Sanghar-Chotiari

 

Nothing else excites me more than travelling; I absolutely adore travelling especially road trips . Last year I got the chance to visit Sanghar. Sanghar is one of the largest districts of Sindh. Roughly about 3-4 hours drive time from Karachi.

 

A three-day training on Grassroots Comics as a Teaching-Learning Tool and Environmental Education for Government School Teachers’ was organized with Indus for All Programme, WWF - Pakistan from 26 -28 October, 2010 at Chotiari, Sanghar. I was accompanied by Nida shams and Muhammad Zafar Khan, Manager Communication and Awareness Raising of the Indus for All Programme.

 

As we passed the smooth roads, rural cultural change met the eyes. Women working in fields dressed up in bright blues, orange and yellow ghagra cholis with traditional bangles reaching up to the elbows. People of Sanghar still travel in tanga (horse carts) but the culture has changed a lot with the emerging trend of Quinchi.

 

My main destination in Sangar was Chotiari. It is among the 200 unique sites of world. Chotiari is a reservoir with rich biodiversity containing terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of deep water, shallow marshes, wetland, agricultural land, migratory birds and sand dunes.

 

Our workshop was held at the WWF information centre which was newly built keeping in mind the luxury of the urban areas and combining it with the rural aesthetics. It was an amazing place build on the idea of local clay huts. Bamboo chick art ceiling with embroidery work by local women on community centre. Elements of local environment and traditions were highlighted. Information centre had a tuck shop, educational exhibit room, guest room, conference room, a beautiful lawn/sitting area and an impressive solar panel unit.

 

Though I didn’t get to explore the streets of Sanghar due to my tough schedule, the places I visited had a wonderful view and beauty to be admired. Here are a few clicks from the trip.

 

Bullfalo bathing in water

Chotiari Conservation and Information Centre-Sanghar district

Backside view of information centre

Sunset at Chotiari

In search for dinner

 

View from inside of information centre

Handmade bamboo chick ceiling

solar panels

one of the sessions I conducted

Final posters exhibition

 

Garden

 

Group photo with participants

Goats crossing the road

 

Sunset as we left for home

 

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