Kuram valley, located in the northwest border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is a well irrigated piece of land occupied by small fortified villages. The villages are surrounded by orchards and groves that display a delightful scenery. The spread out green fields provide a refreshing sight.

Its capital town, Parachinar is the administrative headquarters which houses the offices of the political agent, levy and Kuram Militia. It gives a direct access to Kabul and Gardez in Afghanistan. The town is located northwest of the valley thus making it part of Upper Kuram. The name Parachinar comes from 'Para', one of the tribes of the valley and 'Chinar', maple tree, which is commonly found in the region. The old name of Parachinar was Tutkai taken from Turkic language when it was governed by Afghan rulers.

According to the Gazetteer of Kuram, the valley's richness persuaded the Turks to abandon their nomadic life and settle permanently in the valley. The majority of them chose the upper half of the valley because it was safe, had agricultural land, and had a pleasant climate. They became known as the Turi tribe. The other tribes settled in the lower half of the valley with its warmer climate. All Turis belong to Shia sect of Islam while the majority of the other tribes are Sunni Muslims.

During the Mughal Empire, the pleasant climate and beautiful scenery of the area attracted some of the Mughal emperors of Delhi to come and spend their leisure time in the valley. In the early 19th century, the valley was under the government of Kabul. Its rulers would collect the revenue through military expeditions every five years. In 1848, it was brought under the direct control of Kabul by appointing a governor who established himself at Tutkai (Parachinar). The majority of the population at that time were Turis, who being Shia Muslims, never liked the Sunni Afghan rule. So, when Sir Frederick Roberts advanced through the valley during the Second Afghan war, the Turi tribesmen lent him assistances in his advance.

In 1890, the administration of the valley was finally rendered to the British authorities at the request of the Turis themselves. As a reward, the British granted them semi independence by making the valley an agency, administered area under the control of a political agent, who governed it through a combination of British rules and a local Jirga system. The Sunni tribes which wanted to stay with the Kabul government resented the affiliation between Shia Turis and the British.

In 1897, they attacked the British camp at Sadda - the second largest town in lower Kuram. The revolt was crushed by British troops under the command of Colonel W Hill, punishing the revolting Sunni rebels. As a consequence of similar and other Sunni unrest, Lord Curzon reorganized the frontier in 1900-1901 and withdrew British troops from the valley and replaced them with Kuram militia drawn from the Shia Turi tribe.

Repeating history, in recent years the Kuram Valley has once again assumed a strategic position and has become the site of intense Taliban activity challenging the Turis and making it a hub of sectarian strife. Sunnis have strong support from Middle Eastern countries through religious schools or Madrasa in mainland Pakistan with Shias getting direct help from Shia Iran.

The constant conflict has taken its toll on the common folk, affecting their livelihood, health and education leading to a poverty spiral. Some areas were more affected than others. The area hit the hardest was a village at the north east of the valley at the foot of Spin Ghar (white mountain) called Khomasa meaning the cave. The area is full of natural caves similar to those found in Tora Bora on the other side in Afghanistan and is reminiscent of Spelunca villages in other parts of the world. The caves protected the villagers from the harsh winters and hot summers. Cave dwelling had its own drawbacks such as the risk of contracting fungal infections from bird or bat droppings. Moreover, during the monsoon seasons the caves were frequently flooded with rain water. While scenic, it's awkward location meant that unlike other villages in the area, they didn't have the fields to grow crops. This meant the villagers had to go to Parachinar to seek menial work. However due to the ongoing conflict even these jobs became more and more scares.

Many would return home disheartened unable to support their families, not having been able to find work. This became their everyday existence unbearable both physically and emotionally. It was during these days, many would go to the nearby forest pluck leaves from Shahtoot trees and cook them to eat and stave off hunger.

In a nutshell, living in Khomasa was very difficult with families living well below the poverty line defined by the World Health Organization. Except for a tiny cave shop selling very basic medicinal supplies, healthcare was virtually non-existent. This meant that people contracting even the most minor illnesses would experience great difficulty getting medical attention leading to high mortality of patients with treatable illnesses.

It was the same story with education. There was no school in the village. The little children used to walk for miles in difficult conditions to attend the closest schools. It was for this reason; many fathers chose not to send their children to schools. They would rather their children be uneducated rather than sending them so far away. Moreover, the schooling was not free in the valley though the government advertised it to be free. Whilst the tuition was free all additional costs such as school supplies were to be borne by the parents and they simply could not afford it. Thus, the poor children grew up without education.

