Sukkur_ Masoom Shah jo munaro

Masoom Shah Jo Munaro, (Munaro in Sindhi Language for Minaret) which is situated in the middle of the city. It has 84 narrow steps in a spiral shape stair. Minaret was built by Historian and knight Mr. Masoom Shah in 18th century. It is believed that the stones used in the stairs were soiled in real butter Ghee for 84 days. While moving upward there are few small stoppages with windows in the walls for brightness and air. At the top there is a lovely balcony from where a spectacular view of the River Indus and its two bridges and almost entire city can be seen.

Sukkur has a rich history. It has the oldest barrage with more than one mile length and 66 huge gates. Modern Sukkur was built by the British general Sir Charles Napier in the 1840s, the first English invader of Sindh. [see his book: I have Sind].

Sukkur Barrage on the Indus River was opened in January 1932, following almost a century of deliberations by the Government of Bombay Presidency. The largest irrigation project ever undertaken, it brought nearly 7 million acres under cultivation. Some of the project's individual canals were larger than the Suez Canal. It paved the way for an economically depressed Sindh to become a full province, with its capital in the rapidly growing port city of Karachi. Fifteen years later, Karachi became the capital of a new country, Pakistan.

Near Rohri Railway station towards Sukkar there is a shirine that claims to hold a holy Hair Mobarak of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). It is beleived locally that there are thousands of sufis and saints in Rohri and its suburbs. Ruines of 'city of Aror' which is located only 9 Kilometers from Sukkur is the site where Mohammed bin Qasim built a famous Mosque in 726 AD which is present even today and an Imam still performs prayer there . If you possess an archaeologist mind you may hike to the citadel and probably can find some coins of that period of 8th to 13 Century. This shows how ignored is the historical place where government claims Sindh as bab-ul-islam (door to Islam in sub-continent) yet the first ever built mosque on the land of South East Asia is not preserved.

Near the Sukkur barrage there is a Hindu/ Sikh temple known as Sadh belo. This is situated in the middle of the river Indus.At a short distance from Sukkur, there are few Hindus temples of Kali Mata & Durga. It is beleived that Kali when travelling to Hanglag (Baluchistan ) stayed there. Many Hindus come for a pilgrmage (Teerat ) and go through a dark cave to perform their ritual. The people here are very friendly and it can be really interesting to see how rituals are performed. On the way to the caves you can also stop at Ganjo Takar a small temple on top of a gigantic bolder if you want to test your rock climbing skills this is perfect place