Ranikot….The World’s Biggest Fort

Importance:

Ranikot Fort is the world’s main and biggest fort with a circumference of about 29 km or 18 miles. Since 1993, it has been on the list of unsure UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Location:

It is situated in the Kirthar Range, about 30 km southwest of Sann, in Jamshoro District, Sindh, Pakistan. It is approximately 90 km north of Hyderabad. Fort Ranikot is located in Lakki Mountains of the Kirthar choice on the right side of the mighty River Indus at a distance of about 30 kilometers from the present day town of Sann. A mountainous ridge, Karo Takkar(Black Hill), running north to south, forms its western boundary and the ‘Lundi Hills’ forms its eastern boundary. Mohan Nai, a rain-stream enters the fort from its rarely used western ‘Mohan Gate’, where it is guarded by a small fortification, changes its name to ‘Reni’ or ‘Rani Nai’ or rain-stream and gives the fort its name. Ranikot is thus the ‘fort of a rain stream’ – Rani. It runs through it, tumbles in a string of turquoise pools to irrigate fields and leaves the fort from its most used ‘Sann Gate’ on the eastern side. It then movements about 33 kilometers more to enter the Lion River – Indus.

Structure:

Most of the twenty kilometers long wall is made of natural cliffs and barricades of mountainous rocks which at places rise as high as two thousand feet above sea level! Only about 8.25 km portions of its wall are man-made, built with yellow sandstone. This was first measured on foot by Badar Abro along with local direct Sadiq Gabol. As one enters the fort, one can find hills, valleys, streams, ditches, ponds, pools, fossils, building structure, bastions, watchtowers, ammunition depots, fortresses – all inside Ranikot, adding more to its beauty and mystery. A spring budding from an underground water source near the Mohan Gate is named as ‘Parryen jo Tarr’ (the spring of fairies).

According to a saga told by the local inhabitants, fairies come from far and wide on the Ponam Nights (full moon) to take bath at this spring near ‘Karo Jabal’! Splashing sounds of water falling on the rocks can be heard at another spring, Waggun jo Tarr or “the Crocodile Spring”, named so as crocodiles once lived there.

Bridge:

Within Ranikot, there are two more fortresses – Meeri and Shergarh, both have 5 bastions each. Meerikot takes its name from the word ‘Mir’ meaning top (for instance the peak of a hill, chief of any Baloch tribe, etc.). Both the main Ranikot and the inner Meerikot have similar entrances – bowed, angulated with a safe tortuous path. “The bridge in front of Ranikot resembles to a smaller bridge in front of a fortress in Verona, Italy” writes Ishtiaq Ansari, the writer of ‘Sindh ja koat aaein qillaa’ (Forts and Fortresses of Sindh) and a affiliate of Sindh Exploration and Adventure Society. From the military point of view, Meerikot is located at a very safe and central place in the very heart of the Ranikot with inhabited arrangements including a water-well.

Beside the Mohan Gate and the Sann Gate, there are two more gates, rather pseudo gates. One is towards the side of ancient town of Amri. This ‘gate’ is called the ‘Amri Gate’. Certainly it takes its name from the prehistoric ruins of Amri, but it must have taken this name much later than the times of Amri as the fort itself doesn’t appears to be as old as the Amri itself. In statement there is a bridge over rain stream ‘Toming Dhoro’ exiting from the fort called ‘Budhi Mori’. The breach in fort wall due to the river stream has been referred as a gate. Similarly, the Shahpir Gate to the south also appears to be a pseudo gate taking its name from a limestone rock with a rough shape of foot imprinted on it. The sacred footprint supposedly belongs to Hazrat Ali or some other religious personality and is venerated by locals. It seems to be a later breach in the fort wall instead of a formal gate because one can’t find any defender or watchtower or their remains at the site, needed to guard any proper entrance or exit points.

Mosque:

A mosque found in the fort appears to be a later alteration of a watch tower or a later construction. Scattered animal skeletons and prehistoric fossils can be found on the top of Lundi Hills. One of the three graveyards has about four hundred graves made of Chowkundi like sandstone with engraved motifs of sunflowers and peacocks. Whether we can call them as thermophilic and phytomorphic motifs is an open question. Another one appears to be a graveyard of Arabs. The third one, about a mile away from the Sann Gate, had sixteen or seventeen graves earlier but now there are only four graves. The local inhabitants call it the Roman’s graveyard.

