On most nights, octogenarian Ali Mallah lies down on a boat anchored at the jetty in Kharochhaan, one of the tail-end settlements in the Indus delta in Sindh’s Thatta district. He has his cigarette, the water and memories of his days at Sukhi Bandar.

Ali’s gaze wanders not into the depths of the sea but across its surface, seeking something that he cannot find: a once prosperous harbour that hosted fairs and wrestling matches, bull races and kite-flying competitions. He vividly remembers walking through the markets of Sukhi Bandar — which literally translates to ‘prosperous harbour’ — that has since been swallowed by the Arabian Sea.

GOLD MARKET AND GOURDS

The memory of that harbour town is still etched in the lines of Ali’s face. As he recalls those memories, tears roll down his cheeks and disappear, just as Sukhi Bandar has, into the sea.

“Sukhi Bandar was a major commercial hub,” Ali tells Eos. “There was a thriving gold market in Sukhi Bandar, along with trade in textiles, grain and gourds,” he continues. The area was full of crops, says Ali, including those of rice, pea, chickpea, sesame and barley. “Coconut, date and olive orchards were abundant,” Ali adds.

Once a thriving harbour town, Sukhi Bandar now lies beneath the Arabian Sea. Its disappearance tells a larger story — of a delta starved of freshwater, collapsing ecosystems and communities forced to retreat

Once a thriving harbour town, Sukhi Bandar now lies beneath the Arabian Sea. Its disappearance tells a larger story — of a delta starved of freshwater, collapsing ecosystems and communities forced to retreat

Ali doesn’t know exactly how or when Sukhi........

© Dawn (Magazines)