n Tando Allahyar district, Shadiyon Walhar village has a history reaching back several centuries. Its historic mosque is believed to have been built by Mian Wali Muhammad Walhari, a descendant of Makhdoom Mian Sabir Walhari, an eminent Naqshbandi Sufi of the region.

To understand the context, it is necessary to begin with Makhdoom Mian Sabir Walhari (d. 1135 AH/ 1722-23 CE). He belonged to the Barand lineage of the Samma tribe of Sindh.

His father, Makhdoom Usman, was a learned scholar who migrated from Thatta to what is now the Walhar region of Tando Allahyar. According to Dr Nabi Bakhsh Khan Baloch, author of Rihan Hiran Kha’an, the Walhar region now encompasses Chambar, Sanjar Chang, Pak Sanghaar, Dalu and Balga’o in present-day Tando Allahyar district.

Dr Baloch states in Rihan Hiran Kha’an, Vol. 10, that Makhdoom Usman had three sons: Makhdoom Mian Sabir Walhari, Mian Mehran and Mian Ikram. Makhdoom Mian Sabir Walhari became the most eminent scholar in the family. He received his early education from Miyon Amin of Dassori, another prominent Naqshbandi Sufi of the Eighteenth Century.

After completing his studies, Makhdoom Mian Sabir Walhari established a Naqshbandi khanqah and madrasa at Kandyari, near present-day Shadiyon Walhar, where his descendants live today. His reputation spread and people from surrounding areas came to seek his guidance and become his disciples.

Many people also enrolled at the newly established madrasa and the khanqah. By the late Seventeenth and early Eighteenth Centuries, the Kandyari seminary in Walhar had become one of the most important Naqshbandi centres in Sindh.

Makhdoom Mian Sabir Walhari had two sons, Makhdoom Mian Muhammad Ma’ruf and Mian Faqir Muhammad, both of whom he taught. Makhdoom Mian Ma’ruf later became an eminent Naqshbandi Sufi of the region.

Today, only a few monuments survive at Kandyari, where Makhdoom Mian Sabir Walhari established his madrasa and khanqah. Neither institution has withstood the passage of time and the elements. Their remains can still be seen south of the tombs of Makhdoom Mian Sabir Walhari and Makhdoom Mian Ma’ruf.

Once a prosperous and flourishing Naqshbandiyya centre, Kandyari is now primarily a pilgrimage site for the Sufis’ followers and descendants. The site contains the tombs of Makhdoom Mian Sabir Walhari and members of his family. Locally, these are known as Makhdoom Mian Ma’ruf Ja Quba (the tomb of Mian Ma’ruf).

The tombs are about 25 kilometres southeast of Tando Allahyar town and 8 kilometres east of Shadiyon Walhar, where the mosque is located and where Makhdoom Mian Sabir Walhari’s descendants now live.

Two tombs and a mosque stand at the site of Mian Ma’ruf Ja Quba. The tomb of Makhdoom Mian Ma’ruf, after whom the site is named, is a square structure with two arched entrances, opening to the east and west. It contains two graves. The east-facing grave belongs to Makhdoom Mian Ma’ruf, who, according to the inscription on his grave, died in 1762.

He was an eminent Naqshbandi Sufi. The west-facing grave belongs to his son, Makhdoom Mian Maqbul, who died in 1800. Like his father, he was a celebrated Naqshbandi Sufi adept.

The colourful tiles and calligraphy make the intrados one of the mosque’s most striking features.

According to Mir Ali Sher Qani, author of Tuhfat al-Kiram, three eminent Naqshbandi Sufis belonged to the Walhar region: Makhdoom Mian Sabir Walhari, Makhdoom Mian Ma’ruf Walhari and Makhdoom Mian Maqbul Walhari.

After the decline of the prosperous Kandayari, where the seminary and khanqah of the Walhari mystics were located, the family of Mian Maqbul, the grandson of Makhdoom Mian Sabir Walhari, moved to Shadiyon Otho village, located 8 kilometres west of the tombs. Today, Shadiyon Otho village is known as Shadiyon Walhar.

