HISTORICAL ROLE OF ‘SHEEDIS’ AT MANGHO PIR SHRINE IN PRESERVATION OF CROCODILES

Abstract

This article attempts to deal with the animals’ lodging at Sufi shrines as a historical phenomenon sustained by various social and communal groups. It describes how communities curate and sustain animals for so long periods employing various ways and strategies. And, in investigating that, this article considers, as case study, the role of ‘Sheedi’ community to sustain the preservation of crocodiles at Mangho Pir shrine in Karachi. Therefore, this article details that how Mangho Pir shrine and ‘Sheedi’ community go hand-in-hand and side-by-side in the protection and conservation of biodiversity and wildlife. Furthermore, it also tries to examine how folklore went on changing historically though driven so by the community attached to crocodiles and shrine. However, this study attempts to demonstrate that the crocodiles at shrine not only are regarded as subjects but also a sustained part and participants of the Sufi traditions of Pakistan.