Food Travel: Tando Adam Sajji

Sajji in the Making!

Last week, I got the opportunity to visit Tando Adam, a small town in Sind. It was my first time there and the sole reason of making this 400+ km round trip from Karachi was Mutton Sajji; the pearl of Pakistan’s rich culinary heritage!

We left Karachi at around 11am and reached Tando Adam just before 2pm. The route was pretty straightforward and the journey was eventless. First we took the Karachi – Hyderabad Super Highway, then continued onto the National Highway, N-5, and then finally turned right on the Odero Lal Road. Somewhere around halfway we stopped for tea at a truck stand.

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After hitting the destination we headed straight to one of the nonchalant Sajji vendors where a number of mutton legs along with a few sirloins (which is called “puth” in Urdu) were geometrically set around the wooden fire. As per the aged old tradition the meat was pierced vertically in sticks pinned on a soil heap. Interestingly, those sticks were wooden, instead of the iron rods used around Karachi’s Sajji vendors, and might be the reason of the difference in taste.

Although Tando Adam is situated in Sindh, and not in Balochistan where the cuisine originally belongs to, however, the town is famous for Sajji, hinting the presence of Baloch tribes migrated southwards over the course of the history.

Sajji is distinctive from other food varieties found in Pakistan because it is prepared without any spices or at times with no additives at all. Slow cooking is the secret of this business and it is best done with mutton using its own fat. The wooden fire first heats up the soil heap heat of which slow-cooks the meat. In all, it takes around 3-4 hours to fully cook a big piece of meat. This is why Sajji vendors start preparations from the morning and then keep the sticks moving to and fro from the fire.

We ordered a “puth” and then waited around half an hour for the food to get ready. In fact Shahid, our host for this trip, telephoned the Sajji-wala when we were having tea break; otherwise it could have taken more time.

While the food was in the making I bought a kilogram of fresh oranges from a street vendor. In the interior Sindh, oranges are sold by weight and not in dozens as the case in Karachi!

Interestingly, the Sajji shop was simpler than I expected. Firstly, it only sells Sajji, i.e. not even essentials like roti, raita, salad, etc! Thankfully, the waiter can do the errand, or maybe that was because of Shahid, otherwise we would have been running around the small bazaar for that! Sitting arrangement was also very basic, consisted of worn-out plastic chairs, and could have been much better, or traditional at-least.

Even then my expectations were high as I heard a lot about the jaunt and the joint from my Sindhi friends. Amid these thoughts and random discussions came the food. For next few minutes it was complete silence, as if the world had stopped for us. It matched the high expectations, and if that mouth-watering aroma is also included then it well exceeded all my gastronomical desires. For mutton lovers no treat can beat that meat!

In addition to the taste, food quality was also exceptional. It was not only farm fresh but also perfectly done; enhancing the taste to the fullest on one hand while keeping it succulent to the core on the other. While doing justice with the delight, Shahid enlightened us that part reason of that rich flavor was the use of a special breed of goat which is called “Kamoro” in the local language. Overall, it was really satisfying, fully worth the long trip.

Making of this cuisine is an art indeed, beauty of which lies in the simplistic and primitive style of cooking. Actually this is a family of chefs who is keeping this unique culinary heritage alive in Tando Adam. And by the time we finished, the narrow street started clogging with connoisseurs from far and near depicting the acknowledgement of their talent. In my opinion, keeping the tradition alive in this rapidly changing environment is no less an achievement and these food artisans deserve due recognition on the national level.

On the way back, Shahid took us to his family farm to elongate his generous hospitality, which itself needs a separate blog!

We returned back to Karachi with stiffed bellies around 7pm, Alhamdolillah!

Revisit: Freshwater Ponds of Ranikot

Ranikot - A Cool Day Escape from Karachi

Located ~ 250km from Karachi, Ranikot is termed as the largest fort in the world and the second longest wall after the Great Wall of China. However, neither of these facts was the reason why I visited the place for the second time!

During thefirst Ranikot expedition, courtesy my inspiring friend Haris Mehmood, we explored and trekked along the freshwater stream running inside the fortification. This watercourse, which emanates from the Kirthar Mountains, casts an interesting greenish contrast to the otherwise monotonous landscape, and was the motive behind the repeat visit; this time with the family.

While sitting besides one of the ponds, it feels like you are in Swat Valley! The water is cool and crystalline, the air fresh and unpolluted, the sunlight full of Vitamin D yet comforting, and the sound echoes. The peeping towers high above the surrounding hills also add to the ambiance and give a feeling as if someone is watching you. 

However, the climax is still to come; a surprise which makes the place a must-see.

This is Doctor Fish – abundant in these ponds and famous for its body cleansing therapy. The miniature marine variety gently eats up all the dead skin and makes it all fresh, once again!. An experience in its own, for which you might be expected to pay a hefty sum in one of Karachi’s a bourgeois spas!

