Sufism is very strong in Pakistan and Islam in India and Pakistan is influenced by Sufism. Experts say about 60 percent of Pakistani Muslims regard themselves as Sufi followers.
The presence of Sufism has been a leading entity increasing the reach of Islam throughout the Indian subcontinent. Following the entrance of Islam in the early 8th century, Sufi mystic traditions became more visible during the 10th and 11th centuries of the Delhi Sultanate. A conglomeration of four chronologically separate dynasties, the early Delhi Sultanate consisted of rulers from Turkic and Afghan lands. This Persian influence flooded India with Islam, Sufi thought, syncretic values, literature, education, and entertainment that has created an enduring impact on the presence of Islam in Pakistan. Today, there are thousands of Sufi shrines and mausoleums which dot the landscape of Pakistan.
Itinerary
Sufi Shrines Tour: 13 Nights 14 Days
Day 01: Lahore
Pick up from Lahore airport or your location in Lahore and departure for (Data Darbar) Data Ganj Bakhsh Sufi Shrine, the patron saint of Lahore (Lahore is known as Data ki Nagri, the place of Data). Take your share of Langar (free distribution of Food) Later Visit Badshahi Mosque, or the ‘Emperor’s Mosque’, which was built in 1673 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore. It is one of the city’s best-known landmarks, and a major tourist attraction epitomizing the beauty and grandeur of the Mughal era. Capable of accommodating over 55,000 worshipers, continue to visit Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila, located in the northwestern corner of the Walled City of Lahore. The trapezoidal composition is spread over 20 hectares. Origins of the fort go as far back as antiquity; however, the existing base structure was built during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar (1556-1605) and was regularly upgraded by subsequent rulers. Thus the fort manifests the rich traditions of the entire Mughal architecture. Some of the famous sites inside the fort include Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate, Naulakha pavilion, and Moti Masjid. In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Shalimar Gardens Lahore.
In the Evening visit another shrine of Baba Shah Jamal, the patron saint of fold musicians. Enjoy the “Dhole”, drum performance.
Later Dinner and overnight Stay at a hotel in Lahore.
Day 02: Lahore – Waris Shah – Hiran Minar – Old City
After breakfast departure for Waris Shah Shrine Punjabi Sufi Poet was born in Jandiala Sher Khan in 1722 and died in 1798. By writing his magnum opus, Heer Waris Shah, he not only immortalized the love story of Heer and Ranjha but also earned the title of Shakespeare of Punjabi language for himself. He is buried in Jandiala Sher Khan. A beautiful tomb stands on his grave, with a big complex all around. It is a popular visiting place with many shops to sell souvenirs, eatables, and his books. It is located at 31° 49′ 04″ N, 73° 54′ 59″ E. Just 12 kilometers from Sheikhupura city, less than 7 kilometers from the Sheikhupura Hiran Minar Interchange on M2.
Later visit to Hiran Minar was built during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir in a hunting reserve used by the Mughal royals. The reserve was built in a scrub forest, and allowed Mughal emperors to experience a sense of semi-wilderness near the imperial city of Lahore The wild reserve was used as a park where visitors could enjoy the sport of hunting.
After Lunch visit Old City, Shahi Hamam, Wazir khan Mosque, or Sunehri Masjid a relative latecomer to Lahore’s traditional cityscape, having been built in 1753 during the waning years of the Mughal empire by Nawab Bhikari Khan, the Deputy of Lahore during the tenure of Governor Mir Mu’in al-Mulk Mir Munoo. It stands on a small plot of land where one street diverges into two. When Nawab Bhikari Khan acquired the property.
Overnight Stay at a hotel in Lahore.
Day 03: Lahore – Kasur
After breakfast depart for the shrine of Hazrat Mian Mir, a famous Sufi from Emperor Akbar’s period who laid the foundation stone of the Sikh’s Golden Temple at Amritsar. While in Lahore, we also visit the three–tiered Shalimar Gardens spread across 42 acres with its network of water channels and over 400 fountains – one of the loveliest examples of Persian gardens in the world. We visit the shrine of the mystic Sufi Madho Lal Hussain nearby. Every year at the end of March this shrine is the venue for “Mela Chiraghan”, the festival of lights when devotees lit thousands of oil lamps.
