Shrine Khawaja Awais Kagha Multan

Shrine Khawaja Awais Kagha is a beautiful and unique shrine of 1300 AD in Multan. It is near Chungi No 22 and timber market.

    

SHRINE OF KHAWAJA AWAIS KHAGGA

Monument

SHRINE OF KHAWAJA AWAIS KHAGGA

Location

South Periphery Multan, BASTI DAIRA, SOUTH OF CITY RAILWAY STATION. OUT-SIDE THE SOUTH EASTERLY CORNER OF THE MOSQUE OF KHAWAJA AWAIS KHAGGA.

Status

Protected by Directorate of Archaeology, Govt. of Punjab under Punjab Special Premises Act 1985.

Owner

Private.

Use

FORMER: TOMB.
PRESENT: TOMB, MOSQUE, SHRINE.

Period / Date

Death of the Saint: 700AH/1300AD.

Historical Notes

The full name of the saint is Khawaja Shah Jalalud Din Muhammad Awais Jaafri Quraishi Hashmi Khagga. His father’s name is given as Bayazidai. He was a disciple of Shaikh Muhammad Iraqi a saint of Awaisi chain of Sufis. He is believed to have arrived in Multan during the times of Hazrat Sadruddin and died in the year 700AH/1300Ad. Hazrat Rukn-i-Alam is said to have led his funeral prayers. He was buried in the graveyard of Basti Daira which was then known as Basti Shah Jalal.. It has also been reported (Gilani, Aulia-i-Multan, 237) that the foundation stone of this tomb was laid by Hazrat Rukn-i-Alam.

Description / Main Features

The Tomb of Khawaja is square in plan with sloping walls having corner bastions and turrets. Each of the four sides has arches set in rectangular frame. The only entrance to the tomb chamber is on the south side from an entrance-vestibule, approximately 10ft x 14 ft which leads to the main chamber. The square plan converts into an octagon culminating in a drum on which sits the dome. The monument has a segmental dome stilted on a drum which has rectangular depressions and four windows on each of the cardinal sides. The finial has strong tapering cylindrical base. Light enters the main chamber on the ground floor from a perforated wooden jalli on the east and four openings in the dome from the top. Externally the building is covered with blue tiles leaving only some parts as painted white. The same is true about the dome. Any part that is not covered with blue tiles has been painted white particularly in the area of Mehrab The inner side of the tomb-chamber is decorated with wall paintings as well as glazed tiles From inside the chamber has a whitewashed surface with sprinkling of wall painting. The entrance vestibule was added at a later stage. The entrance vestibule is covered with calligraphies in Arabic, Persian and Punjabi and a painted ceiling. This is probably the only couplets scribed on the eastern wall in standard Punjabi. Flooring is of terracotta light blue tiles of 12”x12”. The door is modern and is painted fresh in green, blue and red.

Access / Environs

Access is through the courtyard of the mosque of Khawja Awais Khagga. As the approach is on the south of the tomb that makes entrance all the more awkward. Both, the tomb as well as the mosque are surrounded by houses and graves. A new access has been provided from the graveyard. The entrance vestibule on the south leads to the main tomb chamber.

Present Condition

Weathering has left a serious impact on plaster of dome and walls. Tiles have, at places lost their enamel. Signs of decay are manifest everywhere. The outside is plastered with Multani tile on the four round pillars on the sides. The entrance appears to be a later stage intervention with flooring of terracotta light blue tiles. The entrance has wooden beam painted in kashi kari. The Tomb inside is made with small brick tiles. Walls are plastered with Multani tiles as dado upto three feet.

INTERVENTIONS

Only the verandah has been added later on that has partly concealed the glazed surface of the original entrance. Inside some of the decorative merlons have fallen and thus need restoration. Some of the square tiles on the dado at several places are loosing their glazed surface. The wooden beams under the pendentives below the transition zone have also deteriorated.

Proposal

The Monument demands immediate attention in preservation as well as uplift work. Plaster of the dome is also crumbling and falling, electrical wiring has also rendered considerable damage to building and finials. The poor electrical fittings should be removed.

References

Huq, 153; Gilani, Aulia-i-Multan, 237-238; Wasti, 426,

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Elevations

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Sections

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Environmental Notes

• Mosque and Tomb of Awais Khagga

• Vehicular Access / Parking

  The shrine is located in the out skirts of Multan and it is accessible by vehicles through a 22’-0” Road. There is parking facility near the mosque and also near the tomb.
  

• Use

  Use of the premises is purely religious. Madrassa exists near mosque where children are given religious education.
  

• Visitor’s facilities

  There are no visitors during ordinary days except during Urs days when many people visit the shrine, however there is no lodging/boarding facilities, no Langar Khana, no resting place and no public toilets except the ablution of the near by mosque.
  

• Sewerage

  Piped sewerage is present in the neighborhood with which the sewer pipes of the premises are connected.
  

• Drainage

  The drainage of the premises is by gravity and no stagnant water stands near the shrine.
  

• Electricity

  Electric connection along with KWH meter exists in both the shrine and mosque.
  

• Solid Waste

  The solid waste generated within the premises during Urs days is dumped in street corners from where the CDG staff disposes it away./
  

• Floor and Pavements

  The shrine is enclosed all around by graves and only the walk ways are paved, where as the mosque’s and madrassa are paved with bricks laid flat and at certain places with cement concrete tiles.
  

• External threats

  None noted.
  

• Condition Survey

  The shrine and mosque both is old brick masonry load bearing structure in apparently stable condition. Both the monuments are relatively well maintained