All that remains
In the absence of conservation scientists, skilled artisans and craftspeople preserving the mausoleum of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro in Dadu is one daunting task
By Dr Shabnam Bahar
Having travelled extensively, as an inquisitive student of anthropology with a quest to learn about exotic peoples and cultures, I have had the opportunity of visiting many exciting, less-frequented places heritage sites throughout Pakistan. These valuable encounters have given me the impetus to write on heritage and how to preserve it.
A similar quest led me to take a trip to the mausoleum of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro, in Dadu district, which is part of the necropolis that has about 100,000 graves and about 60 tombs. Two equally curious researchers, one of whom was a local and was proficient in Sindhi, accompanied me. Our guide to this trip was the knowledgeable custodian of the shrine, Mian Allah Buksh.
It was a cloudy morning when we all left Khanpur to see the necropolis and shrine of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro. The area is known as Kachho. The half-hour drive on a narrow dirt road was an amazing journey of learning and discovery. The breathtaking landscape, starting with lush green fields on both sides to slowly converting into a desert-like terrain as we drew closer to the shrine, was really once-in-a-lifetime experience for me.
On our way we stopped at many villages or Goths, as they call them in Sindhi – like Goth Abdullah, Kali Mori, Goth Piplan, Goth Jattan, Goth Taro Arain, Peelo Patan and Goth Sathal Saand. Here we got a glimpse of the local culture and people.
We were welcomed at the site by Mian Allah Buksh. As we entered the shrine many women and children got together to sing the typical Sindhi shrine lyrics, with frequent and loud resonation of the word Allah to-haar Allah to-haar, Allah to-haar, meaning, with trust at Allah. Local musicians played sarood and other folk musical instruments to entertain their city guests.
Once inside the shrine, the many ghalafs (cotton or thread sheets) on Mian Nasir’s grave, as thrown traditionally on the grave of saints, were taken off for us, a rare courtesy extended to visitors.
A lonely woman who looked distraught and psychologically disturbed was seen clinging to the shrine throughout the time that we spent there. She probably had come from some distance to get the blessings of her Pir Nasir, as locals call him. The shrine faqirs believed she was possessed by spirits and tried to chase them out of her by chanting in Sindhi language to invoke the mercy of Pir Nasir, but not to much success. But, the woman did not utter a word during this process.
This initial excitement of the local shrine culture, and of my long haul from Islamabad to Dadu and further up to Kachho area to study the necropolis of Mian Nasir Muhammad, was dampened as we got out of the shrine and started the long walk towards the huge necropolis – the dilapidated state of most of the tombs and graves inside the necropolis and more so to observe the senseless methods of restoration applied on these magnificent pieces of our heritage was indeed regrettable.
As I have had a chance to visit various heritage sites in the US and Canada, so I naturally started comparing the two sites: in terms of their use, treatment and maintenance. There they are promoted as tourist attractions and the money generated from this commercial endeavour goes into their upkeep and maintenance. Here, the callous apathy and indifference of our people as well as the government towards our heritage sites and the shameful lack of interest in preserving them makes my heart ache.
The appalling state of these rich treasure troves of our past is a nagging reminder that they need to be saved and protected for the future generations. Unesco has already declared many of them as World Heritage Sites and many others are on the waiting list. Having personally witnessed the decay and disrepair of numerous heritage sites over the years, and reading about the dismal condition of many others, has really goaded me to highlight this serious issue.
One is shocked to see the shoddy quality of restoration and conservation work done on the tombs of the necropolis of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro. Mere funds and finances for restoration and conservation are not enough – Pakistan needs more education and training in this highly specialised field to produce conservation scientists, skilled artisans and craftspeople who could carry out proper restoration work if we really want to preserve these sites.
The need of the hour is that the issue of conservation and preservation of these crumbling heritage sites in Pakistan be accorded the central focus and attention that it deserves. Undoubtedly, with so many heritage sites waiting to be preserved and restored, it is a highly daunting task, a great challenge for the Department of Archaeology (under the Antiquities Act 1975) in collaboration with international bodies like Unesco, IUCN and the other organisations.
US Ambassador, Anne W. Patterson, recently announced a grant worth $149,000 for the conservation and restoration of three sufi shrines in Punjab, under the Ambassador’s fund for cultural preservation.
While commitment and funds are vital for any preservation project, Pakistan is also in desperate need of proper restoration and preservation education and training; to produce professionals who can take up this very skill-oriented job of restoration of historical sites. The assistance of Unesco, CCI (Canadian Conservation Institute), ICCROM ((International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) and other similar organisations should be sought to address this huge task at hand so that the crumbling (world) heritage sites of Pakistan can be appropriately and adequately preserved.
Re: All That Remains!
The appalling state of these rich treasure troves of our past is a nagging reminder that they need to be saved and protected for the future generations."
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