The Hunza River Valley is located on the border of India and Pakistan, it is also called the “oasis of youth”. Why? The life expectancy of local residents is 110-120 years. They almost never get sick and look young.

Their longevity still baffles researchers. It is interesting to know and will tell you more about the life of the mountain people. This means that there is a certain way of life that approaches the ideal, when people feel healthy, happy, and do not age, as in other countries, by the age of 40-50. It is curious that the inhabitants of the Hunza Valley, unlike neighboring peoples, are very similar in appearance to Europeans (as are the Kalash, who live very close by).

According to legend, the dwarf mountain state located here was founded by a group of soldiers from the army of Alexander the Great during his Indian campaign. Naturally, they established strict combat discipline here - such that residents with swords and shields had to sleep, eat, and even dance...

At the same time, the Hunzakuts treat with slight irony the fact that someone else in the world is called highlanders. Well, in fact, isn’t it obvious that with full right this name should be borne only by those who live near the famous “mountain meeting place” - the point where three highest systems world: the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush and the Karakoram. Of the 14 eight-thousand-meter peaks on Earth, five are located nearby, including the second after Everest K2 (8,611 meters), the ascent of which in the mountaineering community is valued even more than the conquest of Chomolungma. And what can we say about the no less famous local “killer peak” Nanga Parbat (8,126 meters), which buried a record number of climbers? And about the dozens of seven- and six-thousanders literally “crowding” around Hunza?

It will be impossible to pass through these rock masses if you are not a world-class athlete. You can only “seep” through narrow passes, gorges, and trails. Since ancient times, these rare arteries were controlled by principalities, which imposed significant taxes on all passing caravans. Hunza was considered one of the most influential among them.

In distant Russia about this " lost World“Little is known, and for reasons not only geographical, but also political: Hunza, along with some other valleys of the Himalayas, ended up on the territory over which India and Pakistan have been fiercely disputed for almost 60 years (the main subject remains the much more extensive Kashmir).

The USSR, to be safe, always tried to distance itself from the conflict. For example, in most Soviet dictionaries and encyclopedias the same K2 (another name is Chogori) is mentioned, but without indicating the area in which it is located. The local, quite traditional names were erased from Soviet maps and, accordingly, from the Soviet news lexicon. But here’s what’s surprising: everyone in Hunza knows about Russia.
Two captains

"Castle" for many local residents They respectfully call the Baltit fort, hanging from a cliff above Karimabad. It is already about 700 years old, and at one time it served the local independent ruler as both a palace of peace and a fortress. While not devoid of impressiveness on the outside, Baltit seems gloomy and damp from the inside. Dimmed rooms and poor furnishings - ordinary pots, spoons, a giant stove... In one of the rooms there was a hatch in the floor - under it the world (prince) of Hunza kept his personal prisoners. There are few bright and large rooms, perhaps only the “balcony room” makes a pleasant impression - it offers a majestic view of the valley. On one of the walls of this room is a collection of antique musical instruments, on the other - weapons: sabers, swords. And a saber donated by the Russians.

In one of the rooms hang two portraits: the British captain Younghusband and the Russian captain Grombchevsky, who decided the fate of the principality. In 1888, at the junction of the Karakorum and the Himalayas, a Russian village almost appeared: when a Russian officer Bronislav Grombchevsky arrived on a mission to the then world of Hunza Safdar Ali. Then on the border of Hindustan and Central Asia was walking Big game, an active confrontation between two superpowers of the 19th century - Russia and Great Britain. Not only a military man, but also a scientist, and later even an honorary member of the Imperial Geographical Society, this man had no intention of conquering lands for his king. And there were only six Cossacks with him then. But still, the talk was about the speedy establishment of a trading post and a political union. Russia, which by that time had influence throughout the Pamirs, now turned its gaze to Indian goods. So the captain entered the Game.

Safdar received him very warmly and willingly concluded the proposed agreement - he was afraid of the British pressing from the south.

And, as it turned out, not without reason. Grombchevsky's mission seriously alarmed Calcutta, where at that time the court of the Viceroy of British India was located. And although special commissioners and spies reassured the authorities: there was hardly any need to fear the appearance of Russian troops on the “top of India” - the passes leading from the north to Hunza were too difficult, and, moreover, covered with snow for most of the year - it was decided to urgently send a detachment under the command of Francis here Younghusband.

Both captains were colleagues - “geographers in uniform”; they met more than once on Pamir expeditions. Now they had to determine the future of the ownerless “Khunzakut bandits,” as they were called in Calcutta.

Meanwhile, Russian goods and weapons slowly appeared in Hunza, and even a ceremonial portrait appeared in the Baltit Palace Alexandra III. The distant mountain government began diplomatic correspondence with St. Petersburg and offered to host a Cossack garrison. And in 1891, a message came from Hunza: the world of Safdar Ali officially asks to accept him and all the people into Russian citizenship. This news soon reached Calcutta; as a result, on December 1, 1891, the Younghusband mountain riflemen captured the principality, Safdar Ali fled to Xinjiang. “The door to India is slammed shut on the Tsar,” the British occupier wrote to the Viceroy.

