Uch Sharif

Mela Uch Sharif will starte on March 29 and will end on April 2 2008 on Wednesday after weeklong celebrations. A large number of people from southern Punjab come to the historic town Uch Sharif to pay homage to the great sufi saint, Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkhposh Bukhari (RA), for spreading Islam.

Following the centuries old tradition, people visited the shrine of Hazrat Jalaluddin Surukhposh Bukhari to start the mela. Majority of the people and devotees of Hazrat Syed Jalal spent the entire day at the shrine and offered Friday prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid built by the Abbasid rulers.

The mela was held to mark the historic congregation of sufi saints held in 600 AH on the invitation of Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkhposh Bukhari. The mela is celebrated when Hindu calendar month ‘Chait starts where people perform folk dances, circus, plays and traditional bazaars are set up, selling sweets and drinks.

When communication means were poor in the past, people stayed in Uch Sharif for four to five days to enjoy the mela, but improvement in transportation had changed the atmosphere of the mela. Visitors return to their houses at night.

(Reference used: Daily Times) 

We didn't stay long in Bahawalpur and the next morning we took a mini bus to the small town of Uch Sharif. The town is famous for its old mosques and shrines. Also legend has it that Alexander the Great spent a day there though that can be nothing but mythical talk. At least it is sure that Muhammad Bin Qasim took the city in 710 AD and turned it into an Islamic centre for pilgrims and students in Asia. His conquest could be seem as the beginning of Islam in this region and most of Pakistan, which has remained so in the country to present day.
Uch, dusty and filled with goats and caged chickens. Men with longer and thicker beards and females dressed more in burqa's than on other cities. The natural adaptation for a holy town. We walked through the narrow streets, stepping aside for many donkey and man pulled street carts. Soon a little schoolboy offered to take us around. Not that we asked or needed it, but he didn't stress us like most so we let him be and he took us on a nice route through the maze of the bazaar. At a little shop of a retired army officer we sat down by his request and had some chai. He was from Chitral (the rural mountain area where the Kalasha tribes still live) and sold plastic toys in his shop. Like imitation Miffy stuff and so on. Imitation is the standard for any brand of anything. After leaving our bags there, the boy took us to the old site where was saw the mosque, shrines, tombs and graveyards. All in aquarian blue and indigo, the mozaique art was amazing and still intact. The mosque and tombs were quite damaged, halfed, by the hand of ancient floodings and earthquakes but still were beautiful in their crumbled state.

The afternoon was coming to an end and we quickly wanted to get to Panjnad Head before sunset, where the 5 big rivers of Punjab merg together into one river. We didn't see the Indus as that river only gets merged more south of the state at Mithankot. We got off at the beginning of the bridge, a long one of nearly one km. It's not allowed in Pakistan to take any pictures when standing on bridges, whether you just want to photograph the water or something else other than the bridge itself. Just a defensive and security rule as ordered by Pakistani law. But we did, photographing and filming, a few 100 metres down on the bridge on a dam ridge. The guards didn't seem to mind either. Many farm trucks and tractors were passing by on the bridge, with sugarcane reeds stacked 5 metres high while kids were running after them. Pulling sugarcanes loose by the plenty, the slow pace of the wagons allowing them to take their beloved sweet sticks. Kids walked with bundles of them, chewing the juice out of the raw cane flesh. Soon enough I got my own sugarcane too, pulling the strong bamboo strips off with my teeth. Mhhhh, sugarcane juice. Back at the beginning of the bridge we visited the many fish-only shops. Fresh river fish from the Punjab rivers. Mostly trouts and other fishes that we hadn't seen before. In my pescatarian hunger, as I do like to eat fish now and then, I ordered some trout. The way they make it here is slicing them up in flat slices, but batter and massala herbs on them and throw them in the frying pan. A more exotic way of how it's made in the UK. And way more tasty too. We even got the fish for free as a gift, another sweet gesture of hospitality that we encounter here day by day. At least we gave the owner and his kids some chocolate cookies in return for it.

Uch Sharif





tailor shop with election posters

tame bird (woodpecker we think), I held it too

Panjnad head, river at sunset

side canal

The Results of NA-183 and PP-267 has been announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan in which Mr. Arif Aziz Sheikh nominated by Pakistan Peoples Party Parlimentrian and Syed Iftikhar Hassan Gilani nominated by Pakistan Muslim Leagure (Q) win the feild of Election 2008. The people of Uch Sharif congrutulate them on their success and demand for a positive efficient works and development for the Uch Sharif as well as Pakistan.

Launch of radio series based on success stories of little known women entrepreneurs “Hamari Tarraqui, Hamaray Masail” 12th Feb 2008 at Islamabad.

