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Among the several ancient cities of
Pakistan, Uchchh stands out more prominently whose birth,
adolescence and climax is identified with religious ferver and
spiritual piety. It was eehoed In the hymns of the Hindu Vedas
sung in veneration of Ushas, the beautiful young goddess of Dawn
who ushered with the Sun god from the East every morning to
announce the day dawn: Soon thousands of sacred bells rung, in
chorus chrils from her abodes. the shadowy temples located In far
and near corners of the city. Uchchh is a corrupted form of Ushas,
they say! Also Uchchh is associated with the visitation of
Alexander the Macedonlan. He is known to have founded an
Alexandria around here In the name of his beloved Queen. This is a
romantic story yet to be testified by sober history, or by the
spade of archaeology.
Later still Uchchh was found under the sway of a petty chief,
Buddhist or Brahman (?) under the powerful yoke of the Ra'is of
Sindh. It would have been spotted by the Arab army under Muhammad
Bin Qasim and later. formed part of Arab Eremite of Banu Sama or
of t he I sma'i1ls. However, no mention of it is found In the
annals of early Islam And then suddenly the all-forgotten Uchchh
springs up as a metropolis of the Kingdom of Nasir u'd-Din Qubacha
whose rule lasted for well over twenty-two years.
Although he had to face and thwart onslaughts of Mongols,
Khwarazmis and lastly of his own father-In-law. The twilight of
power and prosperity ended turning our historic Uchchh a land of
dust and ruins.
However. saints and religious luminaries made it a centre of
spiritual excellence. The great unique services of Jahaniyan
Jahangasht are too well known. He trained and sent from here his
devoted disciples to t he nook and corner of the Subcontinent to
propagate I slam The efforts succeeded in bringing thousands to
the fold. While Qubacha, and elite of his court built numerous
religious and secular edifices to adorn the city, the saints and
their admires created mosques, Khanqahs, madrasas and tombs. They
were significant examples of brick-cum-wood architecture clad with
colourful tilery, evincing all-abiding influence of Central Asian
art, but possessing their own characteristics.
The present work attempts at covering these aspects In details,
based on original or authoritative sources. The description of
architectural monuments accompanies monochrome and polychrome
photographic plates as well as line drawings of plans, elevations
and sections of more prominent undertakings.
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Born In 1933, archaeologist and
architectural historian, Dr. Ahmad Nabi Khan was educated at the
University of the Punjab and the Department of Architecture of the
Rome University. He received training in the field of archaeology. museology. numismatics and epigraphy, and preservation and
restoration of archaeological sites and historic monuments in the
Pakistan Department of Archaeology. the British Museum, the
Victoria and Albert Museum, London. and the International Centre
for Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property in Rome
(Italy). He has been participating in archaeological excavations
and explorations, and heading projects of conservation and
restoration of historical sites and monuments. He has attcnded
numerous national and international conferences. symposiums and
deliberations on history. culture and archaeology. He was elected
Rapporteur to the International Symposium on the Preservation of
Moenjodaro (Moenjodaro: 1973). and International Symposium on
Preservation of Islamic Architectural Heritage (Lahore 1980). Both
organized under the auspices of the UNESCO 'and the Government of
Pakistan. He has been Fellow of several national and international
learned and scientific societies like Royal Asiatic Society
(London). International Institute of Conservation (London), Royal
Numismatic Society (London). Socictie Asiatique (Paris).
His main interest has been Muslim
Archaeology and Muslim architecture to which he has contributed
numerous research papers and monographs. His published works
include: Iran and Pakistan: The Story of Cultural Relationship
Through tho! Ages (1971); Uchchh: History and Archito!ctllre
(1980): Maryam Zamani Mosque: Histmy and Architecture (1972); and
Multan: History and Architecture (1982). Throughout his career. he
has been working in the Department of Archaeology, Government of
Pakistan, with a brief period of two years when he worked as a
Principal Research Fellow in the Institute of Islamic History.
Culture and Civilization of the Islamic University, Islamabad
(1980-82). He also worked as Director of Conservation Projects in
the Auqaf Department of the Government of Punjab (198386). and
Director-General of Archaeology and Museums, Government of
Pakistan (1978-1994). |
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