KARACHI: A new exhibition, Karachi’s Transformation: Harchandrai’s Journey, which opened at The Dawood Foundation (TDF) Ghar on Friday, takes one from the latter part of 1800s to the early 1900s, especially through the 10 years (1911-1921) when the city transformed from a humble settlement to a modern metropolis all thanks to the president of the municipal department, Seth Harchandrai Vishandas, also known as the ‘Father of Modern Karachi’.

As visitors moved from room to room, viewing the exhibits about the city and the valuable work of Harchandrai, one couldn’t help but overhear many of them comparing the Karachi of those days to the city of today, and how seriously the caretakers of the city took their job in those days and how casually they handle their duties now.

Harchandrai, the forgotten hero of Karachi, a true visionary, was born on May 1, 1862. A distinguished British Indian lawyer and politician, he took over as the mayor of Karachi in 1911. But even before that, in 1896, when Karachi faced the threat of a bubonic plague epidemic due to rats on a ship that had arrived from Calcutta, Harchandrai spearheaded efforts to contain the outbreak. The exhibition also includes that part of history.

Through initiatives such as re-routing the Lyari River, he also safeguarded countless lives as the project not only mitigated the threat of deadly waterborne diseases but also unlocked valuable space for the development of residential areas.

Harchandrai remembered for his tireless efforts as mayor in early 1900s, which modernised Karachi

Harchandrai also undertook other innovative measures such as establishing the first power plant in Karachi, introducing footpaths, broadening roads, more infrastructural developments and educational advancements while significantly shaping the trajectory of Karachi and Sindh.

More specifically, his other work included donating plots of land for construction of educational institutions, supporting women’s health and construction of hospitals such as the Lady Dufferin Hospital, improving a canal system for increased agricultural production and land cultivation, the setting up of clubs for encouraging cultural activities and scholarships for underprivileged students as he was a huge advocate of universal access to education.

He was a strong patron of music, literature and culture in Sindh, in fact he was known to organise grand musical evenings at his Karachi home and pushed for the writing of books on related subjects while also having these publications translated into Sindhi for reaching a larger readership. He also distributed these books freely among people interested in reading them.

The exhibition set up in three rooms at TDF Ghar has the first room dedicated to the development of Karachi thanks to Harchandrai.

The second room looks at Karachi’s plague response in 1896 while the third room, decorated with kerosene lamps, brings the city from darkness into the light as the mayor’s efforts helped establish the Karachi Electric Supply Company with the first power plant coming up here in 1913. The move transformed the city by fuelling industrial, commercial and residential development here. It is also what helped Karachi earn the title of the ‘City of Lights’.

The dedication of this individual to his work is unmatched to this day. He even gave his life for what he believed in. It was in February 1928 that he realised that his vote was needed in the Indian legislative Assembly on the matter of recognition of the Simon Commission, Harchandrai, who was sick and resting in Karachi, decided to go to Lahore to do the needful.

He boarded a train in cold weather, which was making his condition worse but he didn’t care. But by the time he reached Lahore, he really ought to have been admitted to hospital as he was extremely sick by then. His condition was deteriorating with the passing of every minute. Still on his own orders he was taken to the assembly in a wheelchair. He breathed his last as he reached the entrance of the assembly.

A statue of his was erected in front of the Karachi Municipal Corporation Building in his memory on his sixth death anniversary, on Feb 16, 1934. But it was removed shortly after Partition. Later, it was said that it was lying in storage somewhere in the building. When it was finally located, it was found missing its head.

A replica of the beheaded statue of Harchandrai is also part of the exhibition.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2023