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Description

Karachi, as a port city and the most cosmopolitan city, with its diverse communities and vast attributes, contains a unique reservoir of British Period shared architecture.

Heritage Foundation began the first studies of Karachi heritage during the early 1980s and has been instrumental in saving a large number of heritage treasures of the city.

By cataloguing and publishing almost 600 structures of the city and spearheading the draft of the legislation Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1994, Heritage Foundation was able to get protection to a large number of heritage sites of the city. The publication of the documents, the major reference book The Dual City: Karachi During the Raj by Yasmeen Lari and Mihail Lari, and the Karachi Heritage Guide brought about large scale awareness regarding the heritage of Karachi.

During 2001, through the formation of KaravanKarachi (later KaravanPakistan), large scale heritagefests or street assemblies brought into focus the importance of heritage in fostering peace in a strife torn city.

Denso Hall Conservation

The work of Denso Hall conservation was taken up in collaboration with the City Government and Karachi Electric Supply Company in 2010.

Denso Hall is located in the heart of Old Karachi. Historically, it is of extreme significance. Designed by James Strachan, the Municipality Engineer, it was built in Indo-Gothic style using buff coloured Gizri stone. During the British Period, it was among the first buildings to be built for natives as a reading room and hall.

The roots of the city can be traced to Alexander as one of his Krokalas.

The objective was to bring the hall back for the enjoyment of the general public by creating a Karachi Heritage Gallery.

At the time the building was occupied by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board. With the help of the Deputy Mayor Karachi, Ms. Nasreen Jalil and the civil administration, the offices were moved from the building and conservation work was initiated.

The work is likely to be resumed in the near future to complete the conservation work and open the building to the public.

Karachi’s Heritage Districts

All historic cores in various towns are of extreme significance due to their distinctive architectural character. Over a period of time, the historic cores have become part of the down town. In view of rapid development in Pakistan’s cities, there has been large scale destruction of these historic assets. Since its inception in 1980, under the guidance of its CEO, Ar. Yasmeen Lari, the Foundation has been in the forefront of demands for the protection of heritage buildings in old cities, which are prerequisite for maintaining the distinctive characteristics of each city. The Foundation has prepared several proposals for declaring heritage districts in Karachi in order to safeguard the special character of Old Karachi. The first such proposal was prepared for Zaibunnisa Street (old Elphinstone Street) in early 1980s. It was further developed in 1996 as part of Empress Market Gardens Project to create an urban square in the Saddar area along with management of traffic to create pedestrian areas. Other proposals developed in 1996 included pedestrian precincts in Civil Lines as part of Frere Hall Cultural District as well as in M.R. Kiyani Road for cultural activities. The latest proposal is for development of Marriott Road as a pedestrian street in order to celebrate the cultural diversity of various ethnic groups that reside in Karachi. The Foundation has recommended to the Karachi City Government to declare at least 10 Heritage Districts in the city which comprise a large number of notified historic buildings with the following objectives:

  1. Preservation of historic urban character
  2. Preservation of old trees, open spaces
  3. Enactment of special byelaws for controlling development in the area e.g FAR and height controls – give advantage to those who maintain street facades and integrity of historic buildings
  4. Management and redirection of vehicular traffic to minimize pollution
  5. Creation of Walking Streets, as was the case in old times
  6. Revitalization of historic urban core through relocation of environmentally damaging local industry
  7. Urban and graphic design controls
  8. Control over hoardings

The proposal was developed by Heritage Foundation in January 2007. In the meantime, through help from NSN, the historic Denso Hall facade has been cleaned through gentle washing. The urban design of the area has been prepared and negotiations with the City Government are in progress.

Historically, Denso Hall and its environs carry immense significance. The area abuts the Kharadar area and represents the continuity of the original ‘Black Town’ that existed at the advent of the British. To this day it continues to house the old markets of Karachi and offers a variety of goods and experiences which retain the flavour of old Karachi. The tangible heritage of the area consists of two-three storey historic buildings, most of which have been protected under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act 1994.

