Trip to Nangarparkar - Itinerary

  1. (Day 1 - Sat) 05:00 AM - Departure - Karachi - 105 kms - Fajir
  1. Via Gharo, Gujjo, Sujawal Bypass
  1. 07:00 AM - Arrival/Departure - Sujawal - 21 kms
  2. 07:30 AM - Arrival - Dewan City - Breakfast
  3. 08:00 AM - Departure - Dewan City - 57 kms
  4. 09:00 AM - Arrival - Lar Museum, Badin - 30 mins stay
  5. 09:30 AM - Departure - Lar Museum, Badin - 66 kms
  1. Via Tando Bhago - Badin Road
  2. PSO Computer Center
  3. Via Badin - Naukot Road
  1. 10:45 AM - Arrival - Naukot Fort - 45 mins stay
  1. Constructed by Mir Karam Ali Khan in 1814 to consolidate his power in the desert and to make effective and forceful arrangements to collect dhal, revenue. Built of burnt-bricks in mud mortar and measures about 1 13m in length and 98m in width. The fort has nine semi-circular bastions, two of them guarding the main entrance, four at the corners and one each in the middle of the northern, southern and western walls. A 4m wide wall runs on the four sides of the fort. It has two burnt-brick stairs to climb the wall top, from the interior of the fort.
  1. 11:30 AM - Departure - Naukot Fort - 37 kms
  2. (Day 2 - Sun) 12:15 PM - Arrival - Mithi - Zohar, Lunch, Tea, Maghrib, Dinner, Isha, Overnight stay, Fajir
  1. Marvi Rest House STDC - Mobile +92 333 2511268
  2. Thar Guest House
  1. Address - Thar Guest House, Siran Colony, Mithi, District Tharparkar, Sindh, Pakistan
  2. Telephone: +92 232 261268 +92 232 306170 - Mobile: +92 333 2500252 +92 333 3311523
  1. Gadi Bhit - Large sand mound from where a panoramic view of the town can be seen
  2. Tharparker Desert, Camel riding through Sand Dunes, Kaikra Truck, Village Life, Campfire, Thar Handicrafts, Peacocks
  1. 06:00 AM - Departure - Mithi - 107 kms
  1. Via Islamkot - To reach Nangarparkar, one has to reach Islamkot from where local buses run regularly for Nangarparkar till evening. Islamkot can itself be reached via two routes. One comes via Naukot and Mithi or alternatively it can be reached via Umerkot and Chachro. The bus ride takes 80-90 mins from Islamkot. The best time to visit Nangarparkar is from October – December.
  1. 08:00 AM - Arrival - Nangarparkar - Breakfast, Zohar, Lunch
  1. 15 km from Indian Border
  2. Arrange a 4 x 4 (~ PKR 2500)
  3. This town is just in the foot of high heightening Karoonjhar Hills. It is situated at a distance of about 15 km from Indian Border. Town is an ancient places of Hindu Worship i.e. Saldharo Ashram, Anchlesar and Jain Temple are situated there. Reported it was the part of the Sea, which was to be crossed therefore it was named as “Parkar” Literally it means to cross over. Nangarparkar has on its North Taluka Chachro and on West Taluka Mithi of District Tharparkar, while on east of it lies Jodhpur (Rajasthan) and on its South Run Katchh. The surrounding of Nangarparkar city comprises 24 miles is named as Parkar which is a rocky belt and the remaining part is sandy area. Climatically the small rocks and sandy Dunes (Bhits) both become extreme Cold in winter and Hot in summer. The Karoonjhar hills are circularly surrounding the Nangarparkar for 16 miles. The granite stone of this mountain is used for making Tiles. In summer different sounds are audible from the rock due to sulphur deposits. It is saying that Karoonjhar hills emit 1-1/4 Kilo gold every day in the shape of granite stone, china clay and honey etc. The population of Taluka is 153,106 out of which 90,893 are Hindus (60%) and 62,213 are Muslims (40%). There is one Rest house beneath Karoonjhar Mountain giving classis and beautiful look. It is to be reserved through Mukhtiarkar Nangarparkar. At present the same collapsed due to Earthquake 2001.
  4. Chorio - a near border natural rock mountain
  5. [ Jain Temple ] - The famous fourteenth century Jain temple is also located at the western end of bazaar. It has been declared as a national heritage by government.
