Mai Kolachi
Encyclopedia
Mai Kolachi (Lady Kolachi) was an old fisher woman who settled near the delta of the Indus River
to start a community. This port was named after her as Kolachi
and this community was later developed into modern Karachi
, Sindh
, Pakistan
.
Historians tell us that an old name of Karachi
was actually Kolachi
after the name of an old woman, Mai Kolachi, who was head of the village. She commanded respect among the inhabitants, and as a mark of respect, they named the village after her. In fishing villages of the area, women still dominate the family as the male members usually remain out of home, in the city to catch fish. Women in fishing settlements of Karachi do all domestic chores of males including looking after the children and arranging their food.
The other view about the name is that it was a village of a Kolachi
or Kulachi
tribe of the Baloch
people. Its name was Kulanchi or Kulachi pronounced in Sindhi as "Kalachi" which was in currency even up to the period when Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
(1689-1752), the great mystic Sufi poet of Sindh
, was composing poetry and immortalising folktales, legends, historical and semi-historical characters of Sindh.
Yet another tale narrates the story of a little child, probably belonging to a family of fishermen and women, who settled in the area now known as Karachi
with her kin. Kolachi
grew up into a beautiful young girl, and the word of her beauty was spread far and wide by traders who came to the little fishing village. So famous, in fact, did Kolachi
become, that the village began to be recognized by her name.
Kolachi
or Kulachi
is a Baloch
tribe which originated from Kulanch, an area in Makran
Balochistan. Mai Kolachi migrated from Makran and settled in the area presently known as Karachi
. The word "Mai" is still used in Sindh and it means "Respected Lady".
Indus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
to start a community. This port was named after her as Kolachi
Kolachi
Kolachi was also a port located at modern Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. According to legends, it was a port developed when an old fisherwoman by the name of Mai Kolachi settled near the delta of the Indus River to start a community. One of the main Flyover in Karachi has been named after Mai Kolachi...
and this community was later developed into modern Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Historians tell us that an old name of Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
was actually Kolachi
Kolachi
Kolachi was also a port located at modern Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. According to legends, it was a port developed when an old fisherwoman by the name of Mai Kolachi settled near the delta of the Indus River to start a community. One of the main Flyover in Karachi has been named after Mai Kolachi...
after the name of an old woman, Mai Kolachi, who was head of the village. She commanded respect among the inhabitants, and as a mark of respect, they named the village after her. In fishing villages of the area, women still dominate the family as the male members usually remain out of home, in the city to catch fish. Women in fishing settlements of Karachi do all domestic chores of males including looking after the children and arranging their food.
The other view about the name is that it was a village of a Kolachi
Kulachi
Kulachi is a city and the headquarters of Kulachi Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at at an altitude of 209 metres...
or Kulachi
Kulachi
Kulachi is a city and the headquarters of Kulachi Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at at an altitude of 209 metres...
tribe of the Baloch
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
people. Its name was Kulanchi or Kulachi pronounced in Sindhi as "Kalachi" which was in currency even up to the period when Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai was a Sindhi Sufi scholar, mystic, saint, poet, and musician. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest poets of the Sindhi language...
(1689-1752), the great mystic Sufi poet of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, was composing poetry and immortalising folktales, legends, historical and semi-historical characters of Sindh.
Yet another tale narrates the story of a little child, probably belonging to a family of fishermen and women, who settled in the area now known as Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
with her kin. Kolachi
Kolachi
Kolachi was also a port located at modern Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. According to legends, it was a port developed when an old fisherwoman by the name of Mai Kolachi settled near the delta of the Indus River to start a community. One of the main Flyover in Karachi has been named after Mai Kolachi...
grew up into a beautiful young girl, and the word of her beauty was spread far and wide by traders who came to the little fishing village. So famous, in fact, did Kolachi
Kolachi
Kolachi was also a port located at modern Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. According to legends, it was a port developed when an old fisherwoman by the name of Mai Kolachi settled near the delta of the Indus River to start a community. One of the main Flyover in Karachi has been named after Mai Kolachi...
become, that the village began to be recognized by her name.
Kolachi
Kolachi
Kolachi was also a port located at modern Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. According to legends, it was a port developed when an old fisherwoman by the name of Mai Kolachi settled near the delta of the Indus River to start a community. One of the main Flyover in Karachi has been named after Mai Kolachi...
or Kulachi
Kulachi
Kulachi is a city and the headquarters of Kulachi Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at at an altitude of 209 metres...
is a Baloch
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
tribe which originated from Kulanch, an area in Makran
Makran
The present day Makran is a semi-desert coastal strip in the south of Sindh, Balochistan, in Iran and Pakistan, along the coast of the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. The present day Makran derived its name from Maka, a satrap of Achaemenid Empire....
Balochistan. Mai Kolachi migrated from Makran and settled in the area presently known as Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
. The word "Mai" is still used in Sindh and it means "Respected Lady".
See also
- Kulanch
- Kulachi (Karachi)
- Kulachi (tribe)Kulachi (tribe)Kolachi, Kulachi or Kulache is a Baloch tribe that originated from Kulanch, Makran, Balochistan, Pakistan. Kolachi is considered to be a clan of Muhammad Hasni tribe and is settled in the provinces of Sindh in Ghotki District and Larkana District), the Punjab and Balochistan...
- Kolachi jo Goth
- KrokolaKrokolaKrokola was an ancient port located in what is now the modern city of Karachi, in the Sindh province of Pakistan. According to legends, it was a port developed when an old fisherwoman by the name of Mai Kolachi settled near the delta of the Indus River to start a community.This area was known to...
- KarachiKarachiKarachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
- KolachiKolachiKolachi was also a port located at modern Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. According to legends, it was a port developed when an old fisherwoman by the name of Mai Kolachi settled near the delta of the Indus River to start a community. One of the main Flyover in Karachi has been named after Mai Kolachi...
- DebalDebal-Introduction:Debal was an ancient port located near modern Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. In Arabic, it was usually called Daybul it is adjacent to the nearby Manora Island and was administered by Mansura, and later Thatta....
- BhamboreBhamboreBhambore is the ruins of the ancient port city of Debal from the 7th century, located near modern Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, at the base of the Indus River. The ruins are located approximately 60 km between Dhabeji and Gharo on the N-5 National Highway. Its population was mainly Hindu with a...