Mulkhow

Mulkhow has an unusually important place in the traditional history of Chitral.

According to the historical tradition recorded by Mirza Muhammad Ghufran's Tareekh-e-Chitral, Mulkhow was regarded as one of the earliest inhabited areas of Chitral. The tradition connects early settlers with migration from Central Asia, although the specific ancient dates and migration narrative should be treated as traditional history rather than firmly established archaeology.

Mulkhow is also traditionally described as having served as an early capital of the Chitral state.

Historical accounts mention the remains of several forts in the wider Mulkhow area, including:

According to the historical tradition recorded by Mirza Muhammad Ghufran's Tareekh-e-Chitral, Mulkhow was regarded as one of the earliest inhabited areas of Chitral. The tradition connects early settlers with migration from Central Asia, although the specific ancient dates and migration narrative should be treated as traditional history rather than firmly established archaeology.

• Krui Soon Fort
• Palmati Fort
• Gumbad Fort
• Noghor Zom Fort
• Muzhgol Fort
• Khurasan Fort
• Drasun Fort

Drasun Fort is particularly notable because remains of the fort still exist and it is associated with the rule of Muhtaram Shah II in the late 18th/early 19th century.

Mulkhow is a historic mountain valley/area of Upper Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, in the Hindu Kush. Administratively, Mulkhow is associated with the Torkhow-Mulkhow Tehsil of Upper Chitral. The wider Upper Chitral district had 195,528 people in the 2023 census.

Known historically as the Lower Khow, Mulkhow is traditionally considered one of the earliest areas of human inhabitation and a historic capital in the region.

Recent archaeological surveys in the Mulkhow Valley have uncovered prehistoric rock art, including ancient animal and human footprints as well as stone carvings depicting hunting and herding scenes.

Situated in the northern part of Chitral, roughly 84 km from Chitral town.

Mulkhow lies in the mountainous interior of Chitral. The wider Chitral region is characterized by deep valleys, high mountains and tributary valleys of the Chitral River.

A locality specifically named Mulkhow is mapped at approximately 36.603° N, 72.542° E.

Mulkhow is surrounded by the dramatic landscape of the Hindu Kush. The area contains:

High mountain slopes Narrow valleys Agricultural terraces Natural springs and streams Irrigated farmland Mountain settlements Historically, settlements developed first on valley floors and later moved higher along streams and springs as population increased. In places such as Kosht, Kusham, Sahrt and Madak, seasonal movement between lower and upper settlements has also been documented.

•Language The principal language of Chitral is Khowar (Chitrali), a Dardic language spoken by the Kho people. Other languages are also spoken in different parts of Upper Chitral, including Wakhi in northern areas.

Mulkhow has particular cultural significance in local traditions concerning the Khowar language. One local historical account identifies a place called Khow Bokht in Mulkhow and associates it with the origin of the Khowar language. This is an important piece of local tradition, rather than a settled conclusion of historical linguistics

Agriculture and subsistence livestock rearing serve as the primary sources of income for local households

Wheat is main crop produce in this region