Karoonjhar Mountains
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Karoonjhar Mountains (, ) are located in south-eastern edge of the
Tharparkar Tharparkar (Dhatki language, Dhatki/ sd, ٿرپارڪر, ur, ), also known as Thar, is a district in Sindh province in Pakistan headquartered at Mithi. Before Indian independence it was known as the Thar and Parkar district. The district is t ...
district in
Sindh Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...
,
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
. The range is approximately 19 kilometers long and reaches a height of 305 meters, and contains vaste deposits of
granite Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...
and Chinese clay.


Geography

Karoonjhar mountains are located in
Nagarparkar Nagarparkar ( ur, , sd, ننگرپارڪر), is a tehsil in at the base of the Karoonjhar Mountains in Tharparkar District in Sindh province of Pakistan. The historic Churrio Jabal Durga Mata Temple is situated here. The taluka is located at a d ...
near the district Tharparkar on the northern edge of the
Rann of Kutch The Rann of Kutch (alternately spelled as Kuchchh) is a large area of salt marshes that span the border between India and Pakistan. It is located in Gujarat (primarily the Kutch district), India, and in Sindh, Pakistan. It is divided into t ...
. They mostly consist of
granite Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...
rock and are likely an extension of the
Aravalli Range The Aravalli Range (also spelled ''Aravali'') is a mountain range in Northern-Western India, running approximately in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Ahmedabad Gujarat. ...
of India. The Aravalli range belongs to Archaen period, which makes it one of the oldest rock systems. Specialists have put the time period of the formation of these rocks at between 3.5 and 5 billion years ago. The Karoonjhar area is geographically different from the surrounding desert and is very limited in expanse. The mountain range is around 19 kilometers long and 305 meters high. To the east of the main range lie smaller hills which are covered with sparse vegetation. From these hills originate two perennial springs, Achleshwar and Sardharo, and temporary streams, Bhetiani and Gordhro, which flow during the rainy season.


Climate

Karoonjhar Dam is being constructed to supply water to people of
Nagarparkar Nagarparkar ( ur, , sd, ننگرپارڪر), is a tehsil in at the base of the Karoonjhar Mountains in Tharparkar District in Sindh province of Pakistan. The historic Churrio Jabal Durga Mata Temple is situated here. The taluka is located at a d ...
area. In the
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
season, rainwater pours down from the mountain and flows in more than twenty streams, Bhatiani, Maoo, Gordaro, Ranaser, Sukhpur, Ghatiari, Madanwah, Moondaro, Bhodeser, Lolrai, Drah, Puranwah to the Rann of Kutch. The climate of this mountain range is extreme due to rocky terrain. August and September are only cool months due to monsoon.


Economic significance

Karoonjhar has economic significance for the local people of the area, it is rich in deposits and plant medicinal values. These plants include
shatavari ''Asparagus racemosus'' (satavar, shatavari, or shatamull, shatawari) is a species of asparagus common throughout India and the Himalayas. and northern Australia. It grows tall and prefers to take root in gravelly, rocky soils high up in piedmo ...
,
okra Okra or Okro (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with su ...
and
wild onion Wild onion can refer to * any uncultivated species in the genus '' Allium'', especially: **'' Allium bisceptrum'' ** '' Allium canadense'' ** ''Allium tricoccum ''Allium tricoccum'' (commonly known as ramp, ramps, ramson, wild leek, wood leek, o ...
. This mountain is economically so significant that there is a local saying "''Karoonjhar yields a hundred kilos of gold regularly''".


History

Karoonjhar has been mentioned in many verses of Sindhi and
Gujarati Gujarati may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India * Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat * Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them * Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub- ...
poets. Myths and lores of Sadwant &
Sharanga Sharanga (Devanagari: शारंग) also spelt as Saranga, is the celestial bow of the Hindu god Vishnu. In South India, the Sharanga is also simply known as the Kodanda, literally meaning bow. Vishnu's avatar Rama is often praised as ''Ko ...
, Hothlal Pari (nature's fairy), Odho Jam (Sindhi lore) and Bherio Garori (wolf's ring) are regarded to this range. Hothlal Pari is considered to have had appeared first in the Karoonjhar mountains. In old times, Karoonjhar was also famously known as "Kinro". The mountain range has several places of historical importance, like Bhodeser Talao, Alakh Wao (hidden well), Anchlechure, Sardaro, Gao Mukhi, Punraj Gadr, Nani, Chandan gadr, Bhaun jo bheesro, Jharno and Bhaunro. In the past, many individuals were exiled to the Karoonjhar by monarchs of nearby states. The range was once a stronghold of
Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current ...
in the region. Researcher Mashkoor Phulkaro has written that there are at least 108 holy sites among the surrounding hills Until 1226, the region of Thar was part of a large sea, and the current desert area served as a
port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
and business centre for Jains who formed the business class. Subsequently, an earthquake in Parinagar, the main shipping port, changed its geography, forcing the Jains to move to Kutch and
Bhuj Bhuj () is a Municipality and District Headquarters of Kutch District in the state of Gujarat, India. Etymology According to legend, Kutch was ruled by the Nāga chieftains in the past. Sagai, a queen of Sheshapattana, who was married to Kin ...
in modern day
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. Before their exodus, they had built several temples at Karoonjhar Mountain, Nagarparkar, and Parinagar. Of those, just four exist today, and only two of them are in good condition (in Veerawah and Nagarparkar). The last Jain family to leave this area did so in 1971.


See also

*
Churrio Jabal Durga Mata Temple Churrio Jabal Durga Mata Temple (چوڙيو جبل, pronunciation: choo-ryo ja-bal) is situated on a hill named Churrio, located in Nangarparkar in the Tharparkar District in the Sindh province of Pakistan. This is a historic temple and is visit ...


References

Mountains and hills of Sindh Tharparkar District {{Sindh-geo-stub