Rizwan Haider Shah
Gojal is a small but very beautiful village in the upper Hunza district, now known as Husseini. Historically, the village has been called Sassoni, which may have been a distorted version of Husseini. The village of Husseini is located near Lake Borth, and offers spectacular views of the famous Passu Cones.
One hundred percent of the people living in Husseini speak Wakhi, and have lived here for centuries between glaciers and mountains.
There are three main reasons for the popularity of Hussaini village.
First, there is the mausoleum of the great saint and preacher of Islam, Hazrat Shah Talib (may Allah have mercy on him), which has now taken the form of a shrine. Devotees stop here to remember the elders, make offerings, and move on, praying for a good journey.
There is also a hot spring in the village of Hussaini, which appears in the winter, while in the summer the water from the Shamshal, Khanjaraf, Chaporson and Batura glaciers merges into the Hunza River. Local men and women use this hot spring according to local traditions. The spring water in Hussaini is said to contain minerals, especially sulfur, which can be used to relieve joint pain.
Another reason for the village of Husseini is its suspension bridge, which has gained worldwide fame. The bridge is also considered one of the most dangerous suspension bridges in the world, while leading international journals, such as National Geographic, CNN Travels and several other organizations have given pictorial, film and written reports about its beauty. The existing suspension bridge was built in 2012 in collaboration with the Government of Pakistan. But the first bridge at the site, according to locals, was built in 1967 during the reign of the last mayor of Hunza, Major General Muhammad Jamal Khan.
Another suspension bridge was built at the same site with the help of the Aga Khan Rural Support Program, which was damaged due to strong winds. Another bridge was later built on the site, which sank in the lake created by the Attabad tragedy.
The bridge was originally built by locals to reach the village’s cross-river section, Zarabad, but has now become an important tourist destination. And every year thousands of domestic and foreign tourists come to Husseini to enjoy the beautiful scenery of nature.
Zarabad is a large village in terms of area, but due to the lack of bridges to get there by tractors and other vehicles, the locals are not able to take full advantage of the area.
