Dil Ka Pathar. Chhota Dil Ka Pathar. Ganga Ram. Jamna Ram. Mohabat Ram. Chachu Ram. Nanda Devi. Tanki Maar. Gabu Ki Maar. Talaar. Koro.

They sound like the titles of old forgotten Subcontinental movies, but are, in fact, centuries-old names for underwater landmarks in the Arabian Sea. For example, Dil Ka Pathar [Stone of the Heart] — both big and small — are reefs that are shaped like a heart; maar means the area where one can find lots of fish; and koro means a sandy sea-bed.

Every fisherman knew where they were. None of them appeared on any chart. Passed down through generations of Pakistan’s Sindhi and Baloch coastal communities, this oral archive of reefs, rocks and channels formed a mental map that guided fishermen and divers long before the global positioning system (GPS) was widely available.

It’s time to convert this oral map into a digital one, preserving generations of maritime knowledge while making it accessible to fishermen, researchers and scuba divers to find fish, sight dolphins, shipwrecks and coral reefs. The atlas could also reveal the movements and habitats of iconic Arabian Sea species, including whale sharks, blacktip and tiger sharks, and the critically endangered guitarfish.

Fortunately, Pakistan has someone willing to take on the challenge: 50-year-old Mansoor Ahmed, one of a handful of Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI)-certified trainers in the country.

For centuries, Sindhi and Baloch fishing communities have navigated the Arabian Sea using a mental map of reefs and channels and names passed down orally through generations. Now, a Karachi-based diver is working to transform this inherited knowledge into a digital diver’s atlas

For centuries, Sindhi........

© Dawn (Magazines)