Uch, the ancient city of saints is situated in the Bahawalpur district. Full of historical values, the city has its own spiritual and traditional values. For five thousand years ago, Uch was an important hub of trade, as well as army. However, now Uch only has old tombs and graveyards. The importance of Uch is not less than Moenjodaro and Harappa.
Uch is one of the oldest city of country with respect to business and trade. In 738 Hijri, the famous explorer Ibn-e-Batoota came here. At that time it was an agriculturally rich land, as was mentioned by Ibn-e-Batoota himself who also praised its cultivation, expanse, fine trade and strong, beautiful buildings.
This city also remained through the ages, a potent symbol of knowledge. This is the same city where in the period of Kabbacha, the greatest university of Ferozia was established. The great historian Hazrat Allama Minhaj Siraj taught here. Monasteries, like Gazronia and Jamalia were also familiar of their respective ages. When Syed Jalal-ud-din Bukhari came here another monastery with the name of Jalalia was founded there.
Uch has been the centre of different deens and religions. During the Sumerian civilization, idol worship was in vogue. With the arrival of Aryan civilization, and later on the Iranian civilization, deity worship and fire worship were promoted respectively. Then came Buddhism and Hinduism. And then in the 6th century Islam came. Various sects e.g. Ahl-e-Sunnat and Shiatt flourished along with some other small sects.
Once this city was spread over an area of 34 sq/miles. Whereas now it has contracted into 4 sq/miles with a population of no more than 50 thousand. Great Saraiki poets, a predominant language of the area, flourished in this city. they include, Hazrat Khawaja Ghulam Farid, Sultan Bahu, Suchal Sar Masat and Shah Hussain.
Over the millennia, various civilizations made Uch the cradle of their civilization. However, it were the Aryans who really made this mark in this place. Sub-divided into five tribes, the Aryan nation finally settled at the rendezvous of the five rivers, today called the Punjanad. Aryans established most of their villages at the brinks of the rivers. At Uch also, they were settled at the brink of the river Gagra (Ghaghara), which is also called the last river fo Indus Valley.
When Alexander came, he conquered and constructed Iskandaria. However, this city did not last for long for when Muhammad Bin Qasim sowed the seeds of Islam in the region, he not only abolished the fort of Iskandaria, but also installed Utba Bin Salma Tameemi as the first governor of Uch. In Sindh the Umayyad sovereignty came to its end with the end of Abdul Rehman.
On his invasions, Mahmood Ghaznavi conquered and made Uch the capital. In 571 Hijri Shahab-ud-din Ghori invaded Uch and conquered its forts.
When the people of Uch refused to obey Jalaludin Khuarzam Shah, in retaliation he put this city on fire. Thereafter Kabacha chased him and defeated him. Kabbacha ruled here over 22 years. He also held his throne here for the said period
When the famous explorer Ibn-e-Batoota came here, Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq ruled the land. Thereafter, Uch’s colourful history, Jalaudin Kichi was made its governor during Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq’s period. In the period of Feroz Tughluq the Hindu ruler Nawahoon was its governor, who was killed by Hazrat Sadar-ud-din Raju Rajan Kataal, the younger brother of Makhdoom Jahanian Jahangasht.
The dynasty of Sadaat came in to rule, and its last king Alau-ud-din was incompetent. Hence the people of Uch and Multan selected Sheikh Muhammad Yousaf as king who was the successor of Hazrat Bahawal Haq Zikria Multani.
Shahjahan and Aurangzeb also had their share of rule here. After Nadir Shah, Ahmad Shah Durani surrendered area to the local Nawab Ameer Muhammad Sadiq Khan Abbasi.
The introduction of Uch remains incomplete without the mention of saints and tombs e.g. Hazrat Jalal-ud-din Bukhari, Bibi Jiwandi, Bahawal Haleem and Nouria.
HAZRAT JALAL-UD-DIN BUKHARI: Hazrat Jalal-ud-din Bukhari, the great saint of Uch born in Bukhara in 595 Hijri. He first came to Multan to get spiritual education from Hazrat Baha-ud-din.
He came to Uch in 641 Hijri where remained for the rest of life. He died in 690 Hijri.
TOMB OF BIBI JIWANDI: This tomb was built in AD1494 by Muhammad Dilshad of Khorasan. It is the unique monument of its kind in Uch. The personage laying buried here was the pious lady Bibi Jiwandi, the great daughter of Jahanian Jahangashat. The tomb was built on an octagonal base. The monument is profusely and brilliantly decorated with mosaic in white, blue and green colours. In AD1817 a devastating flood destroyed almost half of it.
TOMB OF BAHAWAL HALEEM: The tomb of Bahaal Haleem was built during the middle of 14th century. He was a prominent literary figure of his time and a celebrated teacher in Madrsa-e-Bahaya, Uch. He was also the teacher of Jahanian Jahangasht. The tomb is built of massive walls. The single dome above it is raised on a smaller drum and arched windows. Wide band of tiles and fine mosaic on the exterior brick surface enhance the beauty of tomb structure.
TOMB OF NOURIA: It is believed that this tomb is of the architect who built the adjoining two tombs. The tomb is raised on square base surrounded by octagonal drum.
Uch, the ancient city of saints is situated in the Bahawalpur district. Full of historical values, the city has its own spiritual and traditional values. For five thousand years ago, Uch was an important hub of trade, as well as army. However, now Uch only has old tombs and graveyards. The importance of Uch is not less than Moenjodaro and Harappa.
