Mian Mir Burial Site
Mian Mir Burial Site

After the construction of Shahjahanabad, Shah Jahan's new capital at Delhi, and the consequent eclipse of Lahore, traffic along the Grand Trunk road returned to its earlier southeasterly alignment from the Delhi Gate of the Walled City. This southeastward alignment, marked in Mughal times by kos minars (distance-markers), persisted until the Sikh conquest of Punjab, which made the northeasterly route to and from Lahore to the holy city of Amritsar important again

Dara Shikoh with
Mian Mir and Mulla Shah
Dara Shikoh with Mian Mir and Mulla Shah
One of the key settlements along this southeasterly alignment, in the farthest suburbs of Lahore, was a community known as Mian Mir, named for the famous Sufi saint buried there in 1635. The Mian Mir area acquired special spiritual significance for the Mughal dynasty during the governorship of Prince Dara Shikoh, who sought advice from Mulla Shah, a disciple of Mian Mir. Over time, the sites established in the Mian Mir area achieved a remarkable synthesis of Mughal and Sufi tradition.
Devotees at Mian Mir Site
Devotees at Mian Mir Site

The central site in this area is naturally the shrine of Mian Mir. The shrine is square in shape, green in color, and elevated above the stone courtyard. On Thursday evenings and the `urs (death-day anniversary) of Mian Mir it has hundreds of devotees, qawwali singers, drummers, and harmonium players. The courtyard has entrances to the north and south with a mosque on its western side. To the east, within the courtyard, lie graves of close relatives and disciples, while an expansive graveyard extends to the south and west outside.
Tomb of Nadira Begum
Tomb of Nadira Begum
Further east, on axis, is the tank and tomb of Nadira Begum. Despite numerous traditions to the contrary, Nadira Begum was a wife of Dara Shikoh. She was buried in a tank-pavilion which resembles a garden in some respects and the Hiran Minar in others. Today the tomb appears to be set within a garden, but it was originally situated in a tank much like that at the Hiran Minar in Sheikhupura. The tank was exactly 200 by 200 Mughal gaz in size. The "tomb" has the form of a central square pavilion which faces due west toward the shrine of Mian Mir. As at Nur Jahan's tomb, Nadira Begum's pavilion has an open character and may have been converted to a tomb after her death. Mulla Shah also built the famous Pari Mahal school-garden in Kashmir.
Graveyard near Mian Mir
Graveyard near Mian Mir

To the south of the shrine of Mian Mir is a large graveyard (qabristan) with diverse notables including one Nateh Shah, who had special powers with respect to weather and meteorological phenomena (e.g., rain). Of great relevance to the subject of Mughal garden history is the shrine-garden of Mulla Shah, further to the west. Mulla Shah was a disciple of Mian Mir and spiritual preceptor of Prince Dara Shikoh, who built the tomb-garden for this saint in what constitutes a very rare example of synthesis between Sufi and Mughal tomb-garden design.

Conservation Update: Several quadrants of the Nadira Begum complex have been landscaped. Although the plantings were not based on archaeological sources, the population of Lahore enjoys the shade, flowering shrubs, and grass lawns at the site. The Mian Mir tomb complex is well-maintained on account of its spiritual significance, as is the Mullah Shah tomb-garden. A marble apron has been added around the tomb, and the ablution area has been finished with glazed tiles.