In the village, a cave was allocated as a mosque where the locals prayed regularly. The place was also used for other ceremonies such as death rituals and alms giving. Although the village was situated in a predominantly Shia populated area, the residents themselves were of Sunni faith. Nobody knew for certain how this anomaly came to exist although some speculated that they were the extension of Sunnis living across the white mountain in Afghanistan.

It was in this poverty-stricken village where one such poor family lived. Its bread owner was called Esup – a Pashtun variant of the name Yusuf or Joseph. He was 40 years old but poverty and harsh life had aged him prematurely making him look much older than his years. His wife Zarsanga was 30 years old and like her husband, with her pale and emancipated face, was weathered beyond her years. They had identical twin boys: Yasir and Hamid. The only notable difference between the two was that Yasir had a darker complexion otherwise they were ditto copy of each other. Unsurprisingly they were also malnourished.

Esup lived all his life in Khomasa as did his ancestors before him. Despite the harsh life he felt it would be a betrayal to his forefathers to leave his ancestral home. He lived a simple life following the principles of the Sunni faith and local Pashtun customs called Pashtunwali. Being a labourer, he depended on daily wages which was only enough to feed his family on a day to day basis. His wife could not get a job in the village because there weren't any and also she had to look after her children.

Getting regular daily work was becoming more and more challenging and Esup dreaded coming home empty handed to be met by the sunken, expectant faces of his children. It broke his heart. He lost count of the nights they slept on empty stomach or with only cooked leaves from nearby Shahtoot trees.

His caring, selfless wife never complained for fear it would upset him and shatter his pride. She lived a life of patience and gratitude. He loved her from the core of his heart and would do anything to make her happy. But sadly, such happiness was as out of reach as the peak of the White Mountain. At his lowest moments, he would seek solace at the mosque where he would pray for hours for deliverance from the misery of poverty.

Days passed slowly in the state of hopelessness and desolation. These were the circumstances in which the two boys Yasir and Hamid were growing up. Needless to say, Esup couldn't afford to send the boys to school so they remained uneducated. Whilst their childhood was not an easy one they always had the support and companionship of one another. They would spend every waking moment with each other and found their own escape from their daily tribulations in each other's company. While their parents knew how close the two brothers were, they didn't realise just how close until the boys reached the age of seven. It was during this time that an incident occurred which shed light on the depth of the connection they shared.

One day, Esup heard Hamid screaming. He jumped out of his bed and found the boy doubled up holding his left hand in pain.

"What's the matter, son?" He picked Hamid up in his arms and kissed him on his cheek.

"It's my thumb Baba. It's hurting me."

Esup looked but saw nothing wrong with the thumb. Zarsanga having heard the screams also came to see what was going on. She looked around,

"Where is Yasir?" She asked panicking.

Then, without waiting for a reply she rushed out the door. A few minutes later, she returned holding Yasir screaming in her arms. Yasir's left thumb was bleeding and Zarsanga was applying pressure to it.

"What happened?" Esup asked.

"Yasir injured his thumb." She said continuing to apply pressure to the thumb. Soon the bleeding stopped and so did the pain with that Yasir stopped crying and so did Hamid.

"How is the pain?" Esup asked Hamid.

"It's better now, Baba" Hamid replied.

After the panic was over, Esup asked his wife.

"What happened? How did you know Yasir was hurt?"

Zarsanga put Yasir on the floor.

"Well, in the last few months I have noticed that somehow these two share some sort of a connection with each other". She said with a motherly smile.

"What do you mean?"

"Well you saw it. Yasir hurt his thumb and in turn Hamid felt the pain. That's why I rushed out to see if Yasir was okay."

"You didn't mention this before."

"No, I didn't because I didn't want to worry you."

After a few minutes of silence, Esup turned to Zarsanga and asked,

"Have you mention this to anybody else?"

"No, I haven't. People here might not understand."

Esup nodded in agreement. They had no understanding at this time of the phenomenon of twin telepathy.

"Do you think we should tell someone?"

"Like who?"

"I was thinking of Adam Khan"

Adam Khan was the only highly educated man from Khomasa having completed his masters in philosophy. He taught graduate students in Parachinar College.

"What if he tells others?" Zarsanga asked.

"He is a professor and responsible."

"Okay then, talk to him."

After the boys went to bed, the two of them sat and talked about the twins for a long time.

* * *

A few days later when Esup finished a job in Parachinar, he saw Adam Khan having a cup of tea at a roadside café.

"Asalam o Alaikum, Adam Khana."

"Walaikum. How are you, Esupa?"

"I am fine, thank you. I was lucky to find a job today. I just picked up a few things from the market for the family. I'll be heading home now."

"Why don't you sit down and join me for a cup of green tea?" asked Adam Khan.