A Trip to Ranikot is Incomplete Without Visiting the Freshwater Stream

Presence of Such a Scenic Spot Near Karachi is Amazing

One of the Ponds Along the Ranikot Stream

Water in these Ponds is Crystal Clear

So Clear that It Looks Like an Aquarium

Doctor Fish!

Villagers Use This Water for Drinking and Irrigation

Road to the Fort

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Entrance of the Fort

We Reached Ranikot Around Sunrise

And Continued Inside Until the Road Discontinued

Under Construction!

Luckily, We Found the Alternate Route to Our Destination: Mirikot

Inside Mirikot; A Small Fort Within Ranikot

Stairs to Mirikot's Roof

Yet Another Fort Can be Seen from Mirikot

But It Was Too Far!

Railway Track Near the Fort

Timeline

04:00     Left Home

04:30     Karachi Toll Plaza

06:45     Jamshoro

07:00     Ranikot

08:00     Mirikot

10:00     Pond

13:00     Return Journey

17:00     Reached Karachi

Other Useful Links

My First Trip: Mysteries of Ranikot

A Friend’s Recent Experience at PakWheels

Ranikot at Wikipedia

An Insightful Slideshow: The Great Wall of Sind

Trip Report: Camping at Ranikot

UNESCO World Heritage Site – Tentative List

(Video) Fairy Pond at Ranikot

The fresh spring pond inside the Ranikot fort walls, knows as Paryan jo Tarru (Fairy Pond) among locals, is a nature’s true gift.

Crystal clear water stream is not only too refreshing but it has got a variety of colorful fish in it making the experience unworldly. If one keeps still in the water, a smaller variety of fish rubs the body actually eating the dead skin, especially around the feet! Natural pedicure or Fish Massage, whatever you call it, the experience was just beyond explanation!

Here goes a brief shoot of the pool (from the mobile camera) which I captured during a recent visit:

The flow of water was amazing keeping in mind that this is South Pakistan and there had been no rains recently!!

Day Trip: Exploring the Mysteries of Ranikot




Ranikot - World's Largest Fort (?)

 

The Fort of Unknown Emperor

Ranikot, or Runikot, is arguably the world's largest Fort and the second largest wall after the Great Wall of China. Apart from tall claims it is yet to be known who built this fortification, when, and why!? One theory suggested that it dates back to 300 BC, or more, however, nobody knows the wisdom behind this gigantic human effort.



Ranikot Wall, Standing High in the Wilderness



The Opportunity

Taking advantage of the long weekend, on account of Pakistan Day, I tried assembling a small troupe, not to solve the the mystery inside the walls, but to capitalize on Haris' skills who had just returned from an adventure camping exercise in the same arena. Mubeen agreed to push the wheels while Nadeem also joined at the cost of his MBA classes.

It turned out to be a great experience at the end of the day, more than what anyone of us had expected, and now I can highly recommend it to my adventure loving friends for an easy day trip from Karachi.

The Troupe

Haris - the Guide

Mubeen - the Driver

Nadeem - the Cashier

Muzzammil - the Photographer  

The Fun Begins

The journey started around 7 in the morning, a little late than we initially planned, and it took us around 2 hours to reach Zaman hotel (located almost at the end of the Karachi - Hyderabad Super Highway, or M9, on the left hand side besides PSO pump) where we stopped for the breakfast. 

With the flavorsome Daal Mash and Chana Palak we actually converted that into a wholesome brunch. The brown Tandoori Roti (live oven hot bread) was a typical Truk-adda specialty; fresh, delicious, and highly nutritious!

Here we also shopped for accessories like water, fruits, and snacks – which could have been done a day earlier to save some precious time – and then resumed the journey through the Indus Highway (N55) till Sann where we took the left turn off-highway on Ranikot Road. 



Ranikot Sign on the Indus Highway (80 km from Hyderabad)



Haris Explaining the Ranikot Map



Odometer

The Destination

000 km Karachi

135 km End of Super Highway

215 km Sann

245 km Ranikot Fort Starts

250 km Mirikot



Ranikot Fort Wall is Visible from Far



A Closer Look of Ranikot

 

Ranikot Entrance



Photographer Gone Mad!



Mirikot - Fort Within a Fort



Mirikot



Inside Mirikot



At around 12 we finally reached the elevated Mirikot, or the Miri Fort, which is located strategically somewhere in the center of the Ranikot precinct on a hill overlooking the surrounding valley. 

We parked our car inside the fort and then prepared our backpacks for the trek to Paryan jo Tarru (Fairy Pond) knowing little about the coming surprises. Before we would have started the trek downhill we ascended to the top of the fort through the narrow staircase to have a bird eye view of the terrain inside the external walls. It was mostly rugged and hilly with a course flowing in the middle, water of which was enough for the hardworking and peaceful Gabol dwellers to cultivate seasonal crops and vegetables.



