A mountain woman’s fight for tomorrow
Last month, I traveled to the mountains of the Mankyal Valley in the Upper Swat District with my companions. The Mankyal Valley is renowned for its breathtaking scenic views, high-altitude snow-covered peaks, lush green pastures, and meadows, as well as its abundant wildlife.
From the national animal of Pakistan, the markhor, to the majestic snow leopard, bears, ibex, and the extremely rare musk deer, this valley is truly a haven for wildlife enthusiasts. Along our journey, we explored the enchanting beauty of the Mankyal River and marveled at the awe-inspiring views of the surrounding greenery. The warmth and smiles on the faces of the locals were enough to make us feel truly welcomed in this paradise. As we ventured further, we encountered the raw beauty of nature, observing small streams, picturesque villages, the humble huts of shepherds, and herds of sheep and goats.
Of particular interest were the primitive rock wheat grinders we came across, which were used to grind wheat and produce flour using a high-pressure water canal system.
On our journey, we encountered something eye-opening. Being well-known among tourists, this valley attracts thousands of national and international visitors eager to explore its beauty.
However, the dark side of the tourism boom is the widespread litter left behind. We were dismayed to find tons of trash scattered across every picturesque spot in the valley—cans, bottles, plastic bags, diapers, expired food, and much more. Unfortunately, I’ve personally witnessed similar experiences in other popular tourist spots in the Swat Valley. It’s disheartening that wherever we go, we seem to leave behind our dirty footprints. Even the crystal-clear blue waters of the Mankyal River were tainted by plastic bags. Despite this, the river’s vibrant blue hue, coupled with its pure white foam, was simply unimaginable.
After hiking for over five hours on narrow and steep trails, we reached a beautiful lush green meadow. The meadow was home to fewer than a dozen small houses made of soil. The people were very welcoming and kind. Situated at an altitude of 3,200 meters (around 10,700 feet), the meadow was surrounded by snow-covered peaks. An elderly local man approached us and offered lunch. Exhausted and hungry, we gladly accepted his offer and followed him to his rustic home. He served us Desi butter, eggs, and a type of greens.
The taste of that Desi lunch at an elevation of 3,200 meters was the most unforgettable breakfast of my life. Even now, as I write these lines, I can still feel the taste lingering on my tongue.
After lunch, we left the kind man’s home and began exploring the endless beauty of the meadow. Complete silence and relaxation surrounded us. While exploring, we noticed an elderly woman dressed in traditional Pashtun mountain attire, digging beside her home. Initially, we didn’t pay much attention to her. However, upon closer observation, we realized she was planting a tree. Despite the presence of tall trees towering over the meadow and a beautiful forest nearby, the sight of the old lady planting a tree struck us as unusual.
Intrigued, one of our companions approached the lady, and we all followed suit. The old lady welcomed us with a warm smile and adjusted her scarf over her head. Several children from her household also gathered around, excited to see us. Her hands were still muddy from digging in the soil. After exchanging pleasantries, one of our companions asked her, ‘Why are you planting the tree?
She smiled and said, “My sons! I am planting this tree to protect and preserve my environment, and everyone should do the same. Forests and trees are being rapidly cut down in this area, and I want to leave something for future generations.” We were all surprised by her words. An elderly lady in a remote mountainous meadow planting a tree and speaking about nature conservation and preservation was unexpected. Her grandchildren and other children from the neighborhood were also watching and listening to our conversation. We were all interested in learning more about her efforts and who taught her to do these things.
She told us that a few months ago, a group of tourists visited her meadow. The women from the visitor group approached her and explained the importance of nature and biodiversity. They discussed environmental crises, including climate change, and shared their concerns about the future of the planet Earth from an environmental perspective. She herself had also witnessed a decrease in snowfall over her meadow in recent years. The average snowfall had decreased, resulting in less ice water flowing in the river and a decline in biodiversity. After meeting the tourist group, she decided to protect and preserve her environment from these environmental crises and to teach her children and grandchildren about it as well.
She also led us to a large rock beside her house. Beneath the rock, there was a huge amount of litter that the kind lady had collected from across her meadow. She told us that whenever she goes anywhere, she collects litter, which often consists of plastic bags, and brings it back to put beneath the rock. After some time, she either buries or burns all the trash. This was another unexpected and pleasant surprise for all of us. When we looked around the meadow, we found it to be cleaner and more beautiful compared to the overall hiking trail, thanks to the efforts of the elderly mountain lady. She also revealed that following her example, her neighbors and children were also taking care of the meadow.
Additionally, she also mentioned that she consumes water very carefully and avoids wasting it, despite the abundance of fresh water available. She stores extra water and takes care to avoid polluting it, as tourists have informed her that in some areas of Pakistan, even small drops of water are precious, and water scarcity has led to hundreds of fatalities.
She was an ideal example of women’s participation in the fight against climate change and other environmental crises. She was on a mission to conserve and preserve nature, blessing her future generations and fighting against water scarcity. An elderly woman in a remote mountainous meadow was planting trees, conserving water, eliminating litter, and teaching the new generations to save and protect nature. All of this was made possible by the tourist women who taught the elderly lady to do all these things. Even our proud Pakistani women have the potential to fight these crises with the help of an old lady by simply approaching her during their visit. Just think about how much proud Pakistani women have achieved in urban areas and metropolitan cities. There are millions of stories to tell, but the story of the old lady from the Mankyal Valley is significant because the women’s literacy percentage in the area is extremely low. Yet, just an approach during a usual visit can change a lot of things, and this is the perfect example.
Nite: This essay was written for the NUST-GICC article competition on International Women’s Day to pay tribute to women’s involvement in the fight against climate change.
(Ubaid Sahil is a student and freelance writer. He can be reached at ubaidsa9@gmail.com).