As noted above, Shadiyon Walhar is known for its magnificent mosque. The original mosque was small and built of unbaked brick. Later, Mian Wali Muhammad Walhari, son of Lutuf Ali, commissioned the present structure. Mian Wali Muhammad Walhari was the grandson of Dost Ali, who was the son of Mian Ghulam Muhammad (d 1164 AH/ 1751 CE), son of Makhdoom Mian Ma’ruf.

The mosque is entered through a south-facing portico adorned with blue glazed tiles. From the portico, one enters a spacious courtyard, its floor decorated with green glazed tiles. Much of the lustre of the tiles has, however, faded.

Two massive corner minarets rise from the thickness of the walls, both decorated with blue tiles and terminating in small domes. The lower portions of the minarets are in poor condition, with much of the tilework damaged and its lustre lost.

The slender minarets rise from the central doorway to the parapet of the building. Adorned with tiles, they remain in fairly good condition. Decorative bands on either side of the doorway enhance the mosque’s façade. Two horizontal bands lend it an overall sense of grace. The parapet is decorated with tiles bearing floral patterns.

The central doorway leads into the mosque’s main prayer hall. Its entrance is set within a tall, recessed pointed arch richly embellished with glazed tiles. Its most striking feature is the beautifully decorated intrados, covered in vivid shades of blue, turquoise, green and white.

A series of smaller pointed arches runs along the intrados, each filled with colourful floral bouquets. Flowing floral and vegetal patterns occupy the spaces around them. Interspersed among these designs are calligraphic panels bearing sacred names and invocations, including Ya Allah, Ya Rahim and Ya Muhammad, as well as the names of the four Caliphs: Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Umar, Hazrat Usman and Hazrat Ali (with whom Allah was pleased).

Bands of leaves and flowers follow the curve of the arch, framing the decoration. The colourful tiles, floral designs and sacred calligraphy make the intrados one of the mosque’s most striking features.

The floor of the mosque is decorated with glazed blue tiles. The interior of the prayer hall presents a striking combination of painted ornament, Quranic verses, Persian poetry and architectural detail. The wall decoration is arranged in two distinct zones. The lower section features a series of shallow arched panels, with the arches and spandrels enlivened by graceful floral and vegetal motifs. Above them, the upper walls are adorned with rectangular panels containing Quranic verses, Persian poetry and intricate floral, vegetal and geometric designs. Together, these elements create a rich visual rhythm across the walls.

The ceiling is equally impressive, with ceramic tiles arranged between brightly painted girders and iron rafters, adding another layer of colour and decoration to the prayer hall. The interplay of painted ornament, ceramics and colourful structural elements gives the interior its distinctive character and visual splendour.

One of the panels bears an inscription recording the builder’s name and the year of completion. The builder appears to be Mian Wali Muhammad Walhari. The date given is 1335 AH (1916-17 CE).

Another painted panel depicts a decorative fruit dish filled with an assortment of fruits in vivid shades of red, yellow, green, blue and brown. The arrangement forms the centre of the composition and is flanked by flowering plants with curling stems and colourful blossoms.

A further panel depicts an ornately decorated ewer flanked by two large, brightly coloured fruits, possibly melons, each placed on a decorative pedestal or dish. Nearby, another panel shows a large watermelon on an ornate pedestal dish, with a knife inserted into the upper part of the fruit – an intriguing touch of everyday life within the mosque’s elaborate decorative scheme.

Still another painted panel shows objects associated with prayer and daily religious practice, including a rosary (tasbih), prayer rug, miswak and a beautifully decorated ewer.

The Jamia Masjid of Shadiyon Walhar is one of the most magnificent mosques in Tando Allahyar, showcasing the district’s artistic and architectural heritage. Most historic mosques in the district, renowned for their ceramic and wall-painting decoration, have been renovated or rebuilt. Despite past renovations, the Jamia Masjid has retained much of its original character, preserving a remarkable link with its glorious past.

The writer is an anthropologist and associate professor at PIDE, Islamabad. He has authored 19 books on Pakistan’s cultural heritage and anthropology. He tweets @kalhorozulfiqar. He may be contacted at [email protected]