HISTORY:

Who constructed it first and why? Is an riddle yet to be resolved by researchers. Some archaeologists attribute it to Arabs, possibly built by a Persian decent under the Abbasids by Imran Bin Musa Barmaki who was the Governor of Sindh in 836 CE. Others have not compulsory a much earlier period of construction attributing to at times the Sassanians Persians and at times to the Greeks. Despite the fact that a prehistoric site of Amri is nearby, there is no trace of any old city within the fort and the there structure has little evidence of prehistoric origins.

Archaeologists point to 17th century CE as its time of first construction but now Sindh archaeologists agree that some of the present structure was reconstructed by Mir Karam Ali Khan Talpur and his brother Mir Murad Ali in 1812 CE at a cost of 1.2 million rupees (Sind Gazetteer, 677).

Talismanic Wonder:


Ranikot is the most talismanic wonder of Sindh. Visible from five kilometers away its massive undulating walls twist and dip over the hills. With the circumference of more than twenty nine kilometers, its walls, built with dressed sandstone and reinforced with 45 bastions along the outer wall, of which 7 are rectangular and the remaining are round. All modified through the ages to accommodate the use of gunpowder, this perhaps makes it the largest fort in the world. Who constructed it first and why? Is an enigma yet to be resolved by researchers. Some historians attribute it to Arabs, built by Imran Bin Musa Barmaki, the Governor of Sindh in 836 A.D., some to Sassanians, and some to the Greeks or Romans and some to the Persians, and some even to the Great Wall of China! Though the prehistoric site of Amri (Aamri) is nearby, and fossils and animal skeletons are found inside the fort on the Lundi Hills, there is no trace of any old city inside the fort. The present structure doesn't appear to be 'prehistoric'. Some historians point to 17th century AD as its time of first construction but most agree that some of the present structure was constructed or reconstructed by Mir Karam Ali Khan Talpur and his brother Mir Murad Ali in 1812 AD at a cost of 1.2 million rupees (Sind Gazetteer, 677).

Bhambore… is the name of the city tinkles the renowned love tale of Sassi and Punnu.

Introduction:

Bhambore, is the name of the city tinkles the renowned love tale of Sassi and Punnu. The passage of time has left the city in ruin but the everlasting love of Sassi and Punnu has recorded its name in all historical travel permit of the subcontinent.

Location:

Sindhi is the ruins of the ancient port city of Debal from the 7th century, located near modern Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, at the base of the Indus River. The ruins are located in the region of 60 km between Dhabeji and Gharo on the N-5 National Highway. Its population was mainly Hindu with a Buddhist minority. It is largely known for the ruins of a castle destroyed by Muhammad bin Qasim during the invasion of Sindh and—on a different note—the legendary love story of Sassi Punnu.

Bhambore signifies the trading links between Arab and South Asian nations of its times. The new city of Bhambore came into being because pirates had kidnapped a ship. A plea was filed with the Arab rulers in Baghdad (then a major economic and military power) to rescue the people from the kidnapped ship. When diplomacy failed to release those people, an expedition was sent to the area under the command of Muhammad bin Qasim . With better-quality military might and planning he was able to make an amphibious landing and establish his presence here. One of the reasons cited for the success of this trip is the sorrow of the Buddhist population; it is believed they may have helped the coming invaders.

Bhambore was later abandoned due to a change in the river's course. Substantiation of earthquakes and regional invaders is also cited as an explanation for the population's movement away from the area and the crumbling of the castle. The former river delta is now a creek.

History:

The old name of Bhambore was Deibal. It is whispered to have been built by Alexander the Great in 325 BC. However, no bona fide record of the early history of Deibal is found anywhere. The only reliable sources of its history are the ruins of the city. Experts divide the history of Deibal into three periods i.e., the Scytho-Parithan Period (starting from the 1st century BC), the Hindu-Buddhist Period and the Muslim Era (ending in the 13th century AD).

The Scytho-Parithan Period coincides with the fall of Greeks and rise of Buddhism and Gandhara Civilization in ancient Taxila. The Scythians and Parthian were intruders from the west. They defeated the Greeks but could not retain their dominance for a long time. They captured Taxila and settled in many places like Bhambore. The antiquities, especially pottery, of this period show great influence of the Greek civilization. The Scytho-Parithan Period was followed by the Hindu-Buddhist Period. Bhambore became an important center of religious activities in this era. The remains of Shiva Temple suggest that Bhambore was once an important middle of Hindu civilization in Sindh. However, the city remained aloof from main political and enlightening stream until 712 A.D.

