One of my classmates of secondary school Mr. Khadim Hussain
Surahio, a down to earth friend had his shop near Tonga Stand, less than 5
minutes walk from my house. His father used to sell colourful Azaar-bands
(belts for shalwar/pajama), colorful traditional Parandah (hair braids), and
toiletries etc. After the school Khadim would go directly to his shop to
replace his father and run it for rest of the day. In the summer afternoons we (me,
Owais Laghari, Najeeb Bhutto, Nazir Shaikh, Aijaz Jamali and many others) would
gather there for a cup of tea and gossipping till Khadim pulled down the
shutters after maghrib prayers.
Late in the evenings after dinner, people would throng to
Railway Station for a stroll, to breathe in fresh cool air and enjoy watching
the sight of Bolan Mail (an express train running between Karachi and Quetta
via Larkana). Bolan Mail heading to Quetta would usually reach here at about 9.30 pm, make a 20 minute stop for filling water tanks of passenger cars. Those who needed cool breeze and enjoyed the view of trains would
climb up the pedestrian/passenger bridge built over the top of tracks connecting two
platforms. Rest would wander on platforms from one end to other; creating
congestion and inconvenience for genuine passengers. Nobody would buy a platform ticket and
railways authorities wouldn’t stop/ check these people from roaming the railway
station for hours.
Other people would take a round of the old town; circling a distance of about 3-4 kilometers connecting Pakistan Chowk (the
most public place for shopping), Machhi (Fish/Meat) Market, Empire and Nigar
Cinemas, Jailus Bazaar, Bank Square, Shahi Bazaar, Tonga Stand and back to
Pakistan Chowk (Anti-clockwise stroll). Other route for walking was from Jinnah
Bagh Gate at Station road, Ghintee Phaatak, Christian Colony, Sir Shahnawaz
Bhutto Library, VIP Road, Al-Murtaza House, Stadium, Municipal School, Qaim Ali
Shah Bukhari, Girls college/school and back to Jinnah Bagh (walking clockwise). After having taken stroll, all young would converge to
Shalimar Restaurant for a cup of Tea (usually called Dooth-Patti or Maggo Chai)
at the entrance of Larkana Railway Station. In 1970s, sub-urban areas named
Waleed, Murad Wahan, Rehmat Pur etc. were considered as surrounding villages.
Now they are part of Larkana city. Lahori Muhalla, Dari and Rially Bagh areas were and are part and parcel of Larkana.
It was in 1974 when Larkana was brimming with international guests during 2nd Islamic Summit held at Lahore during Z. A. Bhutto as Prime Minister of Pakistan era. I remember vividly that after arriving in the school, we were taken to the adjacent VIP road to line up and greet the international guests/heads of States passing in large motorcades and heading to Al-Murtaza, the Bhutto House. While clapping we saw and greeted all leaders of Muslim world notably King Faisal, Yasir Arafat, Col Gaddafi, Raza Shah Pehlvi, Anwar Sadat, Idi Amin, etc. Rumour was rife that all renowned, young and hot contemporary lady film stars of Pakistan film industry were also in Larkana to entertain the foreign guests/ dignitaries.
It was in 1974 when Larkana was brimming with international guests during 2nd Islamic Summit held at Lahore during Z. A. Bhutto as Prime Minister of Pakistan era. I remember vividly that after arriving in the school, we were taken to the adjacent VIP road to line up and greet the international guests/heads of States passing in large motorcades and heading to Al-Murtaza, the Bhutto House. While clapping we saw and greeted all leaders of Muslim world notably King Faisal, Yasir Arafat, Col Gaddafi, Raza Shah Pehlvi, Anwar Sadat, Idi Amin, etc. Rumour was rife that all renowned, young and hot contemporary lady film stars of Pakistan film industry were also in Larkana to entertain the foreign guests/ dignitaries.