The Valley



And the Lifeline of the Valley



On the Top



Going Up



Reality Check



Sojourn



The first surprise was the harmless looking trek which soon turned into an unending strenuous trail partly because of the scorching sun and mostly because of our deteriorated fitness levels. Haris did it remarkably well not only by pushing and encouraging us – in fact continuously telling us that the destination is only a couple of hundred meters away and that this Charhai (ascend) is the final one – but also by navigating like an expert guide and that too without any gadgets. 



I Found Some Companions



After an hour of nonstop endurance test Haris finally stopped and gave the verdict that that we had reached the desired pond which was essentially not different from ones which we had already left behind. However, according to him this was the only pond which was around 4-5 feet deep with others digging down deeper than 65 feet. And obviously nobody wanted to challenge that!



Changing Room



The Second Surprise

As soon as I entered in the water – after getting rid of extra clothing – my foot slipped because of the slick base which was obviously followed by a free fall with a big splashing sound thankfully without any injury. I tried to give a look to my colleagues as that I was entering into the water with a style until I came to know that everyone had to pass through the same fate.

But the surprise had still to come!

Water of the fresh spring puddle was not only crystal clear but was also full of colourful fish. It was like relaxing inside an aquarium without anything to care about!

Real fun began when the smaller variety of the fish, with a pair of supposedly fake eyes on their tail as well, started rubbing the body. They were actually eating up the dead skin, i.e. Stratum Corneum, effectively cleansing up the body, especially the feet! Call it Fish Massage, Natural Scrub, Pedicure, or whatever you wish to; the experience was beyond words, completely unworldly!

Before the trip, we were not sure how to react when Haris told us about that unique phenomenon! And now it is hard to refute him that fairies in reality come down to this magical place during full moon nights. No surprise if I will be going back soon with the camping stuff!



Paryan jo Talab - Fairy Pond



No Worries



Sadiq Gabol

The only painful thing was to come out of the water as the sun started falling down and we had to hit the Indus Highway before it would have sunk completely. In the meantime Sadiq Gabol – the knowledgeable  and the only Chowkidar (Guard) of this archeological treasure – appeared and helped us in finding our way back smoothly.



Sadiq Gabol has Many Stories to Tell



The Way Back



The Beauty of it



Locals Named it Toll Plaza!



Looking Behind



Hard Work



The Canal



Rolling Stones

The trek appeared easy until we reached to the point where we had to climb up to get back to the Miri Fort. Once again, Haris’ cool head and experience saved us from any untoward happening which at one time looked imminent as we lost our way up before resuming to the right path. Everyone had to be very careful as the rolling stones under the shoes were making it really difficult to keep the balance. It was around 6 when we entered the fort again and offered combined qasar prayers of Zuhr and Asr.



Upstairs Without Stairs



Up the Ladder



Exhausted



Getting Closer



Prayer Time



Traces of Civilization



The Treat

At around 8 we hit back the Super Highway but before continuing to Karachi it was absolutely essential to give ourselves a sumptuous treat; the Grilled Mutton Chops at Hala Naka.

It was 11 in the night when we safely reached back Karachi after another great excursion.



Salateen Hotel, Hala Naka, Hyderabad



Its Mutton Time!



The Delicate Cut



Chanpen in the Making



Expense Sheet

4500 Fuel (Distance Traveled: 550 km)

1000 Juice, water, fruits, etc

400 Brunch

160 Toll Tax

100 Tip

2100 Dinner

Security Note

We found the route and the site perfectly safe for traveling even with the family however normal precautionary measures prevail. Right at the start of the Indus Highway we were intercepted and thoroughly checked at the Police check post which initially looked a routine exercise unless one of the uniformed guys started making it complicated despite complete documentation. His attempt was off course futile but this might be worth mentioning for those who are thinking of planning such a trip

Road Condition

This is a paved passage throughout therefore suitable for any type of vehicle with satisfactory fitness. Karachi - Hyderabad Super Highway was not as perfect as one should expect and the sudden influx of heavy commercial traffic, which might be waiting for the sunrise to start their upcountry journey, also forced Mubeen to check the speed a few times.

From the Super Highway, we had to take the left turn, i.e. the Jamshoro turn, which we missed due to poor marking and instead hit the Hyderabad Toll. The Toll guy kindly allowed us to make a u-turn without a charge suggesting that it could have been a standard practice, i.e. people missing the turn due to lack of road signs. Even then it gave us hard time to find the right interchange to connect to the Indus Highway without any further detour.

The recently renovated Indus Highway, N-55, was in the good shape atleast till Sann from where we took the left turn off the highway towards wilderness. Condition of the 31 km Ranikot road, which goes all the way to Miri Fort, was better than our expectation except for a couple of diversions due to the under construction bridges. That forced Mubeen to sail the Corolla through the water stream which he did effortlessly capitalizing on his SITE area skills.

In summers though, water level may rise making it difficult to cross the channel inside the fort unless the under construction bridge – mentioned above – get functional.



Under Construction



Red Tape