A walk around Khewra Salt mine
Khewra Salt mine or Mayo salt mine is located in North of Pind Dadan Khan in Khewra. Which is basically in administrative subdivision of Jehlum District in Punjab, Pakistan. Salt range is located in Salt mine (Potohar Plateau) and it is the second largest salt mine in from the Indo-Gigantic plain.
Pink Salt
It is the famous for pink salt which is usually sold in market as a Himalayan pink salt. This salt mine is a huge and beautiful tourist attraction which is visited by around 250,000 tourists in a year. This mine was discovered by Alexander troops in 32 BC. The significant tunnel was made by a mining engineer named Dr. H. Warth in 1872 when the British were ruling. Later on, after the independence of Pakistan, Pakistan mineral development corporation took over the mine and it is the biggest source of providing salt for the country. Khewra salt mine provides almost 35,000 tonns of more or less 99% pure Halite.
Khewra salt mines are very popular and greatest tourist attraction exactly which is why they draw a very big number of tourists towards them. Khewra salt mine is not just a simple mine full of salt, it has been made better and better for tourist attraction and to be made well known in the whole world. Khewra salt mines, along with being world’s second largest salt mine and producing Pink salt of about 99% pure halite, it is one of the coolest and beautiful places in Pakistan to visit.
By Walk
Khewra salt mines attract enough tourists each year that it makes its own revenue. In Pakistan, mostly students are also taken to Salt mine as an educational and recreational trip. School, college and university students enjoy and makes fun and joy out of it whatever and however they like. Khewra salt mine can be viewed and discovered by walking through the mine which could be a lot more hectic for aged people, people with asthma allergies and who are not used to walk underground. Because walking through the cave is never easy, no matter how beautiful and ventilated they tried to make it, it is still a mine. And it is a huge one, for walking through the mine, you need to be strong, young, active and have lot of stamina. We bet it’s a long walk but you can only enjoy it thoroughly by walk. You cannot praise and get stunned by all the sculptures carved inside with the pure salt, just by passing them on a train.
Yes, other than walking, they take visitors inside through Khewra Salt Mines Railway. In both cases, you need to pay the ticket, of course there is less if you are going to walk through, and a little bit more may be if you are taking a train. But again, train is for those who have small kids, are allergic or just too aged to walk too much. Once you enter inside the mine, on foot or on train, there is a whole new world you are going to experience throughout your journey inside the mine.
One thing that holds a great importance and makes everything and every building on the inside of salt mine more beautiful and mesmerizing is that everything is made up of salt. Literally, everything, else human, is made up of pink and pure salt. That includes all the sculptures, a hospital inside the mine and a mosque, all of it is build using salt. Let’s tell you a little more about what you are going to find once you enter the salt mine.
Monuments and Miniatures
There are many sights in Khewra Salt mines, which leave a person amazed. We will try to cover all for you but it might won’t be possible. So, right after you read this post, you are going to make up your mind to visit Khewra Salt mines in your near future and we bet you are not going to regret it.
Khewra mine is full of monuments and miniatures of famous and honorable places in Pakistan. It even has some sculptures of Pakistani heroes as well. Like Badshahi masjid with small Minaars, a model of Minar-e-Pakistan which is actually stated in Lahore. A clinical ward which consists of 20 beds was built in 2007 costing 10 million rupees, and it was along with adding beauty, specifically to treat the asthma and other respiratory allergies by using pure salt, and interesting factor is that all made up of salt which means red, pink and white salt. And with the cool updates to the mine, these miniatures are also decorated with colorful lights.
Not to be forgotten, long tunnels are made from salt, many small pool of salty water, salt frozen at many places, giving a feel of snow, which is astonishing.
Among some recently build monuments inside the mine, and upgradation includes a Famous wall of China, Mall road of Murree, Chaghi mountain, a statue of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, Lahore’s Shimla Hill and much more. Chaghi mountain is a mountain where first Pakistan atomic experiment was held. So it is of great importance as a nuclear factor and make Pakistani people feel proud and patriotic.
Mall road of Murree is a biggest road of the most famous and easily reachable hilly spot, which is full of markets, shopping centers and restaurants.
Other carvings you will catch sight of during your journey to Khewra salt mine includes, a 75-meter long Assembly hall with the stair spiraling up to the chamber and a Pull Siraat, name of a ridge which is according an Islamic point of view, you must cross on the Judgment day in order to get to heaven, and it is said to be as thinner as a hair strand and as sharper as a sword. You are not going to believe that there is much more worth giving a visit including official and working postal office and a Sheesh Mehal made up of colorful salt bricks.
Our verdict:
If you like this post, and developed an interest, you must visit it for once. Pakistan is not as much famous but it is a country worth giving a visit. Once you have been to some of its tourist attraction, you are going to experience best of your life but only if you give it a try.
Picture source:
https://i.dawn.com/primary/2019/09/5d8c5f8dd7c3d.jpg
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