Written by: Abeera Akhtar
Posted on: August 02, 2018 | 
| 中文
The quintessential part of every SSE tour
It is hard to pin down the one factor which makes Karachi the heartbeat and soul of every person who comes to find familiarity, comfort, and hospitality in the midst of the chaos that defines this metropolis. Karachi, without belonging to anyone, belongs to everyone because the very identity of the city is sketched and colored by the cultural richness of the various ethnicities that have called it home for eons. Despite its many problems, Karachi for me is like a pot of biryani (traditional sub-continent rice) in which various spices simmer and infuse to produce an aromatic delicacy bursting with flavor. That is exactly the city we love and cherish and in which persons from different walks of life hustle together and add to its vibrancy and charm.
However, in the rapid pace of this city, we forget to slow down and cherish, the wonders of this sea port city, and so it is a true blessing that a venture like Super Savari Express helps us appreciate what the city has to offer. Too many hours are wasted by us cribbing about the heat, power break downs, insecurity and other municipal issues, and we easily forget that the “city of lights” has much to offer in terms of history, architecture, recreation, and of course, gastronomical delights.
Super Savari Express, lauded as Karachi’s first official guided tour, has taken thousands across the streets of Karachi to provide a secure and authentic experience of a city, which is best explored by navigating its turns and bumps by hopping in a mini bus bejeweled with truck art. Since my family was visiting from the UK, it seemed to be the perfect way to introduce them to my city. Saddar town, when not enveloped in a layer of smog and dust because of the heavy traffic, has grand colonial architecture which has its own allure. Our morning faces only beamed more as we entered into a room full of local artifacts, painted walls and a beautiful cart turned into a desk, which assured us that this experience would find its place in the drawer of cherished memories.
We were greeted by Jahanzeb Salim, the man running the show, whose infectious and positive energy further heightened our spirits and excitement. We noticed many trainee guides buzzing around the office which could be credited to its growing popularity and a reason for expanding the service to cater to more explorer enthusiasts.
Our first stop was a building that once served as a Free Masons Lodge, which sparked a lot of curiosity amongst everyone, particularly as most people didn’t even know that it existed. What was once the Free Masons Lodge was turned into a library for Sindh Wildlife Textbooks, after Free Masonry was banned in Pakistan. Then, we moved on to Kabootar Chowk (Pigeon Market Area), where everyone ran through the scattering pigeons at Pakistan’s version of Trafalgar Square.
Then began the true joy; walking tour of Saddar. You don’t just walk through what is the center of the city, but experience it through the history behind each street, the various places of worship and the colonial buildings, although in desolate state, are a reminder of their past glory and grandeur. Following this, the tourists are taken for a traditional Pakistani breakfast at an indoor Dhaba (cheap roadside eatery). This place had your famous parathay (flat bread), chanay (chick peas) and omelets. In the end, the cherry on top was the simple yet delicious doodh patti (tea cooked in milk) they had to offer.
The next location was the famous Empress Market. The bloody history of this bustling marketplace is relatively unknown, where blood of soldiers was spilled in the War of Independence of 1857. Other locations on the journey include TDF (The Dawood Foundation) Ghar which is a true blast from the past. Initiated in 1960, TDF was conceived as an educational foundation, whose main focus was to support and promote educational initiatives in the fields of science, technology and research.TDF also provides a great view of the next stop, Quaid-e-Azam’s Mausoleum.
In showing tourists our city we got an opportunity to connect with it and appreciate how it has evolved, and embraced different ethnic groups to become a rich cultural mega polis.
Super Savari has to be commended for its efforts. It is a tour for the people, by the people of Karachi, and the team is there to ensure that everyone is well-taken care of each step of the way. Along with the city tour, they also provide Sehri food tours during Ramadan which are another experience in themselves, customized tours for students, corporations and not surprisingly, wedding parties! My personal favorite was their Pokémon-Go tour and when the game was at its peak, they gathered all those interested and took to the streets on a mission to ‘catch ém all’.
Karachi is so much more than meets the eye and I’m glad not just tourists but Karachiites now have the chance to see that too. Super Savari has given both Karachiites and tourists an opportunity to explore and experience the rich tapestry that constitutes architecture, history and culture of the city.
All pictures have been provided by the writer unless mentioned otherwise
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