Pakpattan
Pakpattan, often referred to as Pākpattan Sharīf, is an ancient, historic city in the Pakistani province of Punjab, serving as the headquarters of the eponymous Pakpattan district. It is among the oldest cities in Asia and ranks as the 48th largest city in Pakistan by population, according to the 2017 census. Pakpattan is the seat of the Sufi Chisti order in Pakistan, and a major pilgrimage destination on account of the Shrine of Baba Farid, a renowned Punjabi poet and Sufi saint. The annual urs fair in his honour draws an estimated 2 million visitors to the town.
Etymology
Pakpattan was originally known as Ajodhan until the 16th century. Ajodhan may be a Sanskrit term that can be interpreted as "eternal wealth" or "eternal prosperity," with Aja meaning "unborn" or "eternal" and Dhana meaning "wealth" or "prosperity." It is believed that the name of the city has changed over time, and anecdotally, it may have been known by various names prior to being called Ajodhan.Pakpattan derives its current name from the combination of two Punjabi words: Pak, meaning "pure," and Pattan, meaning "dock"; this name references a ferry service across the Sutlej River, frequented by pilgrims visiting the Shrine of Baba Farid. The ferry symbolized a metaphorical journey of salvation, with the saint’s spirit guiding believers across the river.
During the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal eras, including the reigns of Akbar and Aurangzeb, the city continued to be known as Ajodhan. However, as the shrine of Baba Farid grew in significance, the name "Pakpattan" gained popular use and eventually eclipsed the older name. Akbar’s Ain-i-Akbari mentions the region, indicating that both names—Ajodhan and Pakpattan—were likely used interchangeably in local and administrative records.
Geography
Pakpattan is located about 205 km from Multan. Pakpattan is located roughly from the border with India, and by road southwest of Lahore. The district is bounded to the northwest by Sahiwal District, to the north by Okara District, to the southeast by the Sutlej River and Bahawalnagar District, and to the southwest by Vehari District.History
Ancient
Pakpattan, located in the fertile plains of Punjab, Pakistan, is believed to have roots that trace back to the Sarasvati-Indus Valley Civilization, one of the world's oldest urban cultures, located in the Northern area of the Indian subcontinent. Although Pakpattan is widely recognized for its medieval history, its geographical proximity to Harappa, a major center of the Sarasvati-Indus Valley Civilization, suggests that the area may have been part of this ancient network of settlements. Harappa, situated approximately 40 kilometers from Pakpattan, has yielded extensive archaeological evidence of a highly developed urban society characterized by advanced trade, agriculture, and infrastructure.The Sutlej River, which flows near Pakpattan, played a significant role as a waterway for early civilizations, further supporting the likelihood of human habitation in the region during the Sarasvati-Indus Valley period. While no specific remains of this civilization have been discovered in Pakpattan itself, its location and environmental advantages suggest that it was likely connected to the broader cultural and economic networks of the time. This potential link adds depth to Pakpattan's ancient heritage, emphasizing its historical significance beyond its later medieval prominence.
During the Vedic period, the region now known as Pakpattan was part of the Sapta Sindhu, the "Land of Seven Rivers," prominently mentioned in the Rigveda as the cradle of early Indo-Aryan civilization. The area was traversed by the Sutlej River, known in Vedic times as the Shatudri, one of the sacred rivers of the Sapta Sindhu region. This era saw the composition of the Vedas and the establishment of a society centered on pastoralism and agriculture. The region was inhabited by tribes mentioned in the Rigveda, such as the Purus, Druhyus, Anus, Turvasas, and Yadus, who engaged in intertribal conflicts and alliances that shaped the cultural and political landscape. Vedic society in the area was patriarchal and organized into clans led by tribal chiefs. Religious practices focused on rituals and the worship of natural forces and deities such as Indra, Agni, and Varuna. The Sutlej River played a vital role in sustaining the inhabitants and influencing the region's spiritual and cultural significance in early Vedic civilization.
Pakpattan, originally known by its Hindu name Ajodhan, was founded as a village and has a deep-rooted Hindu history that predates its prominence as a Sufi center. Ajodhan was the location of a ferry service across the Sutlej River, which rendered it an important part of the ancient trade routes connecting Multan to Delhi. As an ancient settlement in the Punjab region, Ajodhan was historically significant in Hindu culture and served as a place of trade, pilgrimage, and cultural exchange. Hindu temples and shrines once marked the landscape, catering to the religious practices and rituals of local communities. The town was part of a broader network of settlements along these trade routes in northern India, which allowed Hindu traditions to flourish alongside the development of diverse communities.