So, Hunza considered itself Russian territory for only four days. The ruler of the Hunzakuts wished to see himself as Russian, but never received an official answer. And the British gained a foothold and stayed here until 1947, when, during the collapse of the newly independent British India, the principality suddenly found itself in territory controlled by Muslims.

Today Hunza is governed by the Pakistani Ministry of Kashmir and Northern Territories Affairs, but the failed exodus is fondly remembered Big Games, stayed.

Moreover, local residents ask Russian tourists why there are so few tourists from Russia. At the same time, the British, although they left almost 60 years ago, still have hippies infesting the territory.

Apricot hippies

It is believed that Hunza was rediscovered for the West by the hippies who wandered around Asia in the 1970s in search of truth and exoticism. Moreover, this place has been popularized so much that even ordinary apricots are now called Hunza Apricot by Americans. However, the “flower children” were attracted here not only by these two categories, but also by Indian hemp.

One of the main attractions of Hunza is the glacier, which descends into the valley like a wide, cold river. However, on numerous terraced fields they grow potatoes, vegetables and hemp, which is smoked here and added as a seasoning to meat dishes and soups.

As for the young long-haired guys with the words “Hippie way” on their T-shirts - either real hippies or retro lovers - they are in Karimabad and mostly gobble up apricots. This is undoubtedly main value Khunzakutsky gardens. All of Pakistan knows that only here do the “Khan’s fruits” grow, which ooze aromatic juice while still on the trees.

Hunza is attractive not only for radical youth - amateurs also come here mountain travel, both history buffs and simply those who like to get away from their homeland. The picture is complemented, of course, by numerous rock climbers...

Since the valley is located halfway from the Khunjerab Pass to the beginning of the Hindustan plains, the Khunzakuts are confident that they control the route to the “upper world.” To the mountains, as such. It is difficult to say whether this principality was really once founded by the soldiers of Alexander the Great, or whether it was the Bactrians - the Aryan descendants of the once united great Russian people, but there is certainly some mystery in the appearance of this small and distinctive people in their surroundings. He speaks his own Burushaski language (Burushaski, whose relationship has not yet been established with any of the languages ​​of the world, although everyone here knows Urdu, and many speak English), professes, of course, like most Pakistanis, Islam, but a special one. sense, namely Ismaili, one of the most mystical and mysterious in religion, which is professed by up to 95% of the population. Therefore, in Hunza you will not hear the usual calls to prayer blaring from the speakers of the minarets. Everything is quiet, prayer is a personal matter and time for everyone.
Health

Hunzas bathe in ice water even at 15 degrees below zero, they play outdoor games up to a hundred years old, their 40-year-old women look like girls, at 60 they maintain a slim and graceful figure, and at 65 they still give birth to children. In summer they eat raw fruits and vegetables, in winter - sun-dried apricots and sprouted grains, sheep cheese.

The Hunza River was a natural barrier for the two medieval principalities of Hunza and Nagar. Since the 17th century, these principalities were constantly at odds, stealing each other’s women and children and selling them into slavery. Both of them lived in fortified villages. One more thing is interesting: the residents have a period when the fruits have not yet ripened - it is called the “hungry spring” and lasts from two to four months. During these months they eat almost nothing and only drink a drink made from dried apricots once a day. Such a fast has been elevated to a cult and is strictly observed.

The Scottish physician McCarrison, who was the first to describe the Happy Valley, emphasized that protein consumption there is at a lowest level norms, if it can be called a norm at all. The daily calorie content of Hunza averages 1933 kcal and includes 50 g of protein, 36 g of fat and 365 carbohydrates.

The Scotsman lived in close proximity to the Hunza Valley for 14 years. He came to the conclusion that diet is the main factor in the longevity of this people. If a person eats incorrectly, then the mountain climate will not save him from illness. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Hunza neighbors living in the same climatic conditions suffer the most various diseases. Their lifespan is half as long.

Mac Carrison, returning to England, staged interesting experiments on a large number of animals. Some of them ate ordinary London food working family (White bread, herring, refined sugar, canned and boiled vegetables). As a result, a wide variety of “human diseases” began to appear in this group. Other animals were on a Hunza diet and remained absolutely healthy throughout the experiment.

In the book “The Hunza - a People Who Know No Diseases,” R. Bircher emphasizes the following very significant advantages of the nutrition model in this country:

First of all, it is vegetarian;
- a large number of raw foods;
- vegetables and fruits predominate in the daily diet;
- natural products, without any chemicals and prepared preserving all biologically valuable substances;
- alcohol and treats are consumed extremely rarely;
- very moderate salt intake; products grown only on domestic soil;
- regular periods of fasting.

To this must be added other factors that contribute to healthy longevity. But the method of nutrition is undoubtedly very significant and decisive here.

In 1963, a French medical expedition visited Hunza. As a result of the population census she conducted, it was found that the average life expectancy of the Hunzakuts is 120 years, which is twice as high as that of Europeans. In August 1977, at the Paris International Cancer Congress, a statement was made: “In accordance with the data of geocarcinology (the science of studying cancer diseases in different regions world), the complete absence of cancer occurs only among the Hunza people.”

