Image source: Farzan Rasheed
After regaining consciousness, I always saw Karachi as a city full of life. Even in its noise there was an order and a feeling of peace.
Despite belonging to different communities, religious beliefs and religions, the feeling of humanity and understanding of each other's pain and suffering used to be an example among the people.
Sadly, today in the 65th year of my life, when I look at this city, I see chaos and despair everywhere. Tolerance among people has reduced.
Call it a coincidence that my childhood and boyhood were spent in two old areas of Karachi, Ranchod Line and Ram Swami. Even today these areas are recognized by these names.
Not only this, many other roads, streets and areas of the city are also alive with their old names in the memories of the people of the older generation. Before the formation of Pakistan, many of these places were named after Hindus.
However, after the formation of Pakistan, the Hindu names of many roads and places were officially changed to Muslim names.
Ranchod Line named after Hindu Seth Ranchod Das
Iqbal-e-Rehman Mandaviya, Gul Hasan Kalmati, Usman Damohvi and Akhtar Baloch have done amazing research on the historical, political, cultural and social history of Karachi.
Iqbal-e-Rehman Mandaviya has written the history of the old streets and areas of Karachi along with the daily life of the people there so beautifully that while reading them, it feels as if we are roaming in the same era.
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While preparing this article, I finally got a chance to visit Ranchod Line and Ram Swami. I spent my childhood and boyhood in these areas. As soon as I reached there, I got lost in my old memories.
According to Iqbal-e-Rehman Mandaviya, "This area is famous for the name of a Kutchi Hindu Seth named Ranchhod Das. He had built one-room houses at two places in the area. These houses became famous by his name and then this area came to be called Ranchhod Line."
Even after the passage of time, the beauty of these two areas has not diminished. There is the same hustle and bustle in the markets even today.
But due to the negligence of government institutions, the roads and streets here have fallen into disrepair. Lack of cleanliness is also visible.
People of different communities and religions lived in this area earlier and live there even today.
The Ranchod Line, full of life, is also famous for the settlements around it, which were named after Hindus. These include Aja Mauji Street, Heera Lal Street, Narayanpura and Hardas Street.
There are some places in this area which no longer exist. Despite this, people still remember her in the same way as she was before. These include Al Farooq Hotel and Lakhpati Hotel.
However, Poona Bhai Tower, built in 1899, still exists as the identity of this area.
According to Iqbal-e-Rehman Mandaviya, "Nothing is known for certain about who Poona Bhai was. But his grandson Vinod Mulji lived in Ranchod Line. He had gone to India at the time of partition."
Akhtar Baloch has written in his book Karachi Wala, "A large number of people of Salavat community who came from Rajasthan live in Ranchod Line. People of this community lived here even before the partition of India."
"These people are famous for the work of building buildings. Baba Mir Mohammad Baloch and Hashim Gazadar gave an important identity to this community. The heart of Ranchod Line is the road, which starts from Poona Bhai Tower and ends at Hoti Market."
Hoti Market was built in 1926. It was named after Hasan Ali Hoti, associated with the Muslim Marwari Salavat Jamaat. He was a member of Karachi Municipality.
Hoti Market has completed 100 years. Now it has been protected as an important heritage.
According to Akhtar Baloch, "The government had changed the name of Ranchod Line to Gazadar Abad, but this change was limited to government papers only."
"Even today, common people know this area by its old name. However, the person after whom it was called Gazadar Abad was Hashim Gazadar. He was an engineer and actively participated in the political and social activities of that period. He also did many works of public interest in this area."
Ram Swami is also one of the old areas of Karachi.
Regarding this, Iqbal-e-Rehman Mandaviya says, "Hindus of the Swaminarayan sect had settled here. That is why this area is still known by its old name Ram Swami."
"The important center of this area was Tulsi Das Street. It was named after Goswami Tulsidas."
People living in Tulsi Das Street had planted a large number of trees there. That's why this street was also famous by the name of 'Jhad Wali Gali'. Now this street is broken.
jewish place of worship
Image source: Emanuel Matate
There was a building in Ram Swami about which I was always curious in my childhood. This was Magen Shalom Synagogue.
It was a Jewish prayer place and was very close to my house. Everyone knew it by the name of Bani Israel Mosque. It was built in 1893.
This was the most famous building of the area, but there was a kind of mystery about it.
The wooden door opened and I kept seeing people coming and going inside.
Then there came a time when Jewish families living in Karachi started leaving the city and going to Israel. After this, in 1988 this prayer place was demolished and a building was built in its place. That was the era of Zia-ul-Haq.
Jewish businessman Emmanuel Matat has deep memories of Karachi, as he was born in this city.
He studied in the famous BVS School of the city. He also saw Zaheer Abbas's century innings and Imran Khan's brilliant performance of taking eight wickets at the National Stadium in Karachi.
Now he lives in Israel.
Emmanuel Matat told BBC News Hindi, "It was in this synagogue in Karachi that my mother took part in a women's clothing event in 1953 and won the first prize."
"Coincidentally, my parents' wedding also took place in this same synagogue."
