Parinagar
Parinagar (परिनगर) legendary site of ruins is in Nagarparkar District in Sindh province of Pakistan.
Contents
Location
Nagarparkar is Located at a distance of 150 km from Mithi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It is situated at a distance of about 15 km from the Indian border.
History
The Karoonjhar hills surround Nagarparkar for 16 miles. The granite stone of this mountain is used for making tiles. There is a saying that the Karoonjhar hills provide 1-1/4 kilos of gold every day in the form of red granite stone, china clay, and honey. In summer, different sounds are audible from the rock due to sulphur deposits.[1]
The communities living in the port city of Parinagar comprised 5,200 Jain dwellings, 900 Luhar, 700 Rajput, 1,300 Lohana, 1,200 dwellings belonging to other castes. Besides, some minority communities included Dhatti, Wora and Gandhi, Garddera, Lalan, Tina, Madar, Kul, Kubbria, Waddera, Mahta, Wegar, Kantia, etc.[2]
The present Ran of Kutch was once a sea and its most ancient and important port was Parinagar. It was always busy with shipping and there was anchorage at Doo-ptar. The word means two landing places and lies two miles to the West of Virawah, where traces of port facilities are still visible. Parinagar, the mosque of Bhoddisar and the temple of Gori are the products of the fishing industry, and when looked at closely appear to have been constructed in very similar style and during the same period. Their dimensions and construction are of extremely fine quality, indicating that the Parkar terrain was once a centre of artists and artisans.[3]
It is said that in bygone days the temples of Parinagar were filled with countless statues. Now all have been destroyed. Those which have survived are all disfigured. The signs of five temples can still be seen. In one of these there is a statue with glass in its eye sockets, shining in the dark. The pieces of iron which formed the supports of the statues can still be seen scattered about. [4]
Kajlasar of Parinagar
The merchant community of Parinagar gathered a substantial amount of money and built water reservoir the Kajlasar. The girls of Parinagar used to come early in the morning to wash their faces. They wore such heavy eye make up kajal that the whole reservoir was covered with lines of black Kohl floating on the surface of the water.[5]
The habit of applying Kohl was particularly prevalent among the Jain women. Their large eyes lined with Kajal suited their pale complexions beautifully. It is said that once an important Rajput prince came early one morning to the reservoir to water his horse. There were many girls at the spot washing their blackened eyes, and of course, the water was streaked with the antimony. The prince was annoyed and remonstrated with the girls for spoiling the water. The story spread and reached the ears of the Oswars who threatened to leave Parinagar.[6]
Excerpted with permission from Mountains of Sindh Compiled by Dr Karim Khuwaja People’s Doctor’s Forum B-10 Noorani View Appts, Garden Ext, Karachi-3 Tel: 021-2231122, Cell: 0301-2265637 171pp. Rs. 300
Important sites
- Karoonjar mountain temple: at the base of the mountain.
- Viravah: There are a number of ruins of Jain temples here. One of the temples had 27 devakulikas in it.
- Parinagar - The ruins of legendary Parinagar are nearby. One of the temples is in good preservation.
- Gori Mandir: 14 miles from Viravah. The legendary temple with 52 subsidiary shrines was built in AD 1375-6.
External Links
References
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