MULTAN: The Punjab government is all set to restore and rehabilitate the historical tomb of Fateh Khan Joiya in Mailsi tehsil, Vehari district.

Feteh Khan was the progenitor of the Joiyas, a Rajput clan mentioned as the Yaudheys in Mahabharata as well Sanskrit philologist Panini’s texts.

“The restoration and rehabilitation of the tomb will cost over Rs7 million. The work will start as soon as the scheme is approved and funds are released,” said Malik Ghulam Muhammad, the head archaeology department in Multan.

He said a proposal for the scheme had been sent to the provincial information secretary and the work would start soon after its approval.

He said Fateh Khan Joiya was the founder of village Fatehpur, located 15km on the south of Mailsi city. The semi-independent state of Fatehpur was founded by the Fateh Khan Joiya.

According to Multan gazetteer, he had revolted against Sher Shah Suri who sent Multan Governor Haibat Khan Niazi to Joiya who fled from Pakpattan and settled Fatehpur.

According to local legends, after settling in Fatehpur, Joiya, a Rajput, refused to pay revenue to Ali Hussain, the subedar of Khai, a historical village in Vehari, who was living in Shitabgarh. Ali Hussain attacked Joiya and there was a battled between their armies at Haleem Khichi in which Hussain was killed.

Daulat Khan Joiya and his descendants (the Daultanas) became the rulers of the area and until 1754 when Amir Mubarak Khan Abbasi attacked and conquered the area, making it a part of the Bahawlalpur state.

Fateh Khan Joiya’s tomb is located in the middle of an old graveyard and it indicates the 15th century construction of monument like the tomb of Sakhi Dalail in Chak 184-WB of tehsil Mailsi.

Malik Ghulam Muhammad said the design of the mausoleum was same as that of the mausoleum of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya Multani.

“The first storey is square and there is a fine recessed brick work on the door. There are three openings from east, north and south of the tomb while the western side has a mehrab. Some features of old door are visible like pendants’ over doors.”

Mr Malik said the restoration work on the tomb included underpinning with undressed brick masonry and with fine dressed brick masonry in lime surkhi mortar, reconstruction of missing dome with brick masonry, thick damp proof course (DPC) with two coats of hot bitumen. removing algae and washing of dirty surface of fine masonry from its exterior, installation of shisham wood door as per the original existing design approved by competent authority, shisham wood work over doors and squinches and some other places as per existing size, shisham wood pendants in squinches and arches as per existing design, average Kankar lime plaster on dome with glazed lime plaster and lime terracing on top of parapets and passages on first and second storeys.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2019