arvi’s tale begins with her beauty catching the eye of Umar Soomro, a powerful local ruler. Despite protests, she was taken to his opulent palace. However, her spirit remained unbroken. Bound by love for Thar’s ecology, Marvi resisted Umar Soomro’s advances. Driven by her deep affection for Thar’s environment, Marvi rebuffed Umar Soomro’s pursuit. Her heart belonged to the untamed beauty of the vast sand dunes, the allure of Thar’s foliage and the entirety of its landscape. Thar’s terrain held a special place in her heart, compelling her to reject a life of luxury and yearn for a return to its embrace. Her legend lives on. It’s a testament to love’s enduring power, the indomitable human spirit and the triumph of hope over despair in the vast expanse of the Thar desert. The Marvi Well stands as a monument to her story, echoing through the sands of time.

Thar faces a dire contemporary threat as it grapples with the onslaught of industrialisation and commercial exploitation. The once serene landscape, immortalised in Marvi’s legend, now bears witness to a tumultuous transformation driven by the pursuit of profit. The advent of coal development has heralded a new era of environmental degradation and social upheaval in Thar. Multinational corporations, driven by the promise of immense profits, have descended upon the region, disregarding the sanctity of Marvi’s homeland and the well-being of its inhabitants. An analysis of groundwater samples collected in 2022 from various villages of Thar analysed by Mehran University of Engineering and Technology showed that the tranquil waters of Thar’s streams and wells are now tainted by the toxic effluents discharged from coal power plants, poisoning the very lifeblood of the land. As the coal industry expands its footprint, communities are being displaced from their ancestral lands, their traditional sources of livelihood ripped from their grasp. The insatiable appetite for land and resources has led to a systematic exploitation of Thari’s by corporate entities, leaving indigenous communities marginalised. The impact of coal development on Thari women reverberates deeply in their daily lives, disrupting the intricate balance of their traditional roles and responsibilities. As primary caretakers of households, guardians of agriculture and custodians of livestock, Thari women bear the weight of sustaining their families and communities. However, the advent of coal development has cast a shadow of uncertainty and hardship over their lives. With each passing day, sources of livelihood dwindle and once fertile lands succumb to the relentless march of industrialisation. The rhythms of life that once flowed freely are now constrained by the presence of coal mines and power plants. Thari women feel the repercussions acutely. Their mobility is getting curtailed, their access to clean water has been compromised and their ability to sustain their households has diminished.

In today’s Tharparkar, women have risen as powerful advocates in the struggle against the encroachment of coal development companies jeopardising their freedom and means of living.

Today Tharparkar’s women have risen as powerful advocates in the struggle against the encroachment of coal development companies jeopardising their freedom and means of living. As coal power plants disrupt their lives, these resilient women refuse to be passive victims. Instead they have chosen to stand against the march of power. The women of Gorono have played a pivotal role in organising a defiant sit-in against the construction of the Gorono Dam.

Zulfiqar Kunbhar in his article The Water This Desert Doesn’t Want mentions how in the arid lands of Thar, where ancient traditions hold firm against the tide of change, an extraordinary sight unfolded outside the Islamkot press club. Here, amidst the swirling dust and under the scorching sun, women stood shoulder to shoulder with men, united by a cause that transcended age-old divisions. Among the stalwarts of this resistance stood Sita Bai, a woman in her 30s, whose unwavering resolve epitomised the spirit of the protest. For seventy consecutive nights, she made the press club her home, a testament to the unprecedented departure of women from their familial hearths. With a firmness in her voice that belies her years, she articulated their collective apprehensions: “It will inundate our entire area. There has been a drought for many years.” Her words resonate with a poignant truth, encapsulating the profound fear of the looming threat posed by the reservoir to their ancestral lands.

In a significant shift, the leadership of protests in Tharparkar now belongs to women. Their collective voice, echoing through the arid winds of the desert, serves as a testament to the strength and determination of Thari women in safeguarding their communities, challenging oppressive forces and demanding a future that respects both their heritage and their right to a dignified life. Today, across Tharparkar, women are leading the charge in raising their voices against injustice and advocating for the preservation of their communities and environment. Their collective resilience serves as a beacon of hope in the struggle for a future where their rights and well-being are upheld and respected. Marvi remains an enduring symbol of courage and empowerment for women in the region. Her unwavering loyalty and resilience in the face of adversity, has inspired generations of Thari women to face challenges with strength and determination. Marvi’s legendary tale reinforces the belief that even in the harshest of circumstances, a woman’s spirit can remain unbroken. She embodies the innate power within every Thari woman, encouraging them to navigate life’s complexities with fortitude and grace, echoing the timeless message that courage and resilience can triumph over the most formidable challenges.

The writer works at the Policy Research Institute for Equitable Development