It is proposed to develop the Denso Hall precinct focusing on the Marriott Road in its rear as the Tarikhi Guzargah, Juni Gali or Purani Gali. The proposal consists of the following:

  • Conversion of the historic Denso Hall, being cleaned with Nokia support, into a reading room and museum of Karachi’s Ethnic Communities.
  • Cleaning of all facades lining the M.A. Jinnah Road between the crossing of Denso Hall and next junction.
  • Conversion of Marriott Road into a landscaped pedestrian street.
  • Design of all paving, signage, kiosks, and other small structures to be based on 19th century Karachi.
  • Presentation of Karachi’s diverse communities from the earliest times to today by portraying their intangible cultural heritage through street activities. KaravanKarachi to devote each Sunday for portrayal of one community e.g. Parsis, Shidis, Bohris etc.: Ethnic cuisine; folk dance and music street theatre; people in ethnic dresses.

Strengths

The landmark Denso Hall and other historic buildings e.g. the KMC Building and the Merewether Tower etc., endow the precinct with immense significance. Along M.A. Jinnah Road Denso Hall is flanked on one side by the well known Jahangir Kothari Building, also designed by James Strachan, and on the other several other attractive structures. On the opposite side are situated several historic buildings built by the old merchant princes as reminder of Karachi’s eminence as the largest wheat exporter in the entire British empire. The famous Marriott Road in the rear also carries many protected historic structures. The area is easily accessible from all parts of Karachi. On Sundays M.A. Jinnah Road is devoid of vehicular traffic presenting an opportunity to draw people from other sections of the city and elsewhere. A large number of people reside in Kharadar, rear (north) of the Denso Hall, who is likely to become the ‘captured audience’ to attend cultural activities, held in the precinct.

Weaknesses

The area is highly congested with traffic and has a proliferation of impediments contributing to visual and audio pollution. Lack of parking and unregulated traffic are major issues. Overhead electric cables, broken pavements, lack of garbage collection and unsightly signboards add to environmental degradation The buildings mostly present a pitiable site, left in a state of neglect.

Opportunities

The precinct provides a rare opportunity to present Karachi as the multicultural rainbow city of Pakistan. The cleaning of the entire precinct and providing a pedestrianized landscaped street, the Marriott Road has the potential to become a hub of cultural activity presenting Karachi as it once was. Such a transformation will not only present the cultural face of Karachi, through visitors’ interest it can bring untold benefits to the whole area.

Threats

The threats include lack of maintenance by government agencies after the area has been developed. There may be opposition from the local shop keepers and others particularly, the pushcart owners, khoka restaurants and the makeshift mosque occupying the corner.

Conclusion

The project has the potential to influence the direction of future development of Historic Karachi.

Description

Under the guidance of CEO, Heritage Foundation, notified as the Hon. Project Director by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the work on the conservation of the Sethi House is in progress.

This work is being carried out in collaboration with the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The hidden jewel of a highly embellished residence of one of the most powerful mercantile families of the city of Peshawar, lay hidden for several decades behind an anonymous façade. The Mohallah Sethian, the Enclave of Sethis, named after the Sethis – the Wealthy - had been famous for its owners and their love of architecture. Being the richest traders, their kafilahs reaching the farthest regions of Central Asia and beyond to the Czarist Russia, they would bring back priceless objects from those far off lands. More importantly, they were deeply affected by the architecture of Central Asia and transmitted their impressions as they adorned and beautified their residences. The Sethi Houses thus became the epitome of Peshawar’s residential architecture.

Once the entire mohallah consisting of over two dozen houses boasted the most richly endowed structures, each one an object d’art in itself. During the last few decades, and particularly as the state of Russia was dismantled, Peshawar bearing the brunt of the influx of Afghan refugees, many of the buildings of this rich mohallah were dismantled and rebuilt with insensitive concrete structures. The dismantling heralded the disruption and destruction of age-old traditions and lifestyles that were the hallmark of Peshawar’s Udroon Shahr (Inner City or Walled City) society.

Today only one dozen of the original houses are extant. They are fast crumbling due to neglect and lack of maintenance. The Sethis have fallen on hard times, and are no longer able to maintain, which were once palatial mansions. As in other historic cities of Pakistan, many original residents have moved out, the younger generation preferring the new housing estates that have sprung up in all major cities of the country. With no assistance available for maintenance, wealthy outsiders are buying up the houses, insensitive to the customs or conventions of the historic walled city and only interested in making the houses livable for themselves. Not being aware of the historicity of the houses, nor of their architectural significance, the new owners are in the process of pulling them down to only the value of the lot on which the houses stood.

