Daily Times

Arrived in a coaster with hands clapping on national song ‘Sohni Dharti Allah Rakay’ at Saiful Malook lake, the family of Manzoor Khan, a retired civil servant of Nowshera district was over the moon after visiting the famous oval shape lake located in the lap of the snow-clad mountains of Malaka Parbath in the picturesque upper Kaghan valley in Mansehra district during third day of Eid -ul-Azha celebrations. Impressed by the crystal greenish-blue water of the oval shape Saif-ul-Malook lake, the tourists with a big smile in faces went around the natural wonder after enjoying lunch at ‘Dastarkhwan’ under an open sky amid cold breeze following heavy rainfall, which turned the weather pleasant. Following exploring the historic lake through boats, Manzoor who was accompanied by his wife, son, sisters and others family members said,” Saif-ul-Malook’s gripping natural beautiful with its crystal clean-water eniminating from the lofty glaciers of Malaka Perbath on its northeast was beyond of my imagination.”

“I had visited many lakes in Pakistan and abroad but the fairytales of prince Saiful Malook and princes Badri Jamala associated with the Saif-ul-Malook lake was unique that impressed me the most,” he said. He said Malook-Jamala fairytale leaves mesmerizing effects on the minds of hundreds of thousands of visitors every year amid hide and seek between sun and clouds over it almost throughout the year especially during monsoon season.

Terming Saif-ul-Malook lake was his ideal tourist place due to its better road connectivity than others lakes of KP, he said that it was his fourth trip to Saif-ul-Malook lake and first with his family that doubled his joy of Eid-ul-Azha. “Families can easily come here to spend sometimes in its relaxed environment before exploring the nearby Anso and Dudipatsar lakes in Upper Kaghan through jeeps and horse riding with great fun and excitement especially during Eid days,” he added.

Like Manzoor’s family, the lake takes thousands of visitors into pipe-dream with fairy world’s thoughts popping up with peace and serenity after entering the natural wonder spreading on 1.06 square miles having 113 feet depth and 3,224 meters height from sea-level following completion of boredom of tedious journey from plain areas of Pakistan to the picturesque Kaghan valley.

Mian Muhammad Bakhash, a noted historian and poet in his book ‘Fairytale of Saiful Malook’ had narrated about prince Saif-ul-Malook and fairy princes Badriul Jamala during his visit to the lake. He explained about the epic romance of Prince Malook when he fell in love with fairy prince Jamala during his visit to this famous lake of Pakistan. Manzoor’s wife said Saif-ul-Malook was the identity of Pakistan and urged visitors to ensure its cleanliness and put all waste in dustbins placed by the government in its vicinity. “I am disappointed to see garbage and polythene bags thrown by visitors at premises of Saif-ul-Malook despite dustbins,” she said.