Esup with slight hesitation sat down in the chair next to him. Adam Khan asked for another cup to be brought for Esup and then poured him some tea. Esup sipped his tea while Adam Khan watched him closely.

"What is it" his gaze made Esup uneasy.

"Nothing. I was just thinking you are a hardworking man and I don't see a future for you in Khomasa."

"What do you suggest I do?"

"I don't know. What do you think?"

"To be honest, I am really fed up of living the way we do. I feel so helpless and it pains me to see my wife and sons having to go without food on the days that there is no work available."

"Why don't you leave?"

"Leave?" He responded sarcastically. "And go where? I don't have any place to go to. I have no money."

There was a slight pause in the conversation before Adam Khan asked.

"How old are your two children?"

"Around six or seven." He didn't know their exact age. It wasn't unusual for parents not to know the exact age of their children as birthdays were not commonly celebrated in the culture.

"They are twins. Aren't they?"

"Yes, they are." Then, he thought for a while. "Adam Khan, you are a wise and educated man. Can I ask you something?"

"I don't know whether I am wise but yes go ahead ask whatever you want"

Esup thought for a while then said, "The other day, something very strange happened."

Adam Khan looked on inquisitively. Esup seemed hesitant. "You don't have to tell me if it worries you."

"It doesn't worry me." Esup said, "but promise you will not laugh at me."

"Try me" Adam Khan smiled.

"Is it possible for two people to share an unusual connection to one another?"

"What do you mean?"

Esup told him about the incident with the twins. Adam Khan listened to him with a furrowed brow and then lifted his head and replied.

"The explanation you get will depend on who you ask. Some would put it down to coincidence and others might tie it to the working of the Unknown."

"But what do you think?"

"I have studied parapsychology, so I don't believe it was a coincident"

"Parapsychology; what is that?" Esup asked.

"Well it's a complicated topic but let me explain it as simply as I can. Feel free to interrupt if you have any questions."

Esup nodded his head and listened intently.

Adam Khan told him of how he had read about how some twins could communicate with each other from far off places and how they could feel each other's pain similar to what happened with Yasir and Hamid. Not just that, it is also said that identical twins can feel each other's emotions as well. They seem to be able to sense if one or the other is in danger.

Esup was amazed at Adam Khan's depth of knowledge.

"I have read, that it has something to do with them sharing the same egg that's how they have the same thought patterns, intelligence levels, likes and dislikes etc." He looked at Esup and carried on. "I don't know how strong the bond between Yasir and Hamid is but in some cases the bond is so strong that they are able to tell what the other is thinking or even finish each other's sentences."

"I really don't know. I just got to know about their strong connection the other day by chance when Yasir injured himself. I had not noticed it before.

"I see. But anyway, the psychologists call it telepathy" "The what?" Esup asked with confusion.

Adam Khan laughed.

"It is the ability to communicate thoughts or ideas from one mind to another without words"

"Oh, I see." He nodded his head pretending to understand what he had just heard.

"It has something to do with the bond between souls and their vibrations."

"Vibrations?" Interrupted Esup, becoming a little impatient in his quests for answers.

Adam Khan explained how souls exists in a state of different vibrations and how everyone's soul vibrates a little differently. But the souls of identical twins have similar vibrations which make it easier for them to remain connected beyond the physical world. He said there is even scientific research to support the theory that identical twins share identical brain wave patterns.

"Do you understand what I am saying?"

"Not fully, but I get the gist"

"Well, the gist is enough for now"

Adam Khan smiled and carried on talking.

"It is that bond which makes one twin aware of the other. To put it simply, they are akin to soulmates. Whilst their link is most likely down to their shared genetics, such connections are not limited to twins. Some have reported the phenomena in couples, where a deep love and empathy is shared between them. Such is the intensity of their love that a form of psychic link is created that can transcend different spiritual realms."

Esup scratched his head. He was trying to absorb what was being said but was clearly still puzzled, so he asked,

"So, will they both be exactly alike?"

"Well not really, no. Despite the telepathic links, identical twins develop their own personalities. In fact, even the term identical can be a bit misleading – just because they look the same it doesn't mean they are the same."

They talked for a long time over several cups of green tea. And Esup left the conversation feeling a little less worried about his sons.

One day, Esup came back from Parachinar empty handed. His wife saw he didn't have any provisions with him. She hugged him gently and whispered in his ear.

"Don't worry, it is Allah's will. I saved some food from last night which should be enough for Yasir and Hamid"

He met her gaze with eyes brimming. He wanted to tell her how grateful he was to her, but he knew if he tried to talk he would break down so instead he tenderly squeezed her hand, kissed her on the forehead and silently left for the mosque.