Thatta - Ancient City of Pakistan

Abdullah Khan

Thatta is a city in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the capital of Thatta District and will be the capital of the announced Banbhore Division.

Some suggested the name derived from the word Thab implying the closeness of population, while others find its origin in the common word Thatta, a crowd or assembly of people.

It is located at the Latitude of 24°44′46.02″ North and the Longitude of 67°55′27.61″ East. It is located 100 km (62 mi) east of the provincial capital of Sindh, Karachi, it makes for a practical escape for people from the city seeking to visit the picturesque old town.

History

Thatta may be the site of ancient Patala, the main port on the Indus in the time of Alexander the Great.

The city was destroyed by Mirza Jani Beg in the 16th century During the ruling period of the Samma dynasty, Thatta was the capital of Sindh for 95 years. Between 1592 and 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 as the Indus River started to silt up.

Between 1652 and 1660, the Dutch East India Company had a small tradingpost (comptoir or factory) in Thatta. This competed with the English one, which was established in 1635 and closed in 1662. A second British factory was set up during the Kalhora period, in 1758, which lasted until 1775. In the early 19th century Thatta had declined to a population of about 18000. To the Arabs, it was known as Dibal and the remnants of the brick wall from the Mirza Isa Tarkhan period were still visible at that time.

Best Tourist Destinations in Thatta You Must Visit

People from around the world visit Thatta to delve deep into history and marvel at the intricate carvings on stone and tiles that adorn the historical buildings. Let us take a look at some of the best tourist destinations in Thatta in detail.

Haleji lake
Makli Graveyard
Keenjhar Lake
Shah Jahan Mosque
Sonda Graveyard

1) Haleji Lake

Haleji Lake is an ideal refuge for wintering, home to thousands of birds, and is regarded as one of the most important wintering areas of migratory waterfowl in Eurasia.

It was a small saltwater lake, which was converted by the British Government into a freshwater lake by constructing a feeding canal from the River Indus during World War II.

The main water reservoir covers an area of 6.58 Sq. miles and the maximum depth being 17 feet.

Haleji Lake is a bird watcher's paradise. As many as 223 bird species have been recorded in the environs of Haleji Lake which include Osprey, Pallas's fish eagle, Buzzards, Harriers, Falcons, Wigeon, Coot, Shoveller, Pintail, Teals, Mallard, Heron, Jacana, Flamingos and sometimes Bewick's swan.

Haleji Lake is also one of the major sources of water supply to the increasing population of Karachi. The best time to visit the lake is from November to February.

2) Makli Graveyard

Makli, the heart of interior Sindh is counted as one of the largest necropolises in the world and located a few kilometers away from Thatta. The vibrant archaeological site covers about 15-1/2 square kilometers. It is said to be the resting place of more than a million people including various nobles, saints, scholars, soldiers, etc belonging to the different eras.

The necropolis has a unique style of graves, which are beautifully decorated with glazed tiles or made in a building-like structure. Quranic verses are embossed on the graves of saints whereas, the graves of warriors have a craving for weapons.

3) Keenjhar Lake

Kenjhar Lake or Kalri Lake is located in Thatta District about 122 kilometers from Karachi. The depth of this lake is around 26 feet, about 24 kilometers long and 6 kilometers wide. The river is Pakistan’s largest freshwater lake.

To supply fresh water to the people of Karachi and Thatta District, two lakes were formed by the union of lakes named Sonehri and Kenjhar. This jheel is considered an important place for wildlife as it is a favorable place for the habitat of winter birds like ducks, geese, flamingos, cormorants, herons, coots, and guls.

Noori Tamachi, a beautiful fisher girl and the wife of Sindh ruler Jam Tamachi is associated with this lake. Her tomb is in the middle of it and is a source of attraction for tourists.

4) Shah Jahan Mosque

The Shah Jahan Mosque, also known as the Jamia Masjid of Thatta, is a 17th-century building that serves as the central mosque for Thatta City.

The mosque was built during the reign of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. As a token of gratitude, Shah Jahan bestowed the mosque to the city. The mosque is considered to have the most elaborate display of tilework in South Asia and is also notable for its geometric brickwork.

The best feature of this mosque is its unique dome design which circulates sound all over the mosque without any need for loudspeakers. More than 20,000 people can offer prayers in this mosque at one time.

5) Sonda Graveyard

Sonda graveyard is situated on the east side of the National Highway, 14 km (9 miles) beyond the entrance to Keenjhar Lake. It is famous for its Chaukhandi-style tombs. Almost all the tombs are decorated with a carving of a horse and rider, or jewelry.

In March 2004, some thieves had taken precious carved stones from the decades-old graves of the historical Sonda graveyard.

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Thatta - Ancient City of Pakistan