Shrine of Khwajah Awais Khagga

The Khawaja Awaits Khagga tomb is located in a cemetery in Dera Basti, Multan, about 1.6 km southwest of the old city center. It was probably built around the year 1300, corresponding with the death of Khawaja Awais Khagga, a noted Sufi wali. Ahmad Nabi Khan, the eminent architectural historian, mentions that the tomb`s foundation stone was laid by Shah Rukn-e Alam, which is consistent with the early 14th century date. The tomb is square in plan with tapered corner turrets (called guldastas) and a prominent dome. The formal layout is essentially identical to the Ismail Samani Mausoleum in Bukhara, dating from the 10th century, which makes use of similar features in baked brick. The resemblance is likely more than coincidence as architects in 13th century Multan were in the process of experimenting with various types of domed mausoleum with corner towers. The exterior of Khawaja Awais Khagga`s tomb makes extensive use of blue and white glazed tiles that prominently cover the corner towers and portions of the facades. The use of blue-glazed tiles as a decorative element was a distinctive feature of the Indus valley, beginning with early Multan tombs such as that of Shah Yousuf Gardezi. Curiously, the main axis of the building is on the south side even though the main entrance appears at first glance to be located on the east. However, the east entrance is actually a window that cannot be opened. South-facing entrances are unusual in Islamic architecture in South Asia as the usual practice is to enter from the east (facing Mecca) and depart from the opposite direction, signifying the expansion of Islam into the wider world. The south-facing entrance and the accompanying vestibule are strongly reminiscent of the plan of the Rukn-e Alam. According to Hasan Ali Khan, the tradition of south-facing entrances in Multan is typical of Suhrawardi Sufi tombs and signifies the order`s acceptance of multi-faith traditions (via the Satpanth, originating with Shams Sabzwari) that permitted axiality at odds with the usual Muslim precedent. At Khawaja Awais Khagga`s tomb, the west-facing Qibla is angled to the southwest in keeping with orthodoxy so that the occupant may face directly toward Mecca when praying inside the domed chamber.