Sur Sassui: A Threshold to the Past

Abstract

The thesis revolves around the exploration of how architectonics celebrate heritage, culture, and people through a narrative. A once booming harbor town in Sindh, Bhanbore was known widely for trade and its culture. It accumulated a history under the mark of Hinduism, Buddhism, and eventually Islam enriching the region with architectural, cultural, and literary heritage. Despite its significance in the pages of history and literature, Bhanbore is an unrecognized landmark along the National Highway, N5. The re-enactment of the past is meant to preserve not only Bhanbore but also the folklore heritage of Sindh whereby people today have trivialized the tales emerging from the enriched region. Designed in the wider context of various historical sites including, Thatta, Makli, Noori’s Tomb, Keenjhar Lake, multiple temples, and the ruins of Bhanbore itself, the proposal will be an added landmark in the region. The thesis aims to re-imagine the life of Bhanbore, the birthplace of the tale of Sassi and Punno, exhibiting the once infamous settlement that lost its significance with the test of time. The designed experience will recreate the setting to tell the story of two lovers whose fates intertwined the moment they met in Bhanbore. The project will take the idea of a living history museum and an interpretation center creating a threshold to the past allowing users to walk through the streets and see the life that once existed. This attraction will reimagine the settlement, through the lens of its people and the story of Sassi and Punno. The components of this museum will be assigned programs that will visualize the lifestyle of Bhanbore and the folklore.