These radio programmes were funded by the British High Commission FCO as part of the project, Building media capacity for gender-just and investigative reporting for better public understanding and support for gender equity and equality.

The project aims to strengthen the awareness in Pakistan of constraints in women’s development and promote empowerment and to show the media how they can effectively report on these issues in the future.

Arfa Sayeda Zehra, Chairperson, National Commission on the Status of Women has consented to be the Chief Guest of the Launch Ceremony and will deliver the opening address for the occasion.

A team of six Radio Producers have traveled across the country in the rural and urban areas to bring stories from Karachi, Dadu, Sukkur, Jocobabad, Multan, Muzafargarh, Uch Sharif, Jatoi, Meerwala, Bhawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Lodhran, Mianwali, Chakwal, Rawalpind, Peshawar, Abbotabad, Haripur, and other locations.

The themes of the radio programs are to highlight the journey of the Pakistani women for Developmental issues and comprises of

• Assess to Justice and legal rights
• Political Participation of the Pakistani women in the National and Local District Government
• Women and Mobility
• Breaking stereo types and cultural barriers
• Sexual Violence including the Honor Killings, Forced Marriages, Quran Marriages and Forced Prostitution.
• Women and Reproductive and Sexual Health Rights
• Women’s Economic Rights

A 16-programme radio series based on women-related issues, gender equity and
women's rights as human rights brings success case studies of women and girls, the series also bring forth the supportive male voices for advocating the humanitarian rights with special focus on women rights as human rights.

( Thanks: Orginal Contents on saadia-developmentalissuesandwomen.blogspot.com) 

• 14Th November 2003
  Master Plan for Restoring the Tomb of Bahaul Haleem was completed in which different steps necessary to take were discussed and master plan is approved. This Master plan will require 3 Phase to complete. First Phase is expected to start by Dec 2003.
   

• 3rd January, 2004
  Phase One of Master Plan is started. This phase will last for 3 months and during this period, water channel will be build around the tomb to help rainwater escape from the area without damaging the structures.
   

• 24Feb, 2004
  Aid for reconstruction of these tomb that was previously held was finally released. However some conditions were made before that and a meeting is expected to held between CRC Chairman and Mr. Daniel Dow in coming week.

Uch Sharif, 75 km from Bahawalpur is a very old town. It is believed that it existed 500 BC. Some historians believe that Uch was there even before the advent of Bikramajit when Jains and Buddhist ruled over the sub-continent. At the time of the invasion by Alexander the Great, Uch was under Hindu rule.

Certain historians say that Alexander came to Uch after conquering northern parts of India and spent over a fortnight in they city and renamed it Alexandria. Some have mentioned Uch by the name of Sikandara or Iskalanda They have described it as the most flourishing and beautiful town perched upon the plateau near the confluence of the Chenab and Ravi rivers. The famous shrines existing at Uch include those of Hazrat Bahawal Haleem, Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh Bukhari, Makhdoom Jahanian Jahangasht, Shaikh Saifuddin Ghazrooni and Bibi Jawanadi. The shrine of Bibi Jawandi is a central Asian design, titled in the blue and white faience.

Uch is a small town today and divided into three different quarters known as:

 Uch Jilani, after the name of Hazrat Shaikh Mohammad Ghaus Qadri Jilani (Bandagi), who came from Halab in 887 AH.

 
Uch Bukhari, after Hazrat Syed Jalaluddin Bukhari Surkhposh.   

Uch Sharif.com is considering to publish this book on the Web in unicode format. Needs ur suggesstion and cooperation.

• A myth in the city exist about the name is that there was a magician leady called UCH RANI and after her accepting of Islam Lal Bukari (a great religious scholar) change the name of city and gave it the name of UCH Sharif. The seconfd part of the name belong to his name.
• Ghasani called it Bhatya
• Traveler and writer mir mosoom writer of tarech’e mosoomi called it uch

There are numerous factors that played their role in destruction. Natural disasters were the one and ignorance was the other. These monuments were evacuated from the coffins of saints at the time of floods and these monuments were not the holy place anymore as the saint was buried somewhere else and these places became orphan. Tomb of Bahaul Haleem and other nearby tombs are made by coal brunt bricks which are still more stiff and reliable then our bricks today. So people took these valuable bricks when they needed them for construction of their own homes or sometimes for the construction of graves when their loved one died. Two thoughts were behind this act.
 
• These bricks are sacred and therefore will make the grave of their beloved one sacred.
• They are better than the bricks available today.
• Free things are always the best, no matter from where you get them.