It is only a matter of time, before almost all of these exquisitely embellished houses in this remarkable cluster are lost.

It goes to the sagacity of the government that one of the houses, known as Qadri Manzil, was purchased in 2006, due to the sensitivity and timely intervention of a few who had been prodded by Begum Farida Nishtar, Chief Secretary, and Additional Chief Secretary Mr. Ghulam Dastgir (now the Chief Secretary). The owner having died, the house had been put up for sale and if immediate action was not taken it would be dismantled, and all its valuable decorative features sold for a song.

The house was the original zanankhana (female quarters) of the central Sethi House, now belonging to Mr. Nisar Sethi and is reported to have been built in 1834. Due to multiple tenancy and several additions of bathrooms and kitchens, with little spent on its maintenance, the house was in an extremely poor state of preservation. Further, on northeast side, a recently built structure, poorly designed had affected the original structure, so that part of its portion, also seemed in an imminent state of collapse. The water seepage from rain as well as poor plumbing had deeply affected the historic structure’s wooden rafters, which required immediate action.

This was the state when Architect Yasmeen Lari, CEO, Heritage Foundation was notified as Hon. Project Director by Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in March 2010 to undertake the process of conservation of the building. Heritage Foundation set up a documentation centre in May 2010 in collaboration with the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums at the historic Gor Khattree premises. The next six months were devoted to documentation of the historic structure. At the same time various studies were also initiated. The structural study declared the non-historic part as most dangerous which must be demolished immediately to relieve the stress on the mid-historic and early historic structure. They also advised that the mid-historic part was also under extreme stress and immediate measures were required to save it otherwise, it will be needed to be pulled down.

The conservation work was begun in late December 2010 by a dedicated team, but had to be stopped due to financial constraints. The work has resumed once more and is in progress.

Mughal Pavilion/British Residency

A valuable heritage structure dating to the first half of the 17th c. lay hidden by an encircling verandah of the early British Period (1840s) built during the period between the First and Second Anglo-Sikh wars. The camouflage was due to the Public Works Department’s yellow paint applied to the external façade that had seen many interventions – additions of several walls to divide up the verandah into rooms, removal of original timber joists and replacement with r.c.c. beams and new roofs etc. The British Period brick masonry work, had been plastered, and painted with yellow lime wash, which led to the appellation ‘Yellow Building’.

The double-storey structure is a rare and interesting combination of two distinct and historical periods in the subcontinent: a 19th c. British Period veranda arcade that encircles a 17th c. Mughal Garden Pavilion. The Pavilion was built by the Mughal Governor Ali Mardan Khan, known for his engineering skills and contribution to World Heritage site of Shalamar Gardens, Lahore.

The British Period extension was made by George Lawrence, Resident appointed by the British Governor General in 1847. The Mughal building and its extensive estate were converted into a British Residency. This British period trabeated extension camouflages and conceals the original arcuate construction of the Mughal Period.

As you entered the tall portals of the yellow building, the British period structure, with its simple characteristics of trabeated construction, is impressive due to the scale of its giant columns and great heights. The entrance portico leads to an amazing arcuate structure, which can be considered amongst the finest of the great Mughal Shah Jahan’s period, himself a great builder and a fine aesthete.

It is clear that the historic structure was originally located in a Mughal paradisal garden, complete with parterres, water channels, sitting places and plantation. Once the site became part of the British military cantonment it was laid out with streets following the European grid-iron pattern. After Independence, the area was taken over by the Pakistan Army, and later developed as Corps Headquarters.

The area surrounding the site is primarily low rise residential area. In view of security concerns, it is not likely to be developed with high-rise buildings, which will maintain the present character of its environs.

In view of the significance of the historic structure, it is important that once conserved, this remarkable structure is made accessible to the general public. Accordingly, plans are being developed to isolate the structure from the remaining military establishment by providing a separate public entry, which will lead to the viewing of the historic structure without disrupting the activities of the Corps Headquarters.

