Chapursan (; also spelt Chipurson, Chiporson, Chaporsan, Chupurson) is a valley containing approximately eight scattered villages situated within the

Hunza District The Hunza District ( ur, ) is one of the 14 districts of the Pakistani province of Gilgit-Baltistan. It was established in 2015 by the division of the Hunza–Nagar District in accordance with a government decision to establish more administrativ ...

of Gilgit−Baltistan in

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

. It is located in the northern part of the country, close to the border with the

Wakhan District Wakhan District is one of the 28 districts of Badakhshan Province in eastern Afghanistan. The district has a border with neighboring Tajikistan in the north, Xinjiang in China to the east, and Pakistan to the south (specifically Gilgit-Baltist ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...

and the

Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...

. The valley is predominantly inhabited by ethnic Wakhis; the village of

Raminj ''Raminji or Khairabad Raminji is a village in the Chipursan Valley of Gojal HunzaGilgit-Baltistan,Pakistan Frist established in 1914 by Mir Nazim Khan. Politics Nazir Sabir">Gilgit-Baltistan.html" ;"title="Gojal HunzaGilgit-Baltistan">Goja ...

in this region is inhabited by ethnic Burushos. The valley's inhabitants largely adhere to the

Isma'ili Isma'ilism ( ar, الإسماعيلية, al-ʾIsmāʿīlīyah) is a branch or sub-sect of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor ( imām) to Ja'far al- ...

sect of

Shia Islam Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, mos ...

. Chapurson hosts over 500 households with an estimated population of 3000 people.

Geography

The Chipurson valley is above 3000 meters from sea level and the villages are Yarzerech,

, Kirmin (Noorabad, Rahimabad & Aminabad), Kil (Khill), Reshit, Shehr-e-Subz (Green City), Ispenj, Shitmerg and ZuwudKhoon (also spelled Zood Khun, Zoodkhun. Khudayarabad). After Zood Khun pastures are Yashkuk, Kukchaizem, Biban Joi, Koorban, Korkot, Joi Sam, Dainkut, Khudayar Alga, Kimkut, Aston ( Baba Ghundhi ). Yashwoshitk, Shipodkut, Pomiri( Pamiri ), Pamir and more. All the names of villages and Pastures are in Wakhi language. The valley is full of peaks and passes. Passes include Irshad Pass between

and

and Lupghar Pir Pass between Yeshkuk and Raminj village. Peaks include Sakar Sar, Kumpire Dior, Pumir Sar, Sarmaya Sar, Kuksar, and

Lupghar Sar Lupghar Sar is 108th on the list of world tallest mountains. It is located in Shimshal valley of Hunza Gojal. It is part of the Momhail Sar cluster of mountains and has an elevation of above sea level. In Wakhi language Lupghar Sar translat ...

Sites of interest

Chapursan Valley has historical places like Yaskuk, Rovai Sam, Khumpir Dior, and the Shrine of Baba Ghundi. ''Shrine of Baba Ghundi'' (''Baba Ghundi Ziarat'') in the Chuparsan Valley is the

shrine A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon, or similar figure of respect, wherein they ...

of the famous Pir of Ghund who is celebrated in legend as the Sufi

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Or ...

who brought Islam to the valley. The saint is not actually buried here. The former

Mir ''Mir'' (russian: Мир, ; ) was a space station that operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, operated by the Soviet Union and later by Russia. ''Mir'' was the first modular space station and was assembled in orbit from 1986 to&n ...

of Hunza kept his herds of sheep and goats for grazing around here and used to visit the shrine every year. The people of Hunza Valley also revere the saint and it is said that children who are a problem for their parents have only to taste the mud from a

stream A stream is a continuous body of surface water flowing within the bed and banks of a channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to by a variety of local or regional names. Long large streams ...

near Baba Ghundi after which they become obedient and well behaved.

References

Valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan {{GilgitBaltistan-geo-stub