Makli Necropolis | Iconic Series | One Eleven Group

 Spread over an area of 10 square kilometres lies one of the world’s largest funerary sites. Makli necropolis hosts nearly 1 million highly decorated graves, interred over a period of 400 years and dates back to 600 years. Kings, poets, Sufi saints, scholars and common folk all lie in the same graveyard, albeit some with grander surroundings than others, even in death.



Makli necropolis lies almost 6 kilometres away from Thatta, the historic capital of lower Sindh.The sufi saint, poet and scholar Shaikh Jamali had a mosque and khanqah (Sufi gathering site) at the location where Makli is currently based. He was eventually buried there. His devoted follower, 14th century Samma ruler Jam Tamachi venerated the saint and also wished to be buried near him, thus starting the tradition of Makli being used as a funerary site.

The funerary architecture of these monuments synthesizes Muslim, Hindu, Persian, Mughal, and Gujarati influences, in the style of Lower Sindh that became known as the Chaukhandi style, named after the Chaukhandi tombs near Karachi. The Chaukhandi style came to incorporate slabs of sandstone that were carefully carved by stonemasons into intricate and elaborate designs. Men’s graves often feature carvings of animals, warriors and weapons, as well as highly decorated verses from the Quran. Graves of females show engravings of flowers, jewellery etc.

Makli Necropolis was designated a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1981, however the graves have been damaged by siltation, encroachment and poor site management. Private organizations like Heritage Foundation of Pakistan are actively working on bridging the gap between government authorities and conservation work needed for the Makli necropolis. The immense value of this heritage site should be conserved for future generations to learn about the history of the region. Makli remains iconic as one of the largest graveyards in the world.

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