Sculpting at Hala: Glory of Sindh

(Photo : Rahul Aijaz)

Hala is a city in Pakistan known for its rich Sindhi culture and history but most of all, it is known for its beautiful handicrafts which are popular all over the country for decoration and as souvenirs, oftentimes.

Once, handicrafts were a major source of income for the people of Hala but nowadays, due to the struggling economy and rising costs of materials, the industry has declined. The hundreds of shops in the city used to be crowded with customers and tourists but now only a couple dozen remain, at most. The array of handicrafts included Ajrak (a traditional Sindhi shawl), ceramics, rugs, traditional Sindhi blankets called ‘rillis’, bangles and a lot more.

Interestingly, at the prime of the handicraft industry, around half of the workers used to be women who worked from the homes. In fact, most homes served as workshops as well and the sales were in thousands each week. Today, Hala clings on the edge of its once glorious past, still keeping alive the traces of the rich Sindhi culture which it used to proudly display.

Here, in this photo, a tourist attempts to handcraft a vase.