Every February, the Cholistan desert awakens to the symphony of roaring engines, swirling sands, and vibrant cultural celebrations. The Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally—South Asia’s premier off-road spectacle—transforms this ancient land into a stage of adrenaline and heritage.
This rally is not merely a race; it is a pilgrimage for expert drivers and culture seekers, organized by the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP). Racing across a treacherous 200-kilometer route, competitors navigate sand dunes and historic forts, journeying from Derawar to Dingarh, through Bijnot, and back to Derawar—once a caravan trail for camel trains.
Categories range from A/B to Women’s Class, with over 100 drivers testing their skill and luck. The week-long festival culminates in a grand prize ceremony at Dilvish Stadium, featuring fireworks, camel races, Sufi qawwali, and starlit musical nights. This year, Nawab Nadir Magsi’s jeep won the final round. On the previous night, qawwali echoed around the tents—a fusion of spiritual and earthly revelry that crowned Cholistan with splendor. Over 150,000 visitors attend, boosting the local economy as they buy crafts and food near Derawar.
Beyond Engines: The Nawab’s Regal Culinary Heritage
Behind the rally’s modernity lies Bahawalpur’s regal past, embodied by its last sovereign ruler, Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V (1904–1966). Descended from the Abbasid caliphs, he reigned for 59 years and generously merged his state with Pakistan in 1947, gifting the newborn nation seven crore rupees and countless assets.
Beyond this intrigue lies a deeper tale: the forgotten Bahawalpur cooks and a mythical dessert called Sultana, mirroring the soul of its Nawabs. Trained in European etiquette, the Abbasi royal chefs blended Ottoman grandeur with Cholistani simplicity in their kitchens.
While historians narrate their political genius, oral traditions recall their legendary Sultana, a delicacy titled Ṣādiq-e-Sultana. Ustad Ghafoor (late), star pupil of the Nawab’s head chef, described it as “a riddle of austerity and opulence”—bread transformed into thin sheets, layered with sugar syrup, rose essence, and gold leaf.
A Night of Revival in Derawar
Years ago, our host Shahzad Suhail Khakwani organized a spiritual gathering for Khawaja Nasr-ul-Mahmood (custodian of Dargah Pir Pathan, Taunsa Sharif). To honor his pir’s visit to the jeep rally, he summoned Ustad Ghafoor—the last witness to the Nawab’s kitchens.
Over two nights near Derawar, during the rally’s qualifying rounds and finals, Ustad Ghafoor resurrected the Nawab’s cuisine:
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Cholistani Sajji: Goat meat stuffed with date paste, raisins, and almonds, steamed over a clay oven in banana leaves—a symbol of desert resilience, served on embroidered dastarkhwan cloths with rose petal jam.
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The Crown Jewel: Sultana: Layers of gold-leafed bread, glazed with lightly sugared kevṛā (desert flower) syrup, sprinkled with pistachio dust and crystallized rose petals.
“As Ustad Ghafoor lifted the lid, the whole dastarkhwan shimmered like a desert mirage. The first bite was like crispy silk dissolving into honeyed florals,” he recalled. “Sultana was not mere dessert. It was alchemy, the art of turning earth into gold.”
Ustad Ghafoor’s last words echo the spirit of Cholistan:
“The desert is God’s banquet spread.” — Cholistani proverb
Ultimately, Cholistan’s true treasure lies not buried beneath dunes but plated and passed to the next generation.
Also Read:The Sacred Thread: How a Fragment of the Kaaba Weaves History and Holiness at Noor Mahal Museum
