Manghopir and its mysterious charm

Published October 15, 2011
A caretaker bends over to feed the crocodiles with the help of a stick.
A caretaker bends over to feed the crocodiles with the help of a stick.
A view of the market place constructed below the mazaar, where people stop to pick clay items or flowers for the shrine of Sufi Pir Haji Syed Sakhi Sultan.
A view of the market place constructed below the mazaar, where people stop to pick clay items or flowers for the shrine of Sufi Pir Haji Syed Sakhi Sultan.
A reflection of a mother and daughter walking past a shop after they return from the prayers at the shrine.
A reflection of a mother and daughter walking past a shop after they return from the prayers at the shrine.
The view of the shrine of Sufi Pir Haji Syed Sakhi Sultan through a grill barricade surrounding the area.
The view of the shrine of Sufi Pir Haji Syed Sakhi Sultan through a grill barricade surrounding the area.
Sisters offering prayers at the shrine of Pir Haji Syed Sakhi Sultan.
Sisters offering prayers at the shrine of Pir Haji Syed Sakhi Sultan.
The walls embedded with glass with Quranic versus written on them at the shrine.
The walls embedded with glass with Quranic versus written on them at the shrine.
A man praying inside the shrine.
A man praying inside the shrine.
An Islamic version of a bandana, beaded and designed especially to be placed on top of the shrine of Sufi Pir Haji Sakhi Sultan.
An Islamic version of a bandana, beaded and designed especially to be placed on top of the shrine of Sufi Pir Haji Sakhi Sultan.
One of the flower shops at the market place below the shrine.
One of the flower shops at the market place below the shrine.

Situated just west of North Karachi town,  Manghopir is home to the shrine of  Sufi Pir Haji Syed Sakhi Sultan, a saint with no less than four different legends attributing to his mysterious origins. Even more baffling is the pond adjacent to the shrine inhabited by at least a hundred docile crocodiles revered by the local townsfolk.  — Photos by Hussain Afzal

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