A memorable family trip to

Khewra Salt Mines

13th November, 2016

Shaikh Muhammad Ali

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Ah travel! New scenery, exciting adventures, time alone with a loved one. Truth is,
travel can make or break a relationship. Just negotiating when to leave for the airport
can be tricky: she insists on arriving hours ahead of flight time, he likes the excitement
of a photo finish. But as Mary-Lou Weisman sees it, "The inevitable rage with which we
begin each trip only helps us to better appreciate the good times that lie ahead. Or
maybe not.

When people have jet lag, can't speak the language, figure out the money, or maintain
intestinal regularity, they get cranky. And since they don't know anybody else in Bhai
Pheru to take it out on, they take it out on each other. Alas, couples therapy is rarely
available on vacation, which is why we need this hilarious and truthful take on travel
and togetherness.

Destinations: He wants to outrun molten lava down a volcano, she prefers raking gravel
in a Buddhist monastery. Motivations: She longs for a change of scenery, he hopes for a
change of self. Preparations: She keeps a file of required sights, he won't be bullied by
travel guides. Accommodations: She divides every hotel room in half so he'll know on
which side of the bed to throw his wet towel. Inclinations: She shops a country, he eats
it. This is the real skinny on what happens when Mars and Venus hit the road. With a sly
wink, a comic nod, and just the right amount of optimism, my friend I tell you that
despite the shortcomings of one's beloved, harmonious travel is possible.

But nothing of this sort (as mentioned above) happened to us. Laughter I have been
visiting the Salt mines of Khewra since 2005 maybe and have become so accustomed to
the route and the finer details that you can easily hire me as a tour guide now for this
particular destination. Have been there five times already and thus thought that it is
high time that I should write an article about this wonderful tourist sojourn.

Incidentally, I was there again on that dreaded day when the ex-Prime Minister of
Pakistan Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was shot dead on 27th December, 2007 in Karachi so
it is proof enough that I was not involved in the murder. Huh!

Coming to the main story, on a fairly cool morning on Sunday 13th November 2016; we
decided to revisit the Khewra Salt mines which are incidentally the 2nd biggest salt
mines in the world after the ones in Sifto Canada, Inc., salt mine in Goderich, Ontario.
And I can bet that most of you did not know this, right?

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The precise reason as to why I scribble my travelogues is; that we as Pakistanis are
usually couch potatoes and as a nation do not travel a lot especially my previous
generation and the whole point in writing these articles is to inform the younger cohort
that there are beautiful places in the world where we must go (if we can afford of
course). At least we should get out of our surroundings and make an effort to step
outside our comfort zones and travel to different villages and cities around us to
appreciate how beautiful the people and the places are.

If we can get to travel at a national level then it opens up our mind to the thought
processes of people from different provinces who speak different languages although
their religious background being prevalently Muslim within Pakistan. It is a wonderful
learning experience to notice the diversification in clothing, attitudes, dialects, cultures
and languages; a smorgasbord of colors so to speak when you travel from the sea side
cities like Karachi up in the northern most parts touching the Himalayas, Hindu Kush
and Karakorum mountains.

(With Adil on the left and Mohsin on the right what else do I need?)

We leave the house around 10:45 a.m. and headed for the M-2 Motorway down south.

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 (This picture was taken @ 1:08 p.m.)

I must hasten to confess that although I am not a big fan of the last ousted Prime
Minister Mr. Nawaz Sharif but I can anytime stand up and salute him for the wonderful
M-2, LHE ISB Motorway that he has given to us.

We took the above exit at Lillah around 1:10 p.m. while reaching the spot below at 2:01
p.m.

(The salt mine is a two minute drive from this post)

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The Khewra Salt Mine (or Mayo Salt Mine) is located in Khewra, north of Pind Dadan
Khan, an administrative subdivision of Jhelum District, Punjab Region, Pakistan, which
rises from the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It is Pakistan's largest and oldest salt mine and the
world's second largest. It is a major tourist attraction, drawing up to 250,000 visitors a
year. Its history dates back to its discovery by Alexander's troops in 320 BC, but it
started trading in the Mughal era. The main tunnel at ground level was developed by
Dr. H. Warth, a mining engineer, in 1872 during British rule.

