Shikarpur - My Hometown - Past and Present

I had earlier mentioned that my hometown is the city of Shikarpur. Hence it will be befitting to share some information about my city. This city is located in the interior of the province of Sindh, around 500km north from Karachi. When you go to your hometown it gives you a sense of belonging and makes you feel relaxed. Once it was once a dignified trade centre of great repute. Now aside from infamous spicy pickles and sindhi needlework, the town has only its past history to boast about.

This town was founded in early seventeenth century by Bahadar Khan Daudpotras whose family tree goes up to Abbasids. Mughal king Aurangzeb Alamgir conferred a vast jagir from Lakhi to Khanpur upon Bahadar Khan. The jagir area consisted of dense forest that was rich in wild animals. The forest was in possession of Mahars - powerful landlords' clan in Sindh. Reward of the area to the Daudpotras by the emperor triggered strife between the two sides that turned into a bloody battle between the Daudpotras and Mahars. Legend has it that after victory, Bahadar Khan Daudpotras was advised by a local saint to clear the forest that had been the cause of the battle and built a town on that land. Hence, the name Shikarpur meaning hunting ground. This is how Shikarpur came into being around 1617 AD.

I can assume only but Shikarpur had a reputation for its rich gardens. The Shahi Bagh, which stands neglected today, was known for its thriving vegetation and scented flowers. I have hear that at one time Shahi Bagh had a zoo with large population of lions, cheetahs, bears and wild boars. These animals were later shifted to Karachi Zoo. The garden had a wooden pavilion that was designed by Perston Phel and constructed by Sir W. Merewether in September 1871. Many other public and private gardens and open spaces of Shikarpur have vanished. These open spaces used to be meeting points where people used to gather for causal talk. It is probably the only city in the world which has a cricket ground in a park which also is a victim of neglect.

History has it that due to its strategic location on important caravan trade route of seventeenth century, Shikarpur turned into an eminent commercial centre. Due to its reputation in trade and commerce, in his notes R. Burten described Shikarpur as "the capital of merchants, money changers and bankers." With smart marketing practices, the Shikarpur merchants had built significant reputation and there was hardly any notable commercial town from Turkey to China that did not have dealings with traders in Shikarpur. There is also a long narrow market which is covered by bay wood and it is often seen as the pride of the city.

Later Shikarpur lost its glory especially after the partition the subcontinent when many Hindu merchants migrated to India. Later there was an increase in migrants from the rural areas into the city which started tribal feuds and today the city is plagued with corruption, illiteracy, unemployment and lack of development. Many other well-off people left to other cities such as Karachi. The rich history of Shikarpur is what i have heard from my family members. What i see is unplanned narrow streets with heaps of garbage, dense housing which have become unsafe for living, roads which have not being repaired for years, a broken sewage system, and lack of educational institutions, medical facilities and under-development does not allow it to be a city of the 21st century.

However, as i mentioned the hometown is a place where people know and respect you. Hence the moments that one spends in the hometown are truly priceless.