Other side of the sea: Animals at Bhitt Island have their first and last boat ride

Residents transport their sacrificial animals on small passenger crafts which charge them Rs500 per trip.

KARACHI: Muhammad Arif held his terrified cow, with four others helping him, in a small passenger boat. He had spent the whole day at Sohrab Goth looking for an animal to sacrifice on Eidul Azha.

He paid Rs500 to transport the beast to his home on Bhitt Island, which is located shortly beyond Keamari and is only accessible by boat.

Boats leave for Bhitt Island between dawn and dusk. “At about 6 pm the when the water level rises, we can load the animals,” Arif elaborated.

The island is a mile long and half a mile wide, and is home to around 25,000 people. Every year the people ferry nearly 1,000 sacrificial animals over.

The island was named after the famous Sufi saint, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. Its residents believe that when the saint broke his journey  for Hajj, he saw a group of thirsty cattle on the island. He gave them water and the animals dispersed. Bhittai decided to turn back because he thought that if he fulfilled his desire to see Makkah, then he would not stay devoted to God. Hence, the island came to be called Bhitt Island, after the saint who turned back from here.

Abdul Sattar, 50, who is also known as Captain Sattar, explained how he celebrated his Eidul Azha. “On the first day, we rest after Eid prayers and sacrifices,” said the fisherman. “Then on the second day we go to the city to meet our relatives and on the third day we go somewhere to have fun.” Most of the fishermen return home from their  trips at sea while the rest will be back by sundown to spend Eid with their families, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th,  2011.