CHOUKHANDI TOMBS,
MALIR
If you are going to bury someone above ground, the container should probably be both secure and reverent. This knowledge seems to be almost instinctive, as ornate tombs and mausoleums can be found sheltering bodies above the surface in cemeteries from New Orleans to Timbuktu. The most famous of these tombs are clearly the great pyramids of Egypt, but other examples of respectful celebration through decoration are found the world over.
The Chaukhandi Tombs near Karachi city (in Malir) are a unique example of such burials. Buried south to north –unusual for the area and time period. These tombs are constructed out of huge sandstone slabs, which are delicately stacked into a finessed pyramid shape. The slabs were then clearly painstakingly carved with intricate patterns, drawings, and relatable scenes. Read More
Malir River
Malir River is located in Karachi, Sindh. It is formed by the confluence of Mol and Khadeji tributaries at a distance of 30 miles north of Karachi city. Compared to the Liyari River, the Malir River has a greater availability of freshwater. The latter also sees an increased flow due to wastewater discharges Malir River passes through the city of Karachi from the “North-East” to the “Center” and drains into the Arabian Sea. Malir River is one of the two rivers passing through Karachi and the other is the Liyari River. It has two main tributaries, the Thado and the Sukhan. During the rainy season, this river experiences heavy water flow, with millions of gallons emptying into the sea. Now a day, this river is converted into wastewater of both domestic and industrial origin.
Khokhrapar
Khokhrapar, is a neighborhood in Karachi, Pakistan, that is within Malir District. The origin of the name “Khokhra par” goes back to the days when Mohajirs (immigrants) from partition time came to this place, most of them crossed the border of India to the newly founded country of Pakistan from Khokhra Par, Sindh, and found this area significantly resembling with original Khokhra Par ( in India) because of its dry and desert-like surroundings were quite similar in nature to what they earlier came across during their exodus, therefore they ended up naming it the same, latter it was attempted to officially renamed as “Azam Colony” in honor of then Governor of West Pakistan Lieutenant General Muhammad Azam Khan (1908–1994) by the Government but the earlier name “Khokhra Par” remained more prominent and popular.
Malir Cantonment
History
Declared a cantonment by the Royal British Government as POW Camp by Muhammad Irfan Malik and Ismail Sherwani on 11 October 1941, in the exigencies of World War II, this cantonment was taken over by the Pakistan Army in 1947. This cantonment serves as the main cantonment of the Southern areas of Sindh province. It houses civil residences like the Cantonment Bazar Area, DOHS l & 2, Askari-5, and Falcon Complex, Army Cantonment is stretched over an area of 12sq km. it is the end of Mahmoudabad.
Malir Temple
Written in English on a small plaque on the right side of the main entrance is the history of the compound itself. The plaque states that it was built as a sanatorium on Dec 10, 1914, by “Dedhar Pragji, in the memory of Tekar Lakshmidass and Shivaji Kanji Pragji Somaya”. The same is stated on the left of the entrance in Hindi. A temple inside the sanatorium was built before that, added historian and writer Gul Hassan Kalmati, which was a Shiv Mandir.
Also associated with the Indigenous Alliance protesting the recent construction of the shops, The Hindus never lived inside the sanatorium; they only visited the temple during religious ceremonies. Later, after the partition, a group of migrants was provided shelter in the sanatorium with the promise of being provided an alternative compound. However, since that never happened, they ended up living here.