A new Bus Stand was built at the toe of Larkana Stadium in
1970s in Bhutto's era which later proved congested and under capacity due to large number of
buses plying in and out of Larkana to surrounding towns. Ultimately it was
shifted to city outskirts, at its current location. During Bhutto era,
construction of massive civil works were undertaken to beautify the city; all
roads, water supply and sewerage lines, new bus stand, new Railway Station, gas
supply in the city, two towers; one called; Soekarno (now Sukarno) Memorial
near Al-Murtaza House intersection and Ata Turk Memorial at Bakrani Road
roundabout were also built. This changed the old town into a modern city. Large
scale development works in Larkana proved thorn in the eyes of other political parties and the matter echoed as "Paris of Pakistan" within the walls of parliament house in Islamabad. Mr. Z A Bhutto had to deliver a speech on the floor of parliament defending his modernisation plan of Larkana that all the development works were needed to meet the demand of
increasing population. Nevertheless, the
tag of Paris on Larkana proved a curse on the city in the following years
because whatever funds allocated to rehabilitate and modernize the city by every
successive PPP (Pakistan People’s Party) Govt. were plundered and embezzled
with, and the city remains in shambles, even today.
The link road connecting Royal-Station Road and Civil Hospital
Road separating Govt Girls High School and Jinnah Bagh was also built in 1970s. The
so-called shrine existing on right side at the end of link road near Civil Hospital Road
(between Civil Hospital Road and railway line) is of a beggar (a fat one) who
used to beg alms along the link road. We always used to see him begging on our
way to school and back to home. Word is that this chubby beggar was run over by
a moving train and friends/drug addicts/peddlers of beggar found it golden
opportunity to bury him here to make a den, convert it into a shrine and earn
money befooling peasants. They succeeded.
1972-75 was a real flourishing period for Sindhi language and
culture. New Sindhi newspapers, magazines, novels, Autobiographies (translated
from other languages), travelogues (by famous Altaf Shaikh, a marine engineer),
short stories and children books could be seen on the bookstalls all around
Sindh. I remember being member of a children committee
running under a Sindhi Children Magazine called “Gulan Jehra Barira” meaning
“Flowers-like children”. Such committees existed in almost all cities and towns
of Sindh. It was a period when Sindhi dramas also started appearing on
state run Pakistan Television. Who can forget charming actress Ghazala Rafiq,
handsome Iqbal Tareen and Qurban Jillani, entertaining Manzoor Qureshi, singing maestros Muhammad Yousaf, Allan
Faqeer, Ustad Juman and actress cum singer Zareena Baloch, etc. Later, many
other Sindhi programs on music, literature, Sindhi culture (Syed Saleh Muhammad
Shah’s famous “Kachehree” program) sitcoms, etc. were also added.
Some renowned eateries of Larkana in 70s include the Duleep
Sweets (already mentioned), Mao (a kind of khoya or halwa made from pure milk
and sugar) of Ratodero, Falooda Ice-cream of Jhalliyun-waro Hotel (A restaurant
with hand-pulled makeshift ceiling fans), MullaaN Sholay-Dahi-Barre waro,
Mangal Behan Waro (A Hindu named Mangal selling roasted lotus roots
prepared in earthen pot) on Bakrani Road, Abbas Karhai, Al-Madina Hotel, and Sambara Inn for elite and wealthy people.
Jummo Faqeer (beggar) is worth mentioning too. A beggar named
Jummo (or Jumma; Islamic day for Friday) was known to almost everyone in the
city streets with his peculiarity; an untidy old man wearing many layers of
cloths and riding a short (dwarf) donkey, with his feet touching almost to the ground.
People, mostly shopkeepers would give him alms while Jummo kept riding the
donkey. A story is famous in Larkana that once the sitting Prime Minister of
Pakistan Mr. Z.A. Bhutto stopped by him, gave 100 Rupees to Jummo Faqeer and asked
in return for prayers. Jummo grinned and said: What dua you needed from me,
you are already ruling the country! Are you vying to take my seat? Bhutto just
laughed back at him.
No comments:
Post a Comment