City Landmarks – Ruins of Banbhore

Archaeological Treasure. Calm and Serene. An easy ride from the city centre. Banbhore is an airy getaway from cacophony of city life. The silence on the mound is deafening, occasionally interrupted by a tourist or a local villager’s footsteps. Located on the eastern bank of mighty Indus and present-day Gharo Creek, the ruins on the mound offer panoramic view of the area, and of its remaining bricks and dusty streets, if you are interested.

From Shahrah-e-faisal, 46 km past Jinnah international, you will find the city on the right side of National Highway. You have to be careful not to miss the small signboard indicating the link road connecting highway and the city. The link road winds through green fields reared by small land owners. An abandoned salt factory on your right reminds that the area is known for factories producing salt from the creek water.

A small ticket and information room indicates that you have arrived at the right place. Buy the ticket and visit the museum. Toys, Pots, Jewellery and pieces of pottery, the museum is reasonable for the place. There is no guide, not much information. Rely on your imagination please. Move out. There are few seats here and there for the tourists. Few families were having picnic around the sample catapult in front of the museum. Bring your picnic items yourself. There is no tuck shop around. Ruins are little further from the museum, up on the mound. Scholars identify Banbhore as Debal, the port where the Arab General Mohammed Bin Qasim landed and changed the course of history forever. Banbhore’s mosque is believed to be the first of the subcontinent. A temple and a madrassah were also unearthed by the archealogist. Sassi, one of the seven queens of Shah’s poetry, is also associated with Banbhore, though tourism department has not highlighted it anywhere. On the far end of the city you can see the creek giving an impression of a river. Few mangrove trees have survived along the creek. You can also see a salt factory and few quarters in distance. Imagine the life here. Imagine the nights here. Away from the blinding lights and comfort of the city.