SOME FAMOUS SHRINES IN PAKISTAN

People across the globe are drawn to Sufism, its influence is particularly strong in Pakistan. Sufis played a vital role in the spread of Islam in the sub-continent and are highly revered in the region. Not surprisingly, shrines of these mystics draw hundreds and thousands throughout the year, and opulent tributes are paid to them on their birth and death anniversaries annually. Sufism has an illustrious history in Pakistan and India evolving for over 1,000 years.

 

Here are some of the most frequented shrines in Pakistan:

1.Shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi, Karachi

Abdullah Shah Ghazi was an eighth century Muslim mystic whose shrine is located in the Clifton neighbourhood of Karachi, Pakistan. One of the most popular urban myths of Karachi is related to what is perhaps its largest Sufi shrine.

2. Shrine of Hazrat Shah Rukn-e-Alam, Multan

The Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam located in Multan, Pakistan, is the mausoleum of the Sufi saint Sheikh Rukn-ud-Din Abul Fateh. Shaikh Rukn-e-Alam (Rukn-al-Din) was buried in the mausoleum of his grandfather, according to his own will. After sometime, however, his coffin was transferred to the present mausoleum, which was built between 1320 and 1324. 

3. Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Sehwan Sharif

The shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar was built in 1356 and decorated with Sindhi 'kashi-tiles', mirror-work and a gold-plated door donated by the Shah of Iran, Reza Shah Pahlavi and installed by the late Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.^[5] The inner sanctum is about 100 square yards with a silver-canopied grave in the middle, according to Nadeem Wagan, Cutharo silver donated by Sardar Mahboob Ali Khan Wagan (Chief Sardar of Wagan Tribe) on one side of the marble floor is a row of about 12-inch-high (300 mm) folding wooden stands, on which there is a set copies of Quran for devotees to read. On the other side, beside a bundle of incense, are rows of oil-lamps lighted by devotees. Thousands of devotees visit the tomb particularly every Thursday.

4. Shrine of Data Ganj Bakhsh, Lahore

Data Darbar located in the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan is one of the oldest Muslim shrines in South Asia. It houses the remains of a Sufi saint, Abul Hassan Ali Hajvery (commonly known as DaataGanj Baksh). Ali-Hajvari is said to have died on the twentieth of the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal AH 465, but the date, the month and year are all conjectural. Most early writers agree on AH 455 as the year of his death, on the basis of the various chronograms. Though the actual date of his death was the 9th of Muharram and his Urs is on the 19th of Safar.

5.The Tomb of Bibi Jawindi, Uch Sharif, Punjab

Shrine Uch or Uch Sharif is located in Punjab, Pakistan. Uch is also known as "Alexandria at the Head of the Punjab", is a historical city in Pakistan. Once it was an important city of ancient India. It is believed that in 325 BC Alexander the Great founded a city called Alexandria at the site of the last confluence of Punjab rivers with the Indus river. The Tomb of Bibi Jawindi is a monument in Uch Sharif and on the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. According to historians, the shrine was built around 1493 by an Iranian prince for Bibi Jawindi, the great-granddaughter of a famous Sufi saint Jahaniyan Jahangasht. Overall Uch Sharif, is famous for shrine culture because of several monuments and shrines in the area.

6.Shrine of Khawaja Ghulam Farid, Mithan Kot, Rajanpur

 Hazrat Khawaja Ghulam Farid Shrine - Mithan Kot.Khawaja Farid (1845-1901) was a Seraiki poet, mystic and Sajjada nashin (Patron saint) of the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. He was born and died at Chacharan Shrif but buried at Kot Mithan. He was the son of Khwaja Khuda Bakhsh. His mother died when he was five years old and he was orphaned at age twelve when his father died. He was educated by his elder brother, Fakhr Jahan Uhdi. He was a scholar of that time and wrote several books. He knew Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Sindhi, Panjabi, Braj Bhasha, and Seraiki. He was a poet of Seraiki and Urdu. He also wrote some poems in Sindhi, Persian, and Braj Bhasha. He was an imperialist poet. He opposed British rule in Bahawalpur. He said to ruler of Bahawalpur in his poem, “You rule yourself on your state and finish police station of British from your state.”

7.Hazrat Muhammad Shah Yusaf Gardezi, Multan

Within the city of Multan Pakistan there is shrine of Hazrat Muhammad Shah Yusaf Gardezi commonly known as Shah Gardez. old classical shrine with a beautiful touch of Iranian construction touch, situated in the walled area of Tha ancient MULTAN city.

8.Shrine of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya, Multan

Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya was a Sufi of Suhrawardiyya order (tariqa). His Moseleum or shrine is situated in the heart of Multan city of Pakiatan. Hazrat Sheikh Bahauddin Zakariya Suhrawardi was the leading Sufi saint of his time in North Western India and belonged to well known Suhrawardi silsila originating in Baghdad. He was a contemporary of Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Ganjshakar of Ajodhan and Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki of Delhi. All three great saints had a close friendship and mutual regard for each other.

9.Tomb Of Shah Shams Tabrez, Multan

He arrived in Multan in 1165 AD and passed away in 1276 AD. The message is given by this holy saint is peace, humanity and respect with each other. He was buried near the passageway of the River Ravi, at that time there was no tomb was built. His tomb was built by his grandson after 54 years of his death and was reconstructed by one of his follower (Mureed) again. The tomb is about 360 inches in height and covered by a semi-circular green color dome. As the saint Shah Shamas tabraiz was simple his tomb too and decorated with glassy tile

10.Shrine Sultan Bahu

The shrine of Sultan Bahu, located in Garh Maharaja, Punjab,^[5] was originally built on his grave but has had to be moved twice when the Chenab River changed its course. It is a popular Sufi shrine, and the annual Urs festival commemorating his death is celebrated there with great fervour on the first Thursday of Jumada al-Thani month. People come from far off places to join the celebrations