Drive early morning in private car/coach toward Thatta. On the way to Visit Chaukindi Tombs, tombs from 15-18th century made of Sandstone. All tombs are quadrangular in shape and have beautiful carvings. All men graves have Turbans carved on top and women graves have beautiful jewelry carved on sandstone. Later drive to Banbhore visit the museum and walk over the archeological site of Banbhore which was first inhabited by central Asian Scythians and Parthians later this site became the last conquest of Alexander the great from here he went back to westwards and died on his way in Iran. Banbhore was also the first city which received Islam it was conquered by Arabs in 711 AD by Mohammad Bin Qasim the first mosque in South east Asia was also built during this period in this city.
Continue to Thatta, Thatta dates back to the invading armies of the Greeks. The moody Indus changed its course and Thatta was no more a port. But it retained its importance as the capital of lower Sind. Visit Makli the largest Muslim cemetery having over half a million graves of Scholars, Poets, Ministers, Kings and rich men of Thatta from 15th to 18th century from the time when Thatta was center of education literature and was also capital of Sindh. In Thatta Visit Shah Jahan Mosque the mosque was built in 1647 2 years after Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan built this mosque for the people of Tahtta for their hospitality rendered to him when he was escaping from the enemy. The mosque is the most impressive work of blue glazed tile work and is most well-preserved mosque of this age. Afternoon visit Keenjher Lake and return to Karachi by evening.
Tombs of Chaukundi located near Landhi town, east of Karachi are renowned for their intricately carved sandstone tombs. Built by the Baluchi and Burpat tribes between the 15th and 19th century, these unique pyramid shaped tombs are embellished with geometrical patterns, symbols, flowers, crosses, swastikas and diamonds. The architecture of these tombs is exclusive to the Sind region and found nowhere around the world.
Makli Necropolis is one of the largest funerary sites in the world, spread over an area of 10 square kilometers near the city of Thatta. The site houses approximately 500,000 to 1 million tombs built over the course of a 400-year period. Makli Necropolis features several large funerary monuments belonging to royalty, various Sufi saints, and esteemed scholars. The site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 as an “outstanding testament” to Sindhi civilization between the 14th and 18th centuries. A historical city which served as the capital of Sindh for four centuries, Thatta is located 61 miles east of Karachi. Listed on UNSECO’s World Heritage Sites, Thatta instantly grabs attention with a vast old necropolis nearby the hills of Makli. All the monuments, shrines and mosques including Jama Mosque, built by Shah Jahan and the tomb of Jam Nizamuddin are grand in the true sense of the word.
Thatta Mosque, The Shah Jahan Mosque, also known as the Jamia Masjid of Thatta, is a 17th century building that serves as the central mosque for the city of Thatta. The mosque is considered to have the most elaborate display of tile work in South Asia, and is also notable for its geometric brick work – a decorative element that is unusual for Mughal-period mosques. It was built during the reign of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who bestowed it to the city as a token of gratitude, and is heavily influenced by Central Asian architecture – a reflection of Shah Jahan’s campaigns near Samarkand shortly before the mosque was designed.
Bhambore, the name Bhambore instantly rekindles the tragic love story of Sassi and Punnu whose eternal love was disowned by their families. An archaeological site, Bhambore is also thought to be the ancient port of Debal from the 8th century. Arab conqueror Mohammad Bin Qasim first landed on the land of Bhambore to save the kidnapped city from the pirates but later on was responsible for the invasion of Sindh. Bhambore was the residence of a primarily Hindu population and served as a major trading link between Asia and Arabia.
Haleji Lake holds up a roof to Asia’s largest bird sanctuary. Thousands of migrating birds flock to this wintering centre, especially the migratory waterfowl. The Haleji Lake was originally a small depression collecting seasonal water. But during the British regime, the capacity of the canal was increased by introducing a feeder canal from the river Sindh. While the waterfowl is the main highlight of the Haleji Lake, the sanctuary boasts of many other attractions too, such as the marsh crocodiles, osprey, Buzzards, Wigeon, coot, shoveller, pintail, Jacana, flamingos and sometimes Bewick’s swan.
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