CHITRAL: The leaves of deciduous trees of different species turning yellow with the advent of autumn season have these days adorned all the valleys here giving them an eye-catching view, but no efforts have been made to promote autumn tourism.

Chitral Association for Mountain Areas Tourism’s founding chairman Shahzada Sirajul Mulk told this correspondent that there were many species of trees whose leaves were known to turn deep yellow and give the villages a panoramic view, which dazzled the viewers beyond description.

He said that the trees of local species of poplar, apricot and mulberry had the high density in certain villages and they were arrayed in such a manner that they formed an attractive pattern.

Mr Mulk regretted that no effort had so far been made by the tourism department to showcase the beauty of the autumn season and thereby promote tourism in the area.

He said that the autumn tourism was flourishing in Northern Areas and he knew a number of tourist teams coming to Hunza just to see the cherry blossom in spring season.

The villages of Booni, Awi and Mastuj along the Yarkhoon River, Terich, Rech, Khot and Raeen along Mulkhow River valley, the villages of Garam Chashma, Karimabad, Susoom in Lot Koh valley and the Kalash valleys are known for their spectacular autumn colours.

Hotel owners here say that a considerable number of tourists come to Chitral every year during autumn. Afzal Khan, a hotel manager, said that the number of tourists surged slightly in the city hotels and that in the Kalash valleys and Garam Chashma with the advent of the season.

The autumn season known as ‘chhan chhori’ had romantic connotations in the local folk literature. Syed Nazir, a local writer and poet, said that most of the young women and children preferred dresses of yellow colour for the season which depicted their attachment with autumn.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2016