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From Karachi, we decided to take the national highway to Hyderabad, to see more of the major towns in this region of Sindh, rather than following the ‘super highway’, which is shorter but with hardly any towns or villages along the way.
The next day we arrived in the town of Gharo – where we were interviewed by journalists from a Sindh newspaper, and taken to visit a local private school of English, where a prize giving ceremony was taking place. We felt honoured and priviliged and humbled by the VIP treatment we were given!
On Day 104 we arrived in the Makli hills, just outside the large town of Thatta. The Makli hills are home to the largest necropolis in the world – with an estimated 500,000 graves, over a 16 sqkm area. Here in eternal sleep lie kings and queens, saints and scholars, philosophers and soldiers of a bygone era, in their magnificent tombs and mausoleums. Each is a masterpiece of the ancient art of stone carving and perforated stonework, as well as glazed tiles.
Here the local police inspectors gave us a guided tour of the several large mausoleums and tombs dating back to the 16th century!
That night we pitched tent in the confines of the police compound, and were just about to retire for the night when a busload of angry people arrived, all distressed and shouting at the local police. They had just been robbed at gunpoint by 5 armed robbers just outside the town, and the robbers had escaped into the jungle, under the cover of night. The passengers were angry with the police for not having the police van ready to go chasing after the culprits immediately – the van was on patrol and there was no other available. A while later the van finally arrived and the police accompanied with a number of the passengers went off in pursuit, rather late and futile. The robbers were never caught.
The next day we cycled on to Keenjhar lake – the second largest lake in Pakistan and a popular lakeside resort for the Karachi and Hyderabad jetset. We were kindly given free accommodation by the resort manager, who was best friends with the local chief police officer (SHO). Watching the sunset over the calm and serene lake was a magical experience, particularly since we would be landlocked from this point until Calcutta, some two months away.
The Legend of Keenjhar
The lake is associated with a hauntingly beautiful legend, which concerns the beautiful daughter of Raja Jasodan. The Raja’s orders were to cast away in the river any female child born to his wife. Fortunately the Raja was away when his wife gave birth to a girl, and the mother gave the baby to a fisherman living near the lake. The girl was so full of life that she was named Nuri (Holy Light). She was the most popular damsel in the area, until the cruel hand of fate struck her with leprosy. She was so depressed she left home, and wandered around in a state of utter dejection. A muslim saint, Pir Hoondal Shah took pity on Nuri and gave her shelter. She in turn served him like a dutiful daughter. The saint on his deathbed told Nuri to wrap herself in his old mantle and to bathe herself in the waters of the perennial spring, because she was destined to be the Queen of Sindh one day. Nuri did so, and miraculously she was cured of the scourge of leprosy. Nuri lost in the thoughts of her king wandered by the lake, wondering if her dreams would come true. Jam Tamachi was then the ruler of Sindh – one day while boating on the lake he caught a glimpse of Nuri, and it was love at first sight. He resolved to make her his queen. The graves of the king and the lady of the lake are today on an island the middle of Keenjhar lake.
