The Balti are an ethnic group of Tibetan descent with Dardic admixture who live in the Gilgit-Baltistanregion of Pakistan and the Kargil region of India. Smaller populations are found in the Leh region; others are scattered in Pakistan's major urban centres of Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad/Rawalpindi.
Origin
The origin of the name Balti is unknown. The first written mention of the Balti people occurs in the second century BCE by the Alexandrian astronomer and geographer Ptolemy who refers to the region as Byaltae. The Balti people themselves call their homeland Balti-yul. Baltistan is the Persian rendering of Balti-yul.
The Baltis historically practiced Bön and Tibetan Buddhism. Islam first arrived in Baltistan via Sufi missionaries such as Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani in the 14th century. The Noorbakshia sect further propagated the faith in Baltistan and most of the Balti had accepted Islam by the end of the 17th century. With the passage of time a large number converted to Shia Islam, and a few converted to Sunni Islam. The Baltis still retain many traits of pre-Islamic Bön and Tibetan Buddhist rituals, making them unique in Pakistan. Their Balti language is highly archaic and conservative and closer to Classical Tibetan than other Tibetan languages. Baltis regard congregation in the mosques and Khanqahs as an important religious ritual. The Khanqahs are training schools which were introduced by early saints who arrived in the region. The students gain spiritual purity through these trainings under well-practiced spiritual guides, who have already attained certain degree of spirituality. Mosques in Baltistan are mainly built in the Tibetan style, though several mosques constructed have wood-finish and decorations of Mughal origin which can also be seen in Ladakh, Kargil. On every Friday, the men generally attend the Friday prayers sometime after noon. All Muslims will fast by day during the month of the Ramadan and a celebration will be held at the end of the celebration. After the birth of a child, a sheikh or akhun, is called to perform azaan in the ears of the newborn. Today, the Baltis are 60% Shi'a, 30% Noorbakhshi and 10% Sunni.
Cuisine
Balti cuisine is rather well-known. One delicacy includes spicy curry, cooked in a karahi. This dish is often eaten with thick naan.