Later drive to Kasur City (approx. 1 ½ hrs drive from Lahore) to Visit Hazrat Syed Abdullah Shah Qadri (RA) popularly known as Bulleh Shah (RA) was a Mughal-era Punjabi Islamic philosopher and Sufi poet. His first spiritual teacher was Hazrat Shah Inayat Qadiri (RA), a famous Sufi murshid of Lahore.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Lahore.
Day 05: Lahore – Pak Pattan – Multan
After breakfast Departure for Multan en route visit Shrine Pak Pattan (Ferry of the pure), the home of the 13th-century famous mystic, Baba Farid Shakkar Gunj, who belonged to the Chishtia order of dervishes and was a great scholar and an accomplished poet. Next to the shrine is “Bahishti Derwaza” (Heaven’s Gate). Those who walk through it are assured they will go to heaven. It is open only for the first 10 days of Muharram (1st month of the Islamic calendar). We will offer “Chaddar” (fancy cloth decorated with Quranic verses, offered as a symbol of respect to the shrine) in the company of Dhole (local drum) beaters. We will also listen to Qawali (Sufi Devotional Music) and mystic songs in praise of the departed saint.
Later drive to Multan. Overnight stay at a hotel in Multan.
Day 06: Multan
After Breakfast visit Multan with Ghanta Ghar Chowk, Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium and the Mausoleum of Shah Ali Akbar. Later visit of famous shrines of Shaikh Bahauddin Zakaria Multani, Shah Rukne Alam and Hazrat Shams Sabzwari Multan has more tombs of saints and Sufis gathered at one place than anywhere else on earth and is probably one of the oldest surviving cities in South West Asia. Later we will visit more shrines on the outskirts of Multan. We also visit the delightful open-air Hussain Agahi Bazaar, where traditional artisans sell glazed pottery, camel-skin products, textiles and embroidered shawls.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Multan.
Day 07: Multan – Uch Sharif – Bahawalpur
After Breakfast departure for Ouch sharif (approx. 2hr drive) impressive shrines in the Indian subcontinent. Uch, frequently referred to as Uuch Sharīf, is a historic city in the southern part of Pakistan’s Punjab province. Uch may have been founded as Alexandria on the Indus, a town founded by Alexander the Great during his invasion of the Indus Valley. Uch is one of the most important Sufi learning centers in the world.
On arrival visit to the Shrine of Bibi Jawandi was the great-granddaughter of the famous Sufi saint Jahaniyan Jahangasht whose spiritual legacy she carried forward with panache. Jahaniyan Jahangasht literally means one who wanders worldwide. That was realistic too as he traveled widely and left a lasting impression on South Asian Muslim Society. Later visit to Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari (RA).
Bukhari was known as surkh-posh (“clad in red”) because he often wore a red cloak. His life was spent traveling. As an Islamic missionary. Bukhari founded the “Jalali” section of the Suhrawardiya order of Sufi. He converted the Samma, the Sial, the Chadhar, the Daher and the Warar tribes of Southern Punjab and Sindh. Also, visit the Shrine of Baha’al-Halimand Shrine of Nuriya.
Later visit of Derawar Fort (approx 02 hrs drive) is a large square fortress in Pakistan near Bahawalpur. The forty bastions of Derawar are visible for many miles in the Cholistan Desert. The walls have a circumference of 1500 meters and stand up to thirty meters high. Enjoy a camel safari and visit King Graveyard.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Bahawalpur.
Day 08: Bahawalpur – Kot Diji Fort – Sukkur
After breakfast, departure for Sukkur (approx. 06 hrs drive) en route visit Kot Diji Fort.
The Kot Diji Fort, formally known as Fort Ahmadabad, is an 18th-century Talpur-era fort located in the town of Kot Diji in Khairpur District, Pakistan.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Sukkur
Day 09: Sukkur
After breakfast visit Seven Sisters Story (Sateen Jo Aastan at Rohri). There were seven sisters living in their big house in Rohri on the bank of the river Indus. From the beginning those seven sisters were always doing Parda (preventing to seen by a man) so any male couldn’t see them, it is also said that those seven sisters were extremely beautiful Afterwards visit Sadh Belo or Sat, is an island in the Indus River near Sukkur, Sindh, Pakistan that is famous for its highly revered Dharmic shrines The temples are associated with the syncretic Udasi movement, which had and maintains close associations with Sikhism. we hope to see the endemic Blind Dolphin as they jump through the river on way back from Sadh Belo later will go to visit another shrine in the city and also we will visit the minaret of the great Sufi Saint Masoom Shah and the bazaar of Sukkur.
