While travelling, off the National Highway, not only you travel in soot free and serene environment but you see more too. Riding my trusted old motorbike on Band Patri (not a thoroughfare) of Lower Bari Doab Canal (LBDC) from Sahiwal to Balloki Headworks, many new and interesting things come in the way, which normally remain hidden from commuters on the National Highway or travellers in the area.
The journey embraces you with lovely colours, atmosphere, people and bits and pieces of history. And, there is no hassle anywhere in the way.
“We have beoparis (businessmen) from Karachi to Peshawar, local farmers as well as people working in the market as our customers,” he added. Another shopkeeper informed, “Farmers sell their live stock here and buy provisions for their homes.” The market has its own unique culture.
Near Renala, you see one of the first Hydroelectric Power Stations constructed in the Subcontinent. Sir Ganga Ram, an Engineer and famous Philanthropist had built this Power Station in 1925 in order to irrigate about 70,000 acres of agricultural land that is higher than the normal level in the area and could not be irrigated through the LBDC.
Ganga Ram forked the canal, built the Power Station and installed five motors to generate electricity. The then Governor Punjab, Sir William Malcolm Hailey laid down its foundation stone of the station on March 22, 1925.
RURAL PAKISTAN – MORE – COLORS – MORE – SCENES
The village kids enjoy swimming and making fun in the village ‘toba’. The clay mound along the ‘toba’ used by children has been turned into a playground slide as they slip from the height to the base of the pond.
Most of the villagers live in a mixed environment, of a home with numerous different crops and livestock. The livestock include goats and sheep cattle, cows and water buffaloes. Here in a barha (the cattle yard), buffaloes are being given wanda ( beef fodder comprising mainly of hay, rich protein meal, minerals, oil seeds cakes, and carbohydrates).
Villagers mostly prefer sleeping on a charpoy in the open. Here in the courtyard of a village home, the manjis with khes, bedsheet and pillows still can be seen lying in the open. After the men or women of the family are free from making/taking breakfast, the manjis will either be removed inside the house or will be stacked along the walls.
Some are even standing on the roof top and other sticking on the footsteps, while still there are others who find the minimum possible space anywhere just to stick on to enough width and hold on to a support anywhere to stay in tact.
Risky! yes a high risk endeavor indeed, but for villagers, the love of their home is so pressive that they would go for taking such risk every day than compelled to stay overnight in a big city.
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