On request of the Corps Headquarters, Ar. Yasmeen Lari, CEO, Heritage Foundation, visited the site in January 2011, and agreed to develop a report on a pro bono basis. For this purpose, the Foundation arranged for the visit of Ar. Mariyam Nizam and Ar. Wajiha Siddiqui, who both spent one month each in carrying out documentation of the historic structure, consisting of graphic and photographic documentation as the first step towards developing an understanding of the building. Through the cooperation of ISPR, extensive photography and video recording has also been carried out.

A conservation report covers the remarkable features of the historic structure.

Description

The Centre is set up in the shadow of the historic Kot Diji Fort and a stone’s throw from the ancient Kot Diji Remains. The Centre has come about due to the initiative of DC (former DCO) Mr. Abbas Baloch, EDO (CDD), Mr. Faisal Khokar. The efforts of EDO, IT, Mr. Sabir Ali Shah, the focal point appointed by the DC and those of the ADC, Captain Anwar have resulted in the setting up of this unique centre, which is one of its kind in the country. Both the Khairpur administration and Heritage Foundation are enthusiastic and optimistic about the work that can be accomplished through this collaboration.

A Management Committee for the KHC has been formed which is chaired by Dr. Nafisa Shah, MNA, and members include Deputy Commissioner Khairpur Mr. Abbas Baloch, Vice Chancellor, Shah Abdul Latif University (SALU), former ruler of Khairpur, Mr. Mehdi and CEO, Heritage Foundation Ar. Yasmeen Lari.

The Khairpur District has an enormous reservoir of heritage sites which are in a poor state of conservation. Coupled with its spectacular heritage of forts and palaces and tombs of sufi saints, along with 19th c. urban architecture it enjoys some unique natural attributes ranging from lush green fields to clusters of towering date palm trees and the silence of the huge Nara (Tharparkar) desert bounded by age old Rohri hills.

This collaborative initiative between Heritage Foundation and Khairpur Administration began functioning on 1st January 2012. Ar. Yasmeen Lari, CEO, Heritage Foundation has been notified as Hon. Project Director and all the work is being carried out under her guidance with support provided by Heritage Foundation in Karachi.

The Centre has been set up to carry out the following tasks:

1. Documentation Unit

  • Scientific Cataloguing and preparation of Condition Survey Reports
  • Identify assets for first amid
  • Identify Assets for immediate Conservation
  • Delineate Heritage Disricts in Khairpur and Kot Diji

2. Conservation Unit

  • Preparation of conservation proposals
  • Preparation of PC-1
  • Identification of experts and artisans
  • Determining first aid mechanisms for historic sites
  • Implementation of conservation works
  • Training programmes for artisans and conservation.

3. Advisory Unit

  • Leaflets and guidelines for conservation
  • Advisory teams for private heritage owners
  • Preparation of drawings and proposals for owners of historic buildings

4. Heritage Training Unit

  • Workshops for professionals (architects, engineers, surveyors)
  • Workshops for administrators, owners of heritage buildings
  • Field training for safeguarding activities for students and youth

5. Vernacular Building Unit

  • Research into use of local materials and construction techniques
  • Promotion of sustainable construction based on traditional methodologies for green buildings

6. Records Archival Unit

  • Identify old maps and records available with government agencies
  • Locate family papers and collections for safeguarding
  • Restore/conserve records
  • Store records etc. in archival boxes

7. Research & Publication Unit

  • Research in libraries and records
  • Carry out online research
  • Develop writeups for heritage assets
  • Prepare leaflets
  • Finalize publications

8. Cultural Tourism Unit

  • Develop cultural and eco-tourism proposals for identified sites
  • Build green construction tourism sites
  • Prepare mementoes
  • Promote local crafts and artisan products
  • Develop museum displays

On 20 March 2012, documentation work was initiated

On 8 February 2012, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Ar. Yasmeen Lari, CEO, Heritage Foundation and Mr. Aziz Uqaili, Secretary, Department of Culture, Government of Sindh in the presence of Hon. Sassui Palejo, Minister for Culture, Government of Sindh.

Objectives of the MoU

• Conservation of Tomb of Samma Noble I.

• Identify other monuments at risk.

• Take joint decisions and develop joint approaches for conservation.

• Training of personnel of Directorate of Archaeology.

