Sassi's Bhanbhore or Muhammad Bin Qasim's Deybul?

[Dawood Ibrahim]

The prayer area of the ancient city. —Ema Anis


Maps might tell you that Bhanbhore is roughly 60 kilometres away from Karachi — probably that’s how far it is — but what maps don't tell you is the condition of the National Highway, the foot deep potholes on the road and the withered condition of the track leading to the historical city.

The drive, meant to be an hour long, ends up being a two-hour journey which was very demanding, challenging and neck jerking through the ruins of Sindh to the ruins of Bhanbhore.

Unfortunately, the condition remains the same no matter where you go in Sindh – so much for the much touted development by the provincial government of the very province they term their ‘mother’.

Indus Delta passes right next to the ancient city. —Tauseef Mallick


Upon arriving at Bhanbhore, you come across the ruins which dot the landscape, with most of them dating back to an era before Jesus Christ, others are rightfully owned by the Sindh government’s cultural department.

The site of Bhanbhore rises at the mouth of the Indus Delta on the northern bank of the Gharo creek — 30km from the present shoreline.

It consists of a “citadel” encircled by bastions, and a vast area of extra moenia ruins – harbour structures, urban quarters, suburbs, slums, warehouses, workshops, and artificial barrages. Altogether, the citadel and the surrounding quarters cover a surface area of around 65 hectares.

Relics on display at Bhanbhore Museum. —Ema Anis


Popular folklore attributes Bhanbhore to be the place where the Sassi-Punnu love story flourished, as it is believed Sassi belonged to Bhanbhore.

But certain historians and locals also refer to it as the ruins of Deybul, the city which was conquered by Muhammad Bin Qasim in 712 AD after Raja Daher was defeated.

When Prof Valeria Piacentini, head of the Italian mission, was asked to clarify this historical confusion. She tried to establish that “it can be both”.

Foreigners taking keen interest in the relics displayed at Bhanbhore Museum. —Tauseef Mallick


“There is eight centuries of life between when Sassi lived and when Muhammad Bin Qasim attacked Sindh, so we can assume that this place can be both.”

Prof Valeria was of the view that there are not many historical sites near to it “so one can assume that this place can be Sassi’s Bhanbhore and Qasim’s Deybul both”.

“We believe that most of the city’s ruins are still buried under the Indus River Delta, as the river passes right next to the dunes,” she added.

Italian archeological excavators brief students about the history on the ancient city. —Tauseef Mallick


“We haven’t been able to dig any hieroglyphs, as they are probably buried in the riverbed, so we are still not sure about this being the city of Deybul.”

Explaining the topography of the excavation site, Italian Archeological Excavator Dr Niccolò Manassero said the area is almost at sea level and situated next to the Indus Delta, we expect that most of the ancient remains are buried underneath the river bed making it extremely difficult to unearth the relics.

Manassero further informed that the Italian mission started excavations in the area in 2012 along with the French and Pakistani experts, “but for the past two years the work has stopped because our licence has not been renewed”.

The gateway to ancient Bhanbore city. —Tauseef Mallick


When asked why the licence has not been renewed, Manassero said, “It was a joint mission, but the other party has not submitted their report which is causing hindrance in the renewal of licence.”

“We have done our part; we have also submitted the report of our excavation but they are lagging behind.”

We should be allowed to continue our work, added Manassero. “We are losing precious time, money and sponsors due to the delay.”

The ruins consists of a “citadel” encircled by bastions. —Tauseef Mallick

http://www.dawn.com/news/1298167/sassis-bhanbhore-or-muhammad-bin-qasims-deybul

@war&peace @GreenFalcon @Morse_Code @Moonlight @Indus Falcon @SherDil007
@El_Swordsmen
@LA se Karachi

 

[Indus Pakistan]

Now wait for the the Orrisans, Bengali's, Tamils, Malayams, Telagu, Assamese, Mahrata and rest from furthest India to come running here claming they built it ....

