Footloose, NOS, The News International
A necropolis on its death bed
The crumbling and denuded carved stone structures at Makli get a new life… as these were about to be scratched off from the list of the world’s heritage site and put on
the list of endangered site
By Zofeen T. Ebrahim
One of the world’s largest necropolises at Makli in Thatta has been given “a new lease of life,” says Yasmeen Lari, heading The Heritage Foundation, after the provincial government of Sindh was able to buy some more time and assure United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) and the International Council of Sites and Monuments (ICOMOS) that it will “come up with tangible results” to protect the old burial ground.
Situated at a distance of about 98km from the southern port city of Karachi, these ruins, some 600 to 700 years old, where some 125,000 ancient local rulers and sufi saints lay buried, is spread over approximately 10sq.kms. These were to be scratched off from the list of the world’s heritage site and, instead, put on the list of endangered site.
Pakistan has eight historic sites that are of global importance. These are ruins of Taxila and Moenjodaro, Takht Bahi, Sri Behlol, Rohtas fort, Makli necropolis and the Lahore fort and the Shalamar Gardens.
The latter two have already been declared endangered for not being properly maintained.
The crumbling and denuded carved stone structures at Makli that tell tales of the political and social life of the rulers of Sindh now remain ravaged by elements of nature and man.
“It would have been embarrassing for the country, had this happened and would have signified that the country is not putting in any resources or effort into a site that is globally of such importance,” said Lari, talking to TNS.
The Sindh government’s department of culture, with support from The Heritage Foundation (THF) has recently initiated a conservation programme on site. As a first step, THF is working to mark each and every structure atop the Makli hill to prepare an inventory.
Without baseline information, pointed out Qasim Ali Qasim, the provincial archaeology department director, an appropriate conservation plan cannot be envisaged.
“It is also for the first time that we are asking for expression of interest from all quarters to submit a design for comprehensive master plan for Makli,” he told TNS, adding: “After the devolution of power last year the culture ministry was shifted from the centre to the province and with it the cultural properties, there has been seen a renewed interest in protecting culture and heritage. There is a definite sense of ownership.”
Lari’s organisation has documented some 61 monuments amid the half-million old graves from the Samma (14th century) to the Mughal period (early 18th century). Their inventory is now in its finishing stage.
“There are scores of new graves that have come up in recent years as well as shrines and this new construction needs to be stopped immediately,” said Lari. Keeping in mind the sensitivity of the local people to this burial place, certain area may be earmarked where the locals may be allowed to bury their dead instead of burying them anywhere and thereby disturbing the heritage.
But she adds: “What’s gone is gone. It is imperative the ruins be treated as ruins and the tombs, the domes and graves not rebuilt to look fake. Our efforts should be towards stopping further damage.”
In addition, THF has signed an MoU with Unesco and is surveying and documenting the damage wrought on, what Lari calls “the piece de resistance” of Makli — Jam Nizamuddin’s tomb.
“Our findings show that because there is no buffer to the strong south westerly wind, the brick work of the tomb has suffered extensively. Being on a ridge, Nizamuddin’s tomb needs to be stabilised soon,” she pointed to the huge dip atop which stood the tomb.
The same was observed by Qasim who said because Makli was on a high plateau the wind carrying sandy particles had a “boring effect” specially on stone structures causing erosion. He, however, was thankful, that the sub-soil was not affecting the tombs from below because it was dry.
Lari is insistent that plantation along the outward boundary would not only help stop the strong wind from damaging the tomb further, it would also stop soil erosion.
“But we need to be careful what kind of plants we grow. We must study old sources, research before any kind of conservation is carried out. We must know which indigenous plants were grown here if we are to recreate a bit of the past.” She hopes the place can come alive as it did in the past when people would come for pilgrimage.
The foundation is also trying to save another “highly-degraded and crumbling tomb of Samaa Noble One” through the Prince Claus Fund’s Cultural Emergency Response programme which provides “first aid to cultural heritage damaged by man-made or natural disaster,” informed Lari.
Sammas were the ancient rulers of Thatta, even before the Tarkhans, the Arghuns and the Mughals.
Among the recommendations made by the Unesco and ICOMOS team after visiting the necropolis, in May, was setting up three weather stations at different points at Makli to obtain data regarding wind velocity, humidity, temperature and precipitation.
“We are trying everything we can to accommodate whatever has been recommended in the report,” assured Qasim.
“Once the master plan is ready, we will be getting a boundary wall to stop encroachment, build the capacity of the present staff as well as employ more craftsmen, architects, archaeologists and conservationists and site wardens specially for Makli.” At the moment there is a staff of 50 and an additional 50 will be inducted soon.
At the same time, the department hopes to set up a conservation and exploration wing at the site, a tourist facility centre and have standard operating procedures in place.
