Going to Rehri Mayan, the second largest locality of fishing community, through Korangi Fish Harbour during the months of June and July, people can see the flocks of camels wandering at the mangroves forests near the seashore. Women sitting at makeshift homes are responsible to look after the camel calves, watering them and milking she camels.
It is a century-old tradition that the fishermen keep these animals at remote islands and few families stay over there for whole year except two months of June and July.
The community people believe that during the season of June and July a big fly bites camels, which causes death of the animal.
It might be the environment problem at the isolated islands but the elder people said that rough season into the sea during the two months was the reason to bring the animals back, as fish catch was banned officially and fishermen prefer to staying home idle.
However, selling camels' milk and calves is the part of occupation for certain families during the idle time.
The community has lost several camels, which occasionally drink polluted water from water ponds near the seashore, which causes death of the animal.
Saboo Jat, 35, was looking restless since his 45 camels out of total 50 had died couple of years back due to drinking polluted water near his native Illyas Jat village.
Saboo, being a traditional camel holder, called it a great loss of his life as he was inherited these animals from his forefathers.
"We are traditional camel holders. Our forefathers used to keep flocks of camels, but now we are unable to keep the same tradition alive as neither we have easy access to drinking water nor wide grazing fields are here," he described.
Living in two neighbouring localities, mostly comprising makeshift homes, these families have been living here since long before the partition of Sub continent, India and Pakistan. Belonging to traditional fisher families, they depend on fish catch. Keeping camels is their pastimes. They use camel's milk and are proud to say: "it is curable of many diseases, including heart problem."
Hundreds of families, living at Karachi and Thatta coastal localities, had migrated from different villages of Indus delta after increasing the sea intrusion due to declining the flow of river water into the delta.
In the past more than 100 million-acre feet fresh water had been flowing through the mighty river Indus in to the deltaic region, keeping the land fertile. Area people, besides catching fish, used to keep animals and cultivate land. Each family had hundreds of camels, buffaloes, cows, goats and sheep.
Mohammed Jat alias Chango, 55-year old unmarried, lives at an isolated island known as Khuddi Creek along with hundreds of camels and gets little amount from the owner families for his duty of looking after the animals there.
Talking about the situation of remote islands, Chango said: "There are no mosquitoes at islands. I have seen sea jackals living in mangrove forests but these sea animals are our friends. I live there alone for many days. I cook meal and have it with milk."
Few fishermen, proceeding to the open sea for a trip to catch fish, bring water daily on boats for their animals and return back with milk at evening.
Nawaz Dablo, area activist said that these people were engaged in camel grazing at the 350-km long Sindh coast and were seasonal migrants, living six months in district Thatta while six month's in Karachi coasts to roam their animals in mangrove forests.
Jat Community people use camel milk, which is said to be curable of many diseases, including heart disease as it does not have cholesterol, hence people from other areas visit these localities frequently to take milk for patients.
Fatima Jat in her 70 is looking depressed, as unemployment has hit the entire families of Illyas Jat Village. "We had hundreds of camels in the past in Kharo Chhan. But now neither we have grazing fields for camels in the neighbourhood nor is more fish in the sea, hence our males have become jobless," she said.
Laloo Jat, 65, recalling his past days said: "every family had flocks of camels comprising 200 to 500 because there were wide grazing-fields for the animals, but now there is no more such green areas therefore keeping animals is costly occupation."
Mohammed Bakhsh Jat, 35, only X class passed young man from the Jat village, having 1200 population said: "fishermen have sold their animals to face poverty and unemployment, as there is no more fish into the sea now".
In the past traditional people were known to recognise camels, diseases and used to take steps for its remedy themselves but now they believe that they cannot diagnose such diseases and are compelled to get help of veterinary doctors.
They are expert to recognising their camels even looking to sign of foot in their way to grazing field. Mandhro, a sales man of brooms in Budhni village, Keamari Town said: "We had cattle heads, flocks of camels with sufficient milk some 35-year ago, but now we cannot afford to keep animals as, purchasing fodder and drinking water for them is quite costly.
Marriam Bhand, belonging to the same community and well-skilled woman said: "Making mat takes three to four days in completion but we get meagre amount in return. However, now I am unable to keep making these things continue because of insufficient earning and weak eyesight.
These women are skilled and can make different kinds of handicrafts like embroidery, brooms and mats with date tree leaves and traditional caps etc. Besides, they have unique embroidery style they prepare for the bridal wear but there is no proper market of these items in their neighbourhood.
Talking about mangroves, these traditional fishermen were of the view that camels cannot destroy mangroves. "We have been using these plants as fodder for our animals for long and we know how to cut it," they said.
Obviously, people of desert areas ranging from Thar to Cholestan in Pakistan and Sahara areas of the world believe that camel is the ship of the deserts. Wherever road is inaccessible the people use camels as a transport and travel hundreds of miles to reach their destinations.
Majeed Mangrio of Achro That (White Desert), district Sanghar said that Dhatti, local camel specie, could travel 400 miles simultaneously to reach destination. But in coastal areas the thinking about camels is different.
Coastal people have their own boats and do not use the camels for a ride instead they use milk and meat enthusiastically.
Only few families living at Hawks Bay villages use camels for entertainment at the nearby seashore and earn for their living.
In fact, camels from desert areas are said to be ships of deserts but the same cannot swim in water for long like camels from coastal areas, as these camels even live at islands for months and survive at sea grosses.
However, the camel holding communities are very much concerned about the future of the animal as their lives are at stake due to increasing marine pollution as well as acute shortage of potable water in the area.
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