23/09/2026
The phrase “Malka Victoria” (Queen Victoria) in relation to the Karachi Zoo ties back to the late 19th-century colonial history of the site. There is no official or historical record of a “gift w**e” linked to the Queen at this location. Instead, the phrasing most likely stems from a mix-up or local lore regarding the garden’s famous early agricultural history.
The actual history behind these interconnected terms breaks down as follows:
1. Queen Victoria Garden (“Rani Bagh”)
The Karachi Zoo was originally established by the East India Company in 1799 as a factory garden. In 1869, it was converted into a public space and officially named the Queen Victoria Garden. Locals translated this to “Rani Bagh” (The Queen’s Garden), a name that many older Karachi residents still use today.
2. The Famous “Grapes” (Misinterpreted as W**e)
Long before it became an animal sanctuary, the grounds were a highly successful government plantation used to grow produce for British troops. In 1845, grapevines were planted across the land. The grapes grown here became incredibly famous across the region and were specifically called “Gulati grapes”. Because grapes are the primary ingredient in w**e, historical retellings of the “fame of the garden’s grapes” during the Victorian era frequently morph into urban legends about royal w**es or royal gifts.
3. Historical Timeline of the Site
The garden’s identity shifted several times over the centuries:
1799: East India Company factory garden
1869: Named Queen Victoria Garden (Rani Bagh)
1884: Animal exhibits are introduced, turning it into a proper zoo
1934: Renamed Mahatma Gandhi Garden following Gandhi’s visit to Karachi
1947: Officially renamed the Karachi Zoological Gardens after Pakistan’s independence
Are you looking for a specific local story or myth about this, or would you like more details on the colonial history of Rani Bagh?
