ghazi52
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The 'Murree' of Sindh: The magical Gorakh Hills
AHMED SAEED KHAN
It's not everyday that you find places in the wilderness that help you make peace with your existence. It is this very yearning for internal calm which makes people, like myself, pack our bags and hit the road.
I believe that with each journey I have undertaken, there is a part of my soul which awaits me at a place I have never visited before. For me, travelling is a way of reconnecting with nature and, most importantly, myself.
My most recent destination, Gorakh Hill Station was one of the most sublime travel experiences I have had so far.
At an altitude of 5,690ft in the Kirthar Mountain Range, which is 94 kilometres away from Dadu city, the Gorakh Hill Station is situated on the highest plateau of Sindh. These plateaus are only capable of sustaining nomadic lifestyles, as wildlife here is not very common.
Dry shrubs and bushes dot the landscape of Gorakh. —Photo by author
The word "Gorakh" literally means "wild". It is believed that the name was given by a prominent Yogi known as Gorakhnath from the 11th century.
The region is barren, with minimal agricultural activities and only native plants in sight. That said, Gorakh has been the epicentre of a great deal of tourism in recent years. Largely, for being the only place in Sindh to receive snowfall in the winters.
It is generally believed that the roads leading to interior Sindh are severely damaged and that the highways also are not well-maintained, leaving people to encounter many potholes and bumps along the way.
On the contrary, my experience was quite different. To their credit, the National Highway authorities have managed to do a great job in maintaining the road till Wahi Pandhi, which comes two hours before Gorakh.
The road leading to Wahi Pandhi. —Photo by Syed Hasan Ali
The agriculture on the way to Gorakh. —Photo by author
While heading towards Wahi, I came to the Dadu district and the famous Sehwan Sharif. The latter has been associated with spirituality and the Sufi culture ever since Syed Muhammad Usman Marwandi, also known as the Sufi Saint Hazrat Lal Shabaz Qalandar, set foot in the region in 1251 AD.
Since then, Sehwan has been regularly visited by devotees, irrespective of their religion. The shrine of the saint is considered to be a place of great healing power.
The shrine of Sufi Saint Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan Sharif. —Photo by Omar Shaikh
Where most parts of Sindh are parched and barren, Sehwan's tranquil landscape, with her fields of yellow mustard leaves, is desolately beautiful.
From Wahi, it is mandatory to make your way with jeeps and 4x4 as the altitude starts to increase.
Snaking our way towards Gorakh. —Photo by Syed Hasan Ali
It is the last established locality in Kirthar after which begins the road to Kacho. The roads in this vicinity are bumpy and have several ditches.
Notwithstanding, the sheer beauty of the roads' engineering has to be admired, which can only be done from an altitude of 2,500-3,000 ft — a view point in the midst of the road to Gorakh.
Snaking our way towards Gorakh. —Photo by author
Finally, we arrive at the Hill Station. —Photo by Syed Hasan Ali
I found out that one may spot rabbits, snakes and other reptiles here. The locals also told me about the already-endangered cheetahs of Sindh that were sighted here, but soon perished after hunting them turned into a craze.
The region is still a good prospect for bird watchers. I saw three migratory birds in the region namely the Western Reef Heron, the Black-winged Stilt and the Egret.
I also came across three other distinct bird species: the two-tailed black Brango, the magnificent white-throated Kingfisher, widely known as theNeelkanth, and the winter bird White Wagtail.
.....
The 'Murree' of Sindh: The magical Gorakh Hills
AHMED SAEED KHAN
It's not everyday that you find places in the wilderness that help you make peace with your existence. It is this very yearning for internal calm which makes people, like myself, pack our bags and hit the road.
I believe that with each journey I have undertaken, there is a part of my soul which awaits me at a place I have never visited before. For me, travelling is a way of reconnecting with nature and, most importantly, myself.
My most recent destination, Gorakh Hill Station was one of the most sublime travel experiences I have had so far.
At an altitude of 5,690ft in the Kirthar Mountain Range, which is 94 kilometres away from Dadu city, the Gorakh Hill Station is situated on the highest plateau of Sindh. These plateaus are only capable of sustaining nomadic lifestyles, as wildlife here is not very common.
The word "Gorakh" literally means "wild". It is believed that the name was given by a prominent Yogi known as Gorakhnath from the 11th century.
The region is barren, with minimal agricultural activities and only native plants in sight. That said, Gorakh has been the epicentre of a great deal of tourism in recent years. Largely, for being the only place in Sindh to receive snowfall in the winters.
It is generally believed that the roads leading to interior Sindh are severely damaged and that the highways also are not well-maintained, leaving people to encounter many potholes and bumps along the way.
On the contrary, my experience was quite different. To their credit, the National Highway authorities have managed to do a great job in maintaining the road till Wahi Pandhi, which comes two hours before Gorakh.
While heading towards Wahi, I came to the Dadu district and the famous Sehwan Sharif. The latter has been associated with spirituality and the Sufi culture ever since Syed Muhammad Usman Marwandi, also known as the Sufi Saint Hazrat Lal Shabaz Qalandar, set foot in the region in 1251 AD.
Since then, Sehwan has been regularly visited by devotees, irrespective of their religion. The shrine of the saint is considered to be a place of great healing power.
Where most parts of Sindh are parched and barren, Sehwan's tranquil landscape, with her fields of yellow mustard leaves, is desolately beautiful.
From Wahi, it is mandatory to make your way with jeeps and 4x4 as the altitude starts to increase.
It is the last established locality in Kirthar after which begins the road to Kacho. The roads in this vicinity are bumpy and have several ditches.
Notwithstanding, the sheer beauty of the roads' engineering has to be admired, which can only be done from an altitude of 2,500-3,000 ft — a view point in the midst of the road to Gorakh.
I found out that one may spot rabbits, snakes and other reptiles here. The locals also told me about the already-endangered cheetahs of Sindh that were sighted here, but soon perished after hunting them turned into a craze.
The region is still a good prospect for bird watchers. I saw three migratory birds in the region namely the Western Reef Heron, the Black-winged Stilt and the Egret.
I also came across three other distinct bird species: the two-tailed black Brango, the magnificent white-throated Kingfisher, widely known as theNeelkanth, and the winter bird White Wagtail.
.....