MULTAN: The shrine of Hazrat Delair Bahu, a saint and devotee of Hazrat Sultan Bahu, needs immediate attention of the authorities concerned for its preservation as a monument.

The shrine is located in Mohallah Kumharan Kalaan, Ward No3, Street No6, inside Daulat Gate, just opposite the historical Dars Wali Masjid where prominent religious and spiritual personalities of subcontinent, including Hazrat Nizamuddin Oliya and Baba Fariduddin Gunj Shakar, received education.

Although the shrine was not included in the list of 52 monuments of the city to be preserved under the prime minister’s five-year special development package for the city announced in 2008, a private consultant firm conducting preliminary survey and studies for a conservation and restoration plan for the historical monuments, wrongly mentioned it as the shrine of Hazrat Banga Bilal, another saint who was buried in Multan.

Though the firm mentioned in its survey report that the shrine of Hazrat Banga Bilal was located opposite the tomb of Saeed Qureshi, the picture it had attached with document is of Hazrat Delair Bahu’s shrine and even prepared PC-I for its conservation.

An inscription on the front door of the shrine mentions the death year of the saint as 1248 AH (1832 AD).

According to Rifat Sultan, the shrine caretaker, the saint was a great devotee of Hazrat Sultan Bahu and was a landlord of Chinot.

Quoting a local myth, Mr Sulatn says one night as the saint was asleep at Sultan Bahu’s shrine he was ordered by his spiritual mentor to move to Multan. As the saint reached on the bank of the river Chenab, a boatman refused to take him across for not having fare. The myth says the saint crossed the river without any boat to reach Multan while the boatman who had refused him a ride struck in the middle of the river and was rescued by the saint.

Another myth says the governor of Multan Dewan Sawan Mal, who had turned the saint’s devotee after witnessing a ‘miracle’, had got constructed his shrine after his death.

The saint’s tomb is in square shape with four turrets -- one at each corner -- capped by decorative lotus buds. Inside the tomb there is only saint’s grave located in a square room with wooden roof. However, there are some other graves around the shrine.

The original embellishments at the shrine have either succumbed to ravages of time or are buried beneath various layers of plaster later added to its walls.

Mr Sultan said rainwater seeping into the foundations of the shrine was damaging the structure.

The firm in its proposal had recommended rediscovering of the elements of the shrine, besides its restoration to its original form.

Archeology department in charge Malik Ghulam Muhammad said the monument was not protected under the Punjab Special Premises Act, 1985.

“However, the preservation of the monument could be done on the provision of funds,” he added.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2014