Bazaar of Landi Kotal

Landi Kotal is a small town, found on the way from Peshawar to the Afghanistan border town of Torkham.  Located in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), it was once known as the “Smuggling Market,” known for trading goods like appliances and car parts into smuggled items like weapons and narcotics. When I first visited around 1992, I was surprised to see chocolate-shaped narcotics lined up in stores.
Now the status of the “Smuggling Bazaar” has disappeared and it is a normal market for rural Pashtun tribes.

 

The shop owners call out ‘Hello! Hello!’ to try to earn some business.

 

When a foreigner pass them by, everyone pays attention! It really reminded me of old Pakistan.

 

The Pashtun officer who accompanies us, took us to a local butcher shop and request some popular Landi Kotal Domba Sheep. These unique sheep have a big butt which is a delicacy for the locals.

 

We purchased a cut of meat and it was grilled over charcoal.

 

This is a typical Domba sheep lunch. We ate it along with a the local green tea called Kahwa Tea!
By the day, I did not see any women, the whole day.

 

Photo & Text : Mariko SAWADA

Visit : Oct 2019, Landi Kotal, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

Category : - Peshawar / Khyber Pass > ◆Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
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(Video) The curious tailed sheep that I met in the Swat Valley

This is a video taken in the Swat Valley of the sheep living there.
While traveling the Valley by car, one after another we saw groups of herders and their sheep. A typical scene in Pakistan.

 

Sheep in the Swat Valley (Pakistan)  The curious tailed sheep|

The tails are dyed with henna which I found so interesting.
The Pashtun people of Pakistan. It is a fashionable expression unique to them.

 

Sheep Tail Variations

This video features various sheep’s tails: some long and some short tails.
The Dunba sheep has no tail and its hips make a heart shape. It is a type of sheep that accumulates fat in the buttocks, a Pakistani delicacy. Namak Mandy, a restaurant district in Peshawar, is famous for Dunba cuisine.

 

And then, finally the sheep after they have been shaved…
Without hair, the sheep look so odd.

These are such curious looking sheep with very unique looks.

This photo was taken in Kashgar, China, not Pakistan. It’s a neighboring country across the border, but the Uyghur people also seem to like Dumba sheep as well.

The Swat Valley has changed a lot. In the fall of 2019, a new road was extended into the Valley. I hope the sheep continue to march along the road as they did in the past.

 

Video/photo & Text: Mariko SAWADA
*The photos and videos were taken between 2008 and 2015 in Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

 

Category : = Video Clip KPK > - Swat > ◆ Video Breathtaking Views of Pakistan > ◆Khyber Pakhtunkhwa > ◇Domestic animal of Pakistan
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