Karachi is Pakistan’s largest and most multicultural city, with a diverse ethnic, religious and political make-up that most residents are proud of. But the city is often in the spotlight for being a trouble spot — and many people from Karachi are well aware of this.
Some choose to live in fear and rarely venture beyond their comfort zone. Then there are those who accept the realities of living in a city with an estimated population of between 15 and 25 million people, and embrace it no matter what happens. And some in the latter camp, fiercely loyal to their city, believe Karachi has a lot to offer and that they can help change perceptions for the better.
In December 2014, two such individuals, Atif bin Arif and Bilal Hassan, both born and raised in Karachi, came up with the idea of the city’s first guided bus tour — the “Super Savari Express.”
This was their way of encouraging local tourism, and educating the public about the city’s rich heritage. They sell tour tickets at 2,500 Pakistani rupees ($24) through their Facebook page, and aim to help both Pakistanis and foreigners access religious and historical sites that have been forgotten and are now hidden in the busy city streets.
‘Yellow devils’
One of the unique aspects of the Super Savari Express tour is that you have the opportunity to explore the city in a typical Pakistani bus. Once known as the “yellow devils,” Pakistani buses are fast, with passengers sometimes expected to jump onto the bus as it drives past a stop; others may have to sit on the roof if there is no room inside.
Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to be able to go on one of the Super Savari Express bus tours. When deciding where to sit on the bus, I chose the most exciting spot — on the roof.
That was an incredibly exhilarating experience, affording panoramic views of the city. However, I had to climb up using a ladder attached to the side; I had no cushion to sit on, no safety belt, and had to use a couple of rods attached to the roof to help maintain my balance. I even had a well-to-do looking man from Karachi ask me, rather patronizingly, if it was not a bit dangerous for me to be up there. Since it was such a memorable experience, I am glad that I did not let his comment change my seating arrangements.
First stop on the tour
At around 8 a.m., bright and early on a Sunday, we started our tour and briefly stopped at our first site, Kabootar Chowk, a roundabout known for its hordes of pigeons, opposite the Sindh High Court. I was surprised to learn that a statue of Mahatma Gandhi once stood there, but of course after the Partition of India, it was removed and given to the Indian Embassy in Islamabad. The roundabout is now a popular destination for families on days off.
Our next stop was at Zaibunnisa Street, located in the famous neighborhood of Saddar. I was most interested in exploring this part of Karachi mainly because it is one of the oldest parts of the city, and there are still remnants of British colonial architecture there. I had often heard stories from my grandfather about shopping on Elphinstone Street, an earlier name for Zaibunnisa Street, as it was once the most fashionable shopping destination in the city. One could find a wide variety of clothing, jewelry, watches, and shoes as well as many other items.
As it was a Sunday, no one was around, and we were able to comfortably wander through the streets of Saddar. While we were unable to go inside the New Memon Mosque, we did get a chance to peek into a Parsi temple. Later, we stopped by a small restaurant in the area for a hearty Pakistani breakfast — paratha, omelet and chai. My favorite!
Empress Market impresses
We then went to one of the most popular and busy markets in Karachi, Empress Market. Today, Empress Market is where many people from the city shop for spices, vegetables, pets and household goods. Historically, however, it is the site where many Indian soldiers were publically executed after a failed uprising against the British in 1857.
After wandering around in the market, we went to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a large and beautifully designed church just a short ride away, and then on to Flagstaff House, the former residence of Pakistan’s founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah. The museum in Flagstaff House is fascinating as it holds various personal items which once belonged to the Jinnah family, and some of the rooms have even been arranged to show visitors how they were used.
Our last stop was Eduljee Dinshaw Road where the Karachi Port Trust Building and Imperial Customs House are located. Eduljee Dinshaw Road felt like another world with its fountains, wooden benches, clean paved roads, and large heritage-style street lamps. At the end of the road was also a small Hindu temple that we were unable to go into. Yet it was nice to know that it was there!
The Super Savari Express tour of Karachi can be an important experience for Pakistanis living in the country or abroad. While many hesitate to explore this large metropolis due to security concerns, the trip can show you a side of Karachi that you have never seen. It can help you appreciate and accept the many layers that make up the city’s rich heritage.
I now realize that by making an effort to understand Karachi, it can only help you improve your relationship with the city and its widely diverse population.
• Naveen Shakir is an interior decorator and author of The Design Souk, www.thedesignsouk.com, a blog about travel, interiors, shopping and home décor in the Eastern Province.
A tour of Karachi on the Super Savari Express
A tour of Karachi on the Super Savari Express
AlUla’s ancient scripts come alive after dark at Ikmah
- Gen-Z local Omer Mohammad guided Arab News through the vast outdoor setting of ‘Secrets of the Scribe’
ALULA: Ikmah Mountain, also known as Jabal Ikmah, one of AlUla’s landmark archeological sites, is offering visitors a new experience this week as part of the Winter at Tantora programming, which ends on Jan. 10.
Near the ancient city of Dadan, Ikmah highlights AlUla’s role as a major cultural and religious center long before the rise of the Nabataeans. It is being activated under the stars in a brand new, old way.
The site, often described as “an open-air library” for its hundreds of ancient inscriptions carved on its canyon walls thousands of years ago, provides visitors with have a chance to etch their own names, using the ancient alphabet, on a block of stone they can take home.
Written mainly in Dadanitic and Lihyanite, the ancient texts once recorded religious dedications, laws, names of rulers and traced everyday life, providing rare insights into the beliefs and social structures of early Arabian kingdoms.
Arab News spoke with Gen-Z local Omer Mohammad, who guided us through the vast outdoor setting of the “Secrets of the Scribe — Ikmah After Dark” experience.
“When the guests arrive, we welcome them ... give them some tea to get refreshed. After that, if the group is big, we split them into two; some of the group goes to go to the carving where they are going to learn how to carve. And the other group is going to go to explore the gorge,” he said.
Storytelling was such an important thing here 3,000 years ago. People from all over the world used to bring their animals and rest here; it had a river so it had some water and everything.
Omer Mohammad, AlUla local
The gorge is an elevated path with candles lighting the way on both sides.
“In the scripts and descriptions you’re going to see (in the mountains), you will get to know more about Dadani lives and what they used to do here,” he said.
After the hike down, visitors from both groups join at the gathering point where everyone is encouraged to rest, mingle and enjoy small bites such as dates and other goodies, as well as tea.
While it is a new experience, the tradition is old.
“Storytelling was such an important thing here 3,000 years ago. People from all over the world used to bring their animals and rest here; it had a river so it had some water and everything,” he said.
Dressed in garb from olden times and speaking in poetic prose, Mohammad and his peers guided us to see the light in the dark night.
“It is significant to me personally to work on this project to get people to come here and get excited (about) what’s happening, enjoy our stories and know more about Dadani life,” he said.
On a personal note, Mohammad is grateful to know more about his own history and wants to continue passing on that newfound knowledge to all generations — both younger and older than his own — and be part of the unfolding story of the land and its people.
“I guess you can say that this is the land of my ancestors. I really love history, and I really would like to know more about history — and my history,” Mohammad said. “But I just learned about this ancient history three years ago when I started working here.
“I never had the experience before, so when I knew more about it, I was so happy. And it was so good. Everyone should come,” he said.
