1 00:00:03,887 --> 00:00:05,639 Hm. 2 00:00:54,127 --> 00:00:58,917 My journey begins in one of the most lawless border areas in the world - 3 00:00:59,087 --> 00:01:00,918 the North-West Frontier. 4 00:01:01,087 --> 00:01:04,796 Many have tried to control it. Few have succeeded. 5 00:01:04,967 --> 00:01:07,527 I'm at the top of the Khyber Pass 6 00:01:07,687 --> 00:01:11,521 on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. 7 00:01:11,687 --> 00:01:14,565 Through here have come great armies - 8 00:01:14,727 --> 00:01:19,721 Alexander the Great, Darius the Persian, Tamburlaine the Great 9 00:01:19,887 --> 00:01:26,156 and, in 1842, the lone survivor of the British Army's attempt to pacify Afghanistan 10 00:01:26,327 --> 00:01:32,562 came staggering up this road to announce the annihilation of 17,000 of his comrades. 11 00:01:32,727 --> 00:01:36,481 The reason for such a concentration of history here 12 00:01:36,647 --> 00:01:42,165 is that from the west, this is the only way through this colossal range of mountains 13 00:01:42,327 --> 00:01:45,524 that eventually becomes the Himalaya. 14 00:02:04,487 --> 00:02:09,959 0ur route runs the length of the Himalaya - from Pakistan, India and Nepal 15 00:02:10,127 --> 00:02:14,040 across into Tibet and China, south into Assam and Bhutan 16 00:02:14,207 --> 00:02:19,361 and into Bangladesh, where the mud of the mountains enters the Bay of Bengal. 17 00:02:23,487 --> 00:02:25,557 We start on the Khyber Railway - 18 00:02:25,727 --> 00:02:29,242 pushed through the mountains by the British 80 years ago. 19 00:02:29,407 --> 00:02:32,240 - A lot of tunnels, aren't there? - 32 tunnels. 20 00:02:32,407 --> 00:02:35,285 It cost £100,000 a mile. 21 00:02:35,447 --> 00:02:38,837 (WHISTLE BLOWS) 22 00:02:39,007 --> 00:02:45,685 The engine's older than the railway - it was built in 1916. The driver's a lot younger. 23 00:03:00,967 --> 00:03:05,563 70 years ago, this train would have been full of British soldiers 24 00:03:05,727 --> 00:03:11,916 taking a last unregretful look at one of the most inhospitable postings on earth. 25 00:03:12,087 --> 00:03:14,840 Glaring heat, bare rock-faces. 26 00:03:15,007 --> 00:03:19,080 Home today to the mansions of the local warlords. 27 00:03:23,607 --> 00:03:26,644 Like many small, spectacular railways, 28 00:03:26,807 --> 00:03:30,197 it owes its survival more to love than business. 29 00:03:30,367 --> 00:03:33,439 What brings you up the Khyber today? 30 00:03:33,607 --> 00:03:36,679 - I am a regular visitor. - Oh, right. 31 00:03:36,847 --> 00:03:40,123 - I just came from Dubai. - From Dubai? 32 00:03:40,287 --> 00:03:42,403 Yes. This morning. 33 00:03:42,567 --> 00:03:47,038 Flew into the airport, hopped on the train and to the Khyber. 34 00:03:47,207 --> 00:03:52,679 - You must be rather fond of railways. - Definitely. Steam is my passion. 35 00:03:56,287 --> 00:04:01,236 With 34 tunnels and 92 bridges and cuttings along its 27-mile length, 36 00:04:01,407 --> 00:04:04,524 the railway has obvious tourist potential. 37 00:04:04,687 --> 00:04:06,678 But where are the tourists? 38 00:04:06,847 --> 00:04:11,204 Is it difficult to get the train up and running these days? 39 00:04:11,367 --> 00:04:17,237 Definitely. Just because of... the political situation is not stable. 40 00:04:17,407 --> 00:04:23,004 We don't get enough tourists in Pakistan, so it's difficult to operate this train. 41 00:04:23,167 --> 00:04:27,445 Unless we have enough tourists, how can we operate this train? 42 00:04:27,607 --> 00:04:33,796 So these are the privileged few - opinion formers, local worthies, city boys - 43 00:04:33,967 --> 00:04:38,483 who the owners hope will be impressed enough to keep the railway alive. 44 00:04:44,327 --> 00:04:47,000 Do you think there's danger here? 45 00:04:47,167 --> 00:04:50,318 - No. - No. Not now. Not even before. 46 00:04:50,487 --> 00:04:53,684 Pakistani people are very hospitable 47 00:04:53,847 --> 00:05:00,286 and they will take care of their guests much more than theirself. 48 00:05:00,447 --> 00:05:05,043 The train is a reassuring presence in a highly volatile area. 49 00:05:05,207 --> 00:05:08,995 It would be a great loss if the threat of violence deprived us 50 00:05:09,167 --> 00:05:12,443 of the delights of the Khyber Railway. 51 00:05:42,007 --> 00:05:45,841 The train still has a few miles to go to Peshawar, 52 00:05:46,007 --> 00:05:52,116 but we're getting off here to spend more time in this corner of Pakistan's Wild West, 53 00:05:52,287 --> 00:05:58,157 a tribal land based on two great principles - hospitality and revenge. 54 00:06:03,207 --> 00:06:08,201 You can hear Darra from miles away. It sounds as if a battle's going on. 55 00:06:08,367 --> 00:06:10,358 (GUNFIRE) 56 00:06:10,527 --> 00:06:15,043 But it's just business as usual in the town that lives on guns. 57 00:06:15,207 --> 00:06:22,397 - Why are they located here? - It's a perfect location for gun factories. 58 00:06:22,567 --> 00:06:26,116 Surrounded by the mountains. These people have been... 59 00:06:26,287 --> 00:06:30,075 My guide - nearly my ex-guide - is Zahoor Duranni. 60 00:06:30,247 --> 00:06:35,002 ...making guns for 120 years. - The tribal people here? 61 00:06:35,167 --> 00:06:40,639 Yes, exactly. That's why it only exists here, nowhere else in the frontier. 62 00:06:40,807 --> 00:06:44,595 The arms industry in Darra may be in the hands of shopkeepers, 63 00:06:44,767 --> 00:06:48,646 but they can produce a copy of any of the world's shooters. 64 00:06:48,807 --> 00:06:51,401 - Another arcade of gun shops. - Yes. 65 00:06:51,567 --> 00:06:56,083 This is a complete boulevard of guns. 66 00:06:56,247 --> 00:06:59,159 - Selling and buying... - (GUNFIRE) 67 00:06:59,327 --> 00:07:04,355 See? Someone's bought the gun and he's trying the gun. 68 00:07:04,527 --> 00:07:07,599 Arms manufacture is an honourable tradition, 69 00:07:07,767 --> 00:07:12,921 and the gunsmiths of Darra look like scholars bent over ancient texts. 70 00:07:13,087 --> 00:07:17,080 Each deadly weapon made with tender, loving care. 71 00:07:18,727 --> 00:07:21,799 (HE SPEAKS URDU) 72 00:07:23,927 --> 00:07:25,645 I see. 73 00:07:25,807 --> 00:07:31,279 This is the mini version of the Kalashnikov, the Russian-made gun. 74 00:07:31,447 --> 00:07:35,804 - The AK-47 everyone knows about. - These are the parts, you see? 75 00:07:35,967 --> 00:07:38,720 - Yes. - This part... 76 00:07:38,887 --> 00:07:42,277 (PALIN) So they're making one part of this weapon. 77 00:07:42,447 --> 00:07:46,565 In other parts of Darra there will be shops making other parts? 78 00:07:46,727 --> 00:07:50,959 Exactly. Each shop specialises in certain... 