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Demographics | History |
Geography | Infrastructure
 Shikarpur district ( Sindhi: شڪارپور
) ( Urdu: شڪارپور
) is a district in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The city of
Shikarpur is the capital. It is spread over an area of 2,512 sq.km,
according to the 1998 census of Pakistan it had a population of 880,438 of
which 23.51% were urban.
The Shahi Bagh, which stands neglected today, was known for its thriving
vegetation and scented flowers. At one time Shahi Bagh had a zoo with large
population of lions, cheetahs, bears and wild boars. These animals were
later shifted to Karachi Zoo. The garden had a wooden pavilion that was
designed by Perston Phel and constructed by Sir W. Merewether in September
1871. Many other public and private gardens and open spaces of Shikarpur
have vanished.
The Covered Bazaar, Contemporary cities of that time - Bukhara, Samarkand,
and Istanbul - had bazaars with covered streets. Shikarpur's main bazaar too
was covered.The standard of education moving high day by day.The long and
narrow bazaar lined with shops on both sides almost passes through the
centre of the old city.
The standard of education moving high day by day, Public transport facility
is satifactroy and condition of underwater is good, water can get through
hand pump.The political atmosphere is very high, currently Aftab shahban
mirani and Ghos bux mehar are nominated as MNA from the district
Shikarpur,Engineers and doctors are working in the most important parts of
the country
Search Shikarpur on Satellite Map
Places of Interest
| Hotels |
Eating &
Dining | Parks &
Gardens |
Educational Institutes |
Hospitals |
Sport Centers |
Banks |
ATM |
Fuel Stations
| CNG Stations |
Police Stations |
Shopping /Trade
Demographics
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Religion
Islam: 98.03%
Hinduism: 1.80%
Christianity: 0.09%
Ahmaddiya: 0.04%
Others: 0.05% Hindus form 6.14% of the urban population of the district
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Languages
Sindhi: 95.77%
Urdu: 1.81%
Balochi: 1.01%
Punjabi: 0.24%
Pashto: 0.22%
Seraiki: 0.60%
Others: 0.36%
Go To Top History
Shikarpur has always been an important place as commanding the trade route
through the Bolan Pass, and its merchants have dealings with many towns in
Central Asia. It has seven gates like Hathi Gate, Lucky Gate etc. It is
famous for its pickles and sweets. It has a large market and manufactures
cotton cloth and pottery. Because of its rich history. Shikarpur used to be
called an "Old Paris" because of unknown reason while some people thinks
that it was called an "Old Paris" because of its modern building of that
time but some things that it was because of some perfume or attur industry
in the Shikarpur.
According to a few historians the city of Shikarpur was revived during the
Kalhorra rule and that was what brought about a turnaround in making it the
financial capital of not only north-west India but also of Central Asia.
Some people think that the city was founded by Kalhoras' cousins Daudpotas
--- and it was named Shikarpur because the Talpur Mirs were fond of shikar
(hunting). Another school of thought believes Shikarpur was admittedly there
before the shikar-loving Talpurs arrived on the scene; for another,
Shikarpur has always been a trading centre, and never a hunting lodge. Also,
the Muslims named their cities as "Abad" --- and never "Nagar" or "Pur".
These experts think that Shikarpur is really Shakaripur --- the "town
founded by the vanquisher of the Shakas", the Scythians.
Shikarpur, the seat of civilisation, culture, trade and commerce acquired
political and economic importance because of its strategic location on the
map of Sindh, being directly accessible to those who came from Central and
West Asia through the Bolan Pass. In the early 1600's this emerald city in
the northern Sindh province of Pakistan became the nucleus of a historical
trade center on a caravan route through the Bolan Pass into Afghanistan.
Shikarpur became the core of manufactures including brass and metal goods,
carpets, cotton cloth, and embroidery. Its great bazaar (covered because of
the summer heat) is famous throughout Turkistan and southern Asia. The trade
links of Shikarpuris were spread all over to Geneva, Rome, Iran, Iraq,
Samarkand, Sumatra, Japan, Burma, Honolulu, etc. There was a branch of
Central Bank of Asia in Bajaj Street in Shikarpur, which testified to these
links.