This was the time when India was indulged in gloom and unawareness. There existed political and social bedlam in the country. The mighty state of King Ashoka had broken into fragments. India was divided in small states of Kashmir, Kanuj, Asam, Nepal, Sindh, Bengal and Malwa in south, Chalukyas, Cholas and Pallavas in north and many ship states. Deibal was one of them. It was ruled by Raja Dahir.

Once it so happened that a band of sea pirates plundered a fleet of ships passing through the Indian Ocean. They captured many Muslim women as well. The ships were transport some Arab families from Ceylon to Iraq. The news reached Hajjaj bin Yousaf, the governor of Baghdad. He asked Raja Dahir to release the prisoners and castigate the pirates. Dahir showed ignorance of the incident and refused to take any action. In fact, he used to support the pirates and rebel tribes. They created disturbance in Muslim occupied areas of Makran and found refuge in Sindh. Raja even paid them for looting trade caravans and innocent citizens. Dahir's reply aroused the anger of Hajjaj. He sent Ubaidullah and then flower ail to get back the Muslim prisoners from Dahir but these expeditions failed when they had to face armed forces. Hajjaj now decided to launch a full fledge military expedition. He sent Muhammad bin Qasim along with 6000 cavalrymen, 6000 camel riders, 3000 camels loaded with baggage and five catapults.

Muhammad bin Qasim reached Makran in the spring of 712 A.D. Haroon, the governor of Makran provided him a badge of fresh soldiers. Some Jets and Meds also joined the army due to their discontentment with the Hindu rulers. Daibul was the target. The Muslim army dug trenches round the fort of Daibul and fixed their catapults. The siege continued for three days without any response from the Hindu army. A local man advised Muhammad din Qasim to pull down the red flag of the fort. Qasim used Al-Uroos, the best catapult of his armaments, to knock down the flag. The Hindus took it for a bad omen and immediately surrendered. Raja Dahir lost his life. His wife, Rani Bai, performed ritual suicide by throwing herself into fire. The Muslims passed victoriously through the city and captured the whole Sindh. Sindh became the gateway of Islam (Bab-e-Islam). Thus, Bhambore can exactly be called the birthplace of Islam in the sub-continent.

This was the beginning of the new period. The Muslims were admirable generals and rulers as well. They established a new society based on the principles of the Holy Quran and Sunnah. A large number of Hindus embraced Islam. The Arabs extended their rule over large parts of Sindh. Bhambore was given to local chiefs. However, the Muslim rule did not last long after the death of Muhammad bin Qasim. Somehow, the Muslim rule in Bhambore continued during the days of Umayyad and Abbasid line. The city disappeared in 13th century due to some indefinite reasons.

Historical Sites:

Bhambore remained unknown for a long time until General Cunningham excavated its remains for the first time in 1910s. Henry Cousins and then N. G. Majumdar from the Archaeological Survey of (British) India continued his work. However, they did not find it worthwhile to explore the site. After independence, Leslie Ad cock of the Pakistan Department of Archaeology worked for a succinct time on limited excavations. He too abandoned his work very soon. Consistent work started in 1958 for the next eight years. These excavations brought a wealth of knowledge abut the broke city.

Stature:

The present site of the town consists of a bastion. It is 610 meters in length and 365 meters in breadth. Once, the town was classified within the boundaries of the citadel. However, the growth of population caused the town to expand north and eastwards outside the citadel. The deep trenches laid inside the citadel reveal three different periods of history i.e. the Scytho-Parithan, Hindu-Buddhist and the Muslim Period. The earliest period appears in the pieces of pottery recovered from the position. These pieces are exact imitation of Greek pottery. The second period is reflected in ruined temples. The most chief of them is Shiva Temple, which is made of mud-bricks. Traces of Muslim Period can be seen on stone sculptures, ceramic works, terra cotta specimens and inscriptions in proto-Nagri style.

Once, the town had a self-protective wall made of boulders and blocks of limestone. It was supported by circular bastions at regular intervals. There were many gateways in the wall as well. One of them opened at the waterside. Remains of an waterfront and broad steps point out the city being a port in past. Inside the citadel, there are remains of a mosque. This was, undoubtedly, the first mosque of the subcontinent. The features of the mosque resemble the Jamia' Mosque of Kufa built in 670 A.D.

