The Bahwani Lagharis claim their descent. Several members of this family served the Kalhoras (1700-1783). The descendants of noblemen still narrate stories eulogizing their bravery which they displayed in the battlefields. Some excelled in the administrative matters and others in battles.
Shah Baho Laghari was a khalifo (deputy) of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro and a member of the top advisory council which was then called ‘Shahi or Shah group’ within the Mianwal Tariqa of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro. He remained very close to Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro. His advice was sought during the battles which were fought against the Panhwars and the Mughal Nawabs.
There were 360 khalifas of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro. Many of them are buried in the necropolis of Mian Nasir Muhammad. Shah Baho was also buried in the necropolis of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro. In fact, Mian Yar Muhammad Kalhoro is believed to have erected the tombs for the Shahi group and the soldiers and generals of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro. The tomb of Shah Baho is located southwest of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro’s mausoleum.
The tomb of Jaro Faqir
The south-western side of the graveyard contains the tombs of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro’s Laghari disciples. Shah Baho’s tomb is conspicuous from a distance. The tomb is erected on a low podium. The main archway of the tomb opens to the south. The conical dome rests on an octagonal drum. Corner kiosks surround the dome. It enshrines a single grave of Shah Baho. The tomb is noted for its conical dome which resembles Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro’s mausoleum. Since Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro was a Sufi, the dome over his grave is symbolic of a Sufi kullah. It is noteworthy that all the tombs built later imitated the tomb of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro. There are two possible reasons. It is a symbolic relationship between a Faqir (disciple) and Mian (mentor) which is reflected in the architecture. The second explanation could be the spiritual relationship between the Faqir and Mian which is again reflected in the dome surmounting the graves of the disciples. The disciples who died in the distant land and dead bodies could not be brought for burials to the necropolis of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro imitated the dome of their mentor. This practice continued when even the Kalhora dynasty was supplanted by the Talpurs. Even today, some devotees wish that after their death their tombs should imitate the tomb of their mentor.
Necropolis of Bahwani Lagharis near Qasbo, Johi
Therefore, the tomb, though built by Mian Yar Muhammad Kalhoro, imitated the dome of Mian Nasir’s mausoleum. According to Muhammad Umar of Qasbo village, a descendant of Shah Baho, Shah Baho had two sons Pahar Faqir and Jaro Faqir.
Pahar Faqir was the eldest son of Shah Baho who served Mian Yar Muhammad Kalhoro. It so happened that Mian Yar Muhammad Kalhoro had appointed him as an administrator of Qasbo and Gaj area in Johi. He used to arrest criminals and punished them accordingly. There was a prison in Qasbo village where he used to hang the criminals. Due to some domestic problems between the families of Jaro Faqir and Pahar Faqir, the latter could not pay much attention to the criminal activities in the region under his control.
The sad part of the story is that the son of Pahar Faqir killed the son of Jaro over some land dispute. When this news reached Mian Yar Muhammad Kalhoro, he called both the parties. Mian Yar Muhammad Kalhoro sacked Pahar Faqir and instead appointed Jaro Faqir as a new administrator of the area.
Lime plastered graves in the necropolis of Bahwanis
Pahar Faqir died in the reign of Mian Noor Muhammad Kalhoro and was buried in the necropolis of the Bahwanis, which lies about 2 km south of Qasbo village in Johi tehsil of Dadu District. The necropolis is situated on the right bank of the old course of Gaj Nai. It is a brick-built canopy which is located south of the necropolis where his descendants’ lime-plastered graves are also located. The canopy of Pahar Faqir is erected on a square platform. It is an octagonal structure superimposed with a conical dome resembling the dome of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro’s mausoleum. However, the plaster of the dome has come off. The canopy lies in a very bad state of preservation. The finial which once surmounted the dome is also broken. It enshrines a single grave of Pahar Faqir. The interior of the canopy is adorned with floral and figural patterns. But only the traces of the paintings can be seen now. This is a very small structure. Such similar octagonal and contemporary structures are found in the graveyards of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro, Mir Allahyar Khan Talpur, Murid Dero, Muridani Jamali, Pat Suleiman, Shah Faqir Rodnani and Araro in Khairpur Nathan Shah and Johi tehsils of Dadu District.