  6. [ Saldra Hindu Temple ] - This is a prime Hindu site in the country and is in no way lesser than the sites at Hinglaj (Baluchistan) and Sadhu Bela (Sukkur). Hindus regard it as the Mecca of their religion. Saldra is built on the Karoonjar range of Nagar Parkar, a series of mountains whose highest peak reaches only 1000 m above sea level. This temple, only one of the few ‘living’ temples in Thar, cannot be seen from the city as it is hidden among the mountains. Lying nestled between the mountains a non-descript, one-room temple greets us among huge boulders, a parched land and a unique set of herbs, prized for its seeds. The structure of the temple has been tampered with and the actual building does not seem to be present and it’s impossible to ascertain its age. Some say that it is 5000 years old. If that is the case, Saldra has to be one of the most ancient religious sites present in the world. A pond of greenish water is present near the temple which Hindus regard as Ganga. They therefore bathe in it and drink from it after the yatra.
  7. [ (Jain) Temple of Gorhi ] - Among all temples that I have been to in Pakistan Gorhi is by far the most stunning. It is a principle Jain temple in the country. Entirely constructed from marble, probably brought from Gujerat, it dates back to 1376 AD and was built at the zenith of Jain empire in the region. The temple contains 54 domes, all beautifully built with complete balance. The focus of the temple is the main chamber which is not built in the centre, but rather towards one side and is indicated by the presence of a larger dome. On both sides of the temple are small cubicles where once the holy men stayed and meditated. Today this temple is in ruins with many domes having fallen. There are cracks on the walls of the temple, perhaps due to the mild earthquakes that have hit the area in recent times. The idols have vanished. Not one of them remains. The ones carved on the walls have been played upon by pranksters. But the highlight of this temple is the dome on the entrance. It is well rounded but not deep. From inside it has been painted with black paint which fortunately still clings to it. The painting is done in circular band style, each strip showing courtiers, drum beaters, angels, warrior, rulers and the ruled, in many different condition. Locals claim that it used to have huge idols made of Gold and silver which were stolen during 1971 Indo-Pak war when Indians invaded this part of Pakistan. Later, they left but not without looting their gods.
  8. [ Bohdesar Temples & Mosque ] - Bohdesar, some five km north-west from the city of Nagar, is a popular site due to its small, yet charming mosque, built by one Mahmud Shah bin Muzaffar in 1505 AD. It is built with marble brought all the way from Gujerat. One km from this mosque is a stunning temple belonging to Jain. But its back walls have fallen over, idols have long vanished, even the stones are being removed, one by one, by the locals, who as one source informed me, use them for their home construction. The temple is built on a high platform and is reached by a series of big, flat steps which gives an added magnificence to the temple’s structure. Kanjur and redstone have been used to built this temple but unfortunately it is in rather a bad condition. Absence of any care or maintenance work is to be blamed. Needless to say, if nothing is done immediately the entire edifice might collapse on the slightest provocation. There are other two temples in the vicinity but lack of time disallowed me from visiting them. These Bohdesar temples, as they are known collectively, were built during the time period between 1375 and 1499 AD
  9. [ Nagar ‘bazaar’ temple ] - This temple is so called due to its presence just behind the main bazaar - the only one in Nagar. This temple, like the one at Gorhi, and must have once been a centre of activity as its fine architecture tells you. It probably belongs to Jain as the figures on it are quite similar to other Jain temples in Thar. No date of construction could be ascertained but it is at least 500 years old. I can tell that by the figures, the style of construction and by the paintings done on the walls. The courtyard, save one odd pillar, has completely vanished. The outer walls still retain some of its charisma. The main hall where once the statue of a god must have stood is now long gone, either stolen or broken by some fanatic. The entrance still have few smaller statuettes but most of them are desecrated and chipped at. The inside of the room, no better than the outside, at least retains the original paints used for the colouration of the walls with exotic local fauna and flora.
  10. [ Jain Temple at Base ] - Because there is no name for this temple I like to call it ‘base’ temple as it is built right at the base of Karoonjar mountain range. It belongs to the Jain religion, has no construction date on it and I could find no records on its builder. The temple is a one room structure in a cubicle style, constructed with large stones. I can imagine a small deity sitting inside, but today, none is present.
  1. 02:00 PM - Departure - Nangarparkar - 107 kms - Via Islamkot
  2. 04:00 PM - Arrival/Departure - Mithi - 110 kms - Asir
  3. 06:00 PM - Arrival/Departure - Badin - 57 kms - Maghrib
  4. 07:00 PM - Arrival/Departure - Dewan City - 21 kms
  5. 07:30 PM - Arriva/Departurel - Sujawal - 24 kms
  6. 08:00 PM - Arrival/Departure - Sujawal Bypass, National Highway - 81 kms
  7. 09:30 PM - Arrival - Karachi