Others antiquities improved from the site are shell and ivory objects, pendants in terra cotta and semi-precious stones, iron objects, pottery and Kufic inscription of the Muslim era. These matter clearly show that Bhambore was a modern city of its time. Human skeletons, rubble of buildings and layers of ashy charcoal and stones indicate some natural calamity or war that destroyed the city forever in the 13th century. Most in all probability, it was during the invasions of King Jalal Uddin Khawarizm Shah of Afghanistan that the city was demolished ceaselessly. Today, a little museum preserves coins, pottery and other objects recovered from the site.

Nothing can endure the way of time. The city has vanished but the never-ending lovers of Bhambore will always remind us of this land of love.

Legend of Sassi Punnu:

Sassi was the daughter of King Adam Khan of Bhambore. At her birth, the astrologers predicted that she was a curse for the noble family's prestige. The king ordered that the child be put in a wooden chest with a 'taweez' (amulet) tied on her neck and thrown into the river Chenab. The chest was seen buoyant by Atta, a poor washer man. The washer man believed that the child was a blessing from God and took her home and adopted her as his child. Many years passed by and the king did not have another child. He strong-willed to marry again. He had heard the tales of the beauty of Sassi so he summoned her to the palace.

Sassi was still exhausting the amulet, which the queen mother had put in the region of her neck. The king recognized his daughter immediately on seeing the amulet. The pent-up sufferings of the parents flowed into tears. They wanted their lost child to return to the palace and bring joy and brightness to their lives. However, Sassi refused and preferred to live in the house where she had grown up.

Sassi did not go to the fort but the king presented her with abundant gifts, lands and gardens where she could breed and blossom like a flower. As all the rare things of the world were within her reach, she wanted to acquire knowledge and sent for cultured teachers and scholars. She made sincere efforts to increase her knowledge. During this time, she heard about the trader from Gajni, who had a garden with a gravestone, the inner portion of which was enriched with exquisite paintings. When Sassi visited the place to offer her tributes and admire the rich art, she instantly fell in love with a painting, which was a masterpiece of heavenly creation. This was the portrait of Prince Punnu, the son of King Ali Hoot of Kech.

Shewan Sharif ….Is city is known for its patron saint Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (RA).

Who was Pir Lal Shahbaaz Qalander?

Pir (Saint) Lal Shahbaaz Qalandar was born as Syed Muhammad Usman in 1177 Marwand, Iran. His Father Syed Ibrahim Kabiruudin was a dervish and his mother had a royal lineage. From a very young age boy Usman showed a deep religious inclination. He became a Hafiz (One who has memorized The Holy Koran) by age of seven. He got himself initiated into Qalandria sect of Sufism. ‘Qalandar’ are Sufi who live in indigence and are peripatetic. As a Qalandar he roamed throughout Middle East and came to Sindh.

He befriends three other Sufi saints and henceforth the quartet is known as ‘Chaar Yaar’ (four friends). They became the pioneers of 13th century Sufi association. The other three friends were Baba Farid Shakar Ganj of Pakpattan [1174-1266] (popularly known as Baba Farid); Jalaluddin Bukhari of Uch- Bahawalpur [1196-1294] and Bahauddin Zakaria of Multan [1170-1267].
He reached Sehwan the settle of learning and customs in Sindh. Sehwan is one of the oldest cities in Sindh. During the reign of Guptas, Sehwan was the capital of a Buddhist ruler who was brother of Chandragupta II (also Known as Vikrmaditya), the third of the Gupta dynasty in the 4th century AD.

As per the legends, the fakirs in Sehwan sent him a bowl of milk filled to the brim indicating that there was no room for anything more. But surprisingly, he returned the bowl with a beautiful flower buoyant on the top. This legend spread far and wide by the time of his death in 1274, after living a good span for 97 years. In Sehwan he lived at the outskirt of city inside a tree trunk for 6 years. He spread his teachings and preached religious tolerance between Hindus and Muslims.

What is the meaning of world Lal?

He was called ‘Lal’ (red) because of his red attire, ‘Shahbaaz’ due to his gracious and divine spirit that soared like a falcon higher and higher in the limitless heavens. Also it is said that he saved his friend Farid Shakar Ganj from the gallows by becoming a falcon. ‘Qalandar’ since he belongs to Qalandria order of Sufism and was saintly, exalted and intoxicated with love for eternal being of God.