After independence, the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) took over
the mine, which still remains the largest source of salt in the country, producing more
than 350,000 tons per annum of about 99% pure halite. Estimates of the reserves of salt
in the mine vary from 82 million tons to 600 million tons.1

As soon as we reached the parking lot of the mine, a smiling youngster approached us
swinging a ticket book. You need to buy a ticket worth Rs. 40 if you have come through
your own car in order to use the parking space which is actually quite spacious.

(The parking token at the venue)

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khewra_Salt_Mine

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As soon as you park your vehicle and disembark, it is painful to see that the entire
parking lot is littered with empty mineral water bottles, chips and sweet wrappers of all
shades and color. What is more worst is that most of the littering crowd is school,
college and university students and this reflects on their upbringing at home and
education in the later years. I wonder whether their teachers are educated enough
themselves to have a civic sense which urgently needs to be inculcated in these
youngsters.

Once you walk towards the venue, on your extreme left is a small ticket station from
where you are expected to purchase entrance tickets to the salt mine. Here you are
given two options. Whether to walk into the mine or take a dilapidated yet fun train
ride. On the immediate left is a huge resting area where you can see Homo sapiens
relaxing and munching on their snacks which are either brought from home or are
purchased here from the small kiosks which abound.

(The rules of the game are clearly posted here)

We bought the entrance ticket and decided to ride the rickety rackety train too and
thus ended up spending another Rs. 1,300 which is actually not a bad deal.

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 (The Mine entry ticket)

As soon as we bought the train tickets, the kids noticed the kiosk and it was but natural
for them to pester us for drinks, chips and other eatables. Kids usually think that money
grows on trees and since I am quite tall thus it is conveniently possible for me to pick
more and thus the kids also take the luxury. Usually, when I travel with family; I leave
the miserly me at home and spend lavishly, since you only live once anyways

(The pre-spending picture)

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We then waited for the mini train to arrive from the mine which had taken the previous
group. Usually, the entire tour lasts 1:30 minutes and includes a tour guide also. People
generally walk and avoid this train journey to save on the costs but they miss out on the
information which the guide imparts in details and with a jolly personality too.

(The entrance to the Khewra salt mine)

By 2:40 p.m. we had boarded the train and within the next 5 10 minutes we were deep
inside the mine.

(The journey begins)

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Once you get inside the mine, the first thing you notice is that the temperature remains
at a constant 18 20 Degree Celsius irrespective of the weather outside. Another
miracle is that staying in the mine for half an hour is a therapeutic cure for Asthma and
doctors in Lahore and Islamabad usually advise their asthma patients to try this out.

As soon as you start walking towards the main hall, the wonders of the world open up
to you. Beautiful artwork is on display with colorful lights in the back and the
foreground. The Replicas of Badshahi mosque, the Minar-e-Pakistan and stalactites of
different shapes and sizes greet you.

(Stalactite rhapsody in purple)

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 (Here is the Faisal Masjid)

(Here is the Minar-e-Pakistan)

And you are left awe struck while salt is softly being deposited on your lips and you not
realizing till the guide tells you to feel the salt which is actually in the air too. You have
to see it to believe it and until and unless you do not visit this enigmatic place, you can
never appreciate its charm, sublimity and beauty.

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 (Adil and Ayesha posing between the walls of the Gog and Magog)

As soon as our tour ended, we were hoarded back in the train and were brought out of
the mine. While we were walking out, we noticed a small mosque and decided to offer
our Asr prayer here.

(The masjid at the exit of the mine)

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It is with disappointment that I noticed that there was no water available for Wudu
(Ablution) within the mosque premises and the inside walls were crumbling which
showed the apathy of the local administration. With a painful heart, all three of us boys
offered our prayer and retreated.

(The crumbling walls of the masjid)

On the way out, we stopped at the grave of a local Buzurg (elderly gentleman) and
offered fatiha.

(The grave of Shaikh Suleman Badshah)

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By the time we left the salt mine area around 4:15 p.m., we were having hunger pangs
and thus decided to have a late yet an awesome Dhal mash (Lentils) and mixed
vegetable lunch at a local road side restaurant.

(5 star lunch at a 1 star hotel)

With food in our tummy, topped with green tea; we called it a day and headed home
while touching Chakri around 7:30 p.m. and reaching home by 8:45 p.m.

Shaikh Muhammad Ali

The Wandering Dervish
E-mail: dushkashaikh@gmail.com
Cell: +00-92-321-5072996
Thursday, 7th Muharram 1439 Hijri,
28th September, 2017, 07:55 p.m. (PST)

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