Lake Manchar: Which is neither fully alive nor dying!

[ghazi52]

Lake Manchar: Which is neither fully alive nor dying!

Abu Bakr Sheikh

Sometimes I ask myself why almost all of my writing is about settlements of desolation, ruin and misery. Why are they on the people who were thrown into the mill of poverty by the class system without any guilt.

I wonder why those mango trees are cut down for some form where for years and generations the parrots have been living in them, singing in their sweet language like honey and flying in the blue sky for their natural color. That nature left no stone unturned in bestowing its bounties on man.

What is the fault of this cactus forest in which thousands of butterflies build their nests from their weak ones and lay their eggs in the days of strong storms so that they can maintain the balance of nature. There are thousands of such pain conditions in the dense forests of which we live.

Every time this question arises in the depths of my heart and mind, I get the same answer that 'serum dukham dukham' means life is sorrow. But what is sorrow? When do we feel this pain? And it is still lying in wait when you are very happy. Everywhere you look today, the tide of protectionist sentiment is flowing. When the mother sleeps with a lullaby in the hot afternoons.

The lullaby and the touch of mother's loving hands that you feel on your forehead filled with a world of love and peace. In fact, in the existence of this lullaby and this touch, there is a distant sorrow hidden. When this childhood will pass, when the law of nature will apply to the dense tree-like existence of the mother and this dense shade tree will be cut down, then that hot afternoon, the mother's lullaby and that touch of the hand will give you the last of life. He will keep crying till he hiccups, so sorrow is neither separate from happiness nor happiness is separate from sorrow.

When I left the guest house, the streets of Sehwan were crowded, but much less than usual. These were the early days of the Corona epidemic. We walked west from Dhamal Chowk. As you cross National Highway 55 and travel west, you see fields, but barren and desolate. There are some small settlements that you will see breathing on the mounds of mud. You can also call them settlements on the ancient banks of the Manchar. The land on both sides of the road seemed fertile at one time, which was inhabited by the waters of Manchar.

Settlements on the shores of the lake


But now there is a severe shortage of water in these lands and there is bean and sorghum, due to which the lands are deserted. A couple of small and backward villages came our way and then came the long wall called 'Bobak Band'.

There was an endless stream of water in front of him, which was once called the 'Great Freshwater Lake of Asia'. It may still be large in terms of water but not in terms of freshwater because the ppm level of potable fresh water is 700 to 1000 and for agriculture it can work even if it is 1500 ppm. Is. But now the lake water is full of bitterness instead of sweetness. The average water level is 3,500 ppm and in summer or before the rains it exceeds 4,000 ppm.

Manchar Lake * Abu Bakar Sheikh


The boat we were supposed to take to the lake had not yet arrived, so we waited on the shore. I was accompanied by Mustafa Mirani, who hails from the same area but now lives in Jamshoro.

I asked him about the days gone by and what was the difference between the one he saw and the one his elders saw?

"There is no sign of the past in the manchhar you are looking at now. We are most annoyed to see this lake in this condition because the place where you get your livelihood is respected. We fishermen have the greatest respect for the water and the boat on the surface, because they both give us life in the form of food. The lake, which is spread over 250 square kilometers, used to be a universe on its surface. There were more than 600 boats floating on the lake.

"There were settlements on the shores of some fishermen and there were hundreds of families who were in boats while they lived. Instead, there were villages floating on boats. From birth to death, they stayed on boats. Muhammad Omar Sheikh also had a village with 60 boats, ie 60 families. Among his family is still a village of Muhammad Yusuf Sheikh who lives on the same boats. In the past, there must have been about 10 such villages. There were not only houses on the boats but also a retail shop, a tailor shop, even a clothes shop. The clothes shop was owned by Haji Muhammad Siddique. He even went to Mecca on a ship and performed one or two Hajj, so he was called a pilgrim. He died in Madinah at the age of 80.

In the past, there must have been about 10 such villages; Mustafa Mirani

People living on Manchar Lake; Mustafa Mirani


"There was a couple, there were caste sailors and they used to come on the boat to sell pottery. Mian's name was Patni Mallah and his wife's name was Fatima. He used to sell utensils, but when he spoke, tenderness, gentleness and love flowed in his tone like waterfalls in the rainy season. Even if I try, the sweetness, coolness and pleasure of these days cannot reach you. See, the most important thing for which we are in the race all the time is 2 time bread. If he treats you with respect on time, then you think of other things. If the stomach is full, the children are also happy, then he wants to come to Tarang and blow the whistle. He also wants to sing. The fairgrounds will also look good then.