The Hindus regarded him as the incarnation of Bhartihari, the saintly brother of King Vikramaditya (Whether this Vikrmaditya was same as Chandragupta II, I am not clear), who is believed to have worshipped Shiva at the venue where Lal Shahbaz's shrine is to be found with.

Location:

The town of Sehwan is 300 Kilometres’ about five hours drive from Karachi on Indus Highway, which forks right of Super Highway just before Hyderabad at Jamshoro past University of Sindh. The city is known for its patron saint Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (RA) who lived here in 13th century AD. Now, his Mazar (tomb) stands there. It is beautiful and amazing, but it is new. Government of Pakistan pulled down the primeval tomb to build this new one. The main reason was space. The old tomb arrangement was too small for such a giant crowd.

It is possible that the name Sehwan originates from "Siwistan" or "Seevistan", the empire of Raja Dahir which even extended to Punjab under the name "Shivi". It was momentous enough during the 8th century to be conquered by Muhammad bin Qasim in 711 CE, and two centuries later by Mahmud of Ghazni. An abortive attempt was made by the Mughal sovereign Humayun to take into custody it on his way to Umarkot but it finally fell to his son Akbar.

Temple:

There is a temple nearby which belonged to a Hindu Raja and was naked recently. It provides a good outlook of the town from the top. Therefore, the places where Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (RA) stayed, prayed, performed miracles are all preserved to this day. Don't think that government of Pakistan has done whatever thing for them. It is the love of all people who cherish the recollections of great saint that endures and that has led to all this preservations.

Festivals:

Ashura 9 and 10 Moharram 1st Month of Islamic calendar (it varies according to moon sightings in Pakistan). The shia community mourn in the memory of the family of the Prophet Mohammad PBUH. The devotes torture their bodies to get a feel of the vast pain the family of the holy prophet had due to the cruelty of the Yazid (A Muslim wanting to be the Muslim political leader then).The major festival however is rather colourful and devoid of blood splitting. It is the Urs Sharif of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (RA), and like Moharram, the dates vary due to moon. Check out with PTDC information center when you are in Pakistan. And they will guide you.

Battle of Shewan:

The Battle of Shewan was a military appointment between Coalition forces and Taliban insurgents that took place on August 8, 2008, near the village of Shewan in Farah Province, Afghanistan

On the 8th of August 2008, two squads of U.S. Marines from Golf Company, 2d platoon, 2nd Battalion 7th Marines, one 81 mm mortar side, an unidentified element from 1st scouting Battalion, three squads of Afghan National Police led by Police Sergeant Major Hadji-Kadadoud, one U.S. Army PMT Advisor Sergeant First Class, and a DynCorp advisor, were ambushed by approximately 200-250 Taliban guerrilla fighters armed with small arms, rocket-propelled grenades(RPG), and 81 mm mortars. After fifteen hours of combat the Marines prevailed, driving the Taliban into the mountains.

Song:

O laal meri, pat rakhio bala jhoole laalan, Sindri da Sehvan da, sakhi Shabaaz kalandar, Dama dam mast kalandar, Ali dam dam de andar

(O red Robed,Jhulelal,The sire of Sehwan in Sindh,My friend Shahbaaz Qalandar,You are in my every breath,And every breath is as strong as Ali,Please have your benign protection on me.)

Chaar charaag tere baran hamesha, Panjwa mein baaran aayi bala jhoole laalan
Sindri da Sehvan da, sakhi Shabaaz Qalandar, Dama dam mast Qalandar, Ali dam dam de andar
(O sire of Sehwan in Sindh,Jhulelal,My friend Shahbaaz Qalandar,Your shrine is always lighted with four lamps, And here I come to light a fifth lampYou are in my every breath,And every breath is as strong as Ali,)

Sehwan sharif dian unchiya galiyan heth waghey daryao bala jhulelanSindri da sehvan da sakhi Shabaaz Qalandar, Dama dam mast QalandarAli dam dam de andar
(O sire of Sehwan in Sindh,Jhulelal,friend Shahbaaz QalandarYour abode Shewan sharif has lofty roads,And river flows beneath itYou are in my every breath,And every breath is as strong as Ali)

Keenjhar Lake...it is to be found in Dadu district

Introduction:

The army is everywhere! Even out here, in this remote, lakeside picnic spot 125 kilometers north of Karachi, there’s no on the run them. In this case though, they have done something positive for the community. And it has nothing to do with power or politics. They have developed a new, cheerful, small resort, with four well furnished warm one-room cottages with attached modern bathrooms, and a large dinning hall cum TV lounge. The thatched roofs of these cottages blend seamlessly with the nearby fishermen’s village on Keenjhar Lake, and is a welcome adding up to the dilapidated, well designed but hopelessly managed Keenjhar Lake Recreational Complex (KLRC) which is under the supervision of Sindh Tourism Development Corporation. The army cottages are called Desert Hawks Resort, even if the name makes no reference to the huge body of water right under its feet.

