There’s something very liberating about a motorbike. It has given me access to areas of Karachi which I would not have thought of going ever, let alone in a car.
This Sunday, out of the blue, the crocodiles (or is it alligator?) of Mangopir (https://goo.gl/maps/ZTceiLzjUpBCyJieA) came to mind, so off I set on my little US70 at 1145am. Instead of a 40 minute (as per Google Maps) ride, it took me over an hour to get there … all along getting dehydrated in the sun’s heat (even though I kept sipping my backpack water cooler). The going was all fine & dandy till I came to the Naya Nazimabad project- and there the roads were hell. Potholes filled with either sewage water or the previous days’ rainwater; clay-like mud; and no wind to cool the face in the helmet!
The end result was my clothes & shoes were a complete mess & my bike had changed colour to ‘brown’!
It was a pleasure to see the crocodiles in their enclosure. We can crib all we want that animal protectionism doesn’t exist in Pakistan; and this & that; but at this Sanctuary, the crocs are fed, taken care of AND revered.
As an aside- Karachi has so many tourist attractions … if only we can fix the infrastructure to make them easily accessible ☹ to us.
Returning, I decided to do so from the Hub Dam road & Northern Bypass … BIIIIIG mistake! The sun was just too hot and there was no wind. The water I was drinking most probably wasn’t replenishing the dehydration enough.
The Mangopir Road (leading northwards to the Hub Dam Road) was never ending. Eventually, I saw a “PEPSI” sign at a roadside Dhaba and just had to stop. I was panting away from the heat and dehydration. AFTER a 45 minutes rest, two 7-Ups, a full litre of cold water and sucking on a lemon, I was refreshed enough to set on again. I truly bless the dhaba people for looking after me and letting me rest under the fan.
At 3.15pm I finally reached home into the comforts of an a/c!
Last weekend we were invited by our friends Danilo & Antonella on Karachi’s Super Savari tour – imagine, a couple of foreign visitors inviting us Pakis to explore Karachi, instead of the other way around 😊! (I was born in this City but have not seen its history or heritage … very sad!)
It was a very short ride and not the usual 5 hours because their other guests had other engagements on that afternoon.
What we saw, though, was MIND BOGGLING (and I mean that in the most positive sense).
We started our tour of Quaid-e-Azam Mohd Ali Jinnah’s Mazar (Mausoleum). The main area above was so clean, peaceful and cool, in spite of the hot sun bearing down around us. The last time I ever visited Quaid-e-Azam’s Mazar was in the ‘70s, as a ‘wee kid’.
This was followed with a tour of the Museum below. Now, this is something Pakistani’s must see. In 53 years, I have not seen this type of personal history of the Quaid, his wife Rati and his sister Fatima Jinnah. Photographs are not permitted however on special approval we managed to get one shot of Rati’s bedroom.
(Incidentally, Rati’s history is almost nonexistent in Pakistan’s history or textbooks 🤔🤫)
What was mind boggling was the extent to which these treasures and history was preserved by the Mazar and it’s trustees. I thought I was in some European museum, with the presentation, preservation, level of ……. Which we experienced in the Musuem. I was truly proud of how, if we put our mind to it, preserve our history, dynasty, culture, etc. If nothing else as to the current state of our Country, at least these three founders of Pakistan can rest in peace knowing that their history will live into posterity.
The Quaid’s 1938 Packard and another one have been completely restored by “National Motors Ltd”. It is amazing to see the level of detail and restoration we have put into preserving his legacy. Personal effects, photos, paintings, etc from Quaid’s collars to coins to his clothes, etc were on display- immaculately preserved.
… A TRULY PROUD MOMENT FOR MY WIFE & I.
Due to change in schedule, we then made our way to Quaid e Azam House Museum aka Flagstaff House (his residence in Karachi) opposite Avari Towers. That’s another “WOW” experience for me! The Quaid’s furniture from India had been brought, restored & preserved here.
Again, I thought we were walking through some foreign Museum. Here too were two cars on display which had been completely renovated- but were actually Fatima Jinnah’s cars.
(Aside- if any of these cars are on the road today, they structure would make mincemeat of any other vehicle which accidentally “bumps” into it 😊)
There are two other places with with this detail of preservation of Karachi (& Pakistan’s) history –
In ending, what I am trying to say is that why cannot Karachi recreate its lost history and culture? There has been some attempt recently of uplifting places (like the Kharadar walking street, etc). I Am Karachi and others try to their bit. However, the majority of our 1800s and 1900s buildings & structures lay crumbling and decrepit; exteriors of old mansions (‘Duarte’ for instance) lie in shambles; the history of Old Karachi (Maripur, MA Jinnah Road, etc) are forgotten. This is not something only the private sector can do.
This can only start if the various of levels of administration starts taking OWNERSHIP of this City!
We Karachiites are foodies! So, when we received a circular for a Bohri food night, we jumped at it, on the roof of TDF “Ghar” (“house” in Urdu)- super dinner, pleasant weather, outstanding view of Quaid-e-Azam’s Mausoleum, typical Parsi loudness and laughter, great service by our Bohri hosts & excellent value for money!
Mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Mohd Ali Jinnah
However, what was just as interesting was TDF Ghar- one of the old, pre-partition houses in the old city of Karachi, wonderfully restored by TDF. Quoting from TDF’s history –
“TDF Ghar was built in 1920-30’s. This house was initially owned by a Hindu woman, Haribai Motiram, which she sold in April 1948 to Hajiani Hanifabai for her daughter Aisha Bai Dawood in June 1948 as a residence.
In April 1961 the House was donated to The Dawood Foundation. In 1965, Ahmed Dawood established Hanifa Hajiani Haji Gani Vocational Training Center for Women. The training center used to enroll over 150 students per batch and train them in typing, cooking, sewing, painting, hand & machinery embroidery and English language.
TDF Ghar is open to all to promote informal learning spaces in Karachi. TDF Ghar is based on a self-sustainability business model- revenues generated from rentals and tickets is re-invested in the upkeep and development of the Ghar.”
With a small café on premises, we experienced families, youngsters & groups socially interacting with each other; playing board games; reading; using the library. It was an amazing experience. It was surreal finding such an oasis in bustling Karachi!
Kudos to The Dawood Foundation for yet another public service to the citizens of Karachi … and Pakistan!
We live in a City but hardly go to visit the sites therein…and Karachi has plenty to see!
So, off we
went some years back to see Manora’s Lighthouse and St. Paul’s Church, both located
in the Karachi Harbour and both which we pass regularly when sailing.
This is not only the
second oldest lighthouse (1889) of the British Raj but, we were told, ONLY one
of two lighthouses in the WORLD which are still cranked by hand (and not
battery operated). The other lighthouse is
apparently in Chennai, India.
There is still a
lighthouse keeper … and every 50-odd minutes, he has to physically crank the
lever that rotates the light, dusk to dawn!
CrankLighthouse steps
Hats off to the
Karachi Port Trust in maintaining this iconic structure and the traditional art
of operating the lighthouse successfully for the last 130 years.
The
still-active 1865 Church, St. Paul’s, stands adjacent to the Lighthouse – and
maintains a weekly Mass every Sunday for the Christian residents of Manora
Island.
According to https://www.ibiblio.org/lighthouse/pak.htm, the British captured
Manora in 1839 and made it their initial base of operations in what is now
Pakistan. The lighthouse & Church
are located on the southeastern tip of the peninsula facing the Arabian Sea.
Not only was this our first visit ever to both these legendary icons but a first for us on Manora Island itself.
Dinshaw Avari- Trying my Hand at Blogging! 