While the people of Shikarpur were renowned for their trade links they were
equally well-known for their benevolent qualities. They used to go to
foreign countries and earn tons of money, which they spend on themselves,
their hometown, on charity and welfare projects as well. No doubt,
therefore, there were many hospitals, schools, charitable institutions and
welfare trusts. There was one hospital - a singular example in entire Sindh,
built by Rai Bahadur Udhavdas Tarachand for health care. All medical
facilities like medicines, food, fruits, milk, etc. were provided free of
cost to all the patients. Every employee from the lowest to the doctors were
provided with accommodation. Every year they would invite Dr. Holland, an
eye specialist to Sindh for free treatment of eye patients. Many were spared
from becoming blind. Humility and sagacity of its builder were unmatchable
in the world, as he had arranged to have his name inscribed on the footsteps
of the hospitals so that his name could be trampled on and walked upon by
the visitors and patients alike.
Cultural minded Shikarpuris were fond of and knowledgeable about classical
music. There was a Natak Sabha theatre on the bank of Beggary Canal
surrounded by pipal trees where during the days of Holi (seven days) they
used to organize 'Hando' of holi. Renowned and famous artistes from Sindh
and India like Waman Rao, Patwardhan, Pandit Vyas, Omkarnath, Khan Sahib
Mubarak Ali, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, singers like - Kajari Inayat Bai and
Mukhtiar Begum, were invited to sing and the people used to listen to them
for days together. They were duly respected and flooded with costly gifts.
They were accommodated with due care in the bungalows of Hindu seths.
Thakurdas Nagrani, Sessions Judge, Aga Sufi, Maharaj Tejbhandas and others
established the first dramatic society - Dharamupkars Amateurs Society.
Shikarpur was also forefront in the field of literature. It produced
vedantic titans like Saami, one of the three pillars, 'TRIMURTI' - Shah,
Sachal and Saami of Sindhi poetry. Saami wrote his slokas in popular idioms
for the masses. 4000 such slokas were later found by Prof. Jhamandas, though
earlier about 2100 were already published in Sindhi. Shikarpur has produced
the greatest modern poet of Sindh, 'Sheikh Ayaz' whose contribution is also
as unparalleled as it is unconventional. As regards education, Shikarpuris
were marching ahead even in 1930. According to one Survey there were about
70 graduates in the city of Shikarpur in 1930; whereas, in the rest of Sindh
there were only 7 graduates then. The first Sindhi college, Satramdas
Chellasingh College, was also started in Shikarpur.
Dawood Potan built a mud fort around Shikarpur in the ancient days. It had
seven gates Lakhi Dar, Hazari Dar, Hathi Dar,Khanpuri Dar, Karani Dar,
Wagano Dar and Sevi Dar. It had a deep channel around these gates, which was
later filled up by the Britishers and a circular road was built over it. The
remnants of the mud fort could be seen till 1940. The city was clean and
well paved with bricks and surrounded by greenery. The areas with the names
of these gates still exist in Shikarpur.
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Sindh-warki' Bhaiband
Mr. Pir Muhammad Ali Rashidi in his book "Uhe Deenhan Uhe Sheenhan" (Vol.
I - pp 239–240) has described the city's historic splendor witnessed by
him before the partition of British India. . (translation by Ramesh Kateja)
Shikarpur…..As I recollect from my early childhood memories, was a
paradise for fun-loving wealthy people. The people of Shikarpur, their
traditions and the way of life were different from people of other parts
of Sindh. The grandeur of city was at its zenith. 'Sindh-warki' Bhaibands
(A class of Hindu business community) were dominant; they were engaged in
trade with far away regions right up to Samarkand and Bukhara. They would
bring all the wealth earned overseas to Shikarpur and spent it there. They
owned palatial houses. They would not spare anything to decorate the city
and would not hesitate to indulge in charities. They had set up a very big
hospital in Shikarpur. In their last days in Sindh, they had established
the only medical college in northern Sindh, in Shikarpur only. All these
charitable institutions were run with their finances.
Their living was not an ordinary one; they lived a posh and majestic life.
They had palaces in city, gardens on outskirts of city and bungalows
therein Evenings were spent in luxury of music and dance; best of the
dancers would be invited from Lahore, Bombay and Calcutta. Once in a year
they would organize a grand musical feat, where artists from all over
India would be invited for competitions where awards and rewards would be
showered on them.
Motor vehicles were non-existent those days; the rich would travel in
Victorias (Big horse driven carriages or buggies), pulled by two mares.
