Elum Ghar, also known as Mount Ilam is a mountain located between the Swat and Buner districts of Pakistan. Elum Ghar is the highest peak in the region, and is snow-covered most of the year. It is located west of Pir Baba's shrine in the

Buner District Buner District ( ps, بونیر ولسوالۍ, ur, ) is a district in Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. Before becoming a district in 1991, it was a tehsil within Swat District. History The Buner Valley lies bet ...

of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan. The mountain was a significant pilgrimage site for Hindus until 1947, and is believed to be the site where a previous incarnation of the Buddha gave up his life. The city of Mingora can be seen from atop the mountain. The mountain is popular among hikers due to its many streams and lakes that can be seen while going up the mountain. Going up is tough as there is no local transport.

History

Archaeologists have found ruins of the

Indus Valley civilization The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation was a Bronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and in its mature form 2600 BCE to 1900&n ...

around the mountain, and believe that there may still be more buried ancient ruins. The top of the mountain is locally known as "Jogiano sar". This site is also significant in Hinduism. The mountain has snakes and cobras near the top. There is a local proverb that says, ''Maar chey zwaan shi nu da elum ghar ta laar shi'', which means, ''When a snake reaches its youth, it goes to Mount Elum''. According to the Indologist

Giuseppe Tucci Giuseppe Tucci (; 5 June 1894 – 5 April 1984) was an Italian orientalist, Indologist and scholar of East Asian studies, specializing in Tibetan culture and the history of Buddhism. During its zenith, Tucci was a supporter of Italian fascism ...

's proposal the rock of Aornos is at the summit of Elum Ghar (Mount Ilam). Alexander the Great's forces faced a tough battle on this site. However, there are other possible sites for the rock of Aornos identified, such as Pir Sar in Shangla.

Festivals

Every year at the end of July or at the beginning of August, the festival of Jushn-e-Elum is held. It is celebrated by the youth from nearby villages, The celebration is an opportunity to get out of the heat of the valley and stay for a couple of days on the cooler mountain.

References

External links

TCKP Tourism - Elum Mountain

Videos

History of Elum Mountain, Swat Pakistan, By NAWAB KHAN

The Beauty of Buner Elum Mountain -The Travellers - YouTube

Elum village and elum mountain - YouTube
{{coord, 34.6197, N, 72.3310, E, source:wikidata, display=title Buner District Mountains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Two-thousanders of Pakistan