Canopy of Pahar Faqir
Close to the canopy are several lime-plastered graves erected on the platforms. The graves of family members are erected on common platforms. There are at least 30 such lime-plastered graves erected over platforms that belong to the Paharani lineage of the Bahwani Lagharis.
Qasbo was an important town in the Kalhora period
Jaro Faqir was also an administrator of Qasbo and the Gaj valley. Mian Yar Muhammad Kalhoro had replaced his brother Pahar Faqir when Mian Yar Muhammad sacked the latter. He maintained law and order in the region very wisely. And he also constructed some watchtowers in Gaj valley by the order of Mian Yar Muhammad Kalhoro. In order to keep an eye on the Brohis of Khuzdar, who frequently invaded the villages which were under the dominion of Mian Yar Muhammad Kalhoro. Mian Yar Muhammad Kalhoro had also posted some soldiers there. The graves of those soldiers are located in the necropolis of Hayat Faqir in Gaj valley.
Kalhora period mosque at Qasbo, Johi
Qasbo was an important town in the Kalhora period. The mosque of the Kalhora period (1700-183) is still extant in Qasbo although it lost its original beauty due to frequent renovations.
He died during the reign of Mian Noor Muhammad Kalhoro. The tomb of Jaro Faqir is located in the necropolis of Bahwanis. He was believed to have built the tomb during his lifetime. It is a brick-built canopy but is larger than Pahar Faqir’s canopy. It is a twelve-pillared, which is erected on a raised platform as compared to the canopy of Pahar Faqir which is erected on a low platform. It enshrines a single grave which belongs to Jaro Faqir. The canopy lies in a dilapidated condition. The dome of the canopy has caved in. Only the drum of the canopy is still extant.
Close to the canopy are several lime-plastered chaukhandi graves erected on a common platform which belong to the descendants of Jaro Faqir. At present, the Bahwani Lagharis live in Qasbo, Dittal, and other villages in Johi taluka of Dadu District.
Apart from the tombs and the chaukhandis of the Bahwnani Lagharis, there are lime plastered chaukhandi graves of Shahwani Lagharis too. The necropolis also contains the shrine of Chhato Faqir Shahwani. He was the son of Shaho Faqir Laghari and was a disciple of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro. He belonged to the Surandai group of the Mianwal Tariqa. There is a popular love story of Mai Madan Kaur and Chhato Faqir which was well narrated by Bhai Khan Laghari of Qasbo who died last year.
According to Bhai Khan Laghari, Chatto Faqir fell in love with a Sikh lady named Madan Kaur who was from Qasbo. When the father of Mai Madan knew about the love story of his daughter and Chhato Faqir, he left his three-storeyed Maari (mansion) and migrated to Johi which was then a small village. After a few days, when Chatto Faqir came to know of this, he was heartbroken. He was an accomplished fiddle player, so his friends asked him in a joke that he should keep playing surando until Mai Madan heard it. According to legend, it was not possible that the music of Surando could reach to her house in Johi village, but Chhato Faqir who was intoxicated in the love of Mai Madan started playing the Surando (fiddle). He kept palying day and night and his condition started to worsen. Mai Madan heard about the worsening condition of Chatto Faqir and she came back to Qasbo from Johi to meet her beloved Chatto Faqir Laghari. Afterwards, both decided to get married. Today, the Maari of Mai Madan does not exist now but the remains of Tikaney waro Khuh (name of the well) which was before the Maari is still extant. The grave of Mai Madan Kaur is located near the grave of Chhato Faqir in the necropolis of the Bahwanis.
Local people venerate him and have placed chadars (cloths) over his graves. The descendants of Chhato Faqir live in the Shahwani village which lies about 2 km south of Qasbo.
The tombs of the Bahwani Lagharis are in a dilapidated condition. They need to be preserved by the authorities concerned before they become history.
The writer is an anthropologist. He may be contacted at zulfi04@hotmail.com
