Yarkhoon valley

Yarkhoon, a beautiful and rich valley is situated at the north of Chitral city. Its boundaries start from �Nivashero saroz�, a small village near Brep at the bank of Yarkhoon River. Yarkhoon stretches over an area of hundred kilometers. It has fresh streams, green fields, big mountains, and a variety of fruits plants with water flowing beneath them. All these beauties are a source of attraction and fascination for the tourists both local as well as foreigners. In summer season tourists from down areas in general and from foreign countries in particular visit these beautiful places. Most of the people are associated with the field of farming which is the main source of livelihood. Animal husbandry is another source of subsistence particularly in extreme upper regions of yarkhoon.
In the entire Chitral there is a little bit misconception about the meaning of the name �Yarkhoon�. Most of the people believe that Yarkhoon means �friends blood�, and of course a false story is also associated with it, that Once upon a time there were two friends traveling in Yarkhoon valley.
There arose a misunderstanding between them on certain matter and this led to the murder of one of them. After this incident the valley is named as �Yarkhoon i.e. �friend�s blood� and even today some of my friends call me as �Yarkhoonik Yar�. They label charges of disloyalty and insincerity against the people of Yarkhoon which is of course not true because we are sincere, loyal and hospitable people. Yarkhoon valley is anybody�s home who may want to live there even for the whole of his life. Most of the villages in Yarkhoon valley have been named in wakhi language and it is also a historical fact that the people of Yarkhoon have migrated from Wakhan. For example, �Nakhcher Dem� (a small village in upper
Yarkhoon) means �fox tail�. �Yockshokot�, (a small village in upper Yarkhoon) means �foot prints of wild goat�, �shotkipot� (a small village in upper Yarkhoon) means �foot prints of a wolf�. �Kankhun� (again a small village in upper yarkhoon) means �wifes home�. All these words are from Wakhi language.
So in the light of the above examples it is proved that the word �Yarkhoon� is also originated from wakhi language and it may not be mistaken as �friends blood� instead of �friends home�. Dr. Inayatullah Faizi has also made it clear in his book �Wakhan�.

Muhammad Din
Chitral
03215831570.
[email protected]