Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam

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Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam in 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.

History

Image of the tomb taken by William Henry Baker in 1865

The tomb was built between 1320 and 1324 CE in the pre-Mughal architectural style. The tomb is said to have built by Ghias-ud-Din Tughlak (r.1320-1325 AD) during his governorship of Depalpur, between 1320 and 1324 CE and was given by his son, Muhammad bin Tughluq to the descendants of Shah Rukn-e-Alam for the latter’s burial in 1330. In the 1970s, the mausoleum was thoroughly repaired and renovated by the Auqaf Department. The entire glittering glazed interior is the result of new tiles and brickwork done by the Kashigars of Multan.[1]

The tomb is on the tentative list as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[2]

Architecture

Interior of the tomb with the shrine

The tomb is situated on the southwest side of the Multan Fort premises. It is one of the many mausoleums of Multan, of Sufi saints and pies.

The building is an octagon, 51 feet 9 inches in diameter internally, with walls 41 feet 4 inches high and 13 feet 3 inches thick, supported at the angles by sloping towers. Above this is a second octagon, 25 feet 8 inches high, then another at 26 feet 10 inches high. There is a narrow passage all around the top of the lower storey for the Moazzan, or public caller to prayers.

This structure is surmounted by a hemispherical dome 58 feet externally in diameter. The total height of the building is 100 feet, including a plinth of 3 feet. As it stands on the high ground, the total height above the road level is 150 feet.[3]

The mausoleum is built entirely of red brick, bounded with beams of shisham wood, which have turned black over the centuries. The exterior is elaborately ornamented with glazed tile panels, string-courses and battlements. The colours used are dark blue, azure, and white, which contrast the deep red finely polished bricks.

Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, Multan - Front Courtyard
Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, Multan - Back Courtyard

References

  1. ↑ http://www.heritage.gov.pk/html_Pages/historic_multan.htm Historic Multan
  2. ↑ http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1884/
  3. ↑ http://multancity.com/multan/history/places-mazars.htm#Ruk

External links

Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons

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