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From legend to science: The crocodiles of Manghopir
Manghopir is one of the oldest areas of Karachi. Situated in the north of this bustling, chaotic and sprawling city, it is most famous for the shrine of Sufi saint, Pir Mangho.
The unique bit about this centuries-old shrine is a vast pond and a sulphur spring. The pond is populated by dozens of crocodiles who are regularly fed by visitors to the shrine.
They believe the crocodiles are manifestations of the Sufi saint.
The shrine is mentioned in ancient texts from the area and also in the writings of 19th century British colonialists. According to some historians, the crocodiles have been here for centuries.
PAKISTAN
From legend to science: The crocodiles of Manghopir
NADEEM F. PARACHA — UPDATED 36 MINUTES AGO
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A pilgrim at the Mangho Pir shrine. —AFP
Manghopir is one of the oldest areas of Karachi. Situated in the north of this bustling, chaotic and sprawling city, it is most famous for the shrine of Sufi saint, Pir Mangho.
The unique bit about this centuries-old shrine is a vast pond and a sulphur spring. The pond is populated by dozens of crocodiles who are regularly fed by visitors to the shrine.
They believe the crocodiles are manifestations of the Sufi saint.
The shrine is mentioned in ancient texts from the area and also in the writings of 19th century British colonialists. According to some historians, the crocodiles have been here for centuries.
A group of 19th century British men and women feeding the crocodiles at the shrine.
Some archaeologists have claimed to have found fossilised remains of crocodiles here that are thousands of years old and some British colonial writers also suggested that they have been here for ‘thousands of years.’
Manghopir is also the patron saint of Karachi's boisterous Makrani/Sheedi community.
They are mostly the descendants of African slaves who were brought here by Arabs, Persians, Turks and the European invaders between 10th and 17th centuries. They are mostly Balochi-speaking Muslim working-class men and women with a passion for football, boxing, donkey-racing and dancing.
Every year the Sheedi celebrate their African roots at an annual festival at the shrine.
However, the festival hasn't taken place for the last couple of years, mainly due to the rise of street gang warfare in Karachi’s Lyari area (which is mostly populated by the Sheedi); and due to the creeping presence of religious extremist groups and militant outfits holed up in Manghopir.
A concentrated operation by the Rangers and the police in the city recently has, however, managed to largely clear the area of militant groups and the festival is expected to resume from this year onward.
The saint Mangho arrived here from Iraq in the 13th century when Iraq was being attacked by the Mongols. Mangho travelled from South Punjab and across the Sindh province and settled here (in present-day Karachi).
At the time Karachi just had a sprinkling of small fishing villages and the area in which Mangho settled to meditate was desolate. It was upon a hill and surrounded by palm trees.
He soon began to attract followers from the fishing villages. When he died, the locals constructed a small shrine of him at the spot.
Since the saint decided to live alongside the crocodiles, and maybe even shared his food with them, the locals weaved a fantastic legend that the crocodiles were actually lice which were turned into crocodiles by the miraculous powers of the Sufi saint.
Scientists and archeologists, however, believe that the area already had a lake/pond that held hundreds of crocodiles.
They suggest that the lake was formed due to an ancient flood and that the crocodiles were washed here with that flood.
Carbon-dating methods have placed the bones to belong to the Bronze age (3300-1200 BC). Archeologists have also discovered some copper artifacts with designs suggesting that a small Bronze Age village stood here thousands of years ago where people worshipped the crocodile.
The area was surrounded by heavy vegetation when the saint is said to have settled and died here in the 13th century.
Manghopir is one of the oldest areas of Karachi. Situated in the north of this bustling, chaotic and sprawling city, it is most famous for the shrine of Sufi saint, Pir Mangho.
The unique bit about this centuries-old shrine is a vast pond and a sulphur spring. The pond is populated by dozens of crocodiles who are regularly fed by visitors to the shrine.
They believe the crocodiles are manifestations of the Sufi saint.
The shrine is mentioned in ancient texts from the area and also in the writings of 19th century British colonialists. According to some historians, the crocodiles have been here for centuries.
PAKISTAN
From legend to science: The crocodiles of Manghopir
NADEEM F. PARACHA — UPDATED 36 MINUTES AGO
15 COMMENTS
A pilgrim at the Mangho Pir shrine. —AFP
Manghopir is one of the oldest areas of Karachi. Situated in the north of this bustling, chaotic and sprawling city, it is most famous for the shrine of Sufi saint, Pir Mangho.
The unique bit about this centuries-old shrine is a vast pond and a sulphur spring. The pond is populated by dozens of crocodiles who are regularly fed by visitors to the shrine.
They believe the crocodiles are manifestations of the Sufi saint.
The shrine is mentioned in ancient texts from the area and also in the writings of 19th century British colonialists. According to some historians, the crocodiles have been here for centuries.
A group of 19th century British men and women feeding the crocodiles at the shrine.
Some archaeologists have claimed to have found fossilised remains of crocodiles here that are thousands of years old and some British colonial writers also suggested that they have been here for ‘thousands of years.’
Manghopir is also the patron saint of Karachi's boisterous Makrani/Sheedi community.
They are mostly the descendants of African slaves who were brought here by Arabs, Persians, Turks and the European invaders between 10th and 17th centuries. They are mostly Balochi-speaking Muslim working-class men and women with a passion for football, boxing, donkey-racing and dancing.
Every year the Sheedi celebrate their African roots at an annual festival at the shrine.
However, the festival hasn't taken place for the last couple of years, mainly due to the rise of street gang warfare in Karachi’s Lyari area (which is mostly populated by the Sheedi); and due to the creeping presence of religious extremist groups and militant outfits holed up in Manghopir.
A concentrated operation by the Rangers and the police in the city recently has, however, managed to largely clear the area of militant groups and the festival is expected to resume from this year onward.
The saint Mangho arrived here from Iraq in the 13th century when Iraq was being attacked by the Mongols. Mangho travelled from South Punjab and across the Sindh province and settled here (in present-day Karachi).
At the time Karachi just had a sprinkling of small fishing villages and the area in which Mangho settled to meditate was desolate. It was upon a hill and surrounded by palm trees.
He soon began to attract followers from the fishing villages. When he died, the locals constructed a small shrine of him at the spot.
Since the saint decided to live alongside the crocodiles, and maybe even shared his food with them, the locals weaved a fantastic legend that the crocodiles were actually lice which were turned into crocodiles by the miraculous powers of the Sufi saint.
Scientists and archeologists, however, believe that the area already had a lake/pond that held hundreds of crocodiles.
They suggest that the lake was formed due to an ancient flood and that the crocodiles were washed here with that flood.
Carbon-dating methods have placed the bones to belong to the Bronze age (3300-1200 BC). Archeologists have also discovered some copper artifacts with designs suggesting that a small Bronze Age village stood here thousands of years ago where people worshipped the crocodile.
The area was surrounded by heavy vegetation when the saint is said to have settled and died here in the 13th century.
