Suri-era well still serves villagers

People, animals use stairs to reach water level

KHUSHAB:

A well built about five centuries ago in Sher Shah Suri's era near a village for the welfare of local people still provides them freshwater.

There is a mountains on three sides of the well near the Khora village.

Stairs were built in the well with sandstone to descend to the water level.

Talking to The Express Tribune, local resident Malik Shabeer Awan said ruler Farid Khan, known as Sher Shah Suri, had ordered the construction of the well, which was still present in its original condition. Khushab was also named by Suri. "When he passed through here with his convoy, he drank the water here, liked it very much and said Khush-Aab, meaning pleasant water. That's how this area got the name Khushab," Swan said.

The ruler always traveled with his caravans and wherever he stayed overnight, he always built rest houses, roads and wells. When he passed through this area, he constructed a road from Kathwai to the village of Ochai through Gosar valley and built the well in Khora.

Another local man, Malik Ikram Afzal, said a similar well had been constructed in Parwan Bacharan. Six gates and about 50 stairs were constructed. "Along with humans, animals, even elephants and horses, could also drink water through the stairs," he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2023.