Those Victoria saloons and the horses were stunningly beautiful and worth
looking at. Riding in those saloons they would pass through Lakhi Daar and
reach their garden enclosed bungalows. Liquor (Daroon) would flow,
eatables would be made available in abundance, bone-pieces of roasted meat
and potato patties would be specially ordered from Hindu chefs of Lakhi
Daar. Adequate arrangement of music program would be the order of the
evening. Moonlit night, fragrance of flowers, light rhythm of drums, soft
notes of Sarangi (An indigenous violin), melodious voice of beautiful
damsels would indeed recreate a scene out of paradise! Bhaibands would
comfortably stretch themselves in swinging 'Peenghas' or cots; they would
bring out gold guineas from the folds of their Dhotis (an apparel worn
waist downward by Hindus.) and offer to singing courtesans. Those days
there was no paper currency; 'Bald' rupee coins were not generally
appreciable. Rich Bhaibands would consider silver 'bald' rupee coins as an
inferior currency. ('Bald' coins were called so, because picture embossed
on the coins was that of Edward VII, who was bald) The only worthy
currency for them was guineas or coins made of pure gold.
Shikarpuri Bhaibands are the pioneers of the financial instrument called 'Hundi'
or Promissory-Notes as known in banking arena.
Go To Top
Geography
Shikarpur District borders the districts of Larkana, Jacobabad, Khairpur and
Sukkur. Two National Highways (N-65 & N-55) intersect the city of Shikarpur,
making it the junction points of 4 provinces.
Chak, Beechangi a town in taluka Lakhi, has an important place in the
district politically, socially and economically besides the main Shikarpur
city.its Paris of the Past
Mian-Jo-Goth,a historical village in Taluka Khanpur is the second biggest
town in Khanpur Taluka.
District Shikarpur was once famous for education and other civic amenities
throughout undivided India until the first half of the 20th Century. Rai
Bahadur Udhaudas Tarachand Hospitial, Hiranand Gangabai Ladies Hospital,
Chellaram & Seetaldas College, Two old High Schools now known as school No:1
& 2 and Girls College here, are some dignified and marvelous towers, showing
outstanding standards of Shikarpurians during that era. For security the
city was then protected by seven gates & one window. Now, infrastructure
being old, Shikarpur is experiencing a lot of problems. Heavy inflow of
rural populace has further burdened this old system, needing immediate
overhauling.
District Shikarpur has a total road length of 920.0 kilometers, including
125.0 kilometers of National Highways and 195.0 kilometers of Provincial
Highways. It is, thus, deficient in road density (0.35 Km/Km2) compared with
recognized international parameters of development (1 Km/Km2). During the
last few years, creeping development activity has taken pace and 71.0
kilometers of road, 94 schools and a number of schemes in drainage, health
and other sectors have been completed, under various Programs. Basically,
agrarian economy of district Shikarpur is dependent upon non-perennial
irrigation system, so the district is always in semi-drought conditions. The
last spell of drought is particularly notable as it created heavy
unemployment and unsustainable poverty, which without doubt created serious
law & order situations
Go To Top
Infrastructure
Shikarpur District was famous for education and other civic amenities until
the first half of the 20th Century, throughout undivided India these
included, Rau Bahadur Udhau-Das Tara Chand Hospital, Heeranand Ganga Bai
Ladies Hospital, Chella Ram and Seetal Das College, two old High Schools now
known as school No:1 & 2 and Girls College here, are few dignified and
marvellous towers, showing outstanding standards of Shikarpurians during
that era. For security the city was then protected by seven gates & one
window. Now, infra-structure being old constructed, is experiencing lot of
problems. Heavy inflow of rural populace, has further burdened this old
system, needing immediate over-hauling. District Shikarpur is having total
road length of 920.0 kilo meters, including 125.0 kilo meters National
Highways and 195.0 kilo meters Provincial Highways. It is thus deficient in
road density (0.35 Km2 ) compared with recognized international parameters
of development, ( 1km2 ). During last few years, the creeping development
activity has taken pace and 71.0 kilo meters of road, 94 nos. schools and
number of schemes in drainage, health and other sectors have been completed,
under various Programmes. Basically agrarian economy of district Shikarpur,
is dependent upon non-perennial irrigation system, so the district is
practically in Semi Drought Conditions always. Last spell of drought has
further worsened this situation, creating heavy unemployment and
unsustainable poverty, which without doubt creates serious law & order
situations.
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