Makli - The Terrain Of Sleeping History

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  The province of Sind has a significant place in history being the gateway of Islam; Bab al-Islam. The great religion entered into South Asia from the Arabian Sea when Bin Qasim defeated Dahir; the Raja of Dibal in 712 AD. Sind embraced Islam in a way that it touched the boundaries of Multan in days to come, but suddenly, Qasim was called back to home for never coming again to this part of the world. Many of his companions liked the fertile land of Sind up to the extent of making it as their abode for good. Among those who stayed here, were many religious and pious individuals; known as saints or Sufis, they preached the doctrine of Islam to the locals. The saints and Sufis did not leave this place unless they embraced death which marked the introduction of Islamic burial system in South Asia where owing to Hindu, Jain or Buddhist influences, burning of corpses was in vogue, since ever. Thatta or Thatto is a historic town with a population of 22000, considered a momentous place in world heritage. Once it was the capital of lower Sind, from 14th to 16th century. It was under the control of the Mughals until the Persian invader Nadir Shah smashed this area which fell in negligence afterwards.

Thatta is known basically for its historical remains; the Shahjehan Mosque (1647-49), tombs of Jam Nizam al-Din (1461-1509) and a vast ancient necropolis with thousand of graves nearby the Hills of Makli. Makli is believed to be the burial place of more than 125,000 saints or Sufis. This place is also one of the largest necropolises of the world, located in the outskirts of Thatta. Apart from other legends, the general belief about this place is that the cemetery developed around the shrine of Hamad Jamali, a Sufi of the 14th century AD. The monuments and the sepultures scattered over the necropolis are the documented proof in solid stone that reveals to us the social, cultural and political history of Sind. Extrinsically speaking, we can find the imperial mausoleum of two demarked groups, Samma (1352-1520) and Tarkhan (1556-1592). The Samma king Nizam al-Din is also buried here in a square tomb. An impressive structure built of sandstone and decorated in floral and geometrical motifs. On the other hand, the mausoleum of a Tarkhan king, Isa Khan II is a two-storey building in stone with grand cupolas and balconies.

These structures with both Hindu and Islamic influences manifest the motifs and designs which, can be traced back to the later dynasties of Central Asia. The tomb of Jan Beg Tarkhan is an octagonal brick structure with covering in blue and turquoise glazed tiles. Imperial mausoleums are divided into two major groups, based on the Samma and Tarkhan periods subsequently. Today, Makli is a United Nations World Heritage Site that is visited by both pilgrims and tourists. Thatta is also homes the beautiful Keenjher Lake. Visitors from the neighboring metropolis Karachi, usually spend their weekends here in serenity and timelessness, while at the central part of the city of Thatta, is situated the all famous Shahjehan Mosque. Makli is a silent place, so silent that one can even listen to the unspoken voices and whispers of the sand particles which, fly around and make eyes watery; a tearful homage to the souls who once were not

so silent!