 

[Dawood Ibrahim]

We have natural gifted land jus needs some polishing from (Terrorism corruption) and the world will see a beautiful land that they never imagined in wildest dreams
long live my beloved country May Allah bless Pakistan AMEEN

 

[PakistaniNawab]

We have natural gifted land jus needs some polishing from (Terrorism corruption) and the world will see a beautiful land that they never imagined in wildest dreams
long live my beloved country May Allah bless Pakistan AMEEN

Inshallah.

 

[SherDil]

Muhammad Bin Qasim's Deybul.........
sharing @Doordie

 

[PakistaniNawab]

Sindhi culture and history is so rich we need to take advantage of it.

 

[Kambojaric]

Italian archaeologists are doing a great job in KPK and Punjab. Hope the Sindh governments learns some sense and assists them in their province. Sindh is packed with history!

 

[Hyde]

Italian archaeologists are doing a great job in KPK and Punjab. Hope the Sindh governments learns some sense and assists them in their province. Sindh is packed with history!

Here is already a nice article related to the topic

https://defence.pk/threads/resolving-the-mystery-of-an-ancient-site-in-sindh.451883/#post-8739061

My personal interest goes more in Heer folklore than Sassi.

Now wait for the the Orrisans, Bengali's, Tamils, Malayams, Telagu, Assamese, Mahrata and rest from furthest India to come running here claming they built it ....

Their basis for laying claim on everything that is part of Pakistan is Hinduism. I think Sassi was a muslim so maybe here her city may not be claimed.

Quite interesting that those people who have zero ethnic and blood link with the historical perosnalities who were ancestors of modern day pakistanis except that perhaps they follow same religion (or an offshoot of it ) as our forefathers , try to delink us from our ethnic ancestors with a brazen taunt "they were vedic followers, an arab pakistani associating with vedic so and so is impossible "

So someones great-great-great-great grandfather will cease to be his grandfather becaue he followed a different religion from his many generations later born great grandson as the grandson follows a separate faith now. But a passerby in the street who is a total stranger to your great grandparent , family & lineage and only shares a common faith with them will automatically start laying claim on them and will declare himself as their inheritor purely on religion's basis. Oh the audacity!

Anyways, when it comes to our regions history my utmost interest lies in the eurasian and indian plates collision as that collision created an earth quake fault zone in kahsmir region. And as we saw 2005 earth quake due to that and in general quakes in northern and mainly muzzafrabad region , muzzafrabad which nearly sits at the edge of point where two plates collide. I would like to read up as much as i could on it. Fascinates me in strangest manners.

 

[krash]

Their basis for laying claim on everything that is part of Pakistan is Hinduism. I think Sassi was a muslim so maybe here her city may not be claimed.

Quite interesting that those people who have zero ethnic and blood link with the historical perosnalities who were ancestors of modern day pakistanis except that perhaps they follow same religion (or an offshoot of it ) as our forefathers , try to delink us from our ethnic ancestors with a brazen taunt "they were vedic followers, an arab pakistani associating with vedic so and so is impossible "

So someones great-great-great-great grandfather will cease to be his grandfather becaue he followed a different religion from his many generations later born great grandson as the grandson follows a separate faith now. But a passerby in the street who is a total stranger to your great grandparent , family & lineage and only shares a common faith with them will automatically start laying claim on them and will declare himself as their inheritor purely on religion's basis. Oh the audacity!

They've also been facilitated by the majority of Pakistanis who, for some very odd reason, feel ashamed of their great-great-great-great grandfather's religion. I mean more than half of the country claims to be from some Arab, don't even get me started on the supposed "Syeds" who are apparently more abundant in Pakistan than in any Arab country. We've abandoned and disowned thousands of years of our own history, the Indians have just picked up that which was left unclaimed.

 

[Ultimate Weapon]

Calm and peaceful place. I love this place and usually go there.