The scene changes dramatically across the River Jhelum, when driving from Lahore to Islamabad on the M2 Highway. The lush green of citrus orchards give way to semi arid shrub land and subsistence farmsteads. Towering behind them, like a solid wall, stands the Salt Range, majestically surveying what prevails down below. The various hues of mauve and blue make a perfect backdrop to the dusty landscape dotted with wild shrubs and trees. As the seasons change from dusty summers to green monsoons, and to sharp winters, the colours and scenery changes. The kaleidoscope of colors offered is a breathtaking experience.

The low rugged hills of the Salt Range run east to west - like a garland-on the southern rim of the Potohar Plateau. Hidden in the folds of these breathtaking mountains lies the Salt Kingdom – the salt mines at Khewra.

Khewra is now accessible easily. If you are in a hurry, take the Lilla Interchange. The road runs east to Pind Dadan Khan at the feet of the mountains, until you turn north for Khewra. However, for the romantic, the ‘long and scenic route’ is highly recommended. From the Kallar Kahar Interchange the road to Choa Saidan Shah runs on and along the top of the mountains, in a long shallow valley. The view is spectacular. The tree lined road sails past the hillocks, the serene fields, and rare archeological sites. If one is lucky – as the author was - one might come across a real life ‘mela’ – a local fair at a Sufi’s Tomb. Tall, proud men of the Potohar sport colourful lachas and starched white turbans throng to enjoy themselves and secure rustic fare for their families. The wheat crop has just been harvested. In winters the undulating valley glistens in gold and green of the mustard fields.

On this road lies Ketas – a historic pilgrimage site for the Hindus. The ancient temples, ponds, and shrines carved into the hillsides still stand as witness to the ingenuity of the craftsmen, and to the dedication of worshippers. The road passes through Choa Saidan Shah, an attractive hill market town surrounded by louquat orchards. One can also see the archeological site at Murti with its Buddhist and Jain carvings.

Turn south, and drive on an exciting, winding road down the mountains. These mountains bewitch you - once again - with their changing colours. There red, here ochre, sometimes black and now sand stone, and burnt siena! Down more than a thousand feet in a mere ten kilometers, the traveler descends into the charming little industrial town of Khewra. A turn towards the left takes one to an old colonial building. In sparkling white it looks stunning against the rocky mountain. These are the offices of PMDC (Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation) – the owners and operators of the salt mines.

From here, one is courteously led to the neat new Visitor Centre, which sports a small café, briefing area, restrooms, and a quaint souvenir shop. From here, across the Khewra gorge, one spots the minehead and the ‘Lamp Room’ in the wing of a red mountain. The Gorge is spanned by a century old, stone arch, the Purdon Bridge. Constructed under the supervision of W Purdon in 1854, it stands solid today without any concrete reinforcements. At the mine head, Mr. Kausar Iqbal, the Tourist Development Officer, puts his visitors in a small waiting electric train of 1930s vintage. Presently, it chugs away into this wonderland, vanishing deep into the honeycombed mountain. Leaving the hot summer behind, the visitor is immediately welcomed by the refreshing cool of the mine - the temperature inside the mine remains a steady, comfortable 18 degrees centigrade in all seasons.

The amazing honeycomb is created by the ‘room and pillar’ style of mining. The rock salt is removed creating even sized hall chambers. These are separated by thick columns of rock, which are left ‘unworked’. These pillars support the level above, and from below. The mine is advanced in the north – south direction. There are a number of such levels or floors in the salt mine, and there is a difference of 25 feet between each level, which are joined by inclined ramps. Under this mining scheme, it is only possible to remove half the available salt, while the remaining half constitutes the pillars. Yet the reservoir is estimated to hold about 220 million tonnes of rock salt - enough to last for 350 years!

As the train chugs along, deeper into the mine past the solid wooden buttresses, fine panoply of the color emerges – the rock keeps changing colour. It glistens like glass, in white, and in hundreds of shades of pink and red. It becomes difficult to put a single colour to any rock. One anticipates more pageant of colour. The train comes to a halt near a beautiful quadrangle constructed of bricks cut out from rock salt. This is the ‘mosque’. Lit up from hollows inside these brick walls, the salt presents a mystique of light and colour! From here a walk around the salt mine begins.

In 2001, some parts of the salt mines were completely segregated from the working area, and shaped as a ‘tourist resort’. As the visitor walks around in the huge tunnels and chambers, the cool moist breeze cannot go unnoticed. Mr. Iqbal takes you to show the ducts and ventilation shafts that have been made to ensure supply of the oxygen inside the mine. There are 12 such ventilation channels.

Eerie looking stalactites hang down from the ceiling, and stalagmites seem to rise to the challenge. These result from the salt that drips through the crevices in the rock. There is a small stalagmite mountain one walks past. The guides fondly call it the Chaghi Mountain – for reasons well known!

During the walk about one comes upon a huge chamber. "This is the assembly hall," the friendly guide informs in jest. This is the oldest part of the mine, and this where the ancient miners entered from the top of the mountain, and chiseled their way down. The fine lines of this painstaking work are visible on the walls. The height of this chamber is 240 feet and it has 161 steps carved out of the rock, leading to different levels. On either side, there are ponds of saturated brine solution. Ponds like these are dotted around the mine. Each is around fifty feet deep, but one can see a pebble sink to the clearly visible bottom. Bridges of rock salt over these ponds connect some of the chambers. ’‘We are also planning to illuminate the ponds and intend to make a resort of international standards for an overnight stay," says M Saifullah Qureshi, Deputy General Manager (Mining).

"Salt has a healing capacity and the air inside the mine is favorable for asthma patients. We have selected points for use as asthma clinics where patients can stay for up to eight hours," explains Mr. Qureshi. "We have cleaned and cleared the mine and have illuminated the mines with reflector lights, since salt is a transparent mineral the lights magnify the intrinsic beauty of the rock," he adds.

Now to the ‘Shishmahal’ – literally translated as the ‘palace of glass’. A maze, turned out of polished pink strain in the rock, is illuminated with concealed lights to give a delightful impression of walls made of glass. "Around 6000 to 7000 visitors come to see the mines, and most of them are tours arranged by schools and colleges," says Saima with a polite confident smile. One of the guides, she is a graduate, and belongs to Khewra. Trained, smartly turned out in uniforms, female guides are present to conduct the school parties and children.

There is something for the train enthusiast too. Originally, track lines and mining tubs were introduced for transporting rock salt out of the mine. Steam operated engines were used to pull these. Electric locomotives were designed in 1926 especially for the mine, and introduced in 1934. Originally on DC power, these were subsequently converted to AC power. These electric locomotives have now been allocated for visitors. Tractor powered trolleys now transport the very large volumes of mineral salt.

Small caves and niches in the tunnels can be seen, some of these being part of mine drainage system, and others abandoned work seams. The walk about ends by a café in the heart of the Salt Kingdom. Here, one can rest a while to contemplate on the grandeur of nature, and man’s spirit of enterprise. The roar of the electric train, heard, though yet invisible in the maze, brings one back to the world that waits outside.