MUGHAL ROAD By Muhammad Shafi Khan
 From Dabijan heights the road, passing through the curves of the naked rocks on the right and rocky forests on the left with Rambarr flowing down in between, reaches Sathrian. From Sathrian through Hasvanz of the Hun Sadist tyrant Mehrgul’s memory, Zajinar, Aliabad and Marg it reaches the Peer Ki Gali, the historic pass in the mountain range of Pir Panjal. These rocks are without vegetation except the green grass on their slopes. The road elevates more and more till it reaches the highest point 11400 feet at the pass. Lal Gulam point of myth and fact is demarcated by a signboard enroute. Aliabad can be located by the still standing Mughal Sarai visible in the depression from the height of the road at a particular spot. A furlong ahead a path leads to the Sarai but the ascent back to the road will be trying. Previously a BSF personnel, even in normalcy of the uncertain times used to reside in it to watch the road. But not now. Abandoned it proclaims the impermanence of royalty and power in the words of Omar Khayam: “Think of this battered Caravansarai/Whose portals are alternate Night and Day/ (Wherein) How Sultan after Sultan/Abode his hour and went his way.”
This historical relic needs to be adopted as a heritage building and preserved for future. At Aliabad the first time traveler on this road should not forget to take a view of Aliabad Sarai. This pearl of a Sarai of Shah Jehan nestled in the lap of Pir Panjal mountains with ever green turf around it and even on its roof is tranquillizing. It merges with the green landscape in perfection of proportion and accord like a wave in the ocean. Better see it now before any mindless and aesthetically blind government allows the construction of an ugly hotel or something of the sort at this place. From Aliabad the plane of the Marg begins ending at the pass wherefrom the Bafliaz sector of district Poonch starts. Apart from Dabijan, Marg also is a very beautiful plane through which the road passes. The view of the Marg is overwhelming as one stands dwarfed by the surrounding mountains which subdued yield to the crescent- like pass in front in the West. If the sun shines bright over the green grassy plane, the view is captivating of idea and sight. It will then be Nature’s high marvel of blue of the sky outlined by gigantic mountains and of the green of the vast plane. If an overcast sky, hordes of clouds can envelope the mountains and the plane making everything invisible. And then rain and cold at this high altitude can make a hell of the heaven. This is what is going to be the blocking obstacle for the vehicular traffic on this road even in the summer rain, not to speak of the winter. Otherwise one can say that this plane of the Marg forms the most beautiful part of the Mughal Road. It is where Iqbal’s utterance in Nishat Bagh would seem more apt:
‘man Khuda ra deedam aanja beihijab’
 I saw God there without veil.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:00:00 IST