Overnight Stay at a hotel in Sukkur.
Day 10: Sukkur – Mohenjo-Daro – Sehwan
After breakfast departure for Mohenjo Daro (Mound of Death) (approx. 02 hrs. drive), Mohenjo Daro was built around 2600 BC and abandoned around 1900 BC. It was rediscovered in 1922 by Rakhaldas Bandyopadhyay, an officer of the Archaeological Survey of India. He was led to a mound by a Buddhist monk, who believed it to be a stupa. In the 1930s, massive excavations were conducted under the leadership of John Marshall, K. N. Dikshit, Ernest Mackay, and others. John Marshall’s car, which was used by the site directors, is still in the Mohenjo-daro museum, showing their struggle and dedication to Mohenjo-Daro. Further excavations were carried out in 1945 by Ahmad Hasan Dani and Mortimer Wheeler. After breakfast departure for Hyderabad en route visit Hazrat Usman Marwandi, popularly known as Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, was a scholar, Sufi saint and religious poet of the Indian subcontinent. He is revered and respected by both Muslims and Hindus in the region since he preached religious tolerance between the faiths. very day, devotees come to this shrine to enjoy a sunset performance of the mystic Dhamal danced by the dervishes.
Later drive to Hyderabad and check-in. Overnight stay at a hotel in Hyderabad.
Day 11: Hyderabad – Halla
After breakfast departure for Bhit Shah Shrine en-route visit Halla, an old city with an oriented character, land walk through its covered bazaar that displays Sindhi Handicrafts, lacquer-work, tiles, pottery, block printed “Ajrak” and embroidery. Then we head to the city of Bhit Shah and its shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, the patron saint of lovers. Early each evening young men, hoping to meet their beloved. The shrine area is widely constructed with two main entrances on the Southern and northern sides. It is a place where Sufi music (Shah-Jo-Raag) is performed round the clock. It is a voice that connects the hearts of the people beyond the boundaries. If someone listens Shah-Jo-Raag, we would be citizen of a peace-loving global village because Shah teaches us the art of lovable relations with mankind. The echo of a beautiful voice is a form of language that conveys the message of peace and tolerance. It has the natural ability to connect the hearts of people and it works on bringing people together. The spiritual music (Shah-Jo-Raag) is a combination of beautiful voices that have true echoes for listeners to connect the hearts of people globally and become a peaceful citizen of the global village. It was the genuine endeavor of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai who established an institution of Shah-Jo-Raag. He made a circle-shaped sitting arrangement with a beautiful voice to convey to the global community connecting the hearts of people together.
Later drive back to Hyderabad. Overnight at a hotel Hyderabad.
Day 12: Hyderabad – Thatta – Karachi
After breakfast departure for Karachi.
En route visit Shah Jehan Mosque built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan between 1644 and 1647, and one of Pakistan’s most magnificent examples of Mughal architecture. Visit Zero Carbon Resort, Makli, one of the largest necropolises in the world, with a diameter of approximately 8 kilometers. Makli Hill is supposed to be the burial place of some 125,000 Sufi saints. Legends abound about its inception, but it is generally believed that the cemetery grew around the shrine of the fourteenth-century Sufi, Hamad Jamali. The tombs and gravestones spread over the cemetery are material documents marking the social and political history of Sindh. The Imperial mausoleums are divided into two major groups, those from the Samma (1352–1520) and Tarkhan (1556–1592) periods. The Tomb of the Samma King, Jam Nizam al-Din (reigned 1461–1509), is an impressive square structure built of sandstone and decorated with floral and geometric medallions. Similar to this is the mausoleum of Isa Khan Tarkhan II (d. 1651), a two-story stone building with majestic cupolas and balconies. In contrast to the syncretic architecture of these two monuments, which integrate Hindu and Islamic motifs, are mausoleums that clearly show the Central Asian roots of the later dynasty. An example is the tomb of Jan Beg Tarkhan (d. 1600), a typical octagonal brick structure whose dome is covered in blue and turquoise glazed tiles. Today, Makli Hill is a United Nations World Heritage Site that is visited by both pilgrims and tourists.
