Royal graveyard at risk of being washed away

A historic graveyard in Sindh, which was once used by royal families of the province, is at the verge of destruction after a heavy downpour and subsequent floods.

Breaches in Nai Gaj River, together with incoming water from other streams, have made created big ditches in the graveyard. As a result, several tombs have been damaged and graves have been washed away.

According to historians, Mir Allahyar Talpur, who ruled northern Sindh, belonged to the Mankani branch of the Talpur dynasty. His father, Mir Manak Khan Talpur, had founded the Drigh Bala town in 1689, situated 45 kilometres west of Dadu city.

Sindhi writer Aziz Kingrani, who lives in the area, said that the tombs boast spectacular fresco and Mughal art, adding that the artists of the time have done a marvellous job by depicting the local culture of Sindh, especially the Kachho area, on the walls and roof of the tombs.

“The art inside the tombs portrays the folk wisdom, nature, terrain, the life of peasants, as well as Sindhi folklore, such as Sassi Punnuh and Suhni Mehaar. It is a heritage site and the government must take measures to protect it at all costs,” Kingrani said, adding that 1995 floods had wreaked havoc to all heritage sites in the area but no measures were taken to preserve the remains.

Area locals, who witness such adversities, particularly during the monsoon season every year, suggested that a strong wall must be built around the graveyard to save it from floods and rains.

“Not only this graveyard but many other heritage sites are found in the Kachho area, which is located in the lap of Khirthar mountain,” noted archaeologist Syed Hakim Shah Bukhari. He said that many other historical graveyards in the area, belonging to the Leghari, Jamali, and the Muridani tribes, also have beautiful tombs featuring magnificent fresco art.

Though the provincial government and the Pakistan Army claimed to have rescued the people stranded in the Kachho area during the floods, area locals said that the authorities only reached certain areas, leaving many flooded villages unattended.

When contacted, Sindh Antiquities & Archaeology Department’s Director-General Manzoor Ahmed Kanasro said that the department would send conservation teams to the graveyard soon to assess the loss that the floods have caused to the graveyard.

(Pictures by Aziz Kingrani)

Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th, 2020.