79 00:07:51,127 --> 00:07:54,836 bits and pieces, and then they're put together. 80 00:07:55,007 --> 00:07:59,080 (PALIN) It seems a lot of it can be done by hand 81 00:07:59,247 --> 00:08:01,602 in labour-intensive methods. 82 00:08:01,767 --> 00:08:04,565 (ZAHOOR) That's the interesting part. 83 00:08:04,727 --> 00:08:09,198 That's the best part. Most of these things are done by hand. 84 00:08:09,367 --> 00:08:12,803 And who are these guns bought by largely? 85 00:08:12,967 --> 00:08:15,879 - We are in tribal territory. - Tribal. 86 00:08:16,047 --> 00:08:20,563 There are thousands of people living in the tribal territory. 87 00:08:20,727 --> 00:08:24,561 Here they do not need a licence to have a gun. 88 00:08:24,727 --> 00:08:30,199 The young ones and old ones exchange guns like people exchange cars. 89 00:08:30,367 --> 00:08:33,803 So if he needs a new gun, a better gun, 90 00:08:33,967 --> 00:08:37,721 he can bring his old gun, sell it and buy a new one. 91 00:08:39,047 --> 00:08:41,766 The prices are frighteningly reasonable. 92 00:08:41,927 --> 00:08:44,680 A tenner will buy you something simple, 93 00:08:44,847 --> 00:08:48,556 whilst a top-of-the-range Kalashnikov will cost £80. 94 00:08:48,727 --> 00:08:52,163 And there's nothing they can't do for you. 95 00:08:52,327 --> 00:08:56,115 Do you have, like, James Bond? You know James Bond? 96 00:08:56,287 --> 00:08:59,484 - You do? - He's got a pen pistol. 97 00:08:59,647 --> 00:09:02,366 He is always very well armed, isn't he? 98 00:09:02,527 --> 00:09:08,159 - Now, this is the pen you can sign... - I don't believe it. 99 00:09:08,327 --> 00:09:10,795 I was joking. He really has got one. 100 00:09:10,967 --> 00:09:14,562 This is the top. You take off this top. 101 00:09:14,727 --> 00:09:19,164 Then you put the bullet here. One.22 calibre bullet. 102 00:09:19,327 --> 00:09:23,957 There you are signing, "Sincerely yours, James Bond", and boom! 103 00:09:24,127 --> 00:09:30,999 That's the size of the bullet. I see. A little James Bond... Tiny bullet. 104 00:09:31,167 --> 00:09:34,876 What range would this kill someone at? 105 00:09:37,447 --> 00:09:42,282 About 30 to 40 yards distance, you can really hit somebody. 106 00:09:42,447 --> 00:09:45,439 Right across the street. Wow. 107 00:09:49,607 --> 00:09:54,522 - Look at that. - That's the one for signing contracts. 108 00:09:55,647 --> 00:09:59,560 As we leave Darra, Zahoor explains that on the North-West Frontier, 109 00:09:59,727 --> 00:10:03,242 people carry guns the way the English carry umbrellas. 110 00:10:03,407 --> 00:10:06,558 Which might account for its bizarre gentility. 111 00:10:06,727 --> 00:10:10,800 Picturesque and perilous, laid back and lethal. 112 00:10:10,967 --> 00:10:14,437 (RAPID GUNFIRE) 113 00:10:16,207 --> 00:10:17,560 OK. 114 00:10:21,367 --> 00:10:23,961 Peshawar, capital of North-West Frontier province, 115 00:10:24,127 --> 00:10:28,359 is a city of bazaars - each with its own speciality. 116 00:10:28,527 --> 00:10:32,884 "Chargan mandi" is chicken market, "sabzi mandi" is vegetable market 117 00:10:33,047 --> 00:10:37,404 and Chor Bazaar is "things that fell off the back of a lorry" market. 118 00:10:37,567 --> 00:10:43,437 In the heart of the city is an area devoted entirely to teeth. 119 00:10:43,607 --> 00:10:49,364 - Every other shop seems to be a dentist. - Look at that. 120 00:10:49,527 --> 00:10:52,041 That's very impressive. 121 00:10:53,847 --> 00:10:56,839 - Can we go in? - Yes. Let's go. 122 00:10:57,007 --> 00:11:02,161 Abdul Wahid is proprietor of one of Peshawar's foremost establishments. 123 00:11:02,327 --> 00:11:06,957 I've been having trouble with my canines and Abdul Wahid is the man. 124 00:11:08,047 --> 00:11:12,165 He didn't go to dental school but picked it up from an uncle. 125 00:11:12,327 --> 00:11:15,558 If I do need a filling, his charges are a bargain. 126 00:11:15,727 --> 00:11:19,800 It ranges from 50 rupees, which is about 50p... 127 00:11:19,967 --> 00:11:24,358 - 50 pence? ...to about £1, £1 and a half. 128 00:11:24,527 --> 00:11:29,726 I had a problem with my teeth when I was young because I had too much sugar. 129 00:11:29,887 --> 00:11:33,118 Quite a few teeth had to be replaced. 130 00:11:33,287 --> 00:11:38,486 Maybe he could look in my mouth... and see what he can find. 131 00:11:38,647 --> 00:11:41,684 (SPEAKS URDU) 132 00:11:41,847 --> 00:11:46,443 - He will check them. - I'd be interested to know what he finds. 133 00:11:46,607 --> 00:11:49,883 You've got strong hands. 134 00:11:50,047 --> 00:11:53,562 As Mr Wahid probes with a finger like a tree trunk, 135 00:11:53,727 --> 00:11:57,197 all I can do is lie back and think of England. 136 00:12:01,207 --> 00:12:04,324 He says they need cleaning. 137 00:12:04,487 --> 00:12:08,924 - You want him to scrub your teeth? - I what? 138 00:12:09,087 --> 00:12:12,159 To clean them? You need cleaning. 139 00:12:12,327 --> 00:12:17,242 Don't tell my dentist, if he's watching. I do clean them, honestly. 140 00:12:17,407 --> 00:12:21,446 I've just had breakfast! 141 00:12:21,607 --> 00:12:28,877 If he was going to give me a filling or something, is this his drill? 142 00:12:29,047 --> 00:12:33,325 Can he show me the drill? Can he show it to me? 143 00:12:33,487 --> 00:12:36,524 (SPEAKS URDU) 144 00:12:44,327 --> 00:12:48,115 I see. Ah, that's it. 145 00:12:49,847 --> 00:12:55,843 I'm not reassured. It looks like the sort of thing you put bathroom cabinets up with. 146 00:12:58,007 --> 00:13:00,840 So a little portable drill. 147 00:13:02,087 --> 00:13:10,040 So he stays here on this little corner because he's popular with the local people. 148 00:13:10,207 --> 00:13:15,565 - I'm sure he's very reasonable. - So that's your drill. 149 00:13:15,727 --> 00:13:21,006 Can we see it working? Hold it up for our camera there. 150 00:13:21,167 --> 00:13:25,285 - (WHIRRING) - That's a mean-looking drill. 151 00:13:27,367 --> 00:13:32,600 I don't think I need any fillings, do I? I don't need fillings? 152 00:13:32,767 --> 00:13:34,758 I've got no teeth! 153 00:13:34,927 --> 00:13:39,239 What is really reassuring is to sit here with my poor old teeth 154 00:13:39,407 --> 00:13:42,160 and look at that on the wall. 155 00:13:42,327 --> 00:13:46,036 I can see the image of how teeth should be. 156 00:13:46,207 --> 00:13:49,358 Yes, it's very nice. 157 00:13:50,527 --> 00:13:56,363 There's something in Pakistan that is even more important than dentistry. 158 00:13:56,527 --> 00:14:02,796 Cricket is a national obsession, played at any moment on any patch of ground. 159 00:14:02,967 --> 00:14:06,084 The younger they are, the keener they are. 160 00:14:06,247 --> 00:14:08,715 Middle and leg brick. 