Balti People - Culture

Culture

Centuries of Tibetan, Persian and Indian influence have shaped the Balti culture into its modern form. Islam plays an important role in Balti culture.

Tibetan influence can be seen in its architecture, where houses with flat roof painted white and sloping inwards are built, and the most notable artifacts of the Balti/Ladakhi architecture include Kharpoche in Skardu, Khapulo Khar in Khapulo, Chakchan and Shigar Khanqah and Baltit Fort of Hunza. Like the Ladakhi Muslim architectures, older mosques show a mix of Persian and Tibetan architecture, although strong Persian and modern influences can be seen in the newer mosques.

Little remains of the pre-Islamic Buddhist culture of Baltistan, largely destroyed and supplaced by the dominant Punjabi and Persian culture which arrived with Islam; this can be evidenced in the near-extinction of traditional Balti festivals such as Mephang, Mindok Ltadmo and Srup Lha. Folk literature such as those of Lha Kesar and works of Ali Sher Khan Anchan prevail among the Balti literature, which has experienced a revival in recent years.

Although climatic conditions are harsh and inhospitable, the village people of Baltistan are among the most friendly and hospitable of mountain peoples in Pakistan. The predominant population of today’s Baltistan is religiously and ethnically homogeneous.

Baltistan is proud of her thousands of years of rich civilization. Her architecture, costumes, cuisines, festivals, dances, language, script and epics make her unique among her neighbors, especially within the contemporary Northern Areas. The local culture is a blend of that of Ladakhi and Islamic rituals. Since partition, the residents of Baltistan have remained essentially people of Baltistan’s soil.

Of late, modern Balti scholars such as Yousuf Hussainabadi, Muhammad Hassan Hasrat, Raja Muhammad Ali Shah Saba, Wazir Ghulam Mehdi, Wazir Himayat Hussain and Ghulam Hassan Hasni have contributed greatly to the re-discovery of the Balti culture.

Muhammad Yousuf Hussainabadi wrote three books on History and culture of Baltistan. Yousuf Hussainabadi wrote 'Baltistan per aik Nazar (1985) later on produced 'Balti Zaban' (1990) He also translated the Holy Quran in Balti (1995). His works also include 'Tareekh-e-Baltistan' means 'History of Baltistan' (2003).