In April 1984, one of the Hong Kong newspapers reported the following amazing case. One of the Hunzakuts, whose name was Said Abdul Mobut, who arrived at London Heathrow Airport, bewildered the emigration service workers when he presented his passport. According to the document, Hunzakut was born in 1823 and turned 160 years old. The mullah who accompanied Mobud noted that his ward is considered a saint in the country of Hunza, famous for its long-livers. Mobud has excellent health and sound mind. He remembers events well since 1850.

The locals speak simply about their secret to longevity: be a vegetarian, always work physically, constantly move and do not change the rhythm of life, then you will live up to 120-150 years. Distinctive features Hunzas as a people with “full health”:

1) High ability to work in the broad sense of the word. Among the Hunzi, this ability to work is manifested both during work and during dancing and games. For them, walking 100–200 kilometers is the same as for us taking a short walk near the house. They climb steep mountains with extraordinary ease to convey some news, and return home fresh and cheerful.

2) Cheerfulness. The Hunzas laugh constantly, they are always in a good mood, even if they are hungry and suffering from the cold.

3) Exceptional durability. “The Hunzas have nerves as strong as ropes, and thin and gentle as a string,” wrote McCarrison. “They never get angry or complain, do not get nervous or show impatience, do not quarrel among themselves and endure with complete peace of mind.” physical pain, troubles, noise, etc.”

This means that there is a certain way of life that approaches the ideal, when people feel healthy, happy, and do not age, as in other countries, by the age of 40-50. It is curious that the inhabitants of the Hunza Valley, unlike neighboring peoples, are very similar in appearance to Europeans (as are the Kalash, who live very close by).

At the same time, the Hunzakuts treat with slight irony the fact that someone else in the world is called highlanders. Well, in fact, isn’t it obvious that with full right this name should be borne only by those who live near the famous “mountain meeting place” - the point where the three highest systems of the world converge: the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush and the Karakoram. Of the 14 eight-thousand-meter peaks on Earth, five are located nearby, including the second after Everest K2 (8,611 meters), the ascent of which in the mountaineering community is valued even more than the conquest of Chomolungma. And what can we say about the no less famous local “killer peak” Nanga Parbat (8,126 meters), which buried a record number of climbers? And about the dozens of seven- and six-thousanders literally “crowding” around Hunza?

It will be impossible to pass through these rock masses if you are not a world-class athlete. You can only “seep” through narrow passes, gorges, and trails. Since ancient times, these rare arteries were controlled by principalities, which imposed significant taxes on all passing caravans. Hunza was considered one of the most influential among them.

In distant Russia, little is known about this “lost world”, and for reasons not only geographical, but also political: Hunza, along with some other valleys of the Himalayas, ended up on the territory over which India and Pakistan have been fiercely arguing for almost 60 years (mainly the subject remains the much larger Kashmir).

Both captains were colleagues - “geographers in uniform”; they met more than once on Pamir expeditions. Now they had to determine the future of the ownerless “Khunzakut bandits,” as they were called in Calcutta.

It is believed that Hunza was rediscovered for the West by the hippies who wandered around Asia in the 1970s in search of truth and exoticism. Moreover, this place has been popularized so much that even ordinary apricots are now called Hunza Apricot by Americans. However, the “flower children” were attracted here not only by these two categories, but also by Indian hemp.

McCarrison, returning to England, carried out interesting experiments on a large number of animals. Some of them ate the usual food of a London working-class family (white bread, herring, refined sugar, canned and boiled vegetables). As a result, a wide variety of “human diseases” began to appear in this group. Other animals were on a Hunza diet and remained absolutely healthy throughout the experiment.

In April 1984, one of the Hong Kong newspapers reported the following amazing case. One of the Hunzakuts, whose name was Said Abdul Mobut, who arrived at London Heathrow Airport, bewildered the emigration service workers when he presented his passport. According to the document, Hunzakut was born in 1823 and turned 160 years old. The mullah who accompanied Mobud noted that his ward is considered a saint in the country of Hunza, famous for its long-livers. Mobud has excellent health and sound mind. He remembers events well since 1850.

The Hunza River Valley is called the “Oasis of Youth”; here people live 110-120 years, they hardly get sick, and they look amazingly young.

It turns out that in the valley there is some kind of way of life that can be called ideal. People feel happy, healthy, and do not age by the age of 40-50, like other inhabitants of the planet. It’s interesting, but the inhabitants of the wonderful valley look similar to Europeans, just like their neighbors, the Kalash.

There is a legend that a dwarf state was founded here by a small group of the army of Alexander the Great when he made a campaign against India. They established strict military discipline, such that residents with shields and swords had to eat, sleep, and dance.

The Khunzakuts perceive the word “highlander” with irony; they believe that only those who live at the junction of three mountain systems world: the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush and the Karakoram. Five of the 14 eight-thousander peaks around the world are located near the valley. Among them is the second highest mountain after Everest with a height of 8611 meters; climbers consider conquering it a greater achievement than conquering Chomolungma. It is worth mentioning Nanga Parbat - the “killer peak” (8126 meters), it buried many conquerors. There are also many mountains around with a height of about 6-7 thousand meters.

