A popular base camp for Himalayan mountain treks, Chitral valley, with its stunning azure streams and velvety meadows, is the stuff of fairytales. Look beyond the majestic snow-capped mountain peaks, historic forts and world’s highest polo ground, and you’ll see the local community celebrates the luscious valley for its foragable treasures – and beauty treatments
Location: Chitral, Pakistan
Description: Pleasantly warm in the summer with an extremely cold, sub-zero winter. Higher rainfall than the Pakistan average makes Chitral’s climate quite similar to the UK.
Common edible plants: Chanterelle, morels, mint, thyme, oregano, chamomile, sage, dill, dandelion, raspberry, hawthorne, black cumin, sea buckthorn, asparagus, olives, peppermint, spearmint – and sometimes even saffron
Transferable tip: People in the picturesque Chitral valley believe common minor ailments often have the perfect antidote blooming out in the pasture, like oranges for winter colds. Trust nature’s store to have the right herbal remedy at the right time.
Credit: Aley Bhaidani
For as far back as she can remember, Chitral-born herbalist Bilquis Sheikh has reached for herbs and wild plants as the first form of defence.
“If you have a broken bone and the closest doctor is 12 hours away, turning to the kitchen or using willow tree branches is what you do. Our women are all kitchen doctors,” she explained in an article for the BBC, referencing a popular natural remedy where willow tree bark is ground and mixed with warm mustard oil to help heal inflammation in the area.
Yet Sheikh’s locus of influence extends far beyond her kitchen, or even her remote hometown close to K2. A registered practitioner of homeopathy, certified alternative medicine practitioner and owner of the formidable herbal medicine and wellness empire, Naturalize, Dr Bilquis has become a household name in Pakistan. She credits the adoration of millions of fans to her indigenous wisdom, passed down from generations of Chitrali women.
Natural remedies are woven into the region’s heritage, she explains. Over 1,400m above sea level, the bowl-shaped valley is tucked between the Hindu Kush and Karakoram mountains. Its seclusion and remote accessibility meant local community members developed a unique tradition of alternative medicine using foraged herbs.
The remedies often feature bushy shrubs, wildflowers and unassuming herbs as potent vessels for naturopathic healing, with hard-won expertise through centuries of trial and error.
“For us, foraging is a way of life. Starting from early childhood, mothers will often send young children out to harvest the herbs of the season,” explains Sheikh, who has fond memories of playing truth or dare with sharp, citrusy sprigs of spearmint. “In Chitral, turning to natural medicine and herbs is still the overwhelming trend.”
The handling and treatment of the herbs is also important, so the composition isn’t altered, adds Sheikh: “When you forage a herb and bring it home, make sure it’s in a cloth or paper bag – not plastic. Never dry them in harsh, direct sunlight.”
One of the most popular preparations of herbal treatments in Chitral is through brewing teas – fitting in the frigid cold. Ranging from apple tea for depression, peppermint or thyme tea for digestion and dandelion tea to detoxify the liver and combat bloating, Sheikh seems to have a tea up her sleeve for seemingly every ailment.
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“For us, foraging is a way of life. Starting from early childhood, mothers will often send young children out to harvest the herbs of the season,”
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Confronted with these myriad options, one would be forgiven for thinking there’s nothing nature can’t cure, but Sheikh is quick to caution these herbal hacks aren’t a substitute for medical advice: “It’s about trying to stay healthy and prevent illness by listening to the rhythms of nature, not replacing important prescription medication. Prevention is always better than cure.”
And Chitrali wild plants aren’t only consumed in tea form. Such is the abundance of mushrooms, in fact, that many have turned to foraging and selling them for financial profit in the past decade. “Chitral’s climate and rainy season is perfect for mushrooms. The joy that you get when you find a special mushroom is indescribable,” says Sheikh. “Rivalled only by the elusive saffron flower. Coming across that is like finding gold.”
After many harsh winter months, spring, specifically, is a time for new beauty regimens galore.
“Spring in Chitral is generally short-lived,” says Sheikh, “And may come late. In my village, for example, spring is in June and July. But there’s over 50 varieties of flowers and the entire valley smells absolutely heavenly.” For the Chitrali women, the blooms become rich fodder for simple yet effective beauty remedies.
“Sea buckthorn, for example, is nature’s skin surgeon,” she says. “We make a green tea with the leaves, and when the berries ripen to a glistening orange, we crush them to make a lip mask. Later, we use the mulch as fertiliser for next year’s harvest.”
Roses, too are used in various forms, says Sheikh, who has formulated a rose petal tea for urinary tract infections. When the colourful roses fade and fall to the ground, it’s time to collect the rosehips, she explains. Instead of consuming them in a concentrated supplement form, women in Chitral crush the rosehips in a mortar and pestle then brew a strong tea, “to increase our natural beauty,” she smiles. Perfumes, too, are best found in nature for Sheikh. “The scent of Russian olives is better than any perfume on Earth,” she adds.
Essentially, explains Sheikh, the central principle of the Chitrali approach to wild foods and medicines rests on appreciating what’s in season and understanding there must be a rationale behind Mother Nature’s calendar.
Crucially, she says, sustainable foraging requires always being mindful of leaving enough behind for the seasons to come, a value she hopes is not lost as foraging comes into vogue worldwide. “We’ve learned through centuries that we need to take only a little bit at a time,” she says. “Don’t take the plant out from the roots because then, after a few years, the entire population will dwindle, and the ecosystem will suffer. Use flowers and leaves instead of the roots. Don’t over forage from one area specifically. Think of it as a continuous, virtuous cycle.”