"These are the days when Manchar did not keep anyone hungry in his religion. Manchar's lap was always full of fish. Apart from the local birds, when the winter season came, you could see the feathers of the birds from the colder areas of the north and the birds floating on the water and various ways to hunt them. People trying. Taj Sahrai Sahib had done a great deal of research on this lake and this area and the fish from 'Bobak' and 'Bhan' railway stations used to go to the far flung cities of the country at the rate of one thousand manats daily but now it is just a matter of the past. Are left Nice to meet you. Today, when we look at this ajari manchar, we are struck by the pain that this lake is dying before our eyes.

Mirani Sahib did not cry, but his voice was muffled in the last words and cracks began to appear in his words.

 

[ghazi52]

There is another story of the beauty of Manchar. Our colleague Muhammad Ali Memon who is from Sehwan said, “Basically, the vegetation in the lake was the main point of all this beauty. There were a lot of reeds here, which protected the wildlife, because many birds build their nests in it. Many birds lay their eggs on top of its leaves. Their roots are the best food for fish. Then it also works in the huts that are made for houses and it gives yellow powder, which is cooked and eaten on steam. Also, lotus flowers and round green leaves, like its large plate, on which small birds used to walk.

Things that grow inside or outside the waters of lakes, such as lilies, Lotus Roots (also called locally), Nelumbium Speciosum (locally called Pabora) or many other things thatIt would not be wrong to call them the fruit of the lakes. They had big markets in their cities and also the reason for the beauty of the lake.

A family living in a boat; Mustafa Mirani


No final assumptions have yet been made about the lake's antiquity, but some have speculated, as Badr Abro says, 'Manchar must have been born in the Holocene era 10,000 years ago today because On their banks, NG Majumdar (Noni Gopal Majumdar) searched for many prehistoric places, including: Pir Lal Chatto, Mushak, Rohindo, Dunb Bhatti, Gaj, Naing, Kai and other important places. ' Nothing is far off, but there is a dire need for serious scientific research.

I would like to tell you a great and interesting story about this lake from 1839, but before that, it would be more appropriate if we take a quick look at the research done by the researcher Taj Sahrai Sahib in this regard. He was a good, serious and brilliant writer, he writes.The Manchar Lake is located in the southern corner of the Khairthar Range and the fertile landforms of the Indus River, with a low-lying land belt called the Terai. Water is obtained from various sources to fill it, such as temporary canals flowing due to rain on mountain ranges such as Gaj, Shool, Angai and Naing (called 'new' (singular) in the local language).

In addition, when the water level in the Indus River is higher than that of Manchar, the water of the river flows through the 'Danster' and 'Udal' canals and enters the lake. Ural flow is an ancient flow that is also mentioned in ancient history.

Ancient Flying Flow Abu Bakr Sheikh


This is the ancient flow on which the ancient settlements of Amri lived. Whenever there is a flood in the river on the west side of Manchar, all the water has to come into Manchar and then discharge into the river through these two streams (Udal and Danster). About 20 species of fish are hunted in Manchar. Before Kotri Barrage, there was also a hunting of 'Gangut' (prawns that grow in the sea are called prawns and those that grow in the sweet are called Gangats in the local language). The sailors who are born on boats, the young people are there, the grooms are formed there, perform all the wedding ceremonies on the boats, they are called 'those who live on boats'. Their boats can be big or small, simple or spectacular in terms of income. Their diet includes fish, bread, birds and rice. Their dishes have a taste of their own. They are eager for miles and miles. Men and women on weddings and festivals or weddings etc.On such occasions they often wear dark colored clothes.

"From the research work of some researchers, I can say that the lake dwellers lived here in 4 or 5 thousand BC. In addition to dogs, they also had cows, goats and sheep. They had these animals. There were fences to keep them safe, and they protected their fodder in various ways. The Greek writer Ctesias writes that there is a huge lake in the middle of India (Sindh), there people live on this lake and walk on grass boats and they are experts in archery.

Taj Sahrai has also written a research book on the lake which has been published several times. Of course, this was the most important and basic work of Sahrai Sahib on Manchar. At the moment we get permission from Sahrai Sahib from the spirit world.