161 00:14:08,887 --> 00:14:11,959 I've learnt a few tricks - we did invent the game - 162 00:14:12,127 --> 00:14:18,123 so I thought these youngsters might benefit from seeing an old hand at work. 163 00:14:23,207 --> 00:14:26,040 The bowler looks a trifle overconfident. 164 00:14:34,287 --> 00:14:37,438 Justifiably so, as it turns out. 165 00:14:37,607 --> 00:14:40,724 - Out, was it? - Yes. Out. 166 00:14:40,887 --> 00:14:44,675 - Where are the bales? - Gone! 167 00:14:44,847 --> 00:14:49,159 All right. OK. Good bowling. 168 00:14:49,327 --> 00:14:52,763 Batting was never my strong point at school. 169 00:14:52,927 --> 00:14:58,399 I concentrated my efforts on developing the unplayable delivery. 170 00:15:03,727 --> 00:15:05,524 Four runs. 171 00:15:05,687 --> 00:15:10,238 At least I restricted him to four. It's time to put the heat on. 172 00:15:11,807 --> 00:15:14,526 Embarrassing. No-ball. 173 00:15:14,687 --> 00:15:20,398 I decide to forget the cricket and concentrate on the comedy. And it works. 174 00:15:23,807 --> 00:15:27,880 Middle stone! How was that? 175 00:15:28,047 --> 00:15:31,039 How was that? Yeah! 176 00:15:42,247 --> 00:15:46,798 Next day I'm on my best behaviour as I'm welcomed by a guard of honour 177 00:15:46,967 --> 00:15:52,121 to the estate of one of the last great country landowners in Pakistan. 178 00:15:56,247 --> 00:15:59,398 This is the home of Prince Malik Ata Muhammed Khan. 179 00:15:59,567 --> 00:16:04,118 It's modelled on the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. 180 00:16:04,287 --> 00:16:09,236 From the open carriage that greets me to the palomino horses that draw it, 181 00:16:09,407 --> 00:16:12,524 it's clear Prince Malik believes in doing things properly. 182 00:16:12,687 --> 00:16:17,886 - Good morning, Michael. - Good morning. Thank you for having me. 183 00:16:18,047 --> 00:16:22,723 - A wonderful way to arrive. - You'll see some good bull races tomorrow. 184 00:16:22,887 --> 00:16:29,042 Bull races? I've heard they are legendary. You have some of the finest racing bulls. 185 00:16:30,047 --> 00:16:33,517 It's so cool in here. This is lovely. 186 00:16:33,687 --> 00:16:37,475 Prince Malik appears to live alone, but eats at a laid table. 187 00:16:37,647 --> 00:16:40,241 A bottle stands in front of me, 188 00:16:40,407 --> 00:16:46,323 but this being an officially "dry" country, the wine waiter has a limited selection. 189 00:16:46,487 --> 00:16:49,240 Thank you. This is very nice. 190 00:16:49,407 --> 00:16:52,558 - So you ride yourself? - Yes. 191 00:16:52,727 --> 00:16:56,037 The prince is no shrinking violet. 192 00:16:56,207 --> 00:17:02,077 I was competing in the World Championship in Los Angeles and I won the silver. 193 00:17:02,247 --> 00:17:04,317 We were riding at Santa Barbara. 194 00:17:04,487 --> 00:17:07,718 I was World Champion in 1982. 195 00:17:07,887 --> 00:17:10,003 Appearances are important to you. 196 00:17:10,167 --> 00:17:15,195 I could see from the marvellous palominos that drew the coach 197 00:17:15,367 --> 00:17:20,316 and the waistcoats in gold and black that your servants were wearing. 198 00:17:20,487 --> 00:17:25,322 - Can you tell me about how? - This is our traditional livery. 199 00:17:25,487 --> 00:17:27,955 But things are going to change. 200 00:17:28,127 --> 00:17:32,564 I am the last of the dinosaurs, and with me everything goes. 201 00:17:32,727 --> 00:17:37,596 The new generation of boys are very highly educated. 202 00:17:37,767 --> 00:17:40,918 They live in towns. They hate the country life. 203 00:17:41,087 --> 00:17:45,638 They don't want to look after a sick horse or a sick cow. 204 00:17:45,807 --> 00:17:51,564 So I don't think... This is the last of them. After me it finishes. 205 00:17:51,727 --> 00:17:57,996 I noticed a lot of people - and, indeed, you yourself - have these splendid moustaches. 206 00:17:58,167 --> 00:18:04,356 - Is that very particular to this area? - A moustache is particular to this area. 207 00:18:04,527 --> 00:18:10,238 Serving in the old British Army, people used to get a pension for the moustache, 208 00:18:10,407 --> 00:18:12,557 a special payment for the moustache. 209 00:18:17,327 --> 00:18:20,922 The highlight of my visit is an afternoon at the races. 210 00:18:21,087 --> 00:18:25,558 The prince is entering four pairs of his pedigree Dhanni bulls. 211 00:18:37,047 --> 00:18:40,039 (HORNS AND DRUMS) 212 00:18:43,927 --> 00:18:50,275 Bull racing is laid on for the local people as a celebration of the harvest. 213 00:18:50,447 --> 00:18:52,756 It's like a manic country fair. 214 00:18:52,927 --> 00:18:57,682 A chance to make noise, dress your livestock up, forget about work 215 00:18:57,847 --> 00:19:02,159 and maybe have a bit of a flutter on your favourite bull. 216 00:19:15,127 --> 00:19:18,597 The bulls are fed a diet of milk and honey 217 00:19:18,767 --> 00:19:24,558 and, after being paraded around, are taken to the start and yoked into pairs. 218 00:19:25,567 --> 00:19:28,161 This is the critical part of the race. 219 00:19:28,327 --> 00:19:34,800 Can these straining bulls be held down long enough to get the riders on their boards? 220 00:19:36,407 --> 00:19:42,403 It's a race against the clock on a 600-yard course, and there's a Toyota for the winner. 221 00:19:42,567 --> 00:19:46,082 (GUNFIRE) 222 00:19:50,447 --> 00:19:53,007 Audience participation is common, 223 00:19:53,167 --> 00:19:57,558 as most bulls want to get back home as soon as possible. 224 00:19:59,887 --> 00:20:02,879 There's terrific pent-up energy here. 225 00:20:03,047 --> 00:20:07,325 When it's all unleashed, it puts Formula 0ne in the shade. 226 00:20:28,807 --> 00:20:34,359 The people who are here today, are they people who work in the local area? 227 00:20:34,527 --> 00:20:38,884 They are all farmers. They work on the farms. 228 00:20:39,047 --> 00:20:44,519 They all keep these bulls. These bulls are better kept than their own children. 229 00:20:44,687 --> 00:20:50,922 They are fed with honey, with almonds, the best things in the world, butter... 230 00:20:51,087 --> 00:20:55,319 They are fed on many eggs, and they are brought into this race. 231 00:20:55,487 --> 00:20:57,717 They are fed on many good things. 232 00:20:57,887 --> 00:21:02,199 Someone told me they were fed something stronger. Alcohol? 233 00:21:02,367 --> 00:21:07,077 - Home-brewed alcohol. Yes. - So these bulls are? 234 00:21:07,247 --> 00:21:10,478 - They're raring to go. - There's some going now. 235 00:21:10,647 --> 00:21:16,677 - They are going the wrong way. - How many actually get to the finish? 