Former Pakistan Test spinner Iqbal Qasim also spent his childhood in Ram Swami.
Iqbal Qasim told BBC Hindi, "I used to study in Tayyab Ali School, near the City Court in the Old City area."
“My daily routine was to go to school by taking a tram from Lawrence Road in Ram Swami, which later became Nishtar Road.”
Iqbal Qasim still remembers well those childhood days when he used to play cricket with tennis balls in these streets of Ram Swami.
Isaac Solomon was also among those who played cricket with him. He is the only Jewish cricketer who played first-class cricket in Karachi. Now he lives in America.
Akhtar Baloch has mentioned in detail the Jewish cemetery of Karachi in one of his research articles. Later this article also became a part of his book.
This graveyard is present in a part of the old Mewa Shah graveyard of Karachi. There are about five hundred graves in it.
The Baloch family that takes care of it does not allow any common person to go inside it.
Where did Gandhi Garden go?
After living in Ranchod Line and Ram Swami for about 15 years, I went to live in the nearby Shoe Market.
After this, one name remained associated with me for 31 years. That name was Hiranand Khem Singh Road.
This was my home mailing address. Often some letter or parcel would arrive at this address.
What a time that was, when the postman used to knock on the door. A different kind of happiness was felt while receiving a letter or parcel from his hand.
Nothing is known for sure about who Hiranand Khem Singh was.
The place near my house that attracted the most attention of people was Gandhi Garden.
Gandhi Garden was actually a symbol and identity of the city. This was a name which was ingrained in the mind of every citizen of the city.
Earlier its name was Victoria Garden. But when Mahatma Gandhi came to Karachi in 1934, a reception was organized here in his honour.
After this it was officially named Gandhi Garden. It became famous by this name and people of the older generation still call it Gandhi Garden.
But the new generation knows it as Karachi Zoo. Children say that they are going to visit the zoo.
In January 1953, its name was changed to Karachi Zoological Garden.
But for a long time the name of Gandhi Garden remained on everyone's lips. When the bus stop would come, the bus conductor's voice would echo, "Travelers of Gandhi Garden, please come."
The famous Pakistan Chowk, located in a busy area of the city, was also once named Gandhi Chowk.
When Mahatma Gandhi came to Karachi, the Hindu community named this square after him.
How did Patel Park become Nishtar Park?
If you move beyond Gandhi Garden and go to the Soldier Bazaar area, a park or ground present there attracts everyone's attention.
Sometimes it was called Patel Park. With time its name also changed and it became Nishtar Park.
It is not at all true that Patel Park was named after the former Deputy Prime Minister of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Actually it was named after his brother Vitthalbhai Patel.
Later it was named after Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar.
But for a long time people kept calling it Patel Park instead of Nishtar Park. After a long time it came to be called Nishtar Park.
Patel Park or Nishtar Park has also been identified as an important center of club cricket. Cricket started here during the British rule.
Many such players regularly played club matches on this ground, who later became international cricketers.
Nishtar Park is also an important center for meetings of political and religious parties.
Religious events of Eid Miladunnabi and congregations of Muharram are still held here. Eid prayers are also offered here.
This is the same Nishtar Park, where many people were killed in a bomb blast during a program of Eid Miladunnabi in April 2006.
In 1970, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and in 1971 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto demonstrated their popular power by holding meetings in this Nishtar Park.
Haider Manzil, the house of famous Sindhi politician GM Syed, is located near this Nishtar Park. This house was an important center of political activities during his lifetime.
The process of changing Hindu names of roads and places, which had started after the formation of Pakistan, gained momentum after the 1965 war.
After this war, the name of Patel Park was changed to Nishtar Park.
Iqbal-e-Rehman Mandaviya writes in his book, "In 1958, the last namaz of Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar was offered in this park by Maulana Ehtisham-ul-Haq Thanvi."
"After this, in 1980, the last prayers of Maulana Ehtisham-ul-Haq Thanvi were offered by his son Maulana Ehtisham-ul-Haq Thanvi."
"Very few people would know that the wedding reception of Pakistan's great cricketer Hanif Mohammad was also held in this park."
Most of the roads with Hindu names in the city were in old areas.
It is not possible to mention all the roads and areas whose names were changed in just one article.
Hindu names of some famous roads of the city were changed to Muslim names.
Newnham Road was named Fakhr Matari Road. Fakhr Matri was the founder of the Urdu newspaper Hurriyat and the Gujarati newspaper Millat published from Karachi.
Harchand Rai Vishan Das Road was renamed as Siddiq Wahab Road.
Similarly, Atmaram Pritam Das Road later became Altaf Hussain Hali Road and now its name is Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai Road.
Behind the building of Radio Pakistan's Karachi station is the area of Ratan Talab, which is famous by the name of Ratan Talav. A temple is also present here.
This area was once known for its Maratha community. The leader of this community was Ratan ji and this place became famous in his name.
There used to be a pond here, which became a part of the past after the formation of Pakistan.