It will not be easy to get through the rocks if you do not have sufficient physical fitness; you can reach the village through narrow passes, gorges and paths. For a long time these passages were under the control of the principalities, who took tribute from travelers for passing through. Hunza was one of the most influential principalities.

In Russia, little is known about the small “lost world”, not only for geographical reasons, but also for political ones. The valley has become part of the territory over which a desperate battle has been waged between Pakistan and India for 60 years. During the Soviet era, the government tried to keep its distance from the conflict zone. IN Soviet encyclopedias and dictionaries there are references to the peak of K2 (Chogori), but the area where the mountain is located is not indicated.

Two captains

The locals respectfully call the Baltit fort “the castle”, which hangs from the cliff above Karimabad. This fort is 700 years old and was the home of a local independent ruler, as well as a peace palace and fortress. The fort is beautiful from the outside, but inside it is damp and gloomy, simple furnishings, a giant oven.

In one room of the fort there is an underground hatch, where the Prince of Hunza (peace) kept important prisoners in a dungeon. There are few large and bright rooms, only the “balcony room” leaves a bright impression; it offers views of the valley. On one wall of the hall you can see a collection of ancient musical instruments, and weapons, sabers and swords are on the other. There is a saber that was given by the Russians.

In one room hang 2 portraits: the Russian captain Grombchevsky and the British captain Younghusband, who helped decide the fate of the principality. At the end of the 19th century, where the junction of the Himalayas and Karakoram is located, a Russian station almost appeared. When the Prince of Hunza Safdaru Ali was ruling, the Russian officer Grombchevsky came to him with a message. At this time, the Great Game was going on on the border of Central Asia and Hindustan, two powers actively opposed each other: Great Britain and Russia. Together with the officer there were only 6 Cossacks, then Russia wanted to quickly establish trade relations with India. The prince warmly received the Russian officer and entered into an agreement with him in order to secure the valley from the British.

Grombchevsky's mission greatly alarmed Calcutta, which at that time had the court of the Viceroy of British India. Spies and special envoys reassured the authorities that there was no need to fear that Russian troops would appear on the “top of India,” because to get to Hunza many obstacles had to be overcome. But the authorities sent a detachment of Francis Younghusband to the valley.

The two captains knew each other, they were “geographers in uniform”, they had to determine the fate of the “Khunzakut bandits”, as they were called in Calcutta.

At this time, Russian goods and weapons had already appeared in the valley, and in the Baltic fort - a portrait of Alexander III. The mountain government began to conduct diplomatic correspondence with St. Petersburg, in the correspondence it was proposed to place a Cossack garrison in Hunza.

In 1891, a letter came from the valley that the world of Safdar Ali was asking for official admission of him and all the people into Russian citizenship. Shocking news reached Calcutta; in December 1891, Younghusband's detachment captured the principality, and the Prince of Hunza had to flee to Xinjiang.

Hunza belonged to Russia for only 4 days; unfortunately, the ruler of the Khunzakuts did not wait for an official answer. The British held out in the valley until 1947, when British India gained independence and Hunza came under Muslim rule. Today, Hunza is under the administration of Pakistan's Ministry of Northern Territories and Kashmir Affairs, but the memory of the Great Game remains, the outcome of which did not take place. Local residents often wonder why Russians do not visit their valley?

Apricot hippies

Today in the valley you can meet many representatives of the hippie movement.

There is an opinion that Hunza was opened to the West again by the hippies, then they wandered across the expanses of Asia to find truth and exoticism. The place became so popular that apricots in America are called “Hunza Apricot”, here “flower children” could find hemp in great abundance.

The main attraction of Hunza is the glacier, it is cold wide river descends into the valley. Potatoes, vegetables and hemp are grown here, which is used not only for smoking, but also as a seasoning for food. The valley is attractive not only to radical youth; here you can meet both history buffs and mountain travelers.

The Hunza Valley is located not far from the Khunjerab Pass and the Hindustan plains; the inhabitants of the valley believe that they are the “guardians” of the paths to the “upper world”, to the mountains. It is difficult to say whether it is true that the principality was created by the soldiers of Alexander the Great, or by the Bactrians - the Aryan descendants of the united Russian people; the secret of the appearance of the principality has not been revealed. Residents speak Burushashi, but they can speak both Urdu and English. Religion is Islam, and its most mystical sense. In Hunza there are no calls to prayer; everyone prays at their own time.

Health

Residents of the valley bathe in icy water at 15 degrees below zero, they can play outdoor games until they are a hundred years old, and a 40-year-old woman looks like a girl to them. At 60 years old, all women remain slim and sometimes give birth to children at 65 years old. Food in summer consists of fruits and vegetables, in winter - dried apricots, sheep cheese and sprouted grains.

The Hunza River separated the two medieval principalities of Nagar and Hunza. Starting from the 17th century, the principalities were constantly at enmity, taking each other’s children and women into slavery. The inhabitants of the valley have the concept of “hungry spring” - this is the moment when the fruits are not yet ripe, a period of 2-4 months lasts. Residents at this time only eat a drink made from dried apricots. This is a fast and it is strictly observed.