236 00:21:16,847 --> 00:21:21,238 The line is very long. It's a 600-yards line. 237 00:21:21,407 --> 00:21:24,046 Only a horse could do that. 238 00:21:24,207 --> 00:21:28,997 When it comes to a bull, it's difficult for a bull to run that long. 239 00:21:29,167 --> 00:21:31,806 (PALIN) Some go off into the crowds. 240 00:21:31,967 --> 00:21:35,084 (PRINCE MALIK) They have learnt. 241 00:21:35,247 --> 00:21:38,683 Once they get off the track, it's easier. 242 00:21:38,847 --> 00:21:41,964 (PALIN) So they're the intelligent ones? 243 00:21:42,127 --> 00:21:48,316 (PRINCE MALIK) The ones who are dumb and have had many alcohol drinks go straight on. 244 00:21:48,487 --> 00:21:50,955 The others turn off. 245 00:21:51,127 --> 00:21:54,517 - Is it dangerous? - It is dangerous. 246 00:21:54,687 --> 00:22:00,045 I can show you one of the jockeys who has ridden 25 years on this track. 247 00:22:00,207 --> 00:22:06,237 He's lost an arm. This is the gentleman. He lost his arm running with bulls. 248 00:22:06,407 --> 00:22:11,435 - Oh, dear. That's... - Do you want him up here? 249 00:22:17,327 --> 00:22:20,399 - He's an old jockey. - How did he lose his arm? 250 00:22:20,567 --> 00:22:25,436 It was stuck in the sledge and the bulls pulled him off. 251 00:22:25,607 --> 00:22:28,201 So the arm cut off. 252 00:22:28,367 --> 00:22:33,839 - Do people watching get hurt? - People watching are in more danger. 253 00:22:34,007 --> 00:22:39,001 If they come between the track and a bull, nothing is left of the bones. 254 00:22:39,167 --> 00:22:43,763 - Is anybody killed? - In a big race, there are many people killed. 255 00:22:43,927 --> 00:22:46,999 - Seriously? - Seriously. 256 00:22:47,167 --> 00:22:51,046 Some of the men run with the bulls. Are they allowed to? 257 00:22:51,207 --> 00:22:56,600 In the olden days, the men were stronger. I have seen some very fine runners. 258 00:22:56,767 --> 00:23:01,318 There's a good pair. That's a wonderful pair. 259 00:23:01,487 --> 00:23:05,924 - A wonderful pair. - Good bull or good rider? 260 00:23:06,087 --> 00:23:10,842 The bulls are good. The rider... They are all good. 261 00:23:11,927 --> 00:23:14,839 Oh, he has gone off the track. He loses. 262 00:23:15,007 --> 00:23:19,046 - Nearly there. - That's a very experienced bull. 263 00:23:19,207 --> 00:23:22,643 - They were going really well. - They were. 264 00:23:22,807 --> 00:23:26,846 - Do you have any bulls in the race? - Four pairs. 265 00:23:27,007 --> 00:23:33,037 One raced through the track, the other went a different way. No one reached the end. 266 00:23:33,207 --> 00:23:36,119 - Unfortunately. - That doesn't look good for you. 267 00:23:36,287 --> 00:23:41,680 No, it does, because I give away the prizes for the poor people, not for me. 268 00:23:44,247 --> 00:23:48,206 All of a sudden, we're the ones in the firing line. 269 00:23:48,367 --> 00:23:51,325 The prince screams at us to run for cover, 270 00:23:51,487 --> 00:23:55,605 but it takes more than a raging bull for Nigel to turn his camera off. 271 00:23:55,767 --> 00:23:58,804 Thankfully, we live to film another day. 272 00:24:04,687 --> 00:24:09,681 Nowhere exemplifies the art of travel better than Peshawar bus station. 273 00:24:09,847 --> 00:24:13,157 No vehicle is allowed to go unadorned. 274 00:24:13,327 --> 00:24:17,843 0perators spend time and money trying to outdo each other. 275 00:24:19,087 --> 00:24:22,477 Amidst the colour, a woman walks with her daughter - 276 00:24:22,647 --> 00:24:26,640 a rare sight in a land where public life is for men. 277 00:24:28,967 --> 00:24:32,039 - Here's your bus. - How do you know? 278 00:24:32,207 --> 00:24:35,916 - Because it says 6808... - 6808 Chitral bus. 279 00:24:36,087 --> 00:24:38,840 - This is the bus. - Shall I get on? 280 00:24:39,007 --> 00:24:42,716 - Yes. Good luck. - Thank you very much. 281 00:24:42,887 --> 00:24:47,358 Thank you for helping me to understand Peshawar. Whoa! 282 00:24:57,807 --> 00:25:00,321 OK? Thank you. 283 00:25:03,367 --> 00:25:07,485 It's good value. Good value, isn't it? 284 00:25:07,647 --> 00:25:10,878 To Chitral and back for £10. 285 00:25:13,527 --> 00:25:16,519 This bus does go to Chitral, doesn't it? 286 00:25:17,847 --> 00:25:21,635 It doesn't, as it happens, and for one very good reason. 287 00:25:21,807 --> 00:25:28,645 The road to Chitral has to climb a 10,000-foot pass and then down 43 hairpin bends. 288 00:25:28,807 --> 00:25:33,801 Forget about buses - it's frightening enough in a four-wheeled drive. 289 00:25:45,527 --> 00:25:50,555 The Lowari Pass is the only way to the furthest valleys of the North-West Frontier 290 00:25:50,727 --> 00:25:55,721 and only opens when the snows melt at the end of a six-month winter. 291 00:26:09,727 --> 00:26:13,197 This is my first taste of the high mountain ranges 292 00:26:13,367 --> 00:26:19,920 and with it go any lingering hopes that this journey might be easier than we thought. 293 00:26:38,967 --> 00:26:44,439 The reward for those who make it across the pass is the green land of Chitral - 294 00:26:44,607 --> 00:26:49,203 occupying a narrow valley against the Afghan border. 295 00:26:49,367 --> 00:26:52,359 (HE CHANTS) 296 00:26:55,207 --> 00:26:58,005 Cut off from the rest of Pakistan for half the year, 297 00:26:58,167 --> 00:27:01,364 the Chitralis are very much their own men. 298 00:27:01,527 --> 00:27:05,281 Until 30 years ago, they were ruled by the ul-Mulk family. 299 00:27:06,447 --> 00:27:13,205 Siraj, heir to the dynasty, shows me inside the mosque his grandfather built. 300 00:27:13,367 --> 00:27:17,042 A "madrasa" - a religious school - is in full swing. 301 00:27:20,127 --> 00:27:22,118 Each one has to do... 302 00:27:22,287 --> 00:27:26,121 Encouraged by the religious severity in Afghanistan, 303 00:27:26,287 --> 00:27:31,645 subjects like science and maths are considered less important than learning the Koran. 304 00:27:31,807 --> 00:27:37,757 Not only must they learn every word, but in Arabic - a language quite foreign to them. 305 00:27:41,047 --> 00:27:44,562 Whatever his feelings about the family mosque, 306 00:27:44,727 --> 00:27:48,640 Siraj is unequivocally proud of Chitral's polo ground. 307 00:27:48,807 --> 00:27:53,881 - Chitral is where polo started. - Really? In this town? 308 00:27:54,047 --> 00:27:56,083 This town, yes. 309 00:27:56,247 --> 00:28:01,401 And the British modified it and took it to other parts of the world. 310 00:28:01,567 --> 00:28:08,006 You see it being played in places like Hurlingham or Palm Beach in a modified way. 311 00:28:08,167 --> 00:28:14,163 But here they play it in the original form - no rules, no umpire, no referee. 