• Further joint efforts for promoting and sustaining Makli necropolis.

• Foster eco-cultural sustainable tourism for poverty alleviation.

• Bring out joint publications.

Responsibility of Department of Culture

• Provide accommodation for Documentation Centre at Makli.

• Refurbishment of Archaeological Bungalow.

• Establish Artisans Workshopsfor (glazed tiles), Brick Making, Lime Preparation.

• Define Limits of Necropolis and Topographical Survey through Endowment Fund Trust.

• Set up Epigraphic Museum at Makli.

Responsibility of Heritage Foundation

• Undertake Work on Tomb of Samma Noble I.

• Geo-technical & Structural Studies.

• Physical Survey & Drawings.

• Implement Conservation Work.

• Capacity building of personnel of Department of Archaeology.

• Training programs for artisans including Women.

• Review workshop on conclusion of Work.

• Maintain & provide conservation record.

Description

The site was inscribed in 1981 on the World Heritage List, Criteria III, and was listed at serial number 4 as Historical Monuments of Thatta. The site is located on the outskirts of the historic town of Thatta.

The world’s largest necropolis is spread over approximately 12 km and accommodates a diversity of historic structures – from tomb enclosures to umbrella pavilions, trabeated domed structures to arcuate buildings, some in dressed stone with devotional carving to finely laid brick, some also exhibiting very fine kashi (glazed tile work).

The period that they represent span from 14th century to 17th century, accommodating tombs of sufi saints and princes and kings to ordinary mortals. The remains are of particular significance as a depository of remarkable monuments presenting different periods of Sindh history.

The dynastic clusters include the Sammas spanning from 14th to 16th century, the Arghuns from early 16th to mid 16th century, the Tarkhans from mid 16th to late 16th century and the Mughals from early 17th to early 18th century.

The pictorial catalogue prepared by Heritage Foundation during the Damage Assessment Mission supported by Prince Claus Fund records altogether 61 monuments: 19 monuments (10 brick and 9 stone structures) belonging to the Samma Period, 6 belonging to the Arghun Period (3 brick and 3 stone structures), 16 belonging to the Tarkhan Period (4 brick and 12 stone structures and 20 belonging to the Mughal Period (15 brick and 5 stone monuments. In addition there are innumerable graves, a large number with carved headstones.

Emergency Assistance for Tomb of Samma Noble 1 by Prince Claus Fund

Where a large number of monuments were found to be in a highly deteriorated and damaged state, the tomb of Samma Noble I was found to be among the most highly degraded structures. Being among the earliest extant structures, and built with fragile brick masonry, it is among the most vulnerable structures in the necropolis.

The Tomb of Samma Noble I was listed in the initial listing that took place during the 1950s. Later, it was also part of the list when the Makli necropolis was inscribed on the World Heritage List. The historic structure is among the first brick tombs that were built in the necropolis portraying the construction techniques of the Samma artisans practicing their craft in mid-15th century. It is widely accepted by historians as being among the earliest structures to be built in Thatta, barring the Jamia Masjid and ruins of tomb of Saint Hammad Jamali that also portrays the transitional period at the advent of Islam. A vast majority of population was pur- suing other faiths and, it was at this time that large-scale conversion to Islam was accomplished through the message of tolerance and peace conveyed by the Sufi saints. The saints arrived in the train of Muslim conquerors, and established their hermitages and monasteries at the ne- cropolis. Thus, construction techniques employing arches, vaults, squinches and domes began to be utilized by the Samma builder, who had earlier been unfamiliar with the architectural imagery of arcuate construction.

In the case of the tomb of Samma Noble I, it has been possible to compare the extent of deterioration due to the availability of photographs taken in the 1980s by Suhail Z. Lari, for the book “The Jewel of Sindh: Samma Monuments on Makli Hill” by Suhail Z. Lari and Yasmeen Lari. When comparing the photographs, the level of damage and structural collapse have become evident. It can be said that entire damage could not have been caused due to 2010 rains, however, because of the vulnerable state of the structure, tomb of Samma Noble I was among those historic structures that suffered the greatest damage or were affected by the excessive rains more than some others historic structures.

Due to its highly degraded state, the Prince Claus Fund is providing emergency assistance for its conservation.