January 2007
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Whatever you want, somewhere in Karachi you’ll find it, for this is equally a city of commerce and of the imagination, says Kamila Shamsie
When I was growing up in Karachi, I was far less interested in the world around me than in the worlds I found in storybooks about places far, far away. My mother taught me how to reconcile my imagination and my surroundings by pointing out the large, camel-coloured rocks rising from the Arabian Sea, visible as you drove along Clifton Beach. 'That’s Neverland,' she assured me.
Karachi is not a city of obvious charm. It hasn’t the Mughal architecture of Lahore, the Himalayan peaks of Pakistan’s northern region, nor the ancient wonder of Mohenjodaro. Instead, it demands an imaginative engagement: you learn to look at barren rocks and discover worlds of childhood magic; listen to languages you don’t understand and discover tones of voices that are instantly recognisable; smell the particular scent of the city’s most populated beach and learn to discern its individual components – sea air, oil slicks, camel dung, roasting corn, exhaust fumes, strong tea, sweat, flower-bracelets. Then you realise how the combination of these disparate elements speaks to the very heart of what it is that makes Karachi a city to fall in love with.
So, imagine if you will, a fishing village that becomes a metropolitan sprawl. Driving through Karachi (it is not a pedestrian-friendly city) you can still glimpse its different incarnations. The fishing village, the British cantonment town, the city of migration, the first capital of Pakistan, the commercial centre, the city of dreams and lights. You understand that these incarnations overlap, glide together, bump up against each other.
Knowing where to start is itself a problem. A city growing as fast as Karachi – in 1945 its population stood at 100,000; by 1948 it was 1m, and it is more than 15m today – has never had time for efficient planning.
So start with the marketplace. If any single thing defines Karachi, it is its nature as a commercial centre. Whatever you want, somewhere in Karachi, you’ll find it. If Karachi were the sky, its bazaars would be its glittering stars. The place to start is the 1km stretch known as Saddar. At its southern end is Zainab Market, a warren of alleys filled with leather goods and handicrafts. At the Northern End is Empress Market. Empress Market is known for its spices, but you can buy everything from fresh fish to bedspreads. Between Zainab Market and Empress Market are colonial-era buildings and shops (useful for electronics or carpets). My favourite bazaar is Botal Gali (Bottle Alley) on Hassan Ali Lane, where you can buy bottles of every shape, colour and size.
After the shopping, you’ll need caffeine. Tea is available everywhere – strong, sweet and very milky. It can be overwhelming if you’re not used to it, but at least try some out at Café Clifton, which you’ll see as you approach Clifton Beach from the main thoroughfare, Khayaban-e-Shamsheer. If you’d prefer coffee, make your way down Khayaban-e-Shamsheer in the other direction, towards the streets of Zamzama, lined with designer boutiques and cafés. My favourite spot is the cosy and tastefully decorated Café Aylanto, lodged at one end of 9th Commercial Lane. Open mid-morning to late at night, it’s coffee shop and fine restaurant rolled into one.
After shopping, food is Karachi’s greatest draw – though it helps to be a carnivore. Burnes Road (popularly known as Bunss Road) is a part of town that changed completely at Partition, when affluent Hindus left their beautiful apartments in stone colonial buildings, and refugees moved in. The buildings became dilapidated, but at ground level there are riches aplenty in the smells of simmering spices and grilled meats. Many famed cooks of Delhi moved to this part of Karachi to open restaurants after Partition. I’d recommend Café Lazeez and Waheed Kabab House or, if you’re in the mood for sweetmeats, Rabri House and Fresco.
The downside is that women are relegated to “family sections”. For a more gender-equal (and equally delicious) experience, try BBQ Tonight in the Boat Basin area. Head for the roof, and sit in the sea breeze. On your way, stop at Liberty Books (adjacent to the parking lot), which has an array of English-language books, and a knowledgeable manager.
When you leave the restaurant, drive down to the sea front. Massive redevelopment has made it a necklace of lights. Walk along the seaside park, looking out, and make a promise to go for a moonlight sail from Keamari Harbour in the wooden boat of fishermen who’ll cook, in a variety of styles and spices, their morning catch of crabs.
Keep looking out. You’ll be rewarded by the sight of a giant spray of illuminated mist – the world’s second tallest water fountain is a thing of exceptional beauty. It bursts out from the sea, so unexpected that at first you might think you’d imagined it. And just behind it, looming strange, are the Oyster Rocks: Neverland.
Broken Verses (£7.99, Bloomsbury) is out now.