312 00:28:14,327 --> 00:28:18,639 Everyone enjoys it. You don't have to be a rich man to play polo here. 313 00:28:23,367 --> 00:28:27,076 A crowd has turned out to watch this practice match 314 00:28:27,247 --> 00:28:31,001 because in under a week a team selected from these players 315 00:28:31,167 --> 00:28:35,524 will represent Chitral in the toughest of all polo games. 316 00:28:35,687 --> 00:28:39,726 It's the annual match against arch-rivals Gilgit, 317 00:28:39,887 --> 00:28:46,235 played at 12,000 feet up on the Shandur Pass - the highest polo ground in the world. 318 00:28:46,407 --> 00:28:50,286 There used to be talk of these ancient polo games played without a ball, 319 00:28:50,447 --> 00:28:54,520 but with the head of a sheep and I've heard all sorts of things. 320 00:28:54,687 --> 00:28:57,485 The head of the enemy, too, 321 00:28:57,647 --> 00:29:02,084 is what legend says about polo over here. 322 00:29:02,247 --> 00:29:05,284 But how true that is I don't know. 323 00:29:06,767 --> 00:29:11,124 They won't be knocking heads around, but it will be a great battle, 324 00:29:11,287 --> 00:29:16,281 and many of these locals, along with ourselves, will be there to watch. 325 00:29:20,447 --> 00:29:24,759 0lder even than polo is the music of the Chitral Valley. 326 00:29:24,927 --> 00:29:30,684 Songs and poems which Siraj describes as being "locked in the mountains". 327 00:29:30,847 --> 00:29:33,600 (SOFT SINGING) 328 00:29:33,767 --> 00:29:38,887 Songs about the beauty of the valley or the local women - conspicuously absent - 329 00:29:39,047 --> 00:29:45,077 are accompanied by a variety of very old instruments and one very new one. 330 00:29:51,447 --> 00:29:54,245 The performance follows a traditional pattern, 331 00:29:54,407 --> 00:29:59,197 with the tempo building as the audience urges on the dancers. 332 00:30:12,967 --> 00:30:17,438 The future of music like this is threatened, partly by the apathy of the young 333 00:30:17,607 --> 00:30:21,202 and partly by religious laws that disapprove of music. 334 00:30:21,367 --> 00:30:27,363 All of which might account for the intensity with which the faithful few keep it alive. 335 00:31:06,327 --> 00:31:09,797 The massive mountains on the Pakistan-Afghan border 336 00:31:09,967 --> 00:31:13,118 are sliced through with gorges and ravines. 337 00:31:13,287 --> 00:31:19,601 Narrow tracks, clinging to the rock walls, are the only way into these hidden valleys 338 00:31:19,767 --> 00:31:25,763 which, for centuries, have offered refuge to those who want to hide from the world. 339 00:31:30,087 --> 00:31:32,078 Deep in one of these remote gorges 340 00:31:32,247 --> 00:31:38,402 lives a people whose religion and culture is different from anywhere else in Pakistan. 341 00:31:38,567 --> 00:31:42,685 The Kalash have no cars or televisions, but they have a school 342 00:31:42,847 --> 00:31:46,965 where, for one day, I've been appointed visiting professor of English. 343 00:31:47,127 --> 00:31:48,640 Hello. 344 00:31:48,807 --> 00:31:52,038 (CHILDREN GREET HIM) 345 00:31:52,207 --> 00:31:56,598 Thank you very much. That was very good. 346 00:32:03,567 --> 00:32:08,197 OK. Can I sit down here with them? Thank you. 347 00:32:08,367 --> 00:32:14,237 Hello. I've been asked to give you a lesson in English. 348 00:32:14,407 --> 00:32:19,527 I want to teach you parts of the body. 349 00:32:19,687 --> 00:32:22,645 So what is this? 350 00:32:22,807 --> 00:32:25,275 (TEACHER TRANSLATES) 351 00:32:25,447 --> 00:32:29,565 - Head. - Head. Who said? Head. 352 00:32:29,727 --> 00:32:34,278 That's right. That was very good. Say it again. 353 00:32:34,447 --> 00:32:36,563 This is? 354 00:32:37,607 --> 00:32:39,598 - Head. - Very good. 355 00:32:39,767 --> 00:32:44,158 What's in the middle of the head? You can't miss that 'cause it's big. 356 00:32:44,327 --> 00:32:46,761 - Nose. - Nose. 357 00:32:46,927 --> 00:32:48,758 Nose. That's very good. 358 00:32:48,927 --> 00:32:51,282 - And? - Mouth! 359 00:32:51,447 --> 00:32:54,996 Neck! Arm! 360 00:32:56,007 --> 00:32:57,486 Hand. 361 00:32:57,647 --> 00:33:00,480 - Hand. - Yes. This is all hand. 362 00:33:01,527 --> 00:33:04,280 - But what's this? - Thumb! 363 00:33:04,447 --> 00:33:07,439 Very good. Thumb. And these are? 364 00:33:07,607 --> 00:33:09,279 Fingers. 365 00:33:09,447 --> 00:33:11,438 One finger. 366 00:33:11,607 --> 00:33:15,361 - Two fingers. - Two fingers. 367 00:33:15,527 --> 00:33:19,486 Three fingers! Four... 368 00:33:19,647 --> 00:33:22,115 No fingers. Thumb. 369 00:33:22,287 --> 00:33:24,926 And this one here? 370 00:33:25,087 --> 00:33:27,282 - This one? - Leg. 371 00:33:27,447 --> 00:33:31,042 Leg. That's good. And on end of leg? 372 00:33:31,207 --> 00:33:34,995 - Boot! - Boot? No. Yes, that's shoe. 373 00:33:35,167 --> 00:33:39,558 But if I take shoe off... 374 00:33:40,567 --> 00:33:44,003 ...what's in there? Away with shoe! What's that? 375 00:33:44,167 --> 00:33:47,443 - Foot! - Foot. That's right. Very good. 376 00:33:47,607 --> 00:33:50,679 That's foot and that's shoe. Come on, shoe. 377 00:33:50,847 --> 00:33:54,317 It's a very naughty shoe. This won't stay on my... Oh! 378 00:33:54,487 --> 00:33:58,446 (LAUGHTER) 379 00:33:59,687 --> 00:34:02,155 How will I get my shoe? 380 00:34:07,367 --> 00:34:11,599 Brilliant. Come on. Up you get. 381 00:34:13,607 --> 00:34:20,001 Very good. Very good. Very bad shoe. Very bad... Oh, no! 382 00:34:21,527 --> 00:34:24,121 He's off again. 383 00:34:30,167 --> 00:34:33,876 He's a very bad shoe. 384 00:34:36,327 --> 00:34:41,037 They have no written history, so no one quite knows where the Kalash came from. 385 00:34:41,207 --> 00:34:47,282 Unlike the rest of the province, women - with their characteristic headdresses - 386 00:34:47,447 --> 00:34:50,917 appear in public open and unveiled. 387 00:34:54,647 --> 00:34:57,161 Their pale skin and light-coloured eyes 388 00:34:57,327 --> 00:35:01,320 suggest a link with the armies of Alexander the Great, 389 00:35:01,487 --> 00:35:04,081 who passed through here 2,000 years ago. 390 00:35:04,247 --> 00:35:10,083 This house is a menstruation house. The women come here for monthly period. 391 00:35:10,247 --> 00:35:13,557 The Kalash have strict rules about purity. 392 00:35:13,727 --> 00:35:19,563 When women have their period, they confine themselves to a menstruation house. 393 00:35:19,727 --> 00:35:22,241 Because we just say it is impure 394 00:35:22,407 --> 00:35:27,322 to keep the menstruating woman inside the house. 395 00:35:27,487 --> 00:35:33,437 So they will come here till they get over the period. Then they come to the house. 396 00:35:33,607 --> 00:35:39,239 In this house, whenever the woman is delivering a baby, 397 00:35:39,407 --> 00:35:43,923 they will come to this house and they will stay after delivery. 