The northern beauty of Pakistan has the treasures of the archeological side along with the natural atmosphere. It has the longest glaciers and vast green land with little population, unlike the cities. It is home to the second-largest mountain K-2 which adds to its importance. The mountain ranges like Karakorum, Himalayas, and Hindukush also extend themselves in this region. The beautiful spots invite people from all over the world with security. The hospitable people of Gilgit Baltistan welcome the folks with open arms.
Gilgit Baltistan is not that much populated nor among the largest, but it has a variety of traditions that are different from one region to another. Different languages are spoken in all regions and the people are also different from one another. It shows the multiplicity over there. In the surrounding of those diverse people, there are many archeological sites. Some of them are discovered and some are yet to be discovered. All the sites describe a brief history of their ancestor and hold the importance of one’s origin. Such places play a vital role in the understanding of human history and human love to know about the past. So, such sites need high-level preservation to transfer them to the coming generation.
In this world of technological advancement, digitalization would be the best option to preserve all the archeological sites. Some of the sites are discussed below.
- Karagh Buddha
Once upon a time, Gilgit Baltistan has remained a center of Buddhism and their remaining are still there despite no followers of Buddhism today. Karagh Buddha is one of them which is curved in the mountain of Karagh near Gilgit city. Some other statues have been carved on mountain slopes. These are the living evidence of Buddhism in Gilgit Baltistan. They should be digitalized for local, national, and international studies. There do not many details present about this Buddha, and it can be discovered by archeologists. Certainly, they have some historical importance and messages.
- Domora
It is a well-known stupa in Buber Ghizer, Gilgit Baltistan. There are many views concerning the antiquity of the stupa but one of such reliable traditions tells that it is a heritage of the Abadi clan in Buber as there are numerous sub-castes in Buber. One of the forefathers of the Abadi caste has created this stupa as a model to bury their dead bodies because the Islamic tradition of burring dead bodies was not there. These graves are used to be like underground story buildings. The bones found in these graves were studied and were confirmed to belong to before the 18th century.
- Mughal Minar
This stupa is present in Gilgit and has not been studied yet. It is in dire need of preservation because it has lost its original look. It might be the remaining of some religion, caste, or some party. Archeologists need to discover it and to be aware of the busy world about it.
Preservation of archeological sites can benefit us to understand our history and it also influx many tourists towards these spots and that would profit both the local and national economy of Pakistan. The best sources of preservation can be documentation, digitalization, and writing. These methods are universal and can preserve any cultural and archeological heritage for centuries. So, why not preserve our past for our present and future. We are one nation (Aik Qaum) despite the difference. We respect cultures, we encourage nations to get to gather, we are Pakistanis.
