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Ganish (also Ganesh) is a village in the Hunza District within the Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan. It is the oldest and first settlement on the ancient Silk Road in the Hunza Valley, and is the site of various ancient watchtowers, traditional mosques, religious centers, and a reservoir.[citation needed] It is located 90 km away from Gilgit. The word "Ganish" is unknown but according to the local scholars, it is derived from the Burushaski word "Genish" which means gold. Ganish has been a major town for travelers since the days of the Silk Road - now the Karakorum Highway.[1]
Ganish | |
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  Ganish Location in Hunza Pakistan  Ganish Ganish (Pakistan) | |
| Coordinates: 36°18′54″N 74°40′05″E / 36.315°N 74.668°E | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Autonomous state | Gilgit-Baltistan |
| Division | Gilgit Division |
| District | Hunza District |
| Elevation | 2,240 m (7,500 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+6 (PDT) |
UNESCO awards
editGanish is home to four ancient mosques - the Ganish Mosques - that are 300–400 years old.[2] They were awarded UNESCO Heritage Award for Culture Heritage Conservation in 2002.[3][4]
The Ali Gohar House in Ganish is located next to one of the iconic shikari watchtowers of the town. A few watchtowers have survived the harsh weather and collapse due to sliding towards southeast. The fortified settlement has 40 feet Tamurkux watchtower which was used in the past for the surveillance of the surroundings, especially at nights. The settlement used to be at a high risk of attacks and looting because of its location along the ancient Silk Road.[citation needed] The 400-year-old house was awarded the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2009.[5]
Administration
editThe sub-villages of Ganish include Garelth, Chaboikushal, Shukunoshal, Gamun Ganish, Buldas and Tsillganish.
"Gamun Ganish is the center of the village with a population of around 5000. The Yadgar Chowk is where all the locals meet to discuss matters of the town.
Buldas is the old settlement outside the old Ganish village, its a historically significant cluster village. This village owes its establishment to Wazir Khurram Shah (also known as Tranfga Khurram Shah), a revered local figure, who envisioned it as a center of community and culture during the rule of Mir Safdar Khan. With the Mir's permission, Khurram Shah laid the foundation for Buldas, carving out a distinct identity for this settlement within the Ganish area. The Burushaski meaning of words are "Bul" means spring and "Das" means barren land. This move brought together families and expanded the territorial recognition of Ganish, reinforcing its role as a growing cultural hub. Notably, Buldas was among the first clusters to be recognized as a separate entity from the core of Ganish, highlighting Khurram Shah’s influence in redefining the local socio-geographic landscape.[6]
One of Buldas's notable developments was the establishment of a mosque, which became a spiritual and communal gathering point for the residents. Khurram Shah oversaw its construction, marking the occasion with a grand feast where Mir Safdar Khan served as the chief guest probably in 1860-70s, symbolizing the importance of the settlement within the broader Hunza region. This event not only signified Khurram Shah's dedication to the spiritual welfare of his community but also demonstrated his close ties with the Mir.[7]
Hence it was after the construction and creation of this new village, that the other new Villages of 'Shukunoshall, Chaboikoshall and 'Tsil Ganish" were also declared and considered as separate villages and entities, as hence-before all these smaller hamlets were counted as part and parcel of the village of "Ganish" as all the inhabitants of these outlying localities also lived inside the fortress village of Ganish prior to the creation of Buldas.[1] Today, Buldas stands as a testament to the era’s strategic and community-building efforts with around 30 houses mostly of Ali Baigs (Ali Baikux) family who are widely settled in Hunza and Gilgit (Rahimabad) now.
Chaboikushal is a sub-village of Ganish.[1] This small village is located right in the heart of Hunza Valley. There are about 25 houses. Chaboikushal was derived from Chaboi, the grandfather of Sheril. According to old locals in the village, Chaboi was migrated from Iran, where he had two sons: Helo and Melo. Melo remained and was raised in Chaboikushal and Helo migrated to the Nagar valley. The one who resided in this village was one of the bravest persons of his times, hardworking and the closest to King of Hunza.
Tsillganish is a sub-village of Ganish. There are 25 families living here. Tsillganish is one of the most ancient villages of Ganish which has a rich history. The residents of Tsillganish belong to the well-known tribe: Tsillganishkuz. The word Tsill means water and Ganiskuz means residents of Ganish. Sheikh Ali was a prominent cleric in Tsillganish and Haji Muhammad Bilal (late) was the main leader from the area who was also the first Haji (pilgrim of Ka'ba) from Hunza. Jamia tul Zehra is the main institution for education in Tsillganish. Qadimi Imambargarh is rich in its artwork carried out by the artisans of ancient times. The wood carving work of the Imambargah is known for its beauty.
Garelth is also a sub-village of Ganish with a population of about 135 families. FG Boys Middle School, Aga Khan Diamond School are the main educational institutions. Former Member District Council Gilgit Baltistan Jan Alam, Former Chairman Village Council Darvesh, and Muhammad Ali Barcha have been leading politically. Currently, Ghulam Mustafa Barcha, grandson of Major Ghulam Murtaza is Chairman of Garelth Hunza.
Subedar Major Fida Ali, one of the main leaders of the independence movement of Gilgit-Baltistan, belongs to this village. Fida Ali played a key role in the independence of Gilgit-Baltistan. He was a key figure who launched the freedom movement against the Dogra dynasty in Gilgit. Major Ghulam Murtaza (Sitara-e-Jurat), a key person in the revolution of the independence movement of Gilgit-Baltistan, also belongs to this village. He made major gains by leading troops into India. His graveyard is located next to KKH at Garelth.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Hyder, Sajjad (2010). "Ganish - Oldest Village Of Hunza". Ganish. Archived from the original on 2011-08-17. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ Salopek, Paul (January 29, 2018). "Relict Walls of the Ancient Silk Road". National Geographic Society.
The ornately carved door of a 400-year-old mosque in Ganish, Pakistan. Before Islam, the region was Buddhist, and before that Zoroastrian—a testament to the tides of ideas moving along the Silk Road.
- ^ "Unesco heritage distinction award for Ganish-Hunza". DAWN. April 8, 2003. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ "2002 Award of Distinction: Yarikutz, Rupikutz, Kuyokutz, Mamorukutz Mosques". UNESCO Office in Bangkok. 2002. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ Leelakitichok, S (1 September 2009). "Sangiin Dalai Monastery in Mongolia wins the Award of Excellence in the 2009 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards" (PDF) (Press release). Bangkok: UNESCO Bangkok. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
The second Award of Distinction, the Ali Gohar Housein Hunza, Pakistan, has transformed the former house of the village lord into a center showcasing the living heritage of the historic settlement of Ganish.
- ^ Khan, Mir Muhammad Nazim (24 April 1936). Autobiography of Sir Mohomed Nazim Khan, Mir of Hunza (1st ed.). Gilgit, Kashmir (published 1937). pp. 42–57.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ TARIKH-E-EHD-E-ATEEQ-E-RIASAT-E-HUNZA (English Translation). 30 April 2012.