Place in Punjab, Pakistan
Channan Pir is a village in the Punjab province of Pakistan, it is named after a Sufi saint and contains his tomb. It is located between the Derawar and Din Gargh forts[1] and lies a few kilometres from Yazman town, and in the start of the Cholistan desert. It remains a cherished sanctuary, revered by Hindus and Muslims for centuries.[2]
History
Channan Pir's origin is traced back to a saint, Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari, who prophesied the birth of a prince to the childless King Sadharan.[2] The prince, named Channan due to his beauty, recited the Islamic Kalma, resulting in his exile.[2]
Narratives differ post-exile: some say Channan disappeared when assassins arrived, others claim he grew into a saint.[2] Despite the variations, all stories end with Channan's disappearance, death, or burial on a mound, rendering it a revered site.[2]
Attempts to construct a mausoleum repeatedly failed due to collapses, lightning, or foundational issues, leading locals to refrain from further attempts.[2] A nearby tree, considered Channan Pir's mother's resting place, serves as a symbolic vessel for devotees' wishes.[2]
Salman Rashid connects the site to Ctesias's Indica, which narrates about a place of celestial worship resembling the Channan Pir festival's timeline.[2] The increasing number of annual visitors, regardless of their faith, underscores the site's role as a fulcrum for expressing human desires for divine intercession.[2]
Festival
It is a centre of the spiritual and cultural heritage of Yazman and Cholistan. The annual Channan Pir festival, spanning seven Thursdays, culminates on the fifth week.[2][3]
Pakistan