Mausoleum of Shah Ali Akbar
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The Tomb of Shah Ali Akbar is a
tomb A tomb ( grc-gre, τύμβος ''tumbos'') is a :wikt:repository, repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be ...
in Suraj Miani
Multan Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab. Multan is one of the List ...
, in Punjab province,
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
.


History

Shah Ali Akbar, a direct descendant of Shamsuddin Sabzwari, an early propagator of Isma'ili Islam in
South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
, had his ministry thrive in the mid-16th century. A 1585 foundation stone on his tomb, coupled with
oral tradition Oral tradition, or oral lore, is a form of human communication wherein knowledge, art, ideas and cultural material is received, preserved, and transmitted orally from one generation to another. Vansina, Jan: ''Oral Tradition as History'' (1985 ...
s, suggest Ali Akbar personally funded the tomb, indicating significant personal wealth and probable favorable relations with local authorities, suggesting some level of official acceptance of Ismai'li activities during this period.


Architecture

The tomb is often called the "little Rukn-e Alam" due to its architectural similarities with the nearby Rukn-e Alam mausoleum. Both share elements of the Tughluq style, like battered walls, tapering turrets, and an octagonal layout with domes. Despite the Tughluqs' long-gone reign, their architectural style persisted in Multan and nearby regions, particularly Uch Sharif. The tomb subtly incorporates contemporary architectural trends of the late 16th century. During this period, the reign of the third Mughal emperor, Akbar, saw Mughal architects experiment with plaster for easily carvable surfaces. In a first for Multan, plaster was extensively used inside the tomb, mirroring the contemporary use at the Maryam Zamani mosque and Fatehpur Sikri. The architects, Ibrahim and Rajab, sons of Musa of Lahore, may have introduced this trend from one of the Mughal Empire's main cities. Initially, the tomb's interior plaster surfaces were adorned with high-quality murals and frescoes, which have suffered significant damage due to time and continuous exposure to pigeon droppings.


Gallery

Tomb of Shah Ali Akbar.jpg, Tomb of Shah Ali Akbar and nearby mosque Adjacent view of Shrines - Tomb of Shah Ali Akbar, Multan and Tomb of Shah Ali Akbar's mother, Multan .jpg, Shah Ali Akbar's tomb (left) is adjacent to that of his mother's (right)


References


Further reading

* Bloom, Jonathan, and Sheila Blair (2009). ''The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture'' * Khan, Ahmad Nabi (1990). ''Islamic Architecture of Pakistan: An Analytical Exposition'' * Khan, Ahmad Nabi (1983). ''Multan History and Architecture'' * Khan, Hasan Ali (2016). ''Constructing Islam on the Indus : the Material History of the Suhrawardi Sufi Order, 1200-1500 AD'' * Koch, Ebba (2002). ''Mughal Architecture'' * Michell, George (1978). ''Architecture of the Islamic World: Its history and Social Meaning'' * Muhammad Wali Ulla Khan (1973). ''Lahore and its Important Monuments'' * Mumtaz, Kamil Khan (1985). ''Architecture in Pakistan'' * Rajput, A. B (1963). ''Architecture in Pakistan'' * Suvorova, A. A (2004). ''Muslim Saints of South Asia the eleventh to fifteenth centuries'' Tourist attractions in Multan Buildings and structures in Multan Tombs in Punjab, Pakistan {{Pakistan-struct-stub