Heritage slight: Shah Ruknuddin Aalam tomb in shambles

Caretakers say boundary wall is collapsing, building needs major work.

MULTAN:

The eastern wall of the tomb of the great saint Hazrat Shah Ruknuddin Aalam needs urgent attention and several local residents have written a letter of complaint to the authorities in this regard.

“There are sections of the wall that are falling apart and in several parts even the tile and mosaic work has been compromised,” said one of the caretakers of the shrine Abdullah Hakeem, adding “We have appealed for funds to repair the structure but so far we haven’t received anything.”

The tomb of Hazrat Shah Ruknuddin Aalam was built between 1320 and 1324 AD. “This is a pre-Mughal heritage building and it needs to be preserved but the government does not seem to care about its historical significance. I have been visiting the shrine regularly and every time I come here it seems a little more dilapidated. If no one starts refurbishing the boundary wall it could well begin to collapse sooner or later,” said a devotee Mukhtar Ali.

When contacted, an official of the Archaeology Department, Ghulam Mohammad said that the department had sent an estimate of Rs 2.8 million for restoration of the eastern wall to the Auqaf Department. “So far the funds have not been released and it has been over three months. We realise that work needs to start soon otherwise the damage will only get worse and we are trying our best,” he added.

The official highlighted that besides its religious importance, the mausoleum had substantial archaeological value as its dome was reputed to be the second largest in the world. “This building is unique in many aspects. There is a combination of red brick structure and Shisham beams but there are also sections displaying tile work and traditional blue mosaic,” he said.

The mausoleum was built with red brick, with beams of Shisham wood which have now turned black with the passage of centuries. “At one point the bricks were a deep and finely polished red but they have begun to fade as well. The building desperately requires refurbishing or it might be too late. This is a landmark in Multan as well as a tourist attraction but the government doesn’t seem to care about preserving it,” said a caretaker at the shrine.

The tomb was said to have been built by Ghiasuddin Tughlaq during the days of his governorship of Depalpur between 1320 to 1324.In the 70s, the masoleum was repaired and renovated by the Auqaf Department but since then no work has been done on the shrine.  APP

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2012.