Rohri Town
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Rohri Town
Head-quarters of the taluka of the same name in Sukkin District, Sind, Bombay, situated in 27 41' N. and 68 56' E., upon the left or eastern bank of the Indus, on a rocky eminence of limestone interspersed with flints. Population (1901), 9,537. The Hindus, who are mostly of the Baniya caste, are engaged in trade, banking, and money-lending, while the Muhammadans are chiefly of the Bhuta, Kori, Patoli, Muhano, Khati, Memon, and Shikari tribes, or describe themselves as Shaikh and Saiyid.
Rohri is said to have been founded by Saiyid Rukn-ud-dm Shah in 1297. The rocky site terminates abruptly on the west in a precipice 40 feet high, rising from the bank of the river, which, during the inundation season, attains a height of about 16 feet above its lowest level. On the noithern side is the mouth of the supply channel for the EASTERN NARA CANAL, 156 feet wide, which is provided with powerful sluice gates to regulate the supply of water as required. When seen from a little distance, Rohri has a pleasing appearance, the houses being lofty, frequently four and five storeys high, with flat roofs surrounded by balustrades ; some are of burnt brick, erected many years ago by wealthy merchants belonging to the place. But the streets are in several parts very narrow, and the air is close and unwholesome. It has road communication with Mlrpur, Kandahar, and Sangrar, and the main trunk road from Hyderabad to Multan also passes through it. The town has derived a new importance as the station wheie the North-Western State Railway crosses the Indus, and as the junction of the Kotri-Rohri lines It contains a Subordinate Judge's court, a dispensary, and four schools, of which three for boys have 754 pupils and one for girls has 80 pupils.
Rohri has a large number of Muhammadan places of worship. One, known as the Jama Masjid, was built in 1564 by Fateh Khan, lieu- tenant of the emperor Akbar ; it is a massive but gloomy pile of red brick covered with three domes, and coated with glazed porcelain tiles/ The other, the Idgah Masjid, was erected in 1593 by Mir Musan Shah The War Mubarak, a building about 25 feet square, situated to the north of the town, was erected about 1745 by Nur Muhammad, the reigning Kalhora prince, for the reception of a hair from the beard of Muhammad. This hair, to which miraculous properties are ascribed by the faithful, is set in amber, which again is enclosed in a gold case studded with rubies and emeralds, the gift of Mir All Murad of Khairpur. The relic is exposed to view every March, when the hair is believed by the devotees to rise and fall, and also to change colour.
Rohn has been administered as a municipality since 1855, and the town has, in consequence, greatly improved as regards both health and appearance. The municipal income during the decade ending 1901 averaged Rs. 21,600 In 1903-4 it was Rs. 27,000. The trade is principally in grain, oil, gfa, salt, fuller's-earth, lime, and fruits. Tasar silk is manufactured. Opposite to Rohri on the Indus is the small island of Khwaja Khizr, containing the shrine of a saint who is revered alike by Muhammadans and Hindus.
