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Shikarpur-The City of Gates
Noor-ul-Ain Siddiqui |Monday 10 February 2020|
2k18/MC/118
Castles and forts sound intimidating and speak power
but what if we come across with the same castle in a complete different
condition? The city Shikarpur was guarded by seven gates and a
window and it is said that all these gates and the window got closed just as
the sun set. The city was planned and well developed in terms of infra
structure and its underground drainage system. The hydrants were hired who used
to wash the streets and clean the drains with disinfectants; they also lit the
streets with lanterns. It was a sight to see when people gathered at the
autaaks to mingle and have their meal together.
Shikarpur was a hub of trading during the 17th
century and was called as Emerald City. The
city was recognized for its hospitability, culture, civilization, architecture
and clothing, hand looms and embroidery. People of Shikarpur were tolerant and
peace loving. This city has important roots of trading because it was near
Bolan Pass and two national highways interconnect the city.
Almost 4 centuries back, Shikarpur was quite modern
for its time because of the infrastructure, trading and people’s interest in
education. Shikarpur was commercial and financial base in the British rule,
Central Bank of India established one of their branches in Shikarpur in 1940s.
It is famous for its educational institutes; Shikarpur has the honor to have
the first degree college in the country.
It wasn’t called “Paris of Sindh” for any reason.
People of Shikarpur were fond of hunting as it was a
famous hunting ground and had a place called “Shikargah”. The city got its name
from the famous sport of hunting; the word Shikar’s literal meaning is to hunt.
It is because of the dense forest near Shikarpur.
Shikarpur is a district and it has its three sub
divisions known as Garhiyasin, Lakhi Ghulam Shah and Khanpur. The downtown of
the city is decorated with a clock tower which is build with the red stone by
the Bajaj family in 1935. There is a famous bazaar which is covered by teak wood
roof which is known as Dhak bazaar which is a marvel for the visitors because
of the eye catchy architecture. It was said that Shikarpur had eight beautiful
gardens but now only the Shahi Bagh is in a good condition. The civil hospital
of Shikarpur has an interesting history itself, it was built by a Hindu
philanthropist Rai Bahadur Udhodas Tarachand, also known as RBUT hospital and
he was very down to earth person that he wrote his name on the marble footsteps
of the hospital so the patients could step on his name so he could earn the
reward, there was a statue of Rai Bahadur that was later shifted to university
of Sindh and placed in the Sindhology department’s museum.
Every city or country has their specialty when it
comes to their food and cuisine so as Shikarpur. The famous food items are the
kulfi falooda, Dewan sweets and ice creams and the famous pickle. Haji Maula
Bux Memon and Sikander pickles are the most famous pickle manufacturing
companies. The pickles of Shikarpur are famous across the world and are in great
demand which is something people look forward to while visiting Shikarpur,
pickling is a home based business.
The significance of this city is because of the gates
which act as the guardians of the city, these doors are Lakhidar, Hathidar, Siwidar,
Wagnodar, Karandar, Khanpuridar, and Hazaridar. It is said that these gates
were used for different purposes such as trading and transport. It is said that
Hathidar was used for the entrance of elephants that carried goods and Lakhidar
was linked to the road which leads to an area known as Lakhi. Today, Lakhidar
and Hathidar are considered as the commercial and food street of the city.
The interesting information I gathered from my
grandfather, who has spent his childhood and got his education from this famous
city, my grandfather told me that he himself has experienced glory and fame of
this city and witnessed its golden days, he says there was a thick brick wall
at Hathidar and was very long but then people occupied it and made their houses
over there. As we have our home at Nabi Shah Mohalla, my grandfather says that
adjacent to our mohalla there was a pond of fresh water where people used to
take a bath and in the evening, it was used for boating. My grandfather also
used to boat there and says the boats were made of wood log and attached with
four drums which floated the surface. At that time, there were separate areas
for women who used to come there for bath and had separate bathrooms as well but
after partition the pond became dry and authorities cut its connection with the
canal.
As a child my grandfather has very funny and
interesting experiences in the streets of Shikarpur, as there was an area near
Nabi Shah Mohalla known as Kafla Qila where traders from Iran and Afghanistan
used to stay at night, they came along with camels loaded with dry fruits and
clothes, my grandfather along with his friends and cousin used to go there at
night and steal the dry fruits and run away and the pathan traders chased after
them.
From reviewing this glorious history of the famous
city Shikarpur and seeing the current condition of the city, it is a complete contrast
from the past. The past was magnificent in every way and the present is the
requiem of those glories. It was after 1947 riots Shikarpur was populated with
the rural majority and it started to decay and lost its beauty.
As I have spent a decent amount of time in this city,
it was very disappointing to see the city in its bitter form, you won’t experience
the same energy which was present in the old times, and the city is quite dull
now. There is no check and balance, no care of streets and buildings collapsed
because of no maintenance, wood got stolen from these historical remains, now only
skeletons are left of these sights.
The drainage system is destroyed, no hydrants are
there now to look after the streets, and encroachment is there and for this
reason street become narrower. There is no sign of gates, the city is unguarded
now.
We do not value things which we have and when they are
lost, we lament over them and remember the past which is gone and only remains
are left, same is with this poor city which has seen its golden days, now is
decaying. It is ruined by its own sons and dwellers from those who got shelter once
in the city now left it on its own.
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