VILLAGES : 1
SHIGRI BALA
It is an ancient village situated at a distance of half an hour drive from Skardu Town at a height of about more than 500 feet above Skardu plain. Shigri Bala had been the capital of the local Rajas till Maqpon Bukha who shifted the capital after construction of Kharpocho Fort. The flat stone called “BURDO SNGLAS” there on which the Maqpon rulers were to be crowned still lies there. It is said that this tradition of crowning ceremony had been performed in this town till Maqpon Ahmad Shah (1800 to 1840) and then it had become customary for the monarches of Skardu to treat this stone as something sacred.
Shigri Bala village has two trees of a specie called “USOO” believed to be planted by some saint and considered sacred and effective particularly for child birth. It is a view point as well as picnic spot for tourists.
SUNDUS
Sundus is a historical village just adjacent to Skardu Town, surrounded by the River Indus and the Hargisa Nallah from north and west respectively. It has been the headquarters of the freedom fighters of 1948 war with Dogra Forces.
Sundus becomes a beautiful tourist spot particularly when the Hargisa Nallah is in full of flowing from June to August.
It also has a small historical and cultural heritage museum being managed by the NGO AL-Nusrat Sundus which can be visited with prior permission.
KATPANA
Katpana is a zccessible through Sundus village by car as well as by one hour walking track from Skardu town. It has a small man-made lake for irrigation where flock’s ducks are seen during winter.
