Visit To Makli Graveyard || Historical Place || Makli Thatta || Daily Vlog by Akhtar Jamali

Visit To Makli Graveyard || Historical Place || Makli Thatta || Daily Vlog by Akhtar Jamali

Makli Necropolis (Urdu: مکلی کا شہرِ خموشاں; Sindhi: مڪلي جو مقام) is one of the largest funerary sites in the world, spread over an area of 10 kilometres near the city of Thatta, in the Pakistani province of Sindh. The site houses approximately 500,000 to 1 million, tombs built over the course of a 400-year period. Makli Necropolis features several large funerary monuments belonging to royalty, various Sufi saints, and esteemed scholars. The site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 as an "outstanding testament" to Sindhi civilization between the 14th and 18th centuries.

Nizam al-Din Tomb, Makli Hill, Sindh.
Location
Makli Necropolis is located in the town of Makli, which is located on a plateau approximately 6 kilometres from the city of Thatta, the capital of lower Sindh until the 17th century. It lies approximately 98 km east of Karachi, near the apex of the Indus River Delta in southeastern Sindh. The southernmost point of the site is approximately 5 miles north of the ruins of the medieval Kallankot Fort.

History
The Sufi saint, poet and scholar Shaikh Jamali established a khanqah, or Sufi gathering site, at Makli and was eventually buried there. The 14th century Samma ruler, Jam Tamachi, venerated the saint and wished to be interred near the saint, beginning the tradition of using Makli as a funerary site.

The site rose to prominence as a major funerary site during under the rule of the Samma dynasty, who had made their capital near Thatta.

Architectural evolution
Many of the tombs feature carved decorative motifs.
The funerary architecture of the largest monuments synthesizes Muslim, Hindu, Persian, Mughal, and Gujarati influences, in the style of Lower Sindh that became known as the Chaukhandi style, named after the Chaukhandi tombs near Karachi. The Chaukhandi style came to incorporate slabs of sandstone that were carefully carved by stonemasons into intricate and elaborate designs.

The earliest tombs displayed three to six slabs of stone stacked on top of one another into the shape of a small pyramid. Evolving funerary architecture then incorporated small plinths.

Royal mausolea
The impressive royal mausolea are divided into two major clusters namely Samma cluster and Tarkhan, Arghun, and Mughals cluster. The first cluster has tombs from the Samma period, while tombs from the Tarkhan, Arghun, and Mughals periods are clustered together.

Samma cluster
Tombs dating from the Samma Dynasty are clustered together in a 5-acre section at the northern end of the necropolis. The Samma were Rajput princes, who seized control of Thatta in 1335.[5] Samma tombs are strongly influenced by Gujarati styles, and incorporate Muslim and Hindu decorative elements.

The tomb of the King Jam Nizamuddin II, completed in 1510, is an impressive square structure measuring 11.4 metres on each side. It was built of sandstone and decorated with floral and geometric medallions. The cuboid shape of the tomb may be inspired by the Ka'aba in Makkah. Its dome was never built, thus leaving the interior exposed to the elements. The monument features a large and intricately carved Gujarati-style jharoka, or balcony, and a small peak atop it, which make the tomb resemble a temple. The exterior features 14 bands of decorative motifs that feature both Quranic verses and Hindu symbols, though in keeping with Islamic tradition, all decoration takes the form of geometric patterns, with the sole exception of a frieze depicting local ducks.

The tomb of Jam Nizamuddin's adoptive son, Darya Khan, resembles a Rajasthani fort, and was built after his death in 1521 Darya Khan had been born a slave, but rose to prominence as a general after defeating an Arghun army in battle. He was granted the title "Hero of Sindh," and was eventually made Madrul Muham, or Prime Minister.

Arghun, Trakhan, and Mughal cluster
The tomb of Mirza Muhammad Baqi Tarkhan features a Central Asian style iwan.
The tomb of Isa Khan Tarkhan I, who ruled from 1554 to 1565, represents a departure from the funerary architecture of the Sammas. The tomb features a distinctly new cenotaph-style, and is laid out in a rectangular shape with its inner walls entirely covered with Quranic verses. The tomb also has an area dedicated for the graves of 5 of his royal ladies.

The mausoleum of Isa Khan Hussain II Tarkhan (d. 1651) features a two-story stone building with cupolas and balconies. The tomb is said to have been built during Isa's lifetime.

The tomb of Jan Beg Tarkhan (d. 1600), is an octagonal brick structure whose dome is covered in blue and turquoise glazed tiles.

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