submitted on 2024-10-28, 12:00 and posted on 2024-10-31, 08:00authored byTayyaba Sarwar
The Cholistan desert is located in the southern part of the Punjab region. It was once a fertile land that was fed by Hakra river which is now dried up resulting in the desertification of the region. The desert was home to many ancient civilizations, like the Hakra Civilization. What remains are a series of forts dotting the course of the river. Several forts, especially Derawar fort remained occupied until the 1970s, but they are now razed to ground with the surviving structures on the verge of collapse. The people of the Cholistan desert are living either nomadic or semi-nomadic life, while in similar conditions, desert settlements like Yazd, M’zab, and Ghadames, have settled communities for over a century. Therefore, this research is an attempt to explore the factors that have led to the decline of settled human life in the Cholistan desert. It considers the reasons for the lack of community organization and the strategic use of limited water resources along with sustainable architectural techniques that have contributed to the disruption of desert life. In addition, it sheds light on the significance of the Cholistan desert as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the crucial effort to preserve life and to maintain the region’s historical position in the world.