Lal Marah, Exploring the Unknown Tomb’s of Ghaznavid

A few years ago I heard about some prehistoric-era tombs near Dera Ismail khan. When I first saw the picture of these edifices; I was totally spellbound. The only question revolving in my mind was why this marvelous architecture didn’t gain much attention. I wished to visit this place but was unable to find its exact location of it.

Finally, I found the place and its direction from Google earth so I decided to visit this place. On 23rd December, I along with a friend left for Dera Ismail khan from Lahore, It was one of the most tiring travels of my lifetime. We failed to get tickets for DIK because of two connective holidays of 24th and 25th December. As a last resort we had the option of Balouch Transport; one of the oldest buses on the roads in Pakistan. It was fully packed with passengers and even the middle walking corridor was jammed with temporary seats. Neither could I move my legs nor could stand on my feet because of congested space. But despite my deplorable condition; traveling in public transport helps you to interact with people of all colors & help you acquire lots of information. Adding to my misery; the busses started racing; it was fun for some but a fearful experience for soft-hearted people like me.

We reached Dera Ismail khan before dawn on 24th December. It was a shivering cold morning. Our friend Karim lives there was our host. He arranged bikes for our further travel. Unfortunately, the whole city was closed due to the holiday. So it took us some time to start our journey on the Indus highway. Our next destination was Mahra. This small village is situated some 40 kilometers south of DIK on the Indus highway. Further 1.2 kilometers from the village will lead to a roadside sign pointing to take right turn for “Ancient Tombs and Graveyard”. It was a seven-kilometer-long village road and was full of dirt. A watercourse was running parallel to the road. There one can find Temporary houses of IDPs (Internally displaced persons) of FATA.

It’s not safe to travel alone on this road. One should take some locals along or travel in a group. After the road, there is a clump of trees on left. From a distance, one can see domes of prehistoric tombs. Once we moved inside that clump of trees. We got first full sight. It was amazing four tombs and a graveyard; exactly as I saw them in pictures. I was standing among them. This sight gave me a feeling of inner satisfaction; a feeling which cannot be expressed in words. It was an expression of gratitude for great architecture of that era. Locals called this place “Andiray” which means ‘graveyard’ in the local dialect of Pashto. I started asking myself questions from myself who could be buried inside those tombs? Whose graves are these? These all are still unanswered questions. Only Dr. Ahmed Hassan Dani has done some authentic research on this place. Dr. Dani was a Pakistani intellectual, archaeologist, historian, and linguist. In one of his books; “Pakistan through ages”; he points out that this site must have acquired an important geographical position during the travel of Ghaznvids Sultans to Sindh and Punjab.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was part of larger Islamic empires from 963 to 1187, including the Ghaznavid Empire (975-1187) headed by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni. Mahmud is said to have made seventeen raids into India. At that time, North India was divided into several Hindu states. On the frontier of India, there existed the Hindu Shahi kingdom which extended from Punjab to Kabul.
Lal Mahara, the site is an important Islamic Architecture site dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries A D. The site consists of eleven monumental tombs and more than 120 graves. But only four tombs and some graves in dilapidated condition were surviving at the time of protection while the rest seven tombs were completely razed to the ground only their traces are visible. The rest four tombs have been preserved and restored only. Presently the site is well preserved and free from encroachment. Tree plantation as a barrier against weather effects as well as to restrict fresh burial (modern and ancient graveyards) has been provided. However, keeping in view gradual development activities i.e. housing and agriculture in close vicinity it is necessary to take necessary measures to safeguard the site from any encroachment as well as the bad effect of excessive irrigation resulting in water logging in the future. Features: Architectural features of these tombs are worth mentioning. In this corner, turrets have been provided to tomb 1, and tomb 2 are square in plan. While the other two are without corner turrets and are square in shape. Here cut and dressed brickwork have been applied while blue color tiles have been utilized for decoration purposes. Furthermore, all the square chambers have been converted into octagons by producing quenches. Deptt of Archaeology conducted conservation work on a large scale and preserved all these four tombs while domes are missing.

Remarks: This graveyard site is well-preserved. From the southern side, an iron grill has provided while on all four sides plantation further strengthened its boundaries. Moreover, a local chowkidar (Gulu) is performing his duty on the site.

