Mera dil hai Tajikistani..? Part 2

After a night of recovering from the long and bumpy journey from Dushanbe to Khorog the group headed out into the surrounding villages. We climbed even further into the snow-capped Pamir Mountains, around twisting gravel and dirt paths. At our first stop we were greeted by a group of village women who had been expecting our visit for days. We were ushered into their traditional Pamiri house and offered tea, cakes, coffee, dried fruit and nuts. Traditional Pamiri houses are originally based on Zoroastrian symbolism that was later adapted to reflect Muslim faith and stories. The houses are usually one room with five different levels surrounding a sunken, center level. In the middle of the ceiling a series of wooden squares rotate up, creating a hole in the roof where smoke escapes. Although most people now use coal or electric heaters, the houses were originally made to take advantage of the natural environment.