There are plenty ofbooks writtenin different dialects containing mythological and factual based materialon the historical background of Gilgit-Baltistan in general and on Hunza in particular. However,the studyof “Diverse Adventure History of Hunza” by author Zafar Iqbal certainly fascinated me at large. In addition to that its hunting effects alsoinducedme to write few words of appreciationfor his immense contribution,he made forthe publication of an intumescent chronological book of Hunza valley. Following thereferenceis given by the writer, the initial book on this topic was printed in Mongolian text published in 1716, by Chang Empire Kangxi.
Albeit,thewriter also quotes that haji Qudaratulla Baig a local scholar and dignitary has documented oral folktaleson the chronology of Hunza which come from generation after generations of the notables from their ancestors.The book was first time publishedin 1980 in the Persian language,verily this book provides the substantial credible and valid informationfor researchers,students and ordinary readers to access & obtain proper references and citationsof historicaleventsof vicissitudes which periodically emergedin tribal civilizations of this part of the world.
SomewhatI alreadymentioned above that the book written by Author Zafar Iqbal is a remarkable and incredible achievement of his endeavorsand in reality, we can say that the writer has adorned and ornamented this book with the combination ofcomprehensive historical aspectsand changing circumstances of the medieval, past and primitive ages. It has an extensive canvas that offers a great variety of historical movementsand eventsthat took placefrom time to time from ancient to modern in this highland and craggy region. The writer indeed made enormous efforts to compile and create such a prolific and euphemistic publication out of the antediluvian diverse, intricate,and convoluted chronology.
There isan abundance of historical references which are verily much arduoustask to collate and produce such anintumescent and fecund book without panoptic visionand havingextensive knowledge in the specific field.The author of the book sheds light on several neglected or overlooked subjects by the other authors in their books respectively.Overall the volume of this book is more than 1500 pages and it has beendivided into three separate parts for the facilitation of readers.Nevertheless,following my notion the author of this book hasa little drawback the writer has ignored or never ponder uponthat his creationis some time become so unnecessarilytiresometo prolongthat one can’t browse through in one or two sittings, it requiredreaders seclusion with enough time to cover-up and comprehend the statistics and evidence of book to aluminate his knowledge.
Apart from the aforementioned fact the writer rightly claims that there is not a single book or major research article written and available in one volume on the oldest history of Hunza so far in the market, albeit he asserts except few glimpse and observations&contemplationsof peripateticor passer-by’s coming from abroad one can’t find mereonly few referenceson many of these topics i.e. on history, cultural civilization, settlements, and tribal migrations. Of course,this is a laudatory aspect of thisdocument whichclassifies the book “Diverse and Adventures History of Hunza” from other publications of the same subject materials.The writer himself was a dweller of thismountainousregion this is an additional distinctive benefit for himto choose,grope and work on the right direction and right places to academically deliberateuponand collectappropriate knowledge that he requiredto pileupa comprehensive book whether that is available in the form of oralnarrations coming from generations, in manuscripts orinscribed on rocks and boulders across this mountainous region of the subcontinent.
Beyond doubt,this region has always remained significantimportanceowing to its topographic placement and unique socio-economic values which perpetually attracted invaders and even travellers from many parts of the world. Therefore, it discerns apart from few of local writers several scholars from other parts of the worldand even passer-byes inclined/prompted tomake their attempts to write few words of their eloquentexperiences about this specified mountainous region, butthe work of Zafar Iqbal is not perceivinga groovy style,indeed he emphaticallyand devotedly toiledto grope and gather the facts of events occurred time to time in this alluring land. The credit goes to his consistent strive which incited him to visit many of the countries in search of related material if laying anywhere in the libraries across the world. After perusing his book I couldn’t remain without bestowing credit and eulogize to his strugglefor compiling such a book which is more informative equated to other books of the same topic. Somewhat he has succeeded to siphon off the diasporematerialinto a single voluminous intelligible book of chronological information about this enchanting land of Hunza valley.