Someone needs to pick up where Dr. Dani has left otherwise his work and legacy will be lost. We are yet to discover much more than we have already, but archeology is not attractive as being a Doctor or Engineer

Kotli Maqbara also knwon as Moselousm of Abdul Nabi Qazi ul Qaza Tomb

January 3, 2016

Kot Abdullah is a quaint village situated approximately 42 km along the Narowal Murideke road. A village road extending 5 km to the northwest connects Kot Abdullah to the village of Kotli Maqbara. Just half a kilometer northeast of Kotli Maqbara stands a magnificent octagonal Mughal structure, rising proudly from the ground with four minarets adorning each side. This architectural marvel is known as the Mausoleum of Abdul Nabi. Unfortunately, like many other historical buildings in the country, this revered monument has fallen victim to neglect and vandalism, its grandeur now on the verge of collapse.

The lack of attention from British historians and archaeologists during the colonial era and the subsequent disinterest in the post-partition era have contributed to the mausoleum's deteriorating state. The minarets of the mausoleum bear a resemblance to the early 17th-century structures such as the Jahangir Tomb, Dai Anga Mosque, and the Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore. The entrance to the underground grave chamber is adorned with a graceful arch on the southern side, where three graves lie, covered in green silk sheets adorned with Islamic inscriptions.

Renowned historian Sir Salman Rashid, in his blog post titled "How a Saint is Born" published in The Express Tribune on August 11th, 2012, shares his encounters with the region. He describes the small village of Kotli Maqbara, located near the town of Wahndo in Gujranwala district, featuring an imposing domed Mughal structure standing proudly in the fields outside the village. While the ground floor of the structure remains plain, the basement holds three graves. The minarets of the mausoleum resemble those found at Chauburji in Lahore, providing an indication of its construction period.

During his research in November 1991, while working on a book about Gujranwala, Sir Salman Rashid believed he had stumbled upon a monument that had escaped official attention. However, his mentor, Dr. Saifur Rahman Dar, informed him that the building dated back to the mid-17th century and served as the final resting place of Divan Abdul Nabi Khan. Abdul Nabi Khan had been the governor of Wazirabad under the successive reigns of Shah Jehan and Aurangzeb.

During his initial visit, the locals referred to the building as Deo Minara, meaning Minaret of the Jinn, claiming it had been raised by supernatural beings. Nobody knew the identities of those interred within, and the prevailing belief was that the mausoleum had been there since the time of their grandfathers, shrouded in mystery. It was during this time that a woman, a retired dancing woman and former prostitute from Chhicherwali, began visiting the mausoleum, claiming to have received a vision in her dream, revealing that the buried individuals were heroic figures of Islam who had journeyed from Arabia and contributed significantly to the spread of religion in India.

A year later, in November 1992, Sir Salman Rashid returned to Kotli Maqbara, accompanied by a group of college students from Lahore. Despite being warned by locals about the sanctity of the burial place, they ventured inside. While conversing with the students near a hand pump after the excursion, they were approached by local young men who interrupted the historian's explanation. The locals insisted that the tomb housed three saints, scoffing at the historian's account of Abdul Nabi Khan. According to the villagers, supplication at the tomb was believed to yield swift responses, a practice that had been followed since the time of their grandfathers. However, none of the locals could recall the names of the saints.

Nine years later, in early 2001, Sir Salman Rashid revisited Kotli Maqbara. He noticed that the entrance to the underground burial chamber had been adorned with green satin, a signature of Islamic burials. A new steel signboard displayed the names Hazrat Pir Makki Shah and Hazrat Pir Atray Shah. While the first name seemed understandable, as it bore the title "Makki Shah" referring to Mecca, the second name was perplexing, and the possibility of a third name being added was evident.

Sir Salman Rashid delved further, inquiring among the villagers about the names. However, the names had been well-known since the time of their grandfathers, and there was no recollection of the period before 1991, let alone the reinvention of the mausoleum's history a year later. Stories circulated among the villagers, claiming that supplicants' wishes were granted when they prostrated themselves in front of the graves. As a result, people now removed their shoes approximately a hundred meters from the mausoleum's plinth. Additionally, weekly Thursday festivals and an annual commemoration of Makki Shah's death were observed. Interestingly, the woman from Chhicherwali, who had retired from her previous profession, seemed to benefit financially from the activities surrounding the mausoleum.

The passage paints a vivid picture of the complex dynamics surrounding the Kotli Maqbara mausoleum, highlighting the clash between historical facts, local beliefs, and the reinvention of narratives over time. The essay showcases the challenges faced in preserving and understanding historical heritage in Pakistan, and the paradoxical nature of public perception and acceptance of historical truths.