Cholistan covers an area of 25,000 km2 (10,000 mi2) in Punjab, Pakistan. The Cholistan Desert, aka Rohi (روہی), is one of the two large deserts in Pakistan. The name comes from the Turkish word “chol” meaning “sands” and Persian word “istan” meaning “land of”. Cholistan used to be a fertile region with a large river that supported many ancient settlements from the Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan Culture) dating back to 4000 BCE. It later became a center for caravan trade, leading to the building of many forts in medieval times to protect the trade routes. Amongst the one still standing is the Derawar Fort (Qila Derawar); truly a sight to see!
Today, Cholistan is a center for livestock with 1.6 million animals, farming, agriculture, unique Saraiki, Punjabi and nomadic culture and art. It is also a major exporter of cotton, textiles, wool and rice to North America and other parts of the world. Cholistan is known for its amazing art from beautiful unique embroidery and textiles to pottery, paintings, leatherworks and jewelry. The talent indescribable. You just have to see it to know what we are talking about! Some pieces take months to make and there is nothing like it on earth!
The people of Cholistan are very friendly, loving and hospitable and are always excited to meet newcomers. You may find them chatting away, brushing up on their tuthi phuti (broken) English with no hesitation. They love to learn from the outside world and value other people’s interest in their way of life. You may find them going out of their way to help you learn about any topic of your interest.
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