Cholistan: glimpses of a desert culture
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Cholistan is a vast region of 26,300 square kilometers, geographically connected with the Indian state of Rajasthan in the east and Tharparkar desert in the South. Before independence, it was the border area of the princely state of Bahawalpur with another princely state of Jaisalmer. Many centuries back, the Hakra- Ghaghara river flowing through Cholistan irrigated its lands and sustained an agricultural economy. Multiple sites dug by the archaeologists around the bank of the dead river indicate population centers of similar characteristics as the other ruins of the Indus Valley civilization. One can only speculate about the climatic catastrophe that reduced this territory to a desert, but the one that strikes every one is the dying of the river.
A part of the ancient river system feeding Cholistan still flows in the form of seasonal streams in Rajasthan but get lost in the sand dunes of the desert on Pakistan’s side of the border. It is sparsely populated, inhabited by old communities strongly attached to this place, its history and culture. People live in much smaller settlements around water ponds that get filled when it rains, but for its geography, Cholistan receives one of the lowest precipitations compared to other regions. However, when it rains, mostly in the monsoon season, the desert blooms into green with crops, wild local bushes and grasses for animals.
Herding drives the local economy. The Cholistan breeds of cattle and camels are one of the finest and much sought after as they can survive the harshest of the hot weather and are less demanding for feed and care. Raising cattle remains very traditional, as they graze in the wilderness grass producing organic milk and meat. Like old times, the numbers of animals measures one’s material worth. Beyond a certain fixed stock, the surplus is quite often sold in the weekly animal markets both for the urban meat-eaters and dairy farmers from within the region.
The craftsmen and women of Cholistan use local materials of goat, sheep and camel wool to weave colorful blankets, rugs and carpets. The patterns are unique to this region, which are simple and often blend natural colors that never fade. Women, who spend the long nights of winter and summer inside dimly lit mud houses, escape the scorching desert heat and engage in embroidery, weaving and making geometric designs of quilts locally known as gindi or rilly. Women dress in bright, colorful attire of traditional choli, long tunics with inlaid small pieces of shimmering glass and metal. They used to wear heavy silver jewelry with dozens of bangles up to their elbows. Cheap metals have replaced expensive silver. Men wear turbans of bright colors in a unique local style, very different from other regions.
Selling only a romantic fascination of desert life and the wilderness may bring a few nature lovers, but will not contribute enough to its economy without massive investment in infrastructure, tourist facilities and water resources.
Rasul Bakhsh Rais
The desert people are conscious of their heritage, climate and their local materials to live a comfortable life. They raise the structures of their homes by layers of mud and use wood, twigs and reed as roofing, often plastered over in thick mud. Designed aesthetically, and built by family and community efforts, these represent the best example of desert architecture and are a model for environmentally conscious architecture. Embroidered wall hangings, door curtains, floor mats, and a rich display of locally crafted objects decorate the interior.
Cholistan was entirely Seraiki speaking and largely remains so, but since canal colonization under the British about 90 years back, Punjabi settlements have also emerged on the eastern fringes close to the canals. However, the folklore, poetry and local music are predominantly regional with the use of string instruments, drums and enrapturing dances. Apart from the folk poetic traditions and songs and dances performed on festive occasions, like weddings, one can see a deep imprint of the poetry of late nineteenth century Sufi poet Khawaja Ghulam Fareed who often retreated to the desert to enjoy its simplicity and natural beauty. Sadly, climate change has badly affected Cholistan, perhaps more than the rest of the world, as its human and animal populations depend on rainwaters. Frequent droughts have forced some communities to migrate, never to return.
Poor health and educational facilities are other reasons that continue to push people out of their native lands.
Life around rainwater ponds has been withering away. It is sad to see this happening when deserts in other countries are beginning to bloom with modern methods of rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation. This can easily be done here. The canal system nearby can be extended deep into Cholistan and draw floodwaters in the monsoon season, as it has been done for the Tharparkar in Sindh.
Tourism and promotion of local crafts and their marketing can create jobs and offer alternatives to the traditional economy. There are no less than eleven ancient forts, Derawar being better known and the largest, but all are in disrepair. Annual festivals on shrines, camel races and folk musical evenings attract people to visit, but they have yet to bring people from other parts of the country.
Cholistan remains unexplored, underdeveloped and largely deprived of political attention and investment in its resources and people. Selling only a romantic fascination of desert life and the wilderness may bring a few nature lovers, but will not contribute enough to its economy without massive investment in infrastructure, tourist facilities and water resources. There is more in its fabled nature and beauty than meets the eye.
- Rasul Bakhsh Rais is Professor of Political Science in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, LUMS, Lahore. His latest book is “Islam, Ethnicity and Power Politics: Constructing Pakistan’s National Identity” (Oxford University Press, 2017).
Twitter: @RasulRais