398 00:35:44,087 --> 00:35:49,684 They will stay for 15 to 20 days here before they return home. 399 00:35:49,847 --> 00:35:55,444 So birth and menstruation's all in here? Are any men allowed in here? 400 00:35:55,607 --> 00:36:01,716 No, the men are not allowed in there, not allowed to touch them or go inside. 401 00:36:01,887 --> 00:36:04,845 Hello. They seem to be quite happy. 402 00:36:05,007 --> 00:36:09,444 They are. It's a nice holiday for them. They're resting. 403 00:36:09,607 --> 00:36:15,045 When a woman is having a period, they feel weak a bit. 404 00:36:15,207 --> 00:36:18,677 - They don't have to do housework? - They have complete rest. 405 00:36:18,847 --> 00:36:23,125 I see. So this is a rest and recuperation service. Very good. 406 00:36:25,447 --> 00:36:27,438 Before rejoining the community, 407 00:36:27,607 --> 00:36:31,725 a new mother must go to the temple for purification. 408 00:36:31,887 --> 00:36:36,278 Burning juniper and holly-oak are used in a ritual cleansing 409 00:36:36,447 --> 00:36:40,156 to prepare the temple for the ceremony. 410 00:36:54,687 --> 00:36:59,363 Bread is baked by the husband as a symbol of fertility. 411 00:36:59,527 --> 00:37:04,521 It'll be presented to his wife once she and her family arrive. 412 00:37:30,127 --> 00:37:36,521 0nce she's been given the bread, a last pass with the branches means she's purified 413 00:37:36,687 --> 00:37:39,679 and can go back to her home. 414 00:37:46,047 --> 00:37:50,199 These ceremonies are so unlike anything I've seen in Pakistan 415 00:37:50,367 --> 00:37:57,239 that when I walk with my guide, Saifullah, I return to the question of origins. 416 00:37:57,407 --> 00:38:02,640 What are your theories about the origins of the Kalash people? 417 00:38:02,807 --> 00:38:08,484 Greek people think that we have come from Greek - from Alexander the Great. 418 00:38:08,647 --> 00:38:12,606 - When Alexander the Great invaded. - Some say we are... 419 00:38:13,967 --> 00:38:16,879 The Bulgarian people say we are Bulgarian. 420 00:38:17,047 --> 00:38:21,723 So the Greeks want you, the Bulgarians want you. What do you think? 421 00:38:21,887 --> 00:38:27,359 In our own history, we come from a place called Siam. 422 00:38:27,527 --> 00:38:30,121 - Siam? - Siam. 423 00:38:30,287 --> 00:38:33,643 But we don't know where it is. 424 00:38:33,807 --> 00:38:39,200 That's quite a walk. You're used to it. You live on the vertical all the time. 425 00:38:39,367 --> 00:38:43,485 - We just get used to the mountains. - It's a great view. 426 00:38:43,647 --> 00:38:49,040 So what is the Kalash God? Is there one God or? 427 00:38:49,207 --> 00:38:54,918 We have one God, yes. I told you that. We have a Creator God. 428 00:38:55,087 --> 00:38:59,205 We believe in one Creator who created the whole world. 429 00:38:59,367 --> 00:39:04,202 What happens when a Kalash dies? Is there reincarnation? 430 00:39:04,367 --> 00:39:07,677 We believe that when we die... 431 00:39:08,687 --> 00:39:13,841 our soul will go to the white mountain called Pala. 432 00:39:14,007 --> 00:39:19,001 - Which is an actual mountain? - It's that one there. 433 00:39:19,167 --> 00:39:23,240 You can see the white peak over there. 434 00:39:23,407 --> 00:39:27,878 - That's the mountain where Kalash souls go? - All the souls go there. 435 00:39:28,047 --> 00:39:35,283 We can't see it now, but we believe there's a big fort for the souls of the Kalash. 436 00:39:36,567 --> 00:39:39,923 It's hard to know quite what the future holds for the Kalash. 437 00:39:40,087 --> 00:39:45,605 I think that their unique culture will become diluted as the valley's opened up. 438 00:39:45,767 --> 00:39:48,725 The danger is that missionaries, anthropologists, 439 00:39:48,887 --> 00:39:51,720 tour operators and well-meaning TV crews 440 00:39:51,887 --> 00:39:55,960 could make their way of life more show than substance. 441 00:40:01,327 --> 00:40:05,286 It's time to get ourselves up to the Shandur Pass. 442 00:40:05,447 --> 00:40:09,076 The horses have already gone ahead for the great polo match, 443 00:40:09,247 --> 00:40:14,799 and we've got another 7,000 feet before we get to the Shandur Pass. 444 00:40:14,967 --> 00:40:17,527 We're stopping on the way to help acclimatisation. 445 00:40:17,687 --> 00:40:21,680 Raza Han is my driver. He's from Chitral. 446 00:40:21,847 --> 00:40:26,841 They don't speak Urdu. They speak Khowar. 447 00:40:27,007 --> 00:40:29,202 I'm learning a bit of Khowar. 448 00:40:29,367 --> 00:40:32,359 One wonderful word is the word for "foot". 449 00:40:32,527 --> 00:40:36,884 It's "pong". Is that right? Yeah. Very suitable. 450 00:40:38,127 --> 00:40:40,641 More later! 451 00:40:43,647 --> 00:40:49,085 Around us the mountains rise steeply, but wherever there's a level patch, 452 00:40:49,247 --> 00:40:53,445 there'll be someone making a living from it by the simplest means possible. 453 00:41:04,087 --> 00:41:09,923 This is the painless way of making the 7,000-foot climb from Chitral to the pass. 454 00:41:10,087 --> 00:41:13,523 The team's horses have walked up. 455 00:41:13,687 --> 00:41:16,155 And not everyone's polo-mad up here. 456 00:41:22,447 --> 00:41:28,124 I thought of offering them a spot of coaching, but I've got my homework to do. 457 00:41:28,287 --> 00:41:31,120 What a delightful language Khowar is. 458 00:41:31,287 --> 00:41:36,281 "Father" is "tut", "mother" is "nun" and "grandmother" is "wow". 459 00:41:39,007 --> 00:41:44,400 (MICHAEL PRACTISES KHOWAR) 460 00:41:53,887 --> 00:41:59,280 It helps take my mind off landslides which, judging by the presence of the road gangs, 461 00:41:59,447 --> 00:42:03,440 must happen more often than I like to think about. 462 00:42:12,207 --> 00:42:16,678 (MICHAEL PRACTISES KHOWAR WITH DRIVER) 463 00:42:28,287 --> 00:42:31,324 Alongside the Himalaya and the Karakoram, 464 00:42:31,487 --> 00:42:35,560 the Hindu Kush is one of a trio of mighty geological upthrusts 465 00:42:35,727 --> 00:42:38,525 that make this such momentous scenery. 466 00:42:38,687 --> 00:42:42,441 0n its western flank is Chitral. 0n the east is Gilgit. 467 00:42:42,607 --> 00:42:45,519 The two proud communities will meet here - 468 00:42:45,687 --> 00:42:50,477 two and a quarter miles above sea level on the Shandur Pass. 469 00:42:53,927 --> 00:42:56,964 Great. Very good. Raza Han, well driven. 470 00:42:59,207 --> 00:43:01,846 Bo jam. Bo jam. 471 00:43:10,287 --> 00:43:14,519 The tradesmen from Chitral and Gilgit are setting up shop. 472 00:43:14,687 --> 00:43:17,997 They're expecting a crowd of thousands. 473 00:43:20,047 --> 00:43:22,959 (KNIFE SCRAPES) 474 00:43:26,687 --> 00:43:32,683 The butcher's doing brisk business as families prepare for a three-day picnic. 