Healing in the hot spring of Lotkoh Valley

Water from the mountain is famous for rejuvenation, curative powers.

CHITRAL: Nestled in icy peaks, the hot spring known as Garam Chashma in Chitral is not only a tourist spot but is also visited by those looking for a natural fix for their skin diseases.

The spring is located in Lotkoh Valley situated some 30 kilometres away from Chitral town; touching the boundaries of Badakshan and Nooristan provinces of Afghanistan. The water is known for possessing healing properties and is also called the Sulphur Spring as it gushes forth from sulphur deposits.

Taking the cure

The culture of dipping into a hot spring harks back to the Victorian times (and even earlier) where prescientific medicine prescribed a trip to a spa for a mineral cure. The list of ailments prompting these restorative trips ranged from nerves to paralytic diseases. Cities like Bath in the United Kingdom were known for their baths and mineral springs as early as 60CE.

Back in Chitral, the experience is still considered magical, although experienced with a few more clothes on.

“We heard about the spring from many people and planned a trip with friends,” Shakil Ahmad from Haripur told The Express Tribune. He was among the many tourists who had come to bathe in the medicinal water.

Many find the water too hot to even touch, let alone take a dip in. As a solution, locals have built public bathrooms within the vicinity where the spring water can be mixed with cooler water, said another visitor, Mohammad Jamil. “People bathe using this water for five to 10 minutes and then sit for the next 10 to 30 minutes in a warm room as it is advised not to step out in the open immediately.”

People who have indulged say they feel “fresh” afterward; some go as far as saying the water has magical characteristics which has relieved them from fatigue.

Locals however caution against bathing in the water for longer than 10 minutes. They believe it causes a drastic drop in blood pressure.

A gold rush

People in the area have different stories to tell when it comes to the reasons why the water is so hot.

A long time ago, some say, a few Englishmen visited the spring and said the water becomes hot after passing through the gold found inside the mountains.

Nasir Ahmed, a shopkeeper, tells another tale, featuring another set of savvy Anglo-Saxons. “A majority believe some Englishmen said the water passes through sulphur, causing its temperature to rise.”

Nasir added the water can serve as a remedy for people with high blood pressure, joint problems and excess weight. “Bathing with spring water can also serve as a remedy for infertility and can help conceive a child,” believed Nasir. However, there has been no empirical study to prove these beliefs are grounded in science.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2015.