The Mausoleum of Bahauddin Zakariya
What Scholars do agree on is that this peculiar three tiered architectural tradition originated with Sheikh Zakariya’s tomb in Multan
Ahmed Nabi Khan however differs and takes us outside the confines of Multan to look for the prototypes
We, dear reader, now take the road to Lodhran
Taking Multan – Bahawalpur road just having crossed Lodhran is the hamlet town of Adam Wahan
Here stands a tomb attributed to one Daud Shah Gardez
A three tiered structure with a square plan topped by an octagon and the dome, a perfect architectural match to the tomb at Multan
Shaikh Khurshid Hassan in a flight due north west takes us to Derajats
Here once passed the old Peshawar – Multan route
A little west on the patch of Indus Highway that connects the Dera of Ismail Khan to that of Ghazi Khan, 30 miles south west of D.l.Khan stand Lal Mahra Tombs
From Andiray we take yet another flight due south west to a fairly recently discovered site
12 miles south of well known town of Sibbi as the crow flies lies Mithri and its graveyard on a raised mound
There beside a modern construction of a dargah stand a few ancient tombs
We know the ancient route through Bolan Pass towards Punjab & Sind passed through here
The Central Asian tradition in these tombs of Mithri place them around 11th/12th Century CE
Sibi was a tributary of Multan so the architecture must have had its influence on Mausolea of Multan
So contrary to common belief the Tomb of Shah Rukn e Alam at Multan is not the first funerary monument constructed on octagonal plan
But then, is our saint, Rukn ud Din Abul Fateh actually buried here?
Another day, dear reader, and we shall listen to another story
Credits
The pictures of Bahauddin Zakariya’s tomb and those from Lal Mahra Graveyard were very kindly spared by my friend Dr Syed Muzammil Hussain of Wasaib Explorer