Mac Carrison, a Scottish physician, was the first to describe the Valley of Happiness. In his notes, he emphasized that the inhabitants of the valley practically do not eat squirrels. The average daily calorie content of a Hunzakut's food is 1933 kcal: 365 g of carbohydrates, 36 g of fat, 50 g of protein.

The doctor lived near the valley for 14 years and came to the conclusion that diet is the key to the longevity of the Hunzakuts. The Hunza neighbors live half as long, although they live in the same climatic conditions, and they get sick more often.

This means that there is a certain way of life that approaches the ideal, when people feel healthy, happy, and do not age, as in other countries, by the age of 40-50. It is curious that the inhabitants of the Hunza Valley, unlike neighboring peoples, are very similar in appearance to Europeans (as are the Kalash, who live very close by).

According to legend, the dwarf mountain state located here was founded by a group of army soldiers Alexander the Great during his Indian campaign. Naturally, they established strict combat discipline here - such that residents with swords and shields had to sleep, eat, and even dance...

At the same time, the Hunzakuts treat with slight irony the fact that someone else in the world is called highlanders. Well, in fact, isn’t it obvious that with full right this name should be borne only by those who live near the famous “mountain meeting place” - the point where the three highest systems of the world converge: the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush and the Karakoram. Of the 14 eight-thousand-meter peaks on Earth, five are located nearby, including the second after Everest K2 (8,611 meters), the ascent of which in the mountaineering community is valued even more than the conquest of Chomolungma. And what can we say about the no less famous local “killer peak” Nanga Parbat (8,126 meters), which buried a record number of climbers? And about the dozens of seven- and six-thousanders literally “crowding” around Hunza?

It will be impossible to pass through these rock masses if you are not a world-class athlete. You can only “seep” through narrow passes, gorges, and trails. Since ancient times, these rare arteries were controlled by principalities, which imposed significant taxes on all passing caravans. Hunza was considered one of the most influential among them.

In distant Russia, little is known about this “lost world”, and for reasons not only geographical, but also political: Hunza, along with some other valleys of the Himalayas, ended up on the territory over which India and Pakistan have been fiercely arguing for almost 60 years (mainly the subject remains the much larger Kashmir).

The USSR, to be safe, always tried to distance itself from the conflict. For example, in most Soviet dictionaries and encyclopedias the same K2 (another name is Chogori) is mentioned, but without indicating the area in which it is located. The local, quite traditional names were erased from Soviet maps and, accordingly, from the Soviet news lexicon.
But here’s what’s surprising: everyone in Hunza knows about Russia.

TWO CAPTAINS

Many locals respectfully call the Baltit fort, which hangs from a cliff above Karimabad, “the castle”. It is already about 700 years old, and at one time it served the local independent ruler as both a palace of peace and a fortress. While not devoid of impressiveness on the outside, Baltit seems gloomy and damp from the inside. Dimmed rooms and poor furnishings - ordinary pots, spoons, a giant stove... In one of the rooms there was a hatch in the floor - under it the world (prince) of Hunza kept his personal prisoners. There are few bright and large rooms, perhaps only the “balcony room” makes a pleasant impression - it offers a majestic view of the valley. On one of the walls of this room there is a collection of ancient musical instruments, on the other there are weapons: sabers, swords. And a saber donated by the Russians.

In one of the rooms hang two portraits: a British captain Younghusband and the Russian captain Grombchevsky who decided the fate of the principality. In 1888, at the junction of the Karakorum and the Himalayas, a Russian village almost appeared: when to the then world of Hunza Safdar Ali Russian officer Bronislav Grombchevsky arrived on a mission. At that time, on the border of Hindustan and Central Asia, the Great Game was going on, an active confrontation between the two superpowers of the 19th century - Russia and Great Britain. Not only a military man, but also a scientist, and later even an honorary member of the Imperial Geographical Society, this man had no intention of conquering lands for his king. And there were only six Cossacks with him then. But still, the talk was about the speedy establishment of a trading post and a political union. Russia, which by that time had influence throughout the Pamirs, now turned its gaze to Indian goods. So the captain entered the Game.

Safdar received him very warmly and willingly concluded the proposed agreement - he was afraid of the British pressing from the south.

And, as it turned out, not without reason. Grombchevsky's mission seriously alarmed Calcutta, where at that time the court of the Viceroy of British India was located. And although special commissioners and spies reassured the authorities: there was hardly any need to fear the appearance of Russian troops on the “top of India” - the passes leading from the north to Hunza were too difficult, and, moreover, covered with snow for most of the year - it was decided to urgently send a detachment under the command of Francis here Younghusband.

Both captains were colleagues - “geographers in uniform”; they met more than once on Pamir expeditions. Now they had to determine the future of the ownerless “Khunzakut bandits,” as they were called in Calcutta.

Meanwhile, Russian goods and weapons slowly appeared in Hunza, and even a ceremonial portrait appeared in the Baltit Palace Alexandra III. The distant mountain government began diplomatic correspondence with St. Petersburg and offered to host a Cossack garrison. And in 1891, a message came from Hunza: the world of Safdar Ali officially asks to accept him and all the people into Russian citizenship. This news soon reached Calcutta; as a result, on December 1, 1891, the Younghusband mountain riflemen captured the principality, Safdar Ali fled to Xinjiang. “The door to India is slammed shut on the Tsar,” the British occupier wrote to the Viceroy.