In addition to that, some glazed tiles were taken by the villagers of the place when they were fallen and some times pulled away just to keep something from the tomb that is being demolished, so they could have some remaining with them. Although the thought was not destructive, yet it was one of the destructive reasons.

When restoration procedure was started, restoration workers went to villagers and requested them to hand them over all the tiles and bricks that they have with them and villagers did some cooperation and few tiles and bricks were recovered. But what ever was recovered was only a fraction of what was taken away.

Now lets conclude the solutions for this destruction.
• One is placement of watchman who is already there since 1986. He is an employee of Federal Archeological Department and stays near these monuments 8 hours a day. This may seem insufficient, but those 8 hours are the hours when most visitors visit these places and there fore, majority of visitors are still taken care in these 8 hours. Department can arrange one more person and increase the care time to reduce the chances of damage by visitors to further degree.
• A temporary boundary wall around these monuments can be built to stop people touch these monuments.
• Secondly, educate the local population and tell them what worthy monuments they are damaging.
• Preach the population about what is homage and what is disrespect, so they would change their attitude towards these monuments that is totally based on devotion, but is destructive in nature.
 

Restitution means facts finding procedure that tells us how the monument used to look like at the time of its built. There can be three major sources. As the tomb of Bahaul Haleem is damaged badly, its 80% of the area is already gone with water. There are only a couple of walls left and a part of doom that have lost all of its artwork. Therefore, in order ton construct these monuments back, three restitution techniques will be sued.

• Maps and Drawings of the tomb or some sketches or pictures that would give the idea how some tomb used to look like, subject to condition if available.

• Elderly people of the area who have seen the tomb is some better shape then today.

• If first two methods are not applicable, then approximate time of built is condclude and it is observed what other buildings were made in the same time with similar design patters.

 Luckily, few drawings are found of the tomb of Bahaul Haleem, which will be extremely helpful. Moreover, different senior architects from NCA have worked over these monuments and have made architectural planes of restoration.

By Land Sliding

 Uch’s old city was built on a small reef. It is believed that there used to be an old castle and this small mountain is actually the remaining of that old castle. Tombs of Bahaul Haleem along with tomb of Bibi Jivindi and Ustaad Nooria lie close to each other and at the bank of that old city. Floods further made this area delicate and now these monuments stand at the edge of the high area. Soon after floods, land underneath and near the monument slipped towards the sides and played its role in the destruction. This process is not stopped as strong concrete walls are built around the monuments in order to avoid further land sliding.

By Flood & Stroms 

Uch Sharif is a rich cultivating area and there is a network of canals that irrigate the land around. Access of water and enrich soil are the factors that make this area that green. However, whereas this water is important for the fertility of the area, same water has caused enormous damage to the monuments in all respects. The tomb is constructed with clay and bricks and this clay is consistently dissolved and taken away by both rain water and floods. Although the whole tomb was covered with glazed tiles at one time, but once those protecting tiles were gone, erosion of mud started and continues till the time today.

Geographically, Uch lies in the area where wind speed is quite fast. Sand and dusty storms also played their role in the destruction. Fast winds didn’t had significance until tombs walls were intact. However, after its 80% portion is gone, remaining walls are unsupported and bricks from the doom area are collapsing because of it.

By Local People 

Although this seems ridiculous that followers and devotes themselves causing harm to the monument, but sight of the graves in the graveyard nearby reveals the story itself. Followers followed and honored the Sufias in their life and after death, they consider it a matter of honor for them to have a brick from the tomb of their Ustaad in their own grave. To them, it’s a way of associating themselves with their honorable Peer. On discussing the issue with a local Riaz Ahmed, he mentioned

“These are the stronger people who do this, we, being the poor neither date to do so nor we can stop them from doing this, although most of us consider this act as wrong”.

By Visitors 

There are many villages around the Uch and people at different times visit these saints to offer their homage. While we were doing our research there, we met Mr. Mistree Mohtaar Ahmed, who lived in Ali Poor Shareef which lies at 25 Km from the Uch. He stated that people come and take some stone of the tomb with belief that blessings from those Sufias will reach this way to their homes. And this is not just blame to the local people only; many educated people visiting these monuments were equally responsible. I myself wished I could take some brick, some stone or portion of tile from here, of ours not with blessing point of view, but the thought to keep something marvelous and keep it with me for the rest of my life. I am happy; I am not among those unfortunate people who knowingly or unknowingly are damaging this splendor historical monument.

