The Mausoleum of Khusrau Khan Charkas at Makli Hill, Thatta

History and Architecture

Abstract

The "Makli Hill", school of art and architecture yields a galaxy of classical buildings. These monuments possess significant features of art and architecture, mostly in vernacular style. Besides, there are many examples, which show, that these have been derived through the Persian and Central Asian interactions. In this process, it may be proclaimed here that the local values were amalgamated with the foreign traditions due to the cultural interactions. Thus as a blend of cultures, a new form of art and architecture, evolved in the area of our study. In this sequence, it is worthwhile to elaborate that since the area of our interest was ruled by the Samma dynasty from AD 1337 till AD 1520, who were from the local Rajput clan, therefore, they emphasized on the indigenous values. In this regard, Gujarat, Ahmadabad and Kathiawar traditions have greatly encouraged the vernacular art of the Makli Hill on one hand, whereas, on the other, the Central Asian in particular, under the Arghuns AD 1520-55, Tarkhans AD 1555-1613 and later the Mughals AD 1613 (Qazi, 2011: 83) have brought with them their own traditions. Likewise, with the passage of time their interactions caused for the glory of the Makli Hill style of tomb architecture. Thus it appears that the indigenous style was also influenced by the Persian and Central Asian trends which were uniform in the area of our concern and reached perfection during the Tarkhan and later Tarkhan period.