 

[ghazi52]

Abu Bakar Sheikh

Lake Manchar; Abu Bakar Sheikh


The story of the destruction of a magnificent and beautiful lake like Manchar is not so old, so before I tell it, let me tell you the story of July 1839 from Mr. Stoke's book. This book by Stoke is certainly a wonderful book in giving the basic information of these days, he writes on July 26: Can go for It was very hot there so I didn't get off the boat. When they return, we move on. Near Sehwan, there is a flow of the river called 'Udal', after traveling for a few miles, it reaches Manchar, the flow of 'Naro' comes and falls in this lake. We continued our journey in it, because traveling in the mainstream of the river was very dangerous in those days.

'(July 27) We traveled in it for 20 miles, the heat of the day was so great that it could not be described. The people living there were very poor. We went on board the boat and then got stuck in a grassy forest, the water was full of long grass and oxen, Moses who was in charge of the boats stopped the boat in one place. I explained to him that a little wind would break the mast. But he did not listen to me. He never believed anyone. After sunset it rained with a strong storm and thunder. By the way, the water of Manchar is silent, but that night he was so excited that he was afraid. Frightened, the boatmen raised their hands in prayer to God and fell down in prostration, begging for mercy. Last night the storm subsided. In the morning it was found that at night we came near the village called 'Kian' due to strong winds and our horse boat was also parked next to it.Was We were taken out of Lake Manchar by 4 boats together. I was very happy to get out of this miserable place. Many parts of Lake Manchar are covered with grass, in which mosquitoes breed. Like the ancient Nile insects, the hot air and mud produce a lot of poisonous insects. But Manchar is full of fish and there are many 'Coots' birds. The west bank of the lake is very green.

In the same way, worried about the summer, Mr. Stoke, the man, was able to get out of the lake on the third day.

I asked Mr. Mirani, "Where can the village called 'Kian' which Stoke mentions be?"

The answer came, "As far as I am concerned, this village should be in the north-west where the village of Garkhanu is now inhabited."

It was all great. A vast lake with a history spanning thousands of years. Where did all those beauties of the past go? Irrigation expert Idrees Rajput says that in 1976, WAPDA people thought of draining the salt water of North Dadu Surface Drain into Manchar, to which the Sindh government objected. The amount will increase. WAPDA replied that "700 ppm will not increase salinity, will not spoil the drinking water of the people and will not have any negative impact on agriculture." However, the project began and was completed in 1992. It was then learned that the ppm of salts in Manchar had risen to 3500 which caused great damage due to economic and environmental devastation. In 1950, 3,000 tons of fish were caught annually from the lake, but by 2001, that number had dropped to 100 tons. The migration of thousands of fishermen is a different story.

In 1950, 3,000 tons of fish were caught annually from this lake, but this amount was reduced to 100 tons by 2001; Mustafa Mirani


In this regard, when I spoke to Mr. Nasir Panhwar, an environmentalist, he gave a detailed reply. The work of BOD should be completed. All the institutions involved in the destruction of Manchar should be identified as so far WAPDA and the provincial governments have been blaming each other.

On RBOD2, WAPDA had said in its objection that billions of rupees would be wasted from this project and this project would submerge and destroy the towns and villages on the right bank of the river. Spread over 273 km from Sehwan to Gharo Creek, its main purpose is to carry salt water into the Manchar Lake, MNDV (Main Nara Valley Drain), which was constructed during the construction of Sukkur Barrage in 1932. The ancient flow) was planned to be used as an outflow branch because it was the ancient route of the flow that passed through Manchar and settled the ancient settlement of Amri (now called RBOD 1). The flow of was stopped at Manchar and then joined by RBOD 2 and poured into the sea through Gharo Creek.

But the project has been stalled since 2008 due to the PPP government's vague policy and that is why Manchhar is neither fully alive nor dying. Conflict is extremely painful. Something similar is happening here.

There was no sign of the boat yet. It was a little chilly in the morning. Now that coolness was slowly turning into heat.

The dam we were standing on had a manchar in the west and a freshwater filtration plant in the east that would have definitely sweetened the bitter water, but at the moment it is closed. A silence that rains like a haze. However, at some point, if the wind changed direction, the sounds of birds would come from the west. Then, after a few moments, as the wind would change direction, I would carry with me the sweet sounds of the birds and there would be silence behind us, then suddenly the good news came that the boat had arrived.