History:

It was a great relief for the caged and isolated inhabitants of the mega-city of Karachi, where going out of town for a short overnight stay is an alien concept (unless, of course, you can afford to fly to Islamabad or Dubai).

Back then, when KLRC was inaugurated, it looked like a promising beginning of a chain of weekend resorts a couple of hours drive from Karachi. sMiserably, it degenerated into a derelict concrete structure with broken windowpanes and stray dogs. Part of the reason for the decay was the political unrest during the late 80s and early 90s, accompanied by rampant highway robberies and kidnappings throughout the Sindh province. The other part of the explanation is the typical management style with which government services are run.

The Desert Hawks Resort is more gifted and safe. With some self-sponsored security activities, the vast Keenjhar Lake, which is a valuable source of fresh water for Karachi, offers a truly peaceful and relaxing weekend sojourn away from busy Karachi. Efforts are being made to restore the lakeside ‘cabanas’, as they are called, and the restaurant building which is part of the complex. The banks of the lake have been reinforced, and motorboats, as well as colourful paddleboats have been introduced to make the place more lively and interesting.

During winter months the lake attracts several species of wandering birds. Although hunting is barred officially, it is quite common. I found the method of hunting rather cruel. Fast motorboats take the hunters profound into the lake, close to the mini islets around which flocks of birds assemble. Then as soon as the boats sneak near enough to the birds, pointed stones are hurled at them, which wound or kill some. The ‘casualties’ are then collected by the hunting party and brought to the shore. Some of these hunted birds are sold in the nearby Thatta village.

Location:

At an attitude of over 5,000 ft (5,866 ft to be exact), it is to be found in Dadu district, a few hours drive from Karachi. Benazir Bhutto took a helicopter ride to this cool plateau dotted with wild olive trees when she was prime minister, to invest the Gorakh Hills Development Plan. Typically, the event amounted to nothing more than copy on the Khabarnama for the politicians and the bureaucrats.

Thatta

Introduction:

Once a famous center of learning, arts and commerce and provisional capital for about four centuries in the past, Thatta is an historic town of 22,000 inhabitants in the Sindh province of Pakistan, near Lake Keenjhar, the largest freshwater lake in the country. Today, it is notable for the Jamia Masjid built by the Moghal Emperor Shah Jehan, and the Makli Tombs (15th - 17th centuries), a vast necropolis spread over 15.5 km², depicting exquisite specimens of architecture, stone carvings and glazed tile decorations. Makli is truly the place where history starts to speak about its immaculate past and the legends and myths it has undertaken.

Location:

Thatta is only 100 Kilometres from the metropolis of Karachi and proximately 100 Kilometres from Hyderabad. Thatta is probably Rome of Pakistan but unfortunately due to the central government's policies and lack of education in locals this city as less known now just as much know was it in the past.

Thatta's has probably largest number of monuments listed among the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. It was the abode of the Alexander the great as well as a city favoured and inhabited by the scholar’s poets and rulers.

History:

The city, formerly commanding the delta of the Indus, was the capital of Lower Sindh from the 14th century. During the ruling period of Soomro Tribe Thatta was the capital of Sindh for 95 years. Between 1592-1739, it was governed in the name of the Mughal emperors of Delhi. In 1739 however following the Battle of Karnal the province was ceded to Nadir Shah of Persia, after which Thatta fell into neglect.

Thatta may be the site of ancient Patala, the main port on the Indus in the time of Alexander the Great. Salutation has caused the Indus to change its course many times since the days of Alexander, and the site of Patala has been subject to much conjecture. Ahmad Hasan Dani, director of the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilisations, Islamabad, concluded: “There has been a vain attempt to identify the city of Patala. If ‘Patala’ is not taken as a proper name but only refers to a city, it can be corrected to ‘Pattana’, that is, city or port city par excellence, a term applied in a later period to Thatta, which is ideally situated in the way the Greek historians describe”.