Hazrat Syed Hassan Kabir ud Din was in the period of Hazrat Makhdoom Jahanian Jahangashat R.A. However it is not certified from History. Hazrat Shah Abdul Haq Muhadis Dehilvi R.A wrote in the "Akhbar ul Akhiyar" that he alived 180 years. He borned in 716 hj. and died in 896 hj.

Some detail found in "Nizha tul Khawatir" that he was a piouse and prominant person in knowledge and blessings. He saw a world. and visit most of the world. Then came to Uch Sharif and lived there. Many person embraced Islam on his hand. He had the ablity when a person look at him then he could not refused the order of Hazrat Hassan.

Hazrat Syed Hassan Kabir was the grand son of most famous shiya pious saint Shah Shams Sabazwari Multani. But he agreed and adopted the path of Suni Fiqa "Ehl-e-Sunnat". He was the follower of Suharwardia Saint Chain.

Bio Data  (Shajra e Nasab) of  Hazrat Hassan Kabir is as follows:

Syed Kabir ud Din Hassan S/O Syed Sadar ud Din S/O Syed Naseer ud Din S/O Syed Shah Shams ud Din Sabazwari Multani S/O Syed Salah ud Din S/O Syed Salam ud Din S/O Syed Momin S/O Syed Mohib Mansoor S/O Syed Ismail S/O Syed Muhammad S/O Syed Ismail S/O Imam Jafir Sadiq S/O Imam Muhammad Baqir S/O Imam Zain ul Abideen S/O Imam Hussain S/O Ali ibn e Abi Talib.

The Tomb of Syed Hassan Kabir in the East side of Uch Gilani (Shams Colony). Because he belong to Ismaili Sadaat by family so the person and peoples of ismaili group take him special respect.  His heir on have  Shiya group/fiqa thoughts. He is known as Hassan Kabir Dariya which indicate about the chairty and donation given by him to the peoples.  

The tomb of Bahaa-Ul-Haleem is the earliest of three domed mausoleum found on a high mound in the town of Uch, a center of Sufism under the Delhi sultanate. Little is known about him, except that he was the teacher of the saint Hazrat Makhdoom Jahaniyan Jahan Gasht, who built the mausoleum. It is believed that this tomb was constructed some 650 years back. The tomb shows the influence of the funerary style that originated around Multan, exemplified by the Tomb of Bahauddin Zakaria.

The tomb of Bahaul Haleem is Octagonal in shape with 3 stories in total. The roof of third story is doom shaped which is mostly destroyed. Only a small curve is left which indicates its structure was almost like that of Bibi Jivindi.
Tomb Structure is decorated with glazed tiles of almost 20 different patterns. Whole tomb, from top to bottom was covered and water proofed with these glazed tiles. Major construction material is Mud and Hardened bricks, however, the seize of these bricks is much smaller then being used today. Inside Structure of the tomb was supported with wooden pegs with with time were worn out and caused whole tomb structure to destabilize.

This tomb is its an octagonal geometry, I mean it has 8 sides. In addition to that, observe its detailing, like arches, doors, look at thickness of walls, look at the doom, I think most of its architectural elements are unique. Every monument here is some what different from the others, but this particular tomb is important because it has most of the elements that we don’t find as such in other monuments around.

Another important element in the tomb, which is not of course associated with this particular tomb, but is also present in other tombs, too is use of glazed tiles. It’s the glazed tile that represents this area and is marvelous piece of art. In the tomb of Bahaul Haleem, this glazed tile is used both inside and outside the tomb and the design and patters used are definitely unique in it.

Unlike any other tomb of fellow design, tomb of Uch Shareef is decorated from inside as well as outside. Moreover, decorating glaze tiles used in the tomb are mostly unique in pattern and are not used either nearby tombs nor any other tomb of Uch.   

 Destructive Factors

Uch’s old city was built on a small reef. It is believed that there used to be an old castle and this small mountain is actually the remaining of that old castle. Tombs of Bahaul Haleem along with tomb of Bibi Jivindi and Ustaad Nooria lie close to each other and at the bank of that old city. Floods further made this area delicate and now these monuments stand at the edge of the high area. Soon after floods, land underneath and near the monument slipped towards the sides and played its role in the destruction. This process is not stopped as strong concrete walls are built around the monuments in order to avoid further land sliding.

Tomb is Constructed with Coal Burnet Bricks that were in common use at the time of its construction. Those bricks were fixed together with mud mixed with crop threads. to make give strength. To provide strength to structure, wooden supports were placed in various parts of the tomb like in roof doors.

To protect the structure from water, it was covered throughout with specially built glazed tiles that are made in blue and white colors. These tiles covered the tomb from top to bottom and when the shine reflected from those tiles, it felt like a shining mountin from a distance.