Multan is the famous city of the Southern Punjab in Pakistan. One of the most glorious and historic monument of Multan is the tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam which was constructed around 14th century. This mausoleum is visible from miles due to its magnificent tomb. Shah Rukn-e-Alam was a renowned sufi saint of the Indian Sub Continent who was the son of Pir Sadar-Al-Din Arif. He was born at Multan on Friday, 26th November 1251. Shah Rukn-e-Alam was the grandson and the successor of Shaikh Baha-u-Din Zakariya.
The Tomb of Shah Rukn e Alam ( Image : Khalil-ur-Rehman Waleed )
The tomb or the Mausoleum is an octagon structure 51 feet 9 inches in diameter internally, with walls 41 feet 4 inches high and 13 feet 3 inches thick, supported at the angles by sloping towers. Over this is a smaller octagon 25 feet 8 inches, on the exterior side, and 26 feet 10 inches high, leaving a narrow passage all round the top of the lower storey for the Moazzan, or public caller to prayers. The whole is surmounted by a hemispherical dome of 58 feet external diameter. The total height of the building, including a plinth of 3 feet, is 100 feet. As it stands on the high ground, the total height above the road level is 150 feet. Later, the interior was decorated by the brickwork done by the Kashigars of Multan.
The Tomb of Shah Rukne Alam: A close up view by Nazir Ahmad Shah
According to the historians, the tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, Multan was built by Ghias-u-Din Tughlaq and since then this fabulous tomb attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year.