Road Trip Across Sindh & South Punjab (December 2014) - [KTG]

Road Trips / Vacations / Hiking / Trekking

2014

Tags: #<Tag:0x0000000884ce90>

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-07 08:57:24 +0500 #41

As we were leaving the fort.. Haji Ainullah sahab asked us if we wanted to visit an abandoned haveli of old Mir of Khairpur. Considering our travelling nature, who would deny this offer? So we proceeded to visit it. It was only 5 minutes drive from Kot Diji Fort.

There is no one living here except nomads and they also live outside in camps.. not inside the haveli. At first we had to wait outside for a few minutes until they would take necessary parda for ladies..

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-07 08:58:37 +0500 #42

Haha.. lagta hai aap ko janay ka shoq ho raha hai

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-07 09:19:08 +0500 #43

It was a very brief visit of the haveli. There was literally nothing inside it besides a big hall and colorful doors and roof. We were told by Haji Ainullah that this haveli has importance because of love story of some old Mir of Khairpur, that he built it for his wife from Lahore. However, it was just a little information and not much.

mtariqumer (mtariqumer) 2015-01-07 09:21:12 +0500 #44

Hahahah... yes but with one condition , wapis upper anay dein agar

mtariqumer (mtariqumer) 2015-01-07 09:25:15 +0500 #45

Hahahah... yes but with one condition , wapis upper anay dein agar

mdani (mdani) 2015-01-07 09:28:11 +0500 #46

@xoofi speed mar kakay abi to hum sukkur b nahi pohnchay

COOLTAHIR (Muhammad Tahir) 2015-01-07 09:38:29 +0500 #47

thank you bro

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-07 13:34:24 +0500 #48

Bus kar de

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-07 13:36:42 +0500 #49

Some more Haveli shots. Just imagine how it would be in that time.. now its totally deserted.

asifcae (asifcae) 2015-01-07 13:45:36 +0500 #50

yar i had missed the haveli of khairpur on my visit to kot diji fort..in 2010.... mayb tis year i get another chance

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-07 13:47:05 +0500 #51

After spending hardly 20 minutes in Haveli. We left it.

Our next stop was Mehrano Wildlife Refuge. In fact it was also unplanned visit.. thanks for Danish's friend in Hyderabad who got us permission to visit Mehrano. Mehrano wildlife refuge is probably the biggest private breeding refuge for deer owned by Mir sahab of Khairpur.

Soon we took the road which leads to Mehrano.. Haji Ainullah Sb was with us.. Soon the road finished and "kacha raasta" started. Haji sahab also never went to Mehrano so was unsure of way.. GPS was also not helping because there was no way marked. After an half hour of struggle we reached Mehrano.

We got to know that there are different sections in this refuge, one is reserved for deer only.. while other is for birds and other wild animals.. We went inside the deer one.. After little struggle, spotted some deers running by..

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-07 13:48:38 +0500 #52

InshaALLAH. Best of luck Asif bhai

asifcae (asifcae) 2015-01-07 13:56:34 +0500 #53

interesting

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-07 13:59:13 +0500 #54

We had a walk with caretaker of this section. He took us to higher ground where there were too many deer including black ones. It was a wonderful sight.. but alas I didn't had a proper zoom lens.. is waqt @aks_e_ahmed ki bohat yaad aai

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-07 14:14:55 +0500 #55

I slowly got nearer to this big herd.. With every step taken forward.. the whole herd would take a few steps back. It was kind of funny. My all remaining friends were staying away from this place so that I could take some shots. But alas I was missing the zoom lens

Finally they all ran off when they thought that I was inside danger zone

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-08 00:15:54 +0500 #56

After spending close to half hour with deer, we left this place to visit the section for birds and wild animals. However, the way was not very good. At one point, we all gave up the idea to visit that section and decided to leave.

This way is going to the other section

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-08 00:21:14 +0500 #57

After we decided to leave, we saw many different type of birds including magpie, grey francolins, lapwings and small and colorful sparrows. All I could take with 18-55 lens is below..

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-08 00:30:32 +0500 #58

After leaving Mehrano, we came back to Kot Diji. Haji Ainullah sahab wanted us to visit tomb of Sachal Sarmast which is near Ranipur. But since we were short on time, we passed this suggestion. Said a farewell to Haji Sahab and continued the journey towards our today's stop (i.e. Sukkur). We reached Khairpur at 4:15 PM from where we got a refill and also got fresh. We were too hungry at that time so ate samosas from Khairpur (didn't have time for proper meal).

Continued the journey towards Sukkur. From Khairpur, we got back onto National Highway and the diversion game started once again. It took us more than 45 minutes to reach Sukkur although its just way of 20 minutes if road is proper.

The fuel station near Shah Lateef University, Khairpur

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-08 00:41:15 +0500 #59

By 5:15 we reached Sukkur at a place called Lab-e-Mehran which is adjacent to River Indus and gives a great view of bridge over River Indus. Here we were greeted by Imtiaz sb who was our host today in Sukkur. He is relative of Danish's friend.

Because time was short until dusk therefore we moved for Sadhu Bela in fading light. Sadhu Bela is an ancient Hindu temple in middle of River Indus (on an island) and thousands of pilgrims visit it every year for saying their prayers. Its entry is restricted to Hinduism followers only since the riots several years back. However, Imtiaz sb was working with Auqaf department so he got us permission to visit it.

Bridge over River Indus

To reach Sadhu Bela one has to use the boat as its situated on an island

Xoofi (Xoofi) 2015-01-08 00:49:59 +0500 #60

While on boat, I saw a million dollar view of blind indus dolphin jumping in river. It happened so quick and sudden that no one else saw it except the after waves. I still feel lucky to see them jump

Soon we reached the entrance of Sadhu Bela where the Pandit greeted us but since it was praying time, he could not accompany us so he asked us to visit on our own. Photography was not allowed inside the mandir (where the idols were placed) but it was allowed at outside. Imtiaz sb guided us about the importance of this mandir and its history.