Shrine of Jalaluddin Bukhari


Shrine of Jalaluddin Bukhari is the shrine of Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari. It is located in Uch in present-day Punjab, Pakistan. It is one of the five monuments in Uch Sharif, Pakistan which are on the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Death

In 1244 CE, Bukhari moved to Uch, and founded a religious school. He died in about 1290 CE and was buried in a small town near Uch. After his tomb was damaged by flood waters of the Ghaggar-Hakra River, Bukhari's remains were buried in Qattal. In 1027 AH, Sajjada Nashin Makhdoom Hamid, son of Muhammad Nassir-u-Din, moved Bukhari's remains to their present location in Uch and erected a building over them. In 1670 CE, the tomb was rebuilt by the Nawab of Bahawalpur, Bahawal Khan II. The tomb is a short way from the cemetery of Uch. It stands on a promontory overlooking the plains and the desert beyond. To one side of the tomb is a mosque decorated with blue tile work. In front of the tomb is a pool. A carved wooden door leads into the room containing Bukhari's coffin. UNESCO describes the site:

Mela Uch Sharif

The Mela Uch Sharif is a week-long mela held in 10 – 12 Zilhaj. People from the southern Punjab come to honour Bukhari's role in spreading Islam. Participants visit Bukhari's tomb, and offer Friday prayers at the local mosque which was built by the Abbasids. The mela commemorates the congregation of Sufi saints connected with Bukhari. It aligns with the Hindu calendar month of Chaitra.

US Funding

As part of the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, $50,035 were allocated for the shrine.