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POMIR, feet of the sun,
Man and mountain and river are one.
Through pride in the land and pride in the earth
The people now celebrate a rebirth.
To give is to love, to love is to give;
To sing is to breathe, to dance is to live.
The feet caress the earth below,
Drawing the strength, releasing the flow.
The hands reach up to the sky above,
Catching the beauty, expressing the love.
Freshness and innocence, tenderness, grace -
In this Garden of Eden my soul's found its place.
Earth, fire, water and air:
The fire's in my heart, the water's a tear |
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This website is
dedicated to the children and other people of the Pamirs, a region
they know as POMIR – “the roof of the world”, although some claim that
POMIR means “feet of the sun”. The Pamirs are one of the last "undiscovered"
tourist destinations.
This mountainous area, a large part of which is located in Gorno-Badakhshan
in Tajikistan, is one of the most inaccessible in the world. A
former British Ambassador to Tajikistan described the fascination and
beauty of the region as “one of the world’s best kept secrets”. The
website is sponsored as a non-profit activity by a few lovers of the
region who want to share this “secret” with others who are in
search of an unusual and challenging experience. In doing so, a
supplementary goal is to help bring additional revenue to the
remarkable inhabitants of POMIR, among the poorest in the world, by
encouraging travellers to go there.
The aim is not to replace the many useful existing websites and other
sources containing information on Tajikistan and the Pamirs but to
bring together in one place as much as possible of what today’s
explorer needs or would like to know before setting out on the
adventure that is POMIR: accurate and helpful information on “getting
there” and “getting around” together with description and pictures of
some of the features of the region, not least its unforgettable
children and
other people
Your feedback on the contents and intent of this
website is welcome. If you would like to comment or ask a question
please send a message by clicking
here. N.B.
Because of spam, this contact address is frequently changed, so even if
you have used it before and saved the address,
please click again to be sure your mail gets through.
THE PAMIRS: CLOSE TO HEAVEN - GET THERE BEFORE THE TOURISTS COME
Many thanks to Misha Romanyuk for the design of the website
and to Alexander Goutkin for putting the panoramas together.
All text and
photographs (c) Robert Middleton 2002
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January 2009
NEW section "Buzkashi" added - see
here.
November 2008
NEW section "Wildlife" added - see
here.
August 2008
Tourism Information Centre opens in Khorog - see
here.
25 August 2008
NEW section "Cycling" added - see
here.
31 July 2008
NEW Gallery of photos "A hike to Jisev" - see
here.
14 May 2008
Tajikistan and the High Pamirs - A Companion and Guide has been published
by Odyssey and will be available from distributors as of June 2008. See
here
May 2008
NEW Gallery of historical photos - see
here.
29 April 2008
†
PETER BIEDER
In Memoriam - A man
of boundless energy
9 April 2008
Still more changes in visa requirements - see
here
March 2008
†
ALBERT LONGY
In Memoriam - A Pioneer
* * * * *
ON A TRIP TO THE PAMIRS IN SEPTEMBER 2007 I LEARNED WITH DISGUST THAT SOME TRAVELLERS
ARE NOT PAYING FOR HOSPITALITY RECEIVED IN PAMIRI HOMES. THIS IS ROBBERY FROM
THE POOREST OF THE POOR. SHAME ON YOU!!!
14 March 2008
New comprehensive study of the archaeological sites of the Western Pamirs published
by the University of Central Asia - see
here
22 Feb 2008
Bibliography of Tajikistan and the High Pamirs available for researchers
here
13/10/07
New Photo Galleries:
'Tajik National Day in Murghab - 9 September 2007'
with traditional costumes and riding sports (including Buzkashi) -
see
here
and 'First day in School 2007' -
see
here
19/09/07
New photos added in sections 'Panoramas', 'Children' and 'Other people'
2/12/06
New section on 'The Pamiri House' added. See
here
6/6/06
New sections on Shrines and Petroglyphs added (What-to-See) and Handicrafts.
<
02/10/05
New
Panoramas
added! New photos in Children and Other People. New places in Virtual
Sightseeing and Spectacular Landscapes. See the Gallery with aerial photos by Misha Romanyuk.
30/03/05
New route and pictures
of the Great Pamir and Zorkul in Virtual Sightseeing
(What-to-See - Shokhdara and Pamir Valleys)
3/03/05
New pictures
of Sumantash
and Alichur river on Pamir Highway route
(What to See)
20/02/05
Section
Panoramas
added!
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