Sights:

Thatta's monuments include the Jama Mosque (also Shah Jahan Mosque and Badshahi Mosque), built by Shah Jahan in 1647-49 and lined with glazed tiles. This edifice has 101 domes and is designed in such a way that imam's voice can reach every corner of this building without the help of any loudspeaker or other device. There are also the tombs of Jam Nizamuddin, Satihoo Seven Soomro Sisters (reigned in 1461-1509), several Tarkhan rulers and Mughal officials. A vast old necropolis with thousands of graves may be found at the nearby Makli Hills.

Thatta is historically an important region of Sindh which has served as a centre of literature, religious ideologies and socio political clashes. Makli, the heart of interior Sindh is counted among one of the largest necropolis in the world. Located a few kilometers away from Thatta. Makli is a vibrant archaeological site in Pakistan; it covers about 15-1/2 square kilometres. The mausoleums and [[tombs in Makli are one of the greatest ruins of Sindh and also dictate a lot about Sindh's communal structure from 14 to 18th century. Apart from the mausoleums of Jam Nizam al-Din and Jan Beg Takhan, Makli has undertaken a lot of Sufis, warriors, poets, intellectuals. The artistic monuments at Makli show proof of Islamic ideologies and the Hindu mythology.

The huge graves are made of solid rock and the mausoleums of the sun baked brick with different kinds of Quranic verses embossed on them. Another historical landmark that resides in Thatta is the Shah Jahan Masjid built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. This mosque was built on the orders of Shah Jahan, for the people of Thatta because they welcomed him with open hearts when his father died.

The Shah Jahan Mosque is a great example of highly defined tile work. In total this mosque has 33 arches and 93 domes which are of different sizes which add the flavour to its beauty. White and Blue tiles of glowing texture have been put together in such a manner that it looks like a beautiful mosaic. The most surprising fact about this mega structure is that unlike other Mughal buildings such as Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, this building has negligible amount of pink sandstone in it. The characteristic that makes this mosque unique is that it has no minarets in it and it only has one dome which lies in the central prayer hall.

The 2010 Flood:

In August 2010 Thatto was one of the worst affected districts of Pakistan as a result of devastating floods. The sea was on high tide when flooded river water reached it multiplying the damage manifold. By August 28, 175,000 people had left their homes camping on the main road under open sky. The effected still wait for the aid which comes in heaps and travels all the way to Islamabad and never seems to be coming.

Irony of Thatta is that donations from Karachi are also not reaching Thatta although it being only 100 Kilometres instead it goes straight to the South Punjab or noshehra.

Mahanjo-daro

Introduction:

As a result of this extensive work almost one-third of the area of the old city was exposed, revealing for the first time the remains of one of the most ancient civilizations in the Indus Valley. Typical of most large and planned cities, Mohenjo-daro had planned city streets and buildings. The settlement was thought to house roughly 5,000 people, and had houses, a granary, baths, assembly halls and towers. The city was divided into two parts, the Citadel included an elaborate tank or bath created with fine quality brickwork and drains; this was surrounded by a verandah. Also located here was a giant granary, a large residential structure, and at least two aisled assembly halls. To the east of the citadel was the lower city, laid out in a grid pattern. The streets were straight, and were drained to keep the area sanitary. The people of the city used very little stone in their construction. They used two types of bricks- mud bricks, and wood bricks, which were created by burning wood. They used timber to create the flat roofs of their buildings; there are brick stairways leading to the roofs of many houses. Some houses were small, and others were larger with interior courtyards. Most had small bathrooms. Potter’s kilns, dyer’s vats, as well as metalworking, bead making, and shell-working shops have all been discovered. The people were good at irrigation and flood control. However, when the Indus River changed its course around 3700 years ago, the civilization died.

All Indus valley sites including Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, were built according to a grid pattern plan. Each city had broad parallel streets which crossed each other to divide the city into compact rectangular blocks, and had an advanced and extensive drainage system. In addition to it's numerous other achievements Mohenjo-daro and other Indus sites made extensive use of baked brick (unlike the sun-dried brick typical of Mesopotamian civilization), which gave greater durability to all of its buildings.

