Thatta - El Dorando of the East

Thatta is also called Thatto in local language. It is a town in Sind Province, ninety-eight kms (60 miles) East of Karachi, on the National Highway, just west of the Indus River and the Arabian Sea coast. Thatta was once called the El Dorando of the East. At one time Thatta was important for being Sind's capital city and as a center for Islamic arts. From the 14th century four Muslim dynasties ruled Sind from Thatta, but in 1739 the capital was moved elsewhere and with it Thatta declined. Thatta has a very rich heritage of Muslim architecture during the era of the 16th and 17th century. The history of Thatta goes back some 2000 years. It is now a mere vestige of its former greatness as 16th-century capital of the Samma dynasty in Lower Sind. It was Incorporated as a municipality in 1854.

It is believed that this was the place where Alexander the Great rested his legions after their long march. The remains of Thatta include the tombs, mausoleums and mosques. Some of them are in a good state of preservation. The remains of Thatta depicts their civilized sense.

The surrounding region includes the barren and rocky Kohistan area and the swampy deltaic land of the Indus. Sugarcane is the chief crop; camel breeding is significant. Nearby excavations reveal occupations dating from the first century B.C.

The Makli Hill

The Makli Hill near Thatta is the world largest graveyard spread over 15.5 sq. kms, having millions of graves. Here in eternal sleep lie kings, queens, Scholars, Philosophers and soldiers of a by-gone era-an era renowned for its culture and learning.

We can see the masterpieces of stone carvings over the gravestones and mausoleums. These grave stones and mausoleum stones represent the different era's and dynasties. There are monuments of Summa period (14th to 16th centuries), the Tarkhan & Arghun period (16th century), and the Moghul period (16th to 18th centuries). You can examine the minute and delicate workmanship on the tombs of famous Mughal governor's. The structure is strong and beautiful exemplifying its immaculate beauty. The main stone used in the construction of these monuments are; marble and granites which have a tendency to last for generation's. You could easily see a rhythmic construction in these monuments.

The largest and the most impressive tomb among the tomb's is the tomb of Isa Khan Tarkhan who died in 1644. Isa khan had constructed this tomb in his lifetime. After a partial completion of that tomb, Isa khan cut off the hand's of most talented craftsmen, so that no other emperor could engage them to copy the same monument again. Besides the most preserved monuments are, the tomb's of Mirza Jani Beg, Mirza Tughral Beg and Diwan Shurfa Khan.

Entering the necropolis from South, one can distinguish three main groups of monuments arranged in reverse historical sequence. The first to be approached are the monuments of the Mughal period including the tombs of Jani Beg, Ghazali Beg, Tughril Beg, Jan Baba, and others. The second group belonging to Tarkhan and Arghun period, includes the tombs of Isa Khan Tarkhan (the elder), Baqi Beg Tarkhan and Ahinsa Bai among others. And the third group on extreme north relates to the Summa period and comprises the tombs of Jam Nizamuddin, Mubarak Khan, Malik Rajpal and others. A visitor is immediately awestruck by the majestic structures and is led to believe that the graves are perhaps the trademarks of those buried under.

These monuments are either built in brick or stone. The bricks are dark red and so perfectly baked that when tapped they sound like metal, and are as brittle as glass. Enamel tiles have also been used lavishly to decorate the brick structures which reflect the age-old cultural ties with Iran. These are famous for exquisite carving and tracery -- or lace-work in stone -- using floral and geometric patterns.

Since the state patronised artisans, Thatta, which was the capital city of Sindh during the Mughal period, became a popular abode for them. Glazed tiles and building work was carried out by craftsmen from Persia and Central Asia who were influenced by the traditions passed on from ancient civilizations of Babylon and Nainnavah.

The foundations of these buildings are made of stone and thus have resisted the disintegrating effect of salts with which the soil of Thatta is saturated. Besides, the city was a seat of learning as historical accounts tell there were some 400 educational institutions located here where students from all over Asia and the Muslim world learnt religion, philosophy, politics and many other disciplines. Many of them were also buried at Makli necropolis.

Today, the only regular visitors of the place that otherwise is deserted are the snake charmers from the surrounding areas. They are there to make a living by entertaining scarce visitors with snake and mangos fights. On an average, they make Rs 30 to Rs 40 per fight that ultimately ends with the death of a snake. Jogi Lakhano, who has spent all his life at Makli, claims to have caught more than 6,000 snakes from the area. He showed a letter of appreciation issued by the district government to establish his claim.

Over centuries, countless visitors have confronted the silence of the graveyard and the prevailing sadness of the surroundings that have been clearly indicated in their observations. The feeling is summed up by Richard Burton in his book 'Unhappy Valley':

"Behind it is an infinite variety of mausoleums and sepulchres, many reduced to ruins by the earthquake's shock, many crumbling to decay beneath the touch of time; a few, but very few, preserved by the pious hands of descendants and disciples. Vaulted domes, arches, and towers; porticos, gateways, and vast colonnades, rise in apparently endless succession above shapeless mounds of ruins.

"We pass over the hill. Every now and then some strolling fakir, grim as the ruins amid which he stalks, frowns at the intrusion of the stranger, or a pariah dog barks as we approach, and then flies frightened by the echoed sound of his own voice. If we enter a mausoleum, the noise of our footsteps returned by the hollow ground, disturbs the hundred tenants of the porticos, the niches, and the projections of the domes."

Shah Jahan Mosque

3.22 km away from Thatta is the Shah Jehan Mosque, which is the masterpiece of mughal construction. This mosque was built by the constructor of Taj Mahal in 1647 A.D. Build towards the middle of the 17th century, this sets a glorious example of Muslim architecture and heritage. This mosque was build by Mir Abdullah under the order of The Mughal emperor, Shah Jehan. Shah Jehan mosque is a superb example of crafty tile work. Its 93 domes and 33 arches with varying sizes add to their architectural beauty. The domes have been exquisitely laid in a mosaic of radiating blue and white tiles. Thatta with so much offering poses to be a prime choice of visitors.