The rain began as a cordial drizzle, but steadily thickened, soaking us through the rotten soft shell of the Russian jeep as we bounced along in second gear. Across the river border, Afghan mule trains animated an otherwise stark mountainside, clinging to ancient trails along the Panj River, and drawing contrast with Tajikistan’s Soviet legacies, including the Pamir Highway itself. Leaving its dilapidated asphalt behind, we took to dirt and veered into the sweeping Bartang Valley beneath a corridor of 17,000-foot peaks. Here in this sparsely populated corner of southeastern Tajikistan, I was beginning to discover a fascinating confluence of landscape, culture and history.
–snip–
The Pamiris are predominantly Ismaili Muslims, whose geographic nexus occurs in this historic region of Badakhshan, extending from southeastern Tajikistan into northern Afghanistan and Pakistan. At the core of Ismailism is Prince Aga Khan IV
Read at the source: http://www.marinmagazine.com/Marin-Magazine/February-2011
Earlier related: Scott’s Adventure Blog: Ismaili Muslims of Tajikistan
Ismailimail 
Dear Scott Weller,
Thanks for your writeup, very enlightening. The land is free from the modern day polution maintaing the enviroment’s spirituality fully intact. Thanks for sharing this with us all.
Mansur
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