Structure:

Defensively Mohenjo-daro was a well fortified city. Though it did not have city walls it did have towers to the west of the main settlement, and defensive fortifications to the south. These fortifications taken into consideration, as well as a comparison to the Harappa ruins to the northeast, lead to the question of whether Mohenjo-daro was an administrative center. Both Harappa and Mohenjo-daro share relatively the same architectural layout (Harappa is less well preserved due to early site defilement), and were generally not heavily fortified like other Indus Valley sites. It is obvious from the identical city layouts of all Indus sites, that there was some kind of political or administrative centrality, however the extent and functioning (and even the placement and type) of an administrative center remains relatively.

Location:

Mohenjo-Daro was a city located in the south of Modern Pakistan in the Sind Province, on the right bank of the Indus River. It was built between four and five thousand years ago, and lasted until 3,700 BP. It was part of the Harrapan Civilization, and the city had at least 35,000 residents. Mohenjo-Daro means “mound of the dead”. The city was approximately one square mile in size. In 1922-1927 large scale excavations at Mohenjo-daro were carried out by R. D. Banarjee and continued by M. S. Vats and K. N. Dikshit under the direction of Sir John Marshall. E. J. H. MacKay carried out further excavations from 1927 to1931. Sir Mortimer Wheeler made small excavations in1950.

Civilization:

Mohenjo-Daro represent the earliest civilization in the region, called the Indus, or ,civilization, dating to approximately 2500–1500 b.c.e. Excavation of the Indus civilization began in 1921 under the direction of Sir John Marshall. It is the best-preserved city of the Indus civilization.

Its name means the “Mound of the Dead” because the center of the town is an artificial mound about 50 feet high surrounded with a brick wall and fortified with towers. The mound also had a great bath 39 feet by 23 feet, flanked by a large pillared hall, small rooms, and a granary. A well-laid-out town lay below the citadel with streets running in a grid pattern oriented to the points of the compass. The town was divided into wards according to function, such as areas for shops, workshops, and residences. All buildings were made with baked bricks of uniform size. Besides private wells in the courtyards of two-story individual residences, there were also public wells at street intersections. Covered sewers disposed of waste. There was also a cemetery where graves were neatly oriented in the same direction. There were no palaces or royal cemeteries.

Seals:

Inscribed seals found at Mohenjo-Daro and other Indus cities show pictographic writing, to date undeciphered. So few characters are inscribed on each seal that they would not give much information even if they were deciphered. Thus despite a high-level material culture, the Indus civilization is still considered prehistoric. The absence of palaces and royal cemeteries and the presence of a ceremonial bath and great hall lead specialists to guess that a college of priests ruled. The abundance of small female figurines indicates a fertility cult. The uniform-sized bricks throughout the Indus Valley and nearby regions lead to speculation that some kind of government supervised the entire area; hence the name Indus Empire is also used to describe this civilization.

In Mohenjo-Daro archaeologists have discovered an advanced metal-using culture (bronze and copper), where people used wheel-made pottery vessels, wove cotton cloths, lived under a well-organized municipal government, and traded among one another and with other cultures. Indus seals have been found in Mesopotamia and lapis lazuli, a semiprecious stone used by Indus artisans, is mined in Afghanistan. Conditions in Mohenjo-Daro deteriorated around 1700 b.c.e., shown by hoards of buried jewellery and precious objects, pots and utensils strewn about, evidence of fire, and at least 30 skeletons scattered about indicating that the people were trapped and died or were killed. Whether natural disaster or invaders caused the final disaster, the city was abandoned; hence, posterity’s name Mound of the Dead for its ruins. Mohenjo-Daro is the best preserved of the Indus civilization cities excavated to date.

The mound at Mohenjodaro consists of two distinct features: the Great Bath and the Granary or Meeting hall. The Great Bath is a sunken tank on the top of the mound, the tank measures 12 meters long, 7 meters wide and is sunk 2.4 meters below the depth of the mud bricks. The Great Bath is one of the first aspects of Indus Valley life that can be related to modern Hinduism. The Great Bath may also be related to the concept of River worship, much like the worship of the Ganges today. Mohenjodaro is situated between what use to be two separate rivers it was almost an island. This would have made the rivers a very important resource for the city itself, it would have depended on it for most things: trade, transportation and its way of life. It has been suggested that the people of Mohenjodaro were concerned with ritual purification, much like some Hindus of today. This conclusion draws strength from the existence of the Great Bath on the top of the Citadel and a small stone structure that has been excavated at the great staircase leading to the Citadel. It has been suggested this building was a bathroom for ritual cleansing before you entered the Citadel, as there is a well and drainage system in the building.