Afterward proceed to Bhambore, which are the ruins of an ancient port city of Debal from the 7th century located at the base of the river Indus. Bhambore’s population was mainly Hindu with a minority Buddhists. It is largely known for the ruins of a castle built by Muhammad Bin Qasim. Bhambore signifies the trading links between the Arab and South Asian nations of its times. The reason for the new city of Bhambore was that a few pirates had kidnapped a ship and a plea was filed with the Arab rulers in Baghdad (a major economic and military power then) in the region to rescue them. When diplomacy failed to release those people, an expedition was sent to the area under command of Muhammad Bin Qasim. With superior military might and planning, he was able to make an amphibious landing and established his presence here. One of the reasons cited for the success of this expedition is the unhappiness of the Buddhist population and it is believed they helped the coming invaders.
Chaukhandi Tombs, are attributed to the Jokhio and Baloch tribes and were built between the 15th and 18th centuries The Chaukhandi tombs are remarkable for the elaborate and exquisite carving; the style of architecture is not only typical to the region of Sindh but unique in the sense that it is nowhere else to be found in the Islamic world. In the early 20th century scholars were attracted by these particular types of graveyards in Sindh and Baluchistan with their orientation from South to North. These graves are constructed in buff sandstone. Their carved decoration presents exquisite craftsmanship. These tombs are embellished with geometrical hoard and motifs with figural representations such as mounted horsemen, hunting scenes, arms, jewelry, etc.
On arrival transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay at a hotel in Karachi.
Day 13: Karachi
After breakfast proceed to visit the historical building and the most revered premises in Karachi, the Mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam M. A. Jinnah. Built entirely of white marble, its impressive dome, North African arches, magnificent crystal chandeliers of Chinese origin, copper grills, silver grave railing and changing of the guards lend it an air of serenity and solemnity. Later visit of National Museum of Pakistan, which contains an important collection of items relating to Pakistan’s ancient heritage. Well-arranged galleries display Indus Civilization, Gandhara sculptures, Islamic art, miniature paintings ancient coins and manuscripts all Documenting Pakistan’s history. An interesting ethnological gallery can be seen as well. Continue to visit the State Bank of Pakistan Museum & Art Gallery is a museum that was established in 2004 to introduce the first Monetary Museum of Pakistan. The current State Bank of Pakistan Museum & Art Gallery building, which was previously the Imperial Bank of India, is a Greeco Roman building in Jodhpuri Red Sandstone constructed in the 1920s by the British government. In 2004, the State
Bank of Pakistan decided to re_adopt this building as a museum, and work on the projects started in 2006 was devoted to the conservation of the building and acquisition of the collection Later visit of Mohatta Palace, admired for its lively Mughal air, and also known as Qasr-e-Fatima because of its association with Fatima Jinnah, the sister of M.A. Jinnah. Fatima Jinnah lived in this house from 1964 until her death in 1967.
Mohatta Palace was built in the late 1920‟s and has been recently refurbished in 1927, Shiv Rattan Mohatta, a successful Marwari entrepreneur, commissioned a palatial house in the affluent seaside neighborhood of Clifton. Mohatta had made his fortune as a ship handler and trader. The architect commissioned for his palace, Ahmed Hussein Agha, was one of the first Muslim architects of India and had come from Jaipur to take up an assignment as chief surveyor for the Karachi Municipality. Ahmed Hussein Agha designed a number of buildings in Karachi but Mohatta Palace was to prove the coup de maitre of his professional career. Working in a Mughal revival style with a combination of locally available yellow Gizri and pink stone from Jodhpur, he sought to recreate the Anglo-Mughal palaces of the Rajput princes.
Suggested dinner at Do Darya restaurants or Port Grand. Overnight Stay at a hotel in Karachi
Day 14: Departure
After breakfast drop by Karachi airport or your location in Karachi.