475 00:43:35,687 --> 00:43:38,759 I think I might just stick to salad. 476 00:43:51,847 --> 00:43:56,398 For the next few days, like everyone else here, I shall be camping. 477 00:43:56,567 --> 00:44:01,118 The Shandur Pass for most of the year is a desolate wilderness. 478 00:44:01,287 --> 00:44:07,123 So the police bring tents, the authorities bring tents and the polo teams bring tents. 479 00:44:07,287 --> 00:44:13,123 And I'm told that in the next three days, there's going to be 10,000 people 480 00:44:13,287 --> 00:44:18,281 coming here to be fed, watered and evacuated on the Shandur Pass. 481 00:44:18,447 --> 00:44:20,597 So watch this space. 482 00:44:22,367 --> 00:44:28,556 This is going to be our dining room on top of the world. And along here... 483 00:44:30,927 --> 00:44:33,361 Tents, various. 484 00:44:33,527 --> 00:44:38,806 We have a little library area there, where we encourage them to learn. 485 00:44:38,967 --> 00:44:40,719 (LAUGHS) 486 00:44:40,887 --> 00:44:42,878 And the kitchen. 487 00:44:43,047 --> 00:44:47,040 The kitchen tent. Lethal flames leaping from the tent. 488 00:44:47,207 --> 00:44:50,005 There's Zahoor. Come and say hello. 489 00:44:50,167 --> 00:44:56,276 Zahoor is the chef. Our chef. Good man. Very important. Most important man. 490 00:44:56,447 --> 00:44:58,915 That's Zahoor the chef. 491 00:44:59,087 --> 00:45:04,480 Firewood. Very important. And this is our hot-water supply. 492 00:45:04,647 --> 00:45:08,640 This is the only hot water we'll have for the next few days. 493 00:45:08,807 --> 00:45:14,006 It needs a lot of wood because it takes much longer to boil at this altitude, 494 00:45:14,167 --> 00:45:16,727 which is 12,250 feet. 495 00:45:16,887 --> 00:45:22,678 Along here, in the mountain walk, are the toilet facilities in various colours. 496 00:45:22,847 --> 00:45:25,839 But you won't need to follow me there. 497 00:45:37,127 --> 00:45:41,200 It's early morning and the two teams are out practising together. 498 00:45:41,367 --> 00:45:44,837 The Gilgit team is led by Bulbul Shan, 499 00:45:45,007 --> 00:45:49,285 55 years old and riding his favourite Punjabi stallion, Truc. 500 00:45:49,447 --> 00:45:54,646 He's led the winning side for two years and is looking for a hat trick. 501 00:46:02,207 --> 00:46:06,883 Chitral's captain is Sikander ul-Mulk - Siraj's younger brother. 502 00:46:07,047 --> 00:46:12,838 He's riding Bucephalus, an Afghan bay with youth and speed on his side. 503 00:46:19,287 --> 00:46:22,006 They retire to their separate camps. 504 00:46:22,167 --> 00:46:26,240 Before laying any bets, I set out on a fact-finding mission. 505 00:46:27,847 --> 00:46:33,126 We're just a little further along the pass, away from the central festivities, 506 00:46:33,287 --> 00:46:37,917 to where the Gilgit camp is set, and it's out here. 507 00:46:38,087 --> 00:46:43,878 We've become close with the Chitralis, so this is like sleeping with the enemy, 508 00:46:44,047 --> 00:46:48,404 but we are the BBC and we must be even-handed in matters of polo. 509 00:46:48,567 --> 00:46:52,606 So this is the Gilgit camp over here. 510 00:46:52,767 --> 00:46:58,558 It looks rather more organised than the Chitral. They are army and police. 511 00:47:02,207 --> 00:47:04,926 Despite being army and police, they're welcoming 512 00:47:05,087 --> 00:47:08,841 and happy for me to talk to Bulbul while Truc has lunch. 513 00:47:09,007 --> 00:47:11,919 You're captain of the Gilgit team this year. 514 00:47:12,087 --> 00:47:15,796 How many years have you been captain? 515 00:47:15,967 --> 00:47:19,084 - Four years. - And how many times have you won? 516 00:47:19,247 --> 00:47:22,319 Two times we lose, two times we win. 517 00:47:22,487 --> 00:47:27,925 They say that in this game it's 80% horse and 20% man. 518 00:47:28,087 --> 00:47:29,884 - Would you agree? - Yes. 519 00:47:30,047 --> 00:47:34,996 Your horse is very special because you've had him for a long time. 520 00:47:35,167 --> 00:47:39,604 How many years has your horse taken part in the game? 521 00:47:39,767 --> 00:47:42,520 In Shandur, 15 years. 522 00:47:43,527 --> 00:47:46,485 We play on this horse 15 years. 523 00:47:46,647 --> 00:47:50,242 What is it about Truc that makes him such? 524 00:47:50,407 --> 00:47:56,198 To have played so many games - 15 times here. What makes Truc such a great horse? 525 00:47:57,207 --> 00:48:01,200 (HE SPEAKS URDU) 526 00:48:08,087 --> 00:48:13,036 (INTERPRETER) As far as Truc and himself go, they have a perfect understanding. 527 00:48:13,207 --> 00:48:19,316 Truc, with the body weight and all these understandings, they know each other well. 528 00:48:19,487 --> 00:48:22,285 That is how they combine well to perform. 529 00:48:22,447 --> 00:48:28,158 It is Truc, he says, that tells me whether we are going to win the tournament or lose. 530 00:48:28,327 --> 00:48:30,795 He definitely communicates with me. 531 00:48:30,967 --> 00:48:36,439 He can give me that feeling that I'm going to win this match for you. 532 00:48:36,607 --> 00:48:39,121 What does Truc say about this year? 533 00:48:40,407 --> 00:48:43,399 He's in a very good mood, he says, this year. 534 00:48:43,567 --> 00:48:46,923 I'll have a word with Truc before I lay my bet. 535 00:48:48,647 --> 00:48:50,956 In the Chitral camp, things are less rosy. 536 00:48:51,127 --> 00:48:55,598 Horses unrecovered from injury, another lamed in training. 537 00:48:55,767 --> 00:48:58,156 So persistent have been their misfortunes 538 00:48:58,327 --> 00:49:03,196 that I ask Sikander about rumours that black magic - a potent force up here - 539 00:49:03,367 --> 00:49:06,006 may be being used against them. 540 00:49:06,167 --> 00:49:08,840 - Why have these things happened? - I don't know. 541 00:49:09,007 --> 00:49:14,923 Is it black magic, Sikander? Do you believe someone's putting a bad spell on you? 542 00:49:15,087 --> 00:49:17,555 I never used to believe it, 543 00:49:17,727 --> 00:49:22,482 but now everyone does, so I've also started believing in it. 544 00:49:22,647 --> 00:49:26,640 Who are the people to watch out for in the Gilgit side? 545 00:49:26,807 --> 00:49:30,277 Their number six. He's got a very fast horse. 546 00:49:30,447 --> 00:49:34,679 - How about their captain, Bulbul? - Bulbul is... 547 00:49:34,847 --> 00:49:39,443 We are depending on his horse, because his horse is about 21 years old. 548 00:49:39,607 --> 00:49:44,727 So if it is a fast game, if we manage to give them a tough time, 549 00:49:44,887 --> 00:49:49,438 I don't think that horse will be able to finish the game. 550 00:49:49,607 --> 00:49:53,600 - How do you think it'll go tomorrow? - Tomorrow... 