Whispering Sands, Life in Thar By Aziz Sanghur

Whispering Sands, Life in Thar is a long documentary, produced, directed and written by Aziz Sanghur. Mr. Sanghur is a documentary film-maker from Pakistan. The documentary shows that The desert areas of Tharparkar district, generally known as Thar, consist of the Talukas of Mithi, Chachro, and Nagarparkar and parts of the Diplo and Umarkot Talukas. The total area of the Desert is 22,000 square kilometers and the population is one million. Thar Desert lies in the south-eastern part of Sindh province and is one of the most deprived regions of Pakistan. Thar is a desert. Agriculture and pastural activity is the main source of income of the people. Traditionally, the Thari people migrated in the dry season to the flood plains of Indus and to the barrage areas where the barrage farmers gave them protection. They were allowed to graze and water their animals in these areas and in exchange they provided the barrage area farmers with labour for wheat harvesting. Thar is a border region and its society was affected in a big way during the 1965 and 1971 wars with India. Space for Thari animals was no longer easily available. These changes made it difficult for the Thari communities to remain self-sufficient and a cash economy started to replace the barter economy that existed before, not only between Tharis themselves, but also between Thar and the barrage areas. The desert population from times immemorial has migrated to the irrigated areas in the dry seasons and particularly at the times of wheat harvest and also provides labour for sugarcane and for brink kilns. Mostly lower Hindu caste migrates regularly. Migrations do occur within Thar particularly on the first rain shower which occasionally covers the whole Thar in first instance. The animal population is estimated around 4 million with high portion of goats and sheep followed by cattle, and camel. The desert consists of sand dunes between, which are flat plains where agriculture can take place. The total land of Tharparkar is about 4.7 million hectares (1.7 million hectares not cultivable) Agriculture in the desert is entirely dependent on rainfall. Granite rock formation is found in the Nagarparkar region of Thar. These formations are 1450 to 1500 feet high and cover an area of about 40 square miles. It is available in the wide range of colors and textures. China clay is found in Dedhvero Taluka Nagarparkar. It is estimated that 3.6 million tons is available at 35-pocket spread over an area of 125 square kilometers. Coal has been found around 45 kilometers radius around Islamkot. There are 22 high schools in the 21 locations, middle schools 30 at 30 locations for boys whereas 4 high schools at 4 locations and 12 middle schools at 11 locations are working for girls. In primary, there are about 2400 primary schools at about 2000 locations for boys and four hundred schools for girls in whole of Thar are reported. In addition to that there is a degree college in Mithi which had enrolled more than 800 students. There are two big hospitals which have got the status of civil hospital in the towns of Mithi and Diplo whereas two RHC of A category, three RHC of B category in whole of Thar. Besides the health department operates 28 BHUs and 20 Dispensaries in Thar. It is reported that about 1500 villages and Towns in Thar have either daily transport or every alternate day. The villages in the northern part of Thar, which are close to barrage areas, have not much access of the transport network. In district Thar the metallic road is about 200 kilometers, which facilitates about 150 villages. Except Mithi, Diplo, Islamkot, Chachro, and very recently Nagarparkar are electrified. Besides, only 20 villages are electrified in Thar. There are several communities in Muslims as well as in Hindu castes. In Muslims, more than 90 per cents castes belongs to Smat clans. Whereas in Hindus, there are mojor portions of lower castes such as Menghwars, Koli, Bheel, and uper Hindu castes there are Lohanas and Bania (both trading communities) whereas Takirs are the land lords of the area.