The Tomb of Meer Buzerg at Barkhan, Balochistan

History and Architecture

Abstract

District Barkhan is one of the neglected regions of Balochistan in terms of archeological and ethnological investigation, in which it is very rich. Recently in 2013, an exploratory team of Balochistan Study Center, University of Balochistan made a three-day archaeological exploration in Barkhan to record archaeological sites and monuments. Apart from other discoveries, the team also discovered an Islamic Period tomb. But proper documentation was carried out later on by the principal author. The tomb is situated in a small town about 15 km south west of Barkhan city. This is a 17th century tomb erected by the Mughal ruler Jahangir to entomb one of his brave generals who passed away while going to Kandahar. The history of this long march has been written by a Hindu historian Raie Bahadur Lala Aturam in his famous book Tarikh-e-Balochistan in 1903. He has also mentioned this tomb and the information pertaining to the buried personage. Architecturally this monument is octagon in plain. The octagonal architecture resembles the Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, Multan with its architectural elements as well the tombs of Lal Mara Sharif in DI Khan, Uchchh Sharif in Bahawalpur, and other pre-eminent Muslim Architectural shrines of Pakistan.