So, Hunza considered itself Russian territory for only four days. The ruler of the Hunzakuts wished to see himself as Russian, but never received an official answer. And the British gained a foothold and stayed here until 1947, when, during the collapse of the newly independent British India, the principality suddenly found itself in territory controlled by Muslims.

Today Hunza is governed by the Pakistani Ministry of Kashmir and Northern Territories Affairs, but fond memories of the failed outcome of the Great Game remain.

Moreover, local residents ask Russian tourists why there are so few tourists from Russia. At the same time, the British, although they left almost 60 years ago, still have hippies infesting the territory.

APRICOT HIPPIES

It is believed that Hunza was rediscovered for the West by the hippies who wandered around Asia in the 1970s in search of truth and exoticism. Moreover, this place has been popularized so much that even ordinary apricots are now called Hunza Apricot by Americans. However, the “flower children” were attracted here not only by these two categories, but also by Indian hemp.

One of the main attractions of Hunza is the glacier, which descends into the valley like a wide, cold river. However, on numerous terraced fields they grow potatoes, vegetables and hemp, which is smoked here and added as a seasoning to meat dishes and soups.

As for the young long-haired guys with the words “Hippie way” on their T-shirts - either real hippies or retro lovers - they are in Karimabad and mostly gobble up apricots. This is undoubtedly the main value of the Khunzakut gardens. All of Pakistan knows that only here do the “Khan’s fruits” grow, which ooze aromatic juice while still on the trees.

Hunza is attractive not only for radical youth - mountain travel enthusiasts, history buffs, and simply those who simply want to get away from their homeland come here. The picture is complemented, of course, by numerous climbers...

Since the valley is located halfway from the Khunjerab Pass to the beginning of the Hindustan plains, the Khunzakuts are confident that they control the route to the “upper world.” To the mountains, as such. It is difficult to say whether this principality was really once founded by the soldiers of Alexander the Great, or whether it was the Bactrians - the Aryan descendants of the once united great Russian people, but there is certainly some mystery in the appearance of this small and distinctive people in their surroundings. He speaks his own Burushaski language (Burushaski, whose relationship has not yet been established with any of the languages ​​of the world, although everyone here knows Urdu, and many speak English), professes, of course, like most Pakistanis, Islam, but a special one. sense, namely Ismaili, one of the most mystical and mysterious in religion, which is professed by up to 95% of the population. Therefore, in Hunza you will not hear the usual calls to prayer blaring from the speakers of the minarets. Everything is quiet, prayer is a personal matter and time for everyone.

HEALTH

The Hunza bathe in icy water even at 15 degrees below zero, play outdoor games until they are a hundred years old, their 40-year-old women look like girls, at 60 they maintain a slim and graceful figure, and at 65 they still give birth to children. In summer they eat raw fruits and vegetables, in winter - sun-dried apricots and sprouted grains, sheep cheese.

The Hunza River was a natural barrier for the two medieval principalities of Hunza and Nagar. Since the 17th century, these principalities were constantly at odds, stealing each other’s women and children and selling them into slavery. Both of them lived in fortified villages. One more thing is interesting: the residents have a period when the fruits have not yet ripened - it is called the “hungry spring” and lasts from two to four months. During these months they eat almost nothing and only drink a drink made from dried apricots once a day. Such a fast has been elevated to a cult and is strictly observed.

Scottish doctor McCarrison, who was the first to describe Happy Valley, emphasized that protein consumption there is at the lowest level of the norm, if it can be called the norm at all. The daily calorie content of Hunza averages 1933 kcal and includes 50 g of protein, 36 g of fat and 365 carbohydrates.

The Scotsman lived in close proximity to the Hunza Valley for 14 years. He came to the conclusion that diet is the main factor in the longevity of this people. If a person eats incorrectly, then the mountain climate will not save him from illness. It is therefore not surprising that the Hunza neighbors, living in the same climatic conditions, suffer from a wide variety of diseases. Their lifespan is half as long.

McCarrison, returning to England, carried out interesting experiments on a large number of animals. Some of them ate the usual food of a London working-class family (white bread, herring, refined sugar, canned and boiled vegetables). As a result, a wide variety of “human diseases” began to appear in this group. Other animals were on a Hunza diet and remained absolutely healthy throughout the experiment.

In the book “The Hunzas are a people who know no disease” R. Bircher highlights the following very significant advantages of the food model in this country:

• - first of all, it is vegetarian;
• - a large amount of raw foods;
• - vegetables and fruits predominate in the daily diet;
• - natural products, without any chemicals and prepared preserving all biologically valuable substances;
• - alcohol and treats are consumed extremely rarely;
• - very moderate salt intake; products grown only on domestic soil;
• - regular periods of fasting.

To this must be added other factors that contribute to healthy longevity. But the method of nutrition is undoubtedly very significant and decisive here.

