Type: Monument - Tomb
Province: Punjab
District: Multan
Period: Historic
Relative Chronology: 1526 - 1857 CE
Description: This is a small tomb-and-mosque ensemble in the Muhalla Nawen Bhoain neighborhood of southwest Multan. Built in 1851, it occupies the site of the former khanqah of Allah Dad Gurmani (1761-1848 CE) , who originally hailed from Muzaffargarh. According to epigraphy written inside the tomb, Gurmani died at the age of 90 and was originally buried in Rukanpur village but was transferred to this location his former khanqah three years later, which then became his tomb. The tomb is square in plan with an area of 8.05 x 8.05 m, with walls roughly 1.6 m thick. There are entrances in the north, south and east facades and a mihrab (niche) facing Mecca on the west wall. The tomb`s single chamber is occupied by three graves those of the saint, his grandson Sahibzada Jind Wada and his great-grandson. The roof of the tomb rises 8.6 m above the graves and was originally covered with a wide variety of frescoes featuring floral motifs, geometric designs, naturalistic scenes and traces of mirror work. Most of the murals are heavily damaged by humidity and soot from oil lamps with the lowermost register of murals (near ground level) almost wholly effaced and partially whitewashed. It is feared that without active conservation the remaining traces of murals will likely disappear over the coming decades, if not sooner. The overall design of the building with its square ground floor, octagonal drum and hemispherical dome is firmly rooted in the regional tradition extending back to the tomb of Bahauddin Zakariya from the early-mid 13th century, which remained the dominant tomb-building motif in Multan up to the modern era. Adjacent to the tomb is recently rebuilt mosque which features an unusual arched framework over the courtyard that supports open-air ceiling fans for the benefit of worshipers in the hot sun.
Latitude: 30.186724132
Longitude: 71.465603362
Ownership: AUQAF
Legal Status: Protected by The Punjab Special Premises (Preservation), Ordinance, 1985
Title of Publication: Allah Dad Ghurmani Tomb, Multan, Pakistan
Published In: https://www.orientalarchitecture.com/sid/1343/pakistan/multan/allah-dad-ghurmani-tomb
Year of Publication: 2021 (Retrieved)
Bibliography/Reference: Anonymous