Birthplace of Babita, Sadhna, Mac Mohan and Ramesh Sippy
Image source: Sanjit Pariyar/NurPhoto via Getty Images
According to Shah Waliullah Junaidi, who has written research articles on the past of Karachi and the personalities associated with it, Babita, the daughter-in-law of the Kapoor family and mother of Kareena and Karisma Kapoor, was born on 20 April 1947 in Ratan Talav area.
At that time her full name was Babita Shivdasani.
She stayed in Karachi only for a few months. After the formation of Pakistan on 14 August 1947, she moved to Mumbai with her family.
According to Shah Waliullah Junaidi, director Ramesh Sippy was born in Sadar area of Karachi.
Mac Mohan, who became famous with the character of Sambha in the film Sholay, was born in the Jubilee Cinema area near Hoti Market.
This was the first cinema built in Karachi after the formation of Pakistan.
According to Iqbal Mandaviya, "India's famous actress Sadhna was born in a Sindhi Hindu family in September 1941 in another street near Ram Swami's Tulsi Das Street."
"Her name at that time was Sadhna Shivdasani. After the formation of Pakistan, she too left Karachi with her family and went to India."
English names also disappeared from the streets
After the formation of Pakistan, the names of only roads and areas with Hindu names were not changed. The English names were also changed.
Their list is also long and quite interesting.
Inverarity Road was named after Jonathan Duncan Inverarity, a governor of Sindh during the British rule. I myself have seen the board of his old name on this road for a long time.
Karachi Press Club is on this road. At one time there used to be a Goethe Institute here also.
Later this road was named after Sarwar Shaheed. He was the first soldier to receive Pakistan's highest military honor Nishan-e-Haider.
Lawrence Road is the longest road in the Old City area of the city. It was named after the Viceroy of India, Sir John Lawrence. Later its name was changed to Nishtar Road.
The busy McLeod Road, which houses the headquarters of several banks, newspapers and TV channels, is now called II Chundrigar Road after the sixth Prime Minister of Pakistan, Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar.
Queens Road has now become Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan Road. Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan was the speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan.
Somerset Street is now called Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan Road.
Solomon David Road was renamed Suleman Dawood Road.
Clark Street, starting from the rear of Sindh High Court and ending at St. Patrick's Church, is now named Shahrah-e-Iraq.
Similarly, Elphinstone Street is now called Zebunnisa Street.
James Strachan's favor to Karachi
The road leading from the Chowk to Pakistan Chowk, in the busy area of Karachi where the Karachi Arts Council and Hindu Gymkhana are located, was once called Strachan Road.
बाद में इसका नाम बदलकर मौलाना दीन मोहम्मद वफ़ाई रोड कर दिया गया.
शोधकर्ता उस्मान दमोहवी ने अपनी किताब कराची तारीख़ के आईने में लिखा है, "कराची शहर की योजना बनाने में जेम्स स्ट्रेचन की अहम भूमिका थी. वह इंजीनियर थे और 1873 में कराची नगरपालिका के मुख्य इंजीनियर और सचिव बनाए गए थे."
"कराची में बिजली, टेलीफ़ोन, सड़कों पर रोशनी और घरों तक पानी पहुंचाने की योजनाएं उन्हीं की वजह से संभव हुई थीं."
"उन्होंने कराची में ट्राम कंपनी बनाकर ट्राम सेवा शुरू कराई. इसके अलावा कराची बंदरगाह के पास मौजूद केमारी इलाक़े में एक अस्पताल भी बनवाया."
दूसरी ओर, मौलाना दीन मोहम्मद वफ़ाई एक धार्मिक विद्वान थे. उन्होंने कई किताबें लिखीं.
वह अल वहीद अख़बार के संपादक भी थे और एक बहादुर पत्रकार के रूप में मशहूर थे.
इंगल रोड अब एमआर कयानी रोड बन चुकी है. एमआर कयानी पश्चिमी पाकिस्तान हाई कोर्ट के मुख्य न्यायाधीश थे.
सर चार्ल्स नेपियर के नाम वाली नेपियर रोड अब शाहराह अल्ताफ़ हुसैन कहलाती है.
विक्टोरिया रोड अब अब्दुल्ला हारून रोड है.
हैवलॉक रोड को अब ऐवान-ए-सदर रोड कहा जाता है.
कराची की कई यादगार इमारतों के वास्तुकार मोसेस सोमेक के नाम पर बनी मोसेस स्ट्रीट का नाम बदलकर मूसा जी स्ट्रीट कर दिया गया.
कराची की सबसे लंबी सड़क को केमारी बंदरगाह तक जाने के कारण बंदर रोड कहा जाता था.
अब पाकिस्तान के संस्थापक मोहम्मद अली जिन्ना के नाम पर इसका नाम एमए जिन्ना रोड है. लेकिन लोग आज भी इसे इसके पुराने नाम से ही पुकारते हैं.
जी हां, यह वही बंदर रोड है, जिसे लोग आज भी अहमद रुश्दी के गाने के कारण याद करते हैं:
"बंदर रोड से केमारी, चली रे मेरी घोड़ा गाड़ी, बाबू हो जाना फ़ुटपाथ पर."
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