In 1963, a French medical expedition visited Hunza. As a result of the population census she conducted, it was found that the average life expectancy of the Hunzakuts is 120 years, which is twice as high as that of Europeans. In August 1977, at the International Cancer Congress in Paris, a statement was made: “In accordance with the data of geocancerology (the science of studying cancer in different regions of the world), the complete absence of cancer occurs only among the Hunza people.”

In April 1984, one of the Hong Kong newspapers reported the following amazing case. One of the Hunzakuts, whose name was Said Abdul Mobut, who arrived at London's Heathrow Airport, bewildered immigration officials when he presented his passport. According to the document, Hunzakut was born in 1823 and turned 160 years old. The mullah who accompanied Mobud noted that his ward is considered a saint in the country of Hunza, famous for its long-livers. Mobud has excellent health and sound mind. He remembers events well since 1850.

The locals speak simply about their secret to longevity: be a vegetarian, always work physically, constantly move and do not change the rhythm of life, then you will live up to 120-150 years. Distinctive features of the Hunzas as a people with “full health”:

1) High ability to work in the broad sense of the word. Among the Hunzi, this ability to work is manifested both during work and during dancing and games. For them, walking 100–200 kilometers is the same as for us taking a short walk near the house. They climb steep mountains with extraordinary ease to convey some news, and return home fresh and cheerful.

2) Cheerfulness. The Hunzas laugh constantly, they are always in a good mood, even if they are hungry and suffering from the cold.

3) Exceptional durability. “The Hunzas have nerves as strong as ropes, and thin and gentle as a string,” wrote McCarrison. “They never get angry or complain, do not get nervous or show impatience, do not quarrel among themselves and endure physical pain with complete peace of mind, troubles, noise, etc.”

CANCER - the greatest deception

This is a short fragment translated into Russian about the long-living Hunzas, mentioned in the film by G. Edward Griffin: A World Without Cancer - The Story of Vitamin B 17.

Hunza- a people, however, small in number (only 15,000 people), about which it can be said that diseases are completely unknown to them. Their average lifespan is 110-120 years. During the 810 warm months, the Hunza live outdoors. They bathe in ice-cold water even at 15 degrees below zero, play outdoor games until they are a hundred years old, their 40-year-old women look like girls, at 60 they maintain a slim and graceful figure, and at 65 they still give birth to children. The Hunza especially revere apricots and their pits. Vitamin B-17, also known as letril or amygdalin. Main sources: apple grains, cherries, peaches, plums. Most of it is in apricot kernels. It has been known for 35 years that vitamin B17 has a therapeutic effect on many types of malignant tumors. There is an opinion that if you eat at least seven apricot seeds a day, your body will never develop a cancerous tumor.

Where can you meet people with excellent health these days? Scientists have long agreed that “norm” or “health” is the ideal theoretical state of a person, which is not found in real life. And yet, it turns out that there is such a people in the world, albeit a small one (only 15,000 people), about whom we can say that diseases are completely unknown to them. These are Hunzas. Their average lifespan is 110-120 years.

These people were discovered by the talented military doctor McCarison in the vicinity of the northern border of Kashmir (India).

McCarison interacted closely with many non-affected peoples and tribes living between Tibet, China, the Pamirs, Afghanistan and today's Pakistan, and during his wanderings through these places he once encountered the Hunza people. He was amazed by their beautiful, slender physique and high performance. Among the Hunza, everyone was healthy (several bone fractures and inflammation of the eyes).

Hunza - primitive and very poor people. They live in mountainous areas, devoid of fertile soil. There are no forests there, and every piece of land is occupied fruit trees. There are no meadows either, so every inch of land is allocated for vegetables and potatoes. The area is characterized by a shortage of water: it rains rarely - only during three or four winter months, when the temperature drops to zero or below. And there is very little snow there. Therefore, water is worth its weight in gold. The Hunza either use a system of canals that accumulate water during rain, or deliver water from afar.

The cows there are slightly larger than St. Bernards, skinny goats and sheep graze on the mountain slopes covered with stones. Cows produce little milk (less than two liters per day, and then only immediately after calving) and even less fat. Sheep don't give milk at all, goats - very little. Animal meat is sinewy and completely fat-free.

In winter, the Hunzas sleep in stone houses with no windows (only one hole) and sleep on stone benches. Livestock"housed" in the hallways. Naturally, they have no wood for heating. The fire in the hearths is maintained by dry branches and leaves. On such a fire they cook food, wash themselves and wash clothes only cold water. No animal fats, no olives to obtain vegetable oil. The Hunza manage without baths, without hot water and without soap. And, as can be understood from all this, they cannot have enough food, even of plant origin. IN winter months people lead a “vegetative” lifestyle, eating meager reserves of cereals (directly in grains) and dried apricots, and in the spring they switch to pasture, eating herbs and vegetables until the first harvest. In summer they mainly feed on apricots and other fruits. The Hunzas do not know how to read and write. Only members of noble families, the king and his entourage, who studied in religious Muslim schools, can read and write. They have neither poetry in their own language, nor sculpture, nor painting, nor wood carving, they do not know the weaving skills that their neighbors possess. The musicians' families belong to a different tribe.

