into a mere gold coin hanging above the horizon. As it bids us a final good-bye for the day, it paints the sky in Gold– perhaps Sun’s own way of promising to return for another brighter and wonderful day!!

If evenings are magical, sunsets are mystical. Sunsets are the final touch of perfection to an already perfect dessert. Sunsets have the ability to bring romanticism out of the most unromantic beings. No matter what you say or how much you write in praise of sunsets and evenings, it would never do justice to the beauty they manifest.

I hope you are already imagining the beauty an evening can present, now add mountains to the mix and your imagination will certainly take you on a mystic journey. I believe all of us have spent at-least an evening or two in mountains and can tell that translating that magic into words might take a lifetime. I have been lucky in the sense that I have been given lot of opportunities by the Almighty to spend evenings in most exotic of the places. Among all those places, the ones that I can never forget are the evenings spent in Mullah Ki Basti.

The Artwork Induced by the Setting Sun on the skies of Mullah ki Basti

Mullah ki basti is a stunning Meadow in the heart of Pakistani Himalayas, located at an elevation of a touch under 12,000 ft above sea level. If I say that the place is a glimpse of heaven, it will not be an exaggeration. It is located at the far end of Kaghan Valley, very close to Kashmir’s Neelum Valley and GB’s Chillas district. On Naran – Chillas road, just about a couple of kilometers shy of Lulusar lake, there is a small village of Besar. Trek for Mullah Ki Basti starts from Besar. Just cross the river in a hanging ‘Doli’, trek for about 6-8 hours, cross a bunch of freshwater streams, navigate through a marshy patch of grassland, manage a few boulders and you will get to Mullah Ki Basti. All the effort you put in to hike to Mullah ki Basti pays off with Mark-up when you spend an evening at this delightful place. Dudipatsar lake, one of the most magnificent lakes in Pakistan is just at a couple of hours hike from Mullah ki basti.

Mullah Ki Basti is a small settlement of the local herders right in the middle of a vast lush green meadow. Herders spend their peak summer days in Mullah ki Basti. There are a few clay houses that belong to those herders. The place is only accessible for a small period between Mid-June to Mid-September thanks to its harsh weather and elevation. A typical evening in Mullah ki basti starts with bell sounds of the herds of goats, sheep and cows returning to their homes after having grazed all day on the grasslands of this heaven. The freshness in the air, the colors of the clouds in the sky and sounds of these cattle-bells will send you on a magical journey of your own. Fragrance of fresh bread being prepared in homes carried by the escaping cloud of smoke serves as a cherry on top. Just close your eyes, hear the bells and smell the scent while you lay on a perfect carpet of grass and feel the Magic. Laying there, just open your eyes and experience the work of art induced on the sky by a setting sun.

I have spent countless evenings camping at many remote and stunning locations in Himalayas and Karakorams, however, among all those, the ones I have spent in Mullah ki Basti simply stand out. The unforgettable experience they have provided and the charm they have registered in my mind will stay with me forever and I will keep on going back to the Mystical Mullah ki Basti again and again to experience freshness of the air, those sounds, that fragrance and the colors of the evening sky!!