Uch Sharif

Uch Sharif, 75 km from Bahawalpur is a very old town. It is believed that it existed 500 BC. Some historians believe that Uch was there even before the advent of Bikramajit when Jains and Buddhist ruled over the sub-continent.

Uch Sharif History:

At the time of the invasion by Alexander the Great, Uch was under Hindu rule. Certain historians say that Alexander came to Uch after conquering northern parts of India and spent over a fortnight in they city and renamed it Alexandria. Some have mentioned Uch by the name of Sikandara or Iskalanda.

They have described it as the most flourishing and beautiful town perched upon the plateau near the confluence of the Chenab and Ravi rivers.
They have described it as the most flourishing and beautiful town perched upon the plateau near the confluence of the Chenab and Satluj rivers. the famous shrines existing at Uch include those of Hazrat Bahawal Haleem, Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh Bukhari, Makhdoom Jahanian Jahangasht, Shaikh Saifuddin Ghazrooni and Bibi Jawanadi. The shrine of Bibi Jawandi is a central asian design, titled in the blue and white faience. Uch is a small town today and divided into three different quarters known as (i) Uch Bukhari, after Hazrat Syed Jalaluddin Bukhari Surkhposh, (ii) Uch Jilani, after the name of Hazrat Shaikh Mohammad Ghaus Qadri Jilani (Bandagi), who came from Halab in 887 AH, (iii) Uch Mughlan after the Mughal rulers.
At the confluence of the Sutlej and the Chenab is the historic town of Uch. HOW OLD IS THE UCH? No one knows but traces of Uch are found when Alexander the Great came to Uch after conquering the northern parts of India and spent over a fortnight in the city and renamed it Alexandria. That is why the town is often mentioned as Sikandara or Iskalanda. Uch is famous for shrines ornamented with blue mosaic like the ones in Multan.
The famous shrines include those of Makhdoom Jahanian Jahangasht, Shaikh Saifuddin Ghazrooni and Bibi Jawandi.

The tomb of Bibi Jawandi is the most completing, octagonal in shape, titled in the blue. For the reverence of great saints buried here, the town is respectfully named as Uch Shareef. Bibi Jawandi, the great granddaughter of the saint Jahaniyan Jahangasht, was known for her piety.

Her tomb is considered one of the most important, and the most ornate, sites in the town of Uch, which was the centre of Sufism under the Delhi sultanate. In plan it is octagonal on the exterior, with the interior walls angled to form a circle. The thick walls rise to two stories, transforming by way of squinches into a sixteen-sided drum upon which a dome sits, supported by bell-shaped brackets. Both the interior and exterior walls are decorated with a profusion of faience revetment. The tomb is in poor condition. The tomb dates back to 1494 approximately.