With the advent of Islamic rule and the influence of Sufi saints, particularly Baba Farid in the 12th century, Ajodhan would eventually become a center of Islamic spirituality, overshadowing its Hindu roots. Nevertheless, the legacy of Hinduism would remain embedded in local folklore and traditions, blending with the area's Sufi heritage to reflect Pakpattan’s rich, layered history.
Medieval
10th–11th Century
Given its position on the flat plains of Punjab, Ajodhan was vulnerable to waves of foreign invasions from the Middle East and Central Asia that began in the late 8th century. It was captured by Sebüktegin in 977–78 CE and by Mahmud Ghaznavi in 1029–30.12th–13th Century
Turkic settlers from Central Asia also arrived in the region from as a result of persecution from the expanding Mongol Empire, and so Ajodhan already had a mosque and Muslim community by the time of the arrival of Baba Farid, who migrated to the town from his native village of Kothewal near Multan around 1195. Despite his presence, Ajodhan remained a small town until after his death, although it was prosperous given its position on trade routes.Baba Farid's establishment of a Jamia Khana, or convent, in the town where his devotees would gather for religious instruction is seen as a process of the region's shift away from a Hindu orientation to a Muslim one. Large masses of the town's citizenry were noted to gather at the shrine daily in hopes of securing written blessings and amulets from the convent.
Upon Baba Farid's death in 1265, a shrine was constructed that eventually contained a mosque, langar, and several other related buildings. The shrine was among the first Islamic holy sites in South Asia. The shrine later served to elevate the town as a centre of pilgrimage within the wider Islamic world. In keeping with Sufi tradition in Punjab, the shrine maintains influence over smaller shrines throughout the region around Pakpattan that are dedicated to specific events in Baba Farid's life. These secondary shrines form a wilayat, or a "spiritual territory" of the Pakpattan shrine.
14th Century
''Role of the Tughlaq Dynasty''
During the Tughlaq dynasty's reign, Ajodhan, gained prominence due to its association with the revered Sufi saint Baba Farid. Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq, the dynasty's founder, frequently visited Baba Farid's shrine, reflecting the site's spiritual significance. His son, Muhammad bin Tughluq, also maintained a close relationship with the shrine, commissioning the construction of a grand mausoleum for Baba Farid's successor, Sheikh Alauddin Mauj Darya, which became a notable example of Tughlaq architecture. Following Sheikh Alauddin's passing in 1335, this tomb solidified the site's historical and spiritual importance. This patronage not only enhanced the shrine's status but also elevated the city's importance as a center of Sufism during the Tughlaq era.In addition to constructing the mausoleum, the Tughlaq rulers, including Muhammad bin Tughluq and his successor Firuz Shah Tughlaq, undertook repairs and enhancements at the Shrine of Baba Farid. They granted ceremonial robes to honor Baba Farid's descendants and fostered a strong association between the Tughlaq court and the shrine. This patronage not only elevated the shrine's status but also reinforced Pakpattan's role as a key center of Sufism during the Tughlaq era.
Ibn Battuta's travels to Ajodhan
The renowned 14th century Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta visited the town in 1334 during his travels through the Indian subcontinent, and paid obeisance at the Baba Farid shrine. In his travel accounts, Battuta described Ajodhan as a prominent center of Sufism, emphasizing the local population's deep reverence for the teachings of Baba Farid, who had died several decades prior to his visit. Ibn Battuta was notably moved by the spiritual ambiance of the town and observed the devotion with which people visited Baba Farid's shrine, which was already established as a major pilgrimage destination at the time. His accounts provide valuable insight into the medieval importance of Pakpattan as a spiritual and cultural center in the region. Battuta also mentioned witnessing the practice of sati in Ajodhan, describing the ritual where a widow immolated herself on her deceased husband's funeral pyre as a custom of honor among some locals.
Further conquests and Timur's entry
In 1394, Shaikha Khokhar, a chieftain of the Khokhar tribe and former governor of Lahore under Sultan Mahmud Tughlaq, led a siege on Ajodhan. This occurred during a period of political instability following the decline of the Tughlaq dynasty, as Shaikha sought to expand his influence across Punjab.
In the late 14th century, the Central Asian conqueror Timur launched a campaign through the Indian subcontinent, capturing and often devastating cities along his path. Historical accounts suggest that in 1398, as Timur’s forces approached Ajodhan, he learned of the revered shrine of the Sufi saint Baba Farid and the deep veneration held for him by the local community. Acknowledging Baba Farid’s spiritual significance, Timur visited the shrine to pray for strength and, out of respect for the saint’s legacy, spared the town’s remaining inhabitants who had not fled his advance. During Timur's 1398 invasion, numerous inhabitants of Ajodhan and Dipalpur, fearing his advancing forces, fled their cities and sought refuge in the fortified town of Bhatner, believing that Bhatner's strong defenses and remote location would offer protection from invaders. In his memoir, Timur recorded: