Mausoleums & Shrines in Pakistan

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Mir Janullah Shah Sukkur

Bharchundi Sharif - Daharki
Shrine

Madrassa of Bharchundi

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Pir Jo Goth - Khairpur

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Fareeduddin Masood Ganjshakar, popularly known as Baba Farid, is a Sufi saint belonging to the Chishti clan of the Muslims.

Shrine Hazrat Karam in Peer da Khara, Punjab

Ghamkol Shareef, Kohat

 

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Tomb of Waris Shah


The great Sufi poet Waris Shah was born in 1722 in Sheikhupura, Punjab. He is known as one of the best Punjabi poets. His folk tale known as Heer-Ranjha got popularity not only in Pakistan but crossed the borders as well. He died in 1798 but his work made him immortal.

His tomb is in Jandiala Sher Khan and is visited by thousands of fans and devotees. The grave of Waris Shah was not paid proper attention so a proper mausoleum was built by the government of Punjab. In 1975, structure of the tomb was decided by the mausoleum committee and the mausoleum was completed in 1978 in Jandiala Sher Khan. Thus, the birth place of Waris Shah was made his final destination as well.



The tomb was designed and constructed by Abdul Rashid, a renowned architect who built it with red bricks and white plaster in the Mughal style. The tomb is 83/83 meters long while the shape of the mausoleum is octagonal with stairs and pillars. There is a large, square-shaped garden in the mausoleum and on the other side the mausoleum is made up of red brick walls. The walls of the corridors are in arch shape. The other side of the mausoleum consists of housing facilities and the entrance of the visitors. The mausoleum has a pool and a fountain and the garden and courtyard has pine and palm trees. The people visit this place and pray and on the death anniversary of Waris Shah,his fans or lovers conduct “dhamaal” (a folk dance) on the beat of Dhol (drum). Along with red bricks and white plaster, blue decorative tiles have also been used in the construction of the tomb. There is an open- air theatre as well in the building where speakers fitted in the walls facilitate the listeners who visit his tomb.The poetic songs of Waris Shah are heard and appreciated by the people and fans therein. On the death anniversary of Waris Shah “langer” is also distributed among the people and people also distribute the food when their wish or pray is fulfilled..

 

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Sufi Saint Laal Shahbaz Qalandar Sindh

 

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Bibi Pak Daman

Beautiful Shrine of Olia Faqeer Chand Morio near Makhan Samoon town, Mirpurkhas.

Famous Sufi Shrines in Pakistan

Pakistan is among those few countries that are blessed in various departments. Apart from the sheer natural beauty that Pakistan possesses, the country also has a diverse yet rich heritage and culture. This can be contributed to the various dynasties and civilizations that have resided, over the course of history, in this part of the South Asia.

The diversity that the country possesses in the form of various tourist sites, pertaining to different facets of history, religion, culture etc, is phenomenal. One aspect of this diversity can be seen through a large number of Sufi shrines that are spread all over the country. Keeping in mind the large number of devotees that these shrines attract, Jovago brings you an exclusive article on the 5 famous Sufi Shrines in Pakistan.

• Data Darbar, Lahore

Situated in the city considered to be the heart of Pakistan, Data Darbar is the shrine of the famous Sufi saint Hazrat Abul Hassan Ali Hajvery, who is commonly known as Data Ganj Baksh. The Sufi mausoleum is one of the oldest Muslim shrines in South Asia. It was built in 11th century by Sultan Zakiruddin Ibrahim, one of the rulers of the Ghaznavi Dynasty, and is located near the Bhatti gate.

1. Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Sehwan Sharif

Syed Muhammad Usman Marwandi, popularly known as Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, was a 12th century Sufi. He traveled to various parts of the subcontinent and then finally resided in the area which is known today as Sehwan. The saint is adorned not only by Muslims but Hindus as well.

1. Shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi, Karachi

The largest Sufi shrine in the largest city of Pakistan is that of the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi. The shrine was built, almost 10 centuries ago, on a sandy hill on the coastal area of Karachi. It is believed that the saint protects the city from the cyclones.

1. Mausoleum of Hazrat Baha-ud-Din Zakaria, Multan

Multan, which is known as the city of saints, is the resting place for the famous Sufi saint Hazrat Baha-ud-Din Zakaria. The mausoleum was built in 1267 and is made from red bricks. It suffered during the British Rule but was restored by people belonging to different faiths.

1. Shrine of Ghulam Farid Shakar Ganj, Pakpattan

Fareeduddin Masood Ganjshakar, popularly known as Baba Farid, is a Sufi saint belonging to the Chishti clan of the Muslims. The white mausoleum made of marble in Pakpattan, Punjab is said to have a Bahishtī Darwāza, or ‘Gate of Paradise’ .

Karachi

 

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, Lal

Shahbaz Qalandar

 

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Mubarak Village.. Sindh

A beautiful wooden Mosque in upper-dir, KP,

 

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Makhdoom Bilawal Bin Jam Hassan Samo (Sindhi: مخدوم بلاول بن جام حسن سمو‎), ‘(Born 1451 AD/ 856 AH Sindh) was a notable sufi saint, philosopher and poet from Sindh province, Pakistan. He is also referred as Makhdum Bilal or Bilali Makhdum.

Life of Makhdoom Bilawal

Bilawal was ordered to be crushed alive in a seed grinder after the Battle of Talti for opposing the conquest of Sindh by Arguns on the time period of 30 Safar 929AH / 1522 AD.

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The transformation of the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi, Karachi, Sindh 1900, 1986 and 2021.

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1986

2021

 

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10 most visited shrines in Pakistan

We look at some of the most visited shrines in Pakistan


Sumayia Asif
November 02, 2015

We look at some of the most visited shrines in Pakistan. PHOTO: PANORAMIO

While 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.

Whatever your reason for visiting a shrine, whether it's soul searching, or prayer, it is without a doubt an experience to remember.

Here are some of the most frequented shrines in Pakistan:



Shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi, Karachi

PHOTO: PANORAMIO



Shrine of Sachal Sarmast, Khairpur

PHOTO: KARACHIWALA


Shrine of Hazrat Shah Rukn-e-Alam, Multan

PHOTO: TREKEARTH


Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Sehwan Sharif

PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA


Shrine of Data Ganj Bakhsh, Lahore

PHOTO: AFP


The Tomb of Bibi Jawindi, Uch Sharif, Punjab

PHOTO: BACKPACKOLOGY


Shrine of Khawaja Ghulam Farid, Mithan Kot, Rajanpur

PHOTO: PANORAMIO


Hazrat Muhammad Shah Yusaf Gardezi, Multan

PHOTO: PAKISTAN360DEGREES


Shrine of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya, Multan

PHOTO: PANORAMIO


Tomb Of Shah Shamas Tabrez, Multan

PHOTO: PAKWHEELS

 

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History Of Baba Farid





Life:-

Fariduddin Masud was a great Sufi master who was born in 4 April 1179 (1173 Hijri) at a village called Kothewal, 10 km from Multan in the Punjab region of what is now Pakistan, to Jamāl-ud-dīn Suleimān and Maryam Bībī (Qarsum Bībī), daughter of Sheikh Wajīh-ud-dīn Khojendī. He was one of the founding fathers of the Chishti Sufi order. Baba Farid received his early education at Multan, which had become a centre for Muslim education; it was there that he met his Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, a noted Sufi saint, who was passing through Multan on his way from Baghdad to Delhi. Upon completing his education, Farīd left for Sistan and Kandahar and went to Makkah for the Hajj pilgrimage with his parents at the age of 16.

Once his education was over, he moved to Delhi, where he learned the Islamic doctrine from his master, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki. He later moved to Hansi, Haryana. When Quṭbuddīn Bakhtiyār Kākī died in 1235, Farīd left Hansi and became his spiritual successor, and he settled in Ajodhan (the present Pakpattan, Pakistan) instead of Delhi. On his way to Ajodhan, while passing through Faridkot, he met the 20-year-old Nizāmuddīn, who went on to become his disciple, and later his successor Sufi khalīfah.

Baba Farid had three wives and eight children (five sons and three daughters). One of his wives, Hazabara, was the daughter of Sulṭān Nasīruddīn Maḥmūd.

The great Arab traveller Ibn Battuta once visited this Sufi saint. Ibn Battuta says that Fariduddin Ganjshakar was the spiritual guide of the King of India, and that the King had given him the village of Ajodhan. He also met Baba Farid's two sons.

Baba Farid's descendants, also known as Fareedi, Fareedies or Faridy, mostly carry the name Fārūqī, and can be found in Pakistan, India and the diaspora. Fariduddin Ganjshakar's descendants include the Sufi saint Salim Chishti, whose daughter was the Emperor Jehangir's foster mother. Their descendants settled in Sheikhupur, Badaun and the remains of a fort they built can still be found.[citation needed] One of his descendants was the noted Sufi scholar MuhibbUllah Allahabadi (1587–1648).
Fariduddin Ganjshakar's shrine darbār is located in Pakpattan.


Legacy:-

One of Farīd's most important contributions to Punjabi literature was his development of the language for literary purposes. Whereas Sanskrit, Arabic, Turkish and Persian had historically been considered the languages of the learned and the elite, and used in monastic centres, Punjabi was generally considered a less refined folk language. Although earlier poets had written in a primitive Punjabi, before Farīd there was little in Punjabi literature apart from traditional and anonymous ballads. By using Punjabi as the language of poetry, Farīd laid the basis for a vernacular Punjabi literature that would be developed later.

The city of Faridkot bears his name. According to legend, Farīd stopped by the city, then named Mokhalpūr, and sat in seclusion for forty days near the fort of King Mokhal. The king was said to be so impressed by his presence that he named the city after Baba Farid, which today is known as Tilla Baba Farid. The festival Bābā Sheikh Farād Āgman Purb Melā' is celebrated in September each year from (21–23 Sep, 3 days), commemorating his arrival in the city. Ajodhan was also renamed as Farīd's 'Pāk Pattan', meaning 'Holy Ferry'; today it is generally called Pāk Pattan Sharīf.

Faridia Islamic University, a religious madrassa in Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan, is named after him, and in July 1998, the Punjab Government in India established the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences at Faridkot, the city which itself was named after him.

There are various explanations of why Baba Farid was given the title Shakar Ganj ('Treasure of Sugar'). One legend says his mother used to encourage the young Farīd to pray by placing sugar under his prayer mat. Once, when she forgot, the young Farīd found the sugar anyway, an experience that gave him more spiritual fervour and led to his being given the name.






Shrine:-

The small shrine or tomb of Baba Farid is made of white marble with two doors, one facing east and called the Nūrī Darwāza or 'Gate of Light', and the second facing north called Bahishtī Darwāza, or 'Gate of Paradise'. There is also a long covered corridor. Inside the tomb are two white marbled graves. One is Baba Farid's, and the other is his elder son's. These graves are always covered by sheets of cloth called Chaddars (the green coloured chaddars are covered with Islamic verses), and flowers that are brought by visitors. The space inside the tomb is limited; not more than ten people can be inside at one time. Ladies are not allowed inside the tomb, but the late Benazir Bhutto, then prime minister of Pakistan, was permitted to enter inside by the shrine guardians, when she visited the shrine. Another rare exceptional case was the late Hajjah Kainz Hussain of Jhelum,wife of the late Haji Manzoor Hussain, who was allowed inside the tomb and was given a Chaddar, which resulted in miraculous improvement in her health.

Charity food called Langar is distributed all day to visitors here and the Auqaf Department, which administers the shrine. The shrine is open all day and night for visitors. The shrine has its own huge electricity generator that is used whenever there is power cut or loadshedding, so the shrine remains bright all night, all year round.[There is no separation of male and female areas but a small female area is also available. There is a big new mosque in the shrine. Thousands of people daily visit the shrine for their wishes and unresolvable matters; for this they vow to give to some charity when their wishes or problems are resolved. When their matters are solved they bring charity food for visitors and the poor, and drop money in big money boxes that are kept for this purpose. This money is collected by the Auqaf Department that looks after the shrine[citation needed].

On 25 October 2010, a bomb exploded outside the gates of the shrine, killing six people. Since then, the shrine surroundings and compound area has been renovated[citation needed].
Hindi Serai in Jerusalem:-
There is supposed to be an inn or lodging in Jerusalem, present-day Israel, called Hindi Serai, where it is claimed Baba Farid lived for many years[citation needed].It is claimed that this building is currently cared for by the 86-year-old caretaker, Muhammad Munir Ansari[citation needed].


Chilla:-

A Chilla of Baba Farid is located in Dhirdan village of Lunkaransar tehsil in Bikaner district, Rajasthan, India.;Maharashtra,Amravati district village Poraha and Wardha district samudrapur constituency in Girad a small town, in shakar baoli and in a small village Manegaon situated in Tehsil Barghat,District Seoni,Madhya Pradesh.





Death anniversary and Urs:-

Every year, the saint's death anniversary or Urs is celebrated for six days in the first Islamic month of Muharram, in Pakpattan, Pakistan. The Bahishtī Darwāza (Gate of Paradise) is opened only once a year, during the time of the Urs fair. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and visitors from all over the country and the world come to pay homage. The door of the Bahishti Darwaza is made of silver, with floral designs inlaid in gold leaf. This "Gate to Paradise" is padlocked all year, and only opened for ten days from sunset to sunrise in the month of Muharram. Some followers believe that by crossing this door all of one's sins are washed away. During the opening of the Gate of Paradise, extensive security arrangements are made to protect people from stampedes. In 2001, 27 people were crushed to death and 100 were injured in a stampede. The Urs is celebrated every year from the fifth through the tenth of Muharram. Some of his personal belongings were taken by his descendant Sheikh Salim Chishti , and kept in a fort built by his descendants in Sheikhupur, Badaun, where they are preserved in a conatiner called Pitari[citation needed]. To this day it is taken out in a procession for the first six days of Muharram[citation needed].




Mehfil-e-Sama (Qawwali):-

One of the significant features of the daily life of the shrine is Qawwali. It is performed all day at some part of the shrine, but at night it attracts a huge gathering. Every Thursday evening, there is a big Mehfil-e-Sama just outside the tomb, that lasts all night and attracts hundreds of people. Many famous and popular Qawwals (Qawwali singers) of the country participate in the Mehfil. Many listeners become so mesmerised that they start dancing a traditional religious dance called Dhamaal. The first Thursday evening of every lunar month attracts extra thousands of people, making the shrine jam packed.




Honor in Sikhism:-

Baba Farid, as he is commonly known, has his poetry included in the Guru Granth Sahib, the most sacred scripture of Sikhism, which includes 123 (or 134) hymns composed by Farid. Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the 5th guru of Sikhism, included these hymns himself in the Adi Granth, the predecessor of the Guru Granth Sahib.


The town of Faridkot in Punjab, India is named after him.

 

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Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine, Shewan, Sindh

 

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Lahore

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SUFISM & SOUTHERN PAKISTAN

POSTED BY Jane Westwood
21st December 2018

Whilst most Pakistani people are Muslim there is a more spiritual interpretation of Islam through the medium of Sufism, whose objective is dedicating their life to prayer and mystical enlightenment and renouncing materialism. Their mantra is ‘wherever you turn, there is the face of God’. The word Sufi itself is derived from the word ‘suf’ - the woollen clothes worn by Sufis as a symbol of their dedication to the spiritual world and turning their back on materialism and worldly goods.

The ultimate goal of a Sufi is the union of the soul with God which can be achieved through mystical theology, prayer, and in some cases whirling meditation to reach a trance like state bringing them closer to God. The Sufis were originally known as sheikhs or pirs and developed their own following through their teachings and spiritual messages of tolerance.

Today Sufis lead their disciples and followers in the singing of mystical poetry in a rhythmic devotional style known as Qawwali, which is very popular in the Punjab and Sindh regions of Pakistan. This style of spiritual worship is much more accessible than the traditional teachings of Islam and much of the classic poetry in villages of Pakistan is derived from Sufi inspiration. Sufi poets often use storytelling with tales of romance as metaphors for the separation from their God and the joy of finding their God thereby promoting the sense of spiritual quest and fulfilment.

Whilst in Southern Pakistan our group visited a number of the famous Sufi shrines such as Bhit Shah the shrine dedicated to Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Shah Rukn-i-Alam shrine in Multan and Mian Mir in Lahore. In all cases there were many pilgrims gathering in all their finery to pay their respects to these revered mystics. They would approach the tombs and make offerings and gifts and receive blessings.

In many cases there were local Sufis sitting in prayer and chanting poetry outside the shrines also with local musicians accompanying them. This created a very different perspective for us to the traditional mosques and style of prayer in the Islamic world.