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This article was originally submitted by Furqan Ahmed
We travelled for 2 hours and 30 minutes, almost 137 km, from Karachi via the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway towards Thatta, Sindh.
This was my first time travelling towards interior Sindh. The main reason for going to Thatta was to see the scenic views of the great and beautiful; 24 km long, “Keenjhar lake.”
Keenjhar Lake is the second-largest freshwater lake in Pakistan. It was possibly built in the 12th century as a water reservoir by the local rulers for the capital of Sindh at the time; Thatta.
Moving on, we reached Thatta at 5:13 PM. A 10-minute drive and we were in front of the lake. Luckily, we had already booked the resort; which is well-maintained and can be booked for around 8,000 to 10,000 a day. I also discovered a new thing about Keenjhar lake; it’s locally known as Malik lake or Kalri lake. Furthermore, many local streams drain into the lake to form a large water body.
via flickr
In my opinion, it is one of the best tourist destinations on the entire planet.
The best thing about the area is; that it’s peaceful and has a pollution-less, natural environment. It feels so great and amazing to visit a place like this; where you can enjoy with family friends and with tasty and spicy food; available there at the famous Noori Restaurant.
The boat trips are amazing too. Tourists are provided with life jackets due to the depth of the lake; which is almost 7.9 m.
I had only heard rumours that crocodiles are spotted near the lake. However, the local people around the area later confirmed; that they, indeed, are spotted but occasionally; near the Hudero Dhand, Keenjhar Canal, Haleji Nali and other trenches, ditches and the hilly terrain of Jhampir – in search of prey.
The crocodiles remain near the lower part of the lake but indeed they are a great threat to nearby villages.
via flickr
Today, the lake receives numerous migratory birds from Siberia and there are active bird protection and information centres for visitors at the Keenjhar lake, established by the world wildlife fund.
In addition, Keenjhar lake has been symbolic in Sindhi poetry and has been referred to as a serene, turquoise water lake; where romances happen and where poets say poetry with devotion.
Activities
If you are a seafood lover, you can enjoy your time fishing all around the lake with edible fishes. Apart from fishing, you can indulge in other fun, outdoor activities; like swimming, boating, and jet-skiing. On a side note, sunsets by the lakeside also look mesmerizing.
History
The famous Sindhi legend of Noori Jam Tamachi took place here, at this very lake. It was then created into a Sufi-poetry chapter; in the book of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai. The legend’s main character, Noori, still has a shrine on an island there; known as Noori’s Island. Every day, hundreds of devotees visit the shrine.
Water for Karachi
Karachi gets about 78% of drinking water from Keenjhar Lake; through 2 canals specially built for this purpose.
If you’ve visited Keenjhar Lake as well, let us know more about your experience in the comments below!
