Owais Mughal
Many of our readers have correctly guessed the light house in our latest photo quiz. Yes indeed, it is the light house located on Manora Island.
I got a chance to visit Manora Island on Jan 7, 2007. Selected photos from the trip are below. Manora, may have been a real island couple of hundred years ago but today it is connected to Karachi mainland via a 12 km long causeway (Sandspit beach) road and it is now more like a peninsula in technical terms. The most common route to reach Manora is via boat from Kimari harbor.
One of the most prominent landmarks of Manora island is the 91 feet high Light House.
The Manora Light House is made up of stone masonry and was inaugurated on April 1, 1889. On a clear night, the light of this lighthouse is visible from upto 20 nautical miles away. The focal plane of this light house is 148 feet high. In 1909, hyper-radiant Fresnel lens was installed as the optical set-up in this light house and the same set-up is used to date.
In 1851 a 50 feet high (focal plane 120 feet high) tower was the first light house built on Manora island. In 1889 it was replaced by the current 91 feet high Light House.
Just across light house is a small Protestant Church called the St Paul’s. This church is even older than the light house and was consecrated in the year 1865. I didn’t get the chance to go inside the church but I’ve read that the church, though simple in fotm from outside, is extraordinary from inside with its superb wooden trusses.
The third picture I want to share is of this Public Notice. Public notices fascinate me, therefore two photos in this article are about the warning messages of rough seas during monsoon season. The language of this particular notice caught my attention. The choice of words here depicts serious business. The exact translation goes like this:
Warning: From May to August, the sea swallows every living being.
This fourth picture is of the Shri Varun Dev Mandir of Manora.
I found this mandir on Manora beach in a very bad shape of neglect.
The mandir is abandoned now. Sea breeze is eating away the building from whatever is left by the scavengers. Preservation of this historical landmark is a high need of present time.
I took several photos of the mandir. I am planning to do a full post soon on the mandir itself and hence saving my other photos for it. The word ‘Varun’ in Hindu mythology means ‘the God of the Oceans.’
The final picture is again of a public notice.
The translation of this public notice goes something like this:
Warning: Life is a blessing. Protect it
Seas are rough during the months from May to August. Picnic at a place which is safe from deadly waves of the sea. A little carelessness from you can convert your leisure into a mishap. Follow the instructions of Life Guard. Needing your cooperation: Cantonment Board, Manora.
Let me end by sharing some Manora trivia with you. The British captured Karachi in 1839 by first attacking a mud fortress present at Manora island. The fortress was completely destroyed by the bombardment of the British flagship 74-gun H.M.S. Wellesley. Soon afterwords Karachi capitulated.
Trivia:
population of Manora in 1839: 100 people
Population in 1869-1870: 1451
Population in 2005: 9987
Recommended Manora PHOTOS at other Websites:
- Foundation Stone of Manora Break Waters, January 17, 1874
- Mud Fort Manora, circa 1839
- Manora Light House at Work – Night View
- Bird Eye View of Manora Beach
- Black and White View of Manora Light House – from Early Days
- A retouched color photo of Manora Light House – from Early Days
- Manora Light House Photo by Waqas Usman at trekearth.com
Owais Bhai,can you or anyone give me information about the visibilty of the water or if anyone does scuba-diving in Pakistani waters.I am a scuba-diver but never dived in Pakistan.All I been is at Clifton Beach for a camel ride when I was 10 years old.I wonder if there is any scuba-dive shop in Pakistan.If someone knows,please give me information.Thanks!
hi
its a nice blog uve created here. the light house on manora island can be a potential tourist attraction. its sad that most scenic portions of the karachi beach are under the control of the navy and PAF therefore closed to the public.however the manora island can easily fall prey to massive construction and lose its present quiet colonial charm. greedy multi national should not be allowed to play havoc with its serene beauty. like malam jabba the state owned PTDC should be charged with development of the island, this dubai group is only interested in money and profits. manora will become another exclusive gymkhana for the corrupt elite and ordinary pakistanis will nevr be able to enjoy the island the present deal with EMaar properties is a foolish one lacking vison and could have disastrous impact on the environment. pakistan is fast turning into a haven of hi clas residential estates with closed gates, while the majority lack basic entertainment facilities.this is just a case in example of another elitist venture.
oh apologies. i guess i missed that. my bad.
Abbas Halai Saheb
I did give a link to the photo of the Manora Breakwaters plaque. It is towards the end of my article under the section ‘Recommended Manora photos from other wsites’
Zafar Saheb
I stand corrected on Manora population. I had found 1500 population in 2004 from a dawn publication but it didn’t seem right. I am now able to find from an authentic source the population of Manora to be 9987 in 2005. I will correct it in the above article in a bit.
I do remember water from Sandspit beach crossing over the road and onto the otherside many years ago but lately land b/w sandspit and the waters of Marine academy is getting wider and wider. The water on the marine academy side has a black sludge which is a residue from Lyari river dumping city’s sewrage untreated here. It clearly shows that fresh water is not minlging enough with the stagnant back waters. Therefore I maintain that Manora is a peninsula now :) I am open to discussion here.