We sailed to the boat village, which is the last boat village on the lake. Once upon a time there were 10 such villages. The water level was calm due to low winds. It is said that the water level of the lake starts from one to two feet and rises to more than 13 feet in the center. The boat sailed and I talked occasionally. Then came the sweet sounds of birds. So many birds I guessed from the voices. This means that the birds have not yet forgotten their ancient habitat. "There are so many birds here, Mirani Sahib ..." Mirani and Memon Sahib looked at each other. Then I realized that the boatman was watching me. When I looked back, he was smiling a little. I couldn't understand the expression on their faces and the riddle of their smiles and didn't ask anything. I didn't think I did anything I shouldn't have done.

 

[ghazi52]

There was deep water below and the boat was floating above and we were on the boat. As we proceeded, some standing boats began to appear. The noise of the birds came closer and closer and then the birds began to appear. Goliath Heron birds were also seen. Coots were also plentiful. It's great to see birds in the water. How beautiful and wonderful nature is. Surprisingly, the results were not flying. Then the birds were also sitting in their tune with great pleasure and were watching us with sly eyes.

You will not find any local bird that is as alert as the 'Saan' bird. It takes a very careful hunter to catch it because it is so alert when you eat that you can't even think. How can such a bird sit carelessly and watch us. Then the secret was revealed and the knot of laughter was solved. All my joy that came from seeing all this, that Camphor

Why were the birds sitting so carelessly on the lake?


The greatest enemy of nature is man. The whole scene was full of deception and deception. Havasil and all these birds were tied. They put wood in the water and then make round circles of bushes and let the birds sit on it. I could see the quotes from afar. They were black polythene bags and pieces of foam. The voices of those birds were also fake. The chirping of these birds is transferred to the card from the mobile shops. Then a device is bought from the market for less than Rs. 500 in which this card is inserted and played.

Birds flying over the lake; Abu Bakr Sheikh

All the birds seen on the surface of the lake were tied up; Abu Bakr Sheikh


These are all the traps of deception and deception that are laid on the surface of the water for the birds to fly above so that those innocent birds will understand that there are many birds like us below. As soon as they fall into this trap, they either fall into the traps or the cartridges of the gun snatch the cords from them. What was it all about? I didn't know in a moment where I was lost. I felt a light layer of cold sweat on my forehead. Mirani Sahib may have understood my condition. "Your concern is true, but the methods of deception are very old. Now the innovation that has come from the misuse of scientific inventions is certainly dangerous for resources. By the way, the victim can be anyone. That is a kind of deception. Then there was a long debate. But the desire for the environment flew away like a bird. The birds were so close that good pictures could be made. But what about the tied, scared and forced birdsMan making pictures?

Then came the village on the boats.

Some women washed the dishes, and some boats had clothes and rugs lying in the sun to dry. The children used to play on the boats and then when their eyes fell on us, they would stop for a while and then engage in their frenzy. Some people were setting nets in the water to catch fish a little beyond the boats. Meaning there was a village-like atmosphere around these 40 boats. There were no small streets, and no neem tree grew in the courtyard on which the crow would sit and tell the guest about the evening.

The village built on boats; Abu Bakr Sheikh

Some women were washing dishes, some boats were clothed and clothes were lying in the sun to dry - Mustafa Mirani


However, on the roofs of residential boats, where there was wood for cooking, there was also a solar panel on which it was necessary to charge the device to play mobile phones and the sounds of birds. These boats have their own culture that is slowly dying out. Now that the lake water is no longer drinkable, the water comes either from filter plants or from the city of Sehwan. Just as the paths of life shrink, so will the knots of this culture, which has been woven over thousands of years, slowly unravel, and this is a reflection of the village of boats now visible in the water. He will dissolve in these waters and lose his existence forever. Is this a good idea? No not at all

Because of our laziness and wrong decisions, we cannot and should not put the black stain of the destruction of any culture on our foreheads because the nature that weaves it into our swing is its trust. Trusts are kept in the heart. If we don't, we betray. Betrayal in any case is not forgivable!


references
۔ Manchar: Past, present and future. Edited by: Nasir Panhwar, Peacock Publisher, Karachi

۔ 'New Egyptian old sheets'. E.B. Eastock. Sindhi Literary Board. Hyderabad

۔ Lake Manchar. Taj Muhammad Sahrai. Culture Department, Sindh

۔ 'Sindh: Jain Moon Dathi'. T. Postens. Sindhika Academy, Karachi

Abu Bakr Sheikh writes on archeology and the environment. He has also done photography and research studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Their email address is abubakersager@gmail.com .

 

[Death Professor]

Fascinating.

 

[jamahir]

The birds that are tied down and those are hunted in the sky... sad. This should be made a criminal offense.