During the 8–10 warm months, the Hunza live outdoors. The Hunza bathe in icy water even at 15 degrees below zero, play outdoor games until they are a hundred years old, their 40-year-old women look like girls, at 60 they maintain a slim and graceful figure, and at 65 they still give birth to children. It is considered an axiom that marriages between close relatives are harmful, that they affect the physical and mental health of each individual. Representatives of this people marry only members of their small nation. Nobody else's blood flows in their veins. The only exception is royal family, which seized power in this country 300–400 years ago.

And yet, despite all this and in spite of everything, the Hunzas have enviable health.

According to reliable scientific research, the Hunza are the only healthy and happy people in the whole world.

The reason for such health lies in the nature of the diet - complete, natural and without harmful impurities.

The Hunza eat sparingly, but correctly. Their food has very few calories, but the food is completely consistent physiological needs human body.

So, Two aspects are important for excellent health:

• eat little - only in accordance with the true needs of the body;

• food must be complete, good quality, easily digestible;

• such food can only be natural berries, fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, and edible roots.

What is meant by the expression “full health”? It is determined by three aspects:

1) High ability to work in the broad sense of the word. Among the Hunzi, this ability to work is manifested both during work and during dancing and games. For them, walking 100–200 kilometers is the same as for us taking a short walk near the house. They climb steep mountains with extraordinary ease to convey some news, and return home fresh and cheerful.

2) Cheerfulness. The Hunzas laugh constantly, they are always in a good mood, even if they are hungry and suffering from the cold.

3) Exceptional durability. “The Hunzas have nerves as strong as ropes, and thin and gentle as a string,” wrote McCarison. “They never get angry or complain, do not get nervous or show impatience, do not quarrel among themselves and endure physical activity with complete peace of mind.” pain, trouble, noise, etc.”

Interesting McCarison's experiment, which is known in science as the "Kennel Experiment"- at the location of his laboratory.

The researcher divided thousands of experimental rats into three groups according to three population groups: "Whitechapel" (an area of ​​London), "Hunzas" and "Hindus". They were all kept in the same conditions, but the Whitechapel group received the food that Londoners eat (i.e., what Europeans eat) - white bread, white flour products, jam, meat, salt, canned food, eggs, sweets, boiled vegetables, etc. The “Hunza” rats received the same food as the people of this tribe. “Indian” rats are food typical of Hindus and residents of the East. McCarison studied the health of an entire generation who received three different diets, and discovered an interesting pattern.

Animals from the Whitechapel group have suffered from all the diseases that affect the inhabitants of London, from childhood diseases to chronic and senile ailments. This group turned out to be quite nervous and warlike; the rats bit each other and even bit their compatriots to death.

In terms of health and general behavior, the “Indian” rats turned out to be similar to that the people who were personified in this experiment. And the “Hunza” rats remained healthy and cheerful, spending time playing and relaxing.

What can be learned from these observations?
First of all: neither climate, nor religion, nor customs, nor race have a noticeable effect on health - only food matters.
Food, and not anything else, can transform healthy people in patients: it is enough to remove from the diet some substances that are considered, in the opinion of most people, of little importance, i.e. enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, microelements, fatty acid, which are only in flora, which are beneficial only when consumed in their natural form.
The amount of food and its high energy value, i.e. calorie content, have nothing to do with health. The composition of the food is important.
Even an individual's morale may suffer if the diet lacks certain nutrients.

Rats that lived in peace and friendship with each other became aggressive and devoured each other when they were deprived of nutritious food necessary for health. This indicates that any social unrest, revolutions, wars depend on the malnutrition of people.

Food inappropriate for human nature, and not its lack, as politicians claim, is to blame for poor condition society.

Thus, the quality, composition, quantity, method of consumption and combinations of food affect the preservation of health, protect against diseases, and preserve youth.

Mental health also depends on the quality of nutrition. peace of mind, absence of neuroses and mental disorders.

There are articles circulating online talking about the Hunza tribe, which supposedly has phenomenal health and longevity. One of the articles can be found, an even more mythologized version.

But this is, of course, a fiction. The journalists who wrote the articles did not bother to check the information and chased the sensation and the next stories about miracles.

The Hunza tribe is an interesting tribe, but also very primitive. For example, they do not have a clear concept of time and they even did not understand the concept of measurement in general. Everything was built and sewn inaccurately for them, and they didn’t even see it as a problem.

They “measure” years not only by duration, but also by wisdom. And if a person is considered wise, then this adds “years” to him - and that’s how they end up with people who are 120 years old. In other words, this is not real age.

Dr. Clark also exposes the myth that the residents are vegetarians. It's just that the vast majority of travelers come to the Hunza Valley during the summer season. However, at other times of the year, the Hunza eat meat. Another thing is that this area is so poor that they eat it extremely rarely, because they simply cannot afford to eat it more often.

So, the Hunza tribe is very interesting for its history and tradition and its relative isolation from modern civilization. But, alas, they do not have any special health or longevity. These are fairy tales for adults.

Sources:

• Dr. Clark's book is available
• You can read basic information on Wikipedia.
• Detailed analysis with references to historical data and to numerous exploratory campaigns in the Hunza Valley.