551 00:49:53,767 --> 00:49:58,238 They have an edge, but I don't think that much. 552 00:49:58,407 --> 00:50:03,322 - What's it like if you lose? - Terrible. Terrible. 553 00:50:03,487 --> 00:50:07,605 First of all, no one will come near you on the polo ground. 554 00:50:07,767 --> 00:50:13,000 If you win, they don't allow you to stand on the ground - they keep you up in the air. 555 00:50:13,167 --> 00:50:16,637 But if you lose, no one will come next to you. 556 00:50:16,807 --> 00:50:20,322 Even on the road, they might start hooting. 557 00:50:21,407 --> 00:50:26,959 - It's a terrible thing going back. - Do you go back in disguise? 558 00:50:27,127 --> 00:50:30,563 We try to go in the dark. 559 00:50:31,767 --> 00:50:35,362 0n the eve of battle, ominous clouds hang in the sky. 560 00:50:39,167 --> 00:50:43,126 Next morning, things are no better in the Chitral camp. 561 00:50:43,287 --> 00:50:46,438 (MUEZZIN CHANTS) 562 00:50:47,967 --> 00:50:52,245 The call to prayer rings out, as the town that's grown up on the Shandur Pass 563 00:50:52,407 --> 00:50:55,365 wakes up to the big match day. 564 00:51:03,087 --> 00:51:08,400 There are women supporters, but they'll watch from a ladies-only hill. 565 00:51:12,847 --> 00:51:18,843 Mulling over what I've seen, it's pretty obvious that Gilgit should start favourites, 566 00:51:19,007 --> 00:51:23,717 but Chitral have a more relaxed approach which might help them. 567 00:51:23,887 --> 00:51:28,278 It is freestyle polo, and they seem to embody the spirit of the game. 568 00:51:28,447 --> 00:51:32,440 They're in it for the hell of it, and I like that. 569 00:52:08,967 --> 00:52:11,959 Are you still confident? Excellent. 570 00:52:12,127 --> 00:52:16,723 Good. You're confident of winning? That's what Chitral said. 571 00:52:16,887 --> 00:52:22,598 Yes. But the horses are all fine? I bet you can't wait to get on with it. 572 00:52:22,767 --> 00:52:25,281 I'll get out of your way. Good luck. 573 00:52:25,447 --> 00:52:27,881 - How are you feeling? - Good. 574 00:52:28,047 --> 00:52:31,119 - How are the horses? - Well... 575 00:52:31,287 --> 00:52:36,236 We almost bought one horse - a new horse, a playing horse. 576 00:52:36,407 --> 00:52:40,923 - At the last minute? - We needed it, but we couldn't get it. 577 00:52:41,087 --> 00:52:45,763 Last night we managed to get that horse, so now we are in a better position. 578 00:52:45,927 --> 00:52:49,442 - So this was a? - It had come with the team. 579 00:52:49,607 --> 00:52:54,078 It belonged to someone else who was not ready to give it to us. 580 00:52:54,247 --> 00:52:58,240 So you had to negotiate? The rider knows the horse? 581 00:52:58,407 --> 00:53:01,956 - The rider knows the horse. - And Bucephalus? 582 00:53:02,127 --> 00:53:04,277 - He's OK. - Happy? Perky? 583 00:53:04,447 --> 00:53:07,598 Yes. He seems to be enjoying the drum. 584 00:53:07,767 --> 00:53:10,725 How are you feeling? You want to get on with it? 585 00:53:10,887 --> 00:53:13,242 Good luck. 586 00:53:13,407 --> 00:53:17,195 Sikander's being brave, but the new horse could be a problem. 587 00:53:21,127 --> 00:53:25,040 There's nothing more to do. The moment of truth has arrived. 588 00:53:30,767 --> 00:53:36,000 The riders will give everything, and everyone knows that at this altitude, 589 00:53:36,167 --> 00:53:42,845 the outcome depends on the ability of these horses to absorb the relentless pressure. 590 00:54:00,807 --> 00:54:05,881 Chitral take a surprise lead. Gilgit soon equalise to cancel it out. 591 00:54:19,047 --> 00:54:23,245 In international polo, play is stopped every seven minutes. 592 00:54:23,407 --> 00:54:28,606 These horses must run non-stop for 25, then for another 25 - 593 00:54:28,767 --> 00:54:32,555 struggling to pull in oxygen from the thin air. 594 00:54:37,927 --> 00:54:43,399 Bulbul rules the midfield, but suddenly Chitral are making all the running. 595 00:55:09,447 --> 00:55:14,237 A goal-mouth mix-up puts Gilgit back in the lead. 596 00:55:14,407 --> 00:55:18,366 Almost immediately, Chitral press forward and equalise. 597 00:55:18,527 --> 00:55:22,440 Half-time and it's two all. 598 00:55:37,007 --> 00:55:43,003 Gilgit start the second half the stronger and force their way into the lead again. 599 00:55:45,047 --> 00:55:47,880 Butting and body-checking increase. 600 00:55:48,047 --> 00:55:53,917 As the polo becomes truly freestyle, Gilgit run in a fourth goal. 601 00:55:58,487 --> 00:56:03,561 The pace is beginning to tell. Riders and horses are straining every sinew. 602 00:56:13,767 --> 00:56:19,763 Then Bulbul, magnificently unflappable, puts Gilgit into an unassailable lead. 603 00:56:24,167 --> 00:56:26,727 The Chitral supporters are heading for home. 604 00:56:26,887 --> 00:56:30,766 Gilgit fans stream across to hail their heroes. 605 00:56:30,927 --> 00:56:35,842 Everyone becomes so happy that the police have to be called in. 606 00:56:42,007 --> 00:56:47,240 I push through to talk to the man of the match. How was it for you, Bulbul? 607 00:56:47,407 --> 00:56:50,240 I'm very much happy. Thank you. 608 00:56:51,287 --> 00:56:56,122 Thank you. You see the truth? 609 00:56:57,607 --> 00:57:00,121 Thank you. 610 00:57:00,287 --> 00:57:04,917 It might be black magic for Chitral, but for Gilgit just magic. 611 00:57:23,167 --> 00:57:29,163 It's time for everyone to make their way home - by whatever means possible. 612 00:57:35,287 --> 00:57:39,280 Most are going down the mountain, but we're going up - 613 00:57:39,447 --> 00:57:42,996 higher than Shandur into the land of ice and snow, 614 00:57:43,167 --> 00:57:46,159 to a place where few people ever set foot. 615 00:57:51,167 --> 00:57:55,240 Close to the Chinese border is a place they call Concordia, 616 00:57:55,407 --> 00:58:00,925 where two glaciers meet and ten of the world's tallest summits surround them. 617 00:58:01,087 --> 00:58:06,161 K2, second highest peak on earth, is five miles away. 618 00:58:06,327 --> 00:58:12,323 The jagged ramparts of these frozen canyons seem about to swallow me up. 619 00:58:20,727 --> 00:58:26,324 Next time on "Himalaya" - strange goings-on at the Indian border. 620 00:58:26,487 --> 00:58:29,160 My first beer for a month. 621 00:58:29,327 --> 00:58:34,401 Mass catering and holy relics at the Golden Temple. 622 00:58:34,567 --> 00:58:37,240 A moment of peace in war-torn Kashmir. 623 00:58:38,647 --> 00:58:41,878 A train ride to Shimla - self-catering, of course. 624 00:58:43,127 --> 00:58:45,800 At Dharamsala, I throw flour, 625 00:58:45,967 --> 00:58:51,485 learn what I was in my previous life, attend a concert and meet a God-King. 626 00:58:51,647 --> 00:58:54,480 "Himalaya" - the week's high spot.