Latest news with #TharDesertSafariTrain
Express Tribune
01-06-2025
- Express Tribune
Simplicity, faith drive Thal endurance
Travellers give thumbs up as Thar Desert Safari Train chugs off to Khokhrapar, the last station before the Indian border. Photo: express Stretching from central to South Punjab, Thal, Pakistan's smallest desert, is a symbol of enduring human spirit, long thriving in an environment fraught with challenges. Most of the land of this over 20,000 square kilometres stretch is arid, making parts of Bhakkar, Khushab, Layyah, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh and Jhang districts. There are also some plain irrigated areas where people grow food crops like chickpea and wheat. In raid-fed areas, fodder crops are cultivated but their survival depends on rains. Dr Ashu Lal, a noted intellectual from Layyah district, narrated that in ancient times Thal's people used to sing folk songs to seek divine intervention for rainfall and in some areas they still cling to this tradition. "So the singing for them was like a prayers to save them from harsh climatic conditions." Their music, rich in melody and culture, resonates in the vast expanse of Thal, as a spiritual and practical expression of hope for better days. The British rulers described the desert as a "tract of barrenness," inhabited by scattered clans, sustaining through rudimentary agriculture and nomadic grazing. Local people find solace in vibrant oral tradition, colourful folk tales and deep spiritual connections to Sufi saints, shaping a cultural identity rooted in simplicity, endurance and faith.
Express Tribune
01-03-2025
- Express Tribune
Train buffs relish journey through the Thar Desert
Travellers give thumbs up as Thar Desert Safari Train chugs off to Khokhrapar, the last station before the Indian border. Photo: express The Sindh Culture and Tourism Department and Special Initiatives Facilitation Centre have opened a new chapter in tourism by organising the Thar Desert Train Safari. Following its maiden trip on February 11, the second journey started from Karachi on February 26. The train snaked through the vast expanses of the Thar Desert stopping at Hyderabad Junction, Mirpurkhas Railway Station, and Chhor Railway Station, and continued until the last stop before the Indian border at Khokhrapar Railway Station, and then back to Karachi. Enthusiasts had the opportunity to see the historical sites of interior Sindh. In addition to enjoying the beautiful sunset at Chhor and Parche-Ji-Veri, they also experienced the desert camel rides. This highly fascinating journey of the Thar Desert Train Safari lasted from February 26 to 27.
