hrines are important revered sites in many villages and towns of the Rawalpindi district, significantly contributing to the region’s cultural landscape. These places attract numerous devotees and visitors, particularly during special occasions and events when rituals and communal gatherings take place.

In nearly every village in the district, there is a shrine dedicated to an adept associated with a recognised Sufi order, known for its teachings and mystical practices. Alternatively, some shrines are devoted to mystics who, while revered in their own right, lack formal ties to established Sufi traditions. This diversity illustrates the rich tapestry of spiritual beliefs and practices that characterise the local communities, underscoring the deep connection between the people and their spiritual heritage.

One such village having several shrines associated with established Sufi orders is Bagga Sheikhan, located three kilometres southwest of Rawat on the Rawat-Chak Beli Khan Road in Rawalpindi tehsil. Among the notable shrines in the village is one dedicated to Khwaja Qazi Mohsinuddin Chishti Sabiri, who belonged to the Janjua tribe. His grandfather, Qazi Mustafa, had migrated from Sangra village, about 15 km south of Bagga Sheikhan, and settled there. The graves of Qazi Mustafa and his son, Qazi Abdullah, are located in the old graveyard of the village.

As part of my research on village shrines in Pothohar, I have visited Bagga Sheikhan several times. During a recent visit, I documented additional shrines, including that of Khwaja Qazi Mohsinuddin Chishti Sabiri. There, I met Qazi Ahzar Manzoor, the sajjada nashin (custodian) of the darbar of Khwaja Qazi Mohsinuddin Chishti Sabiri. In our interview, Qazi Ahzar Manzoor shared insights about his family’s history and the legacy of Khwaja Qazi Mohsinuddin Chishti Sabiri. He mentioned that Qazi Abdullah, a prominent landlord and a well-educated individual in the village, had two sons: Qazi Mohsinuddin and Qazi Mohkamuddin. Qazi Mohsinuddin was into livestock trade in the Murree and Rawalpindi regions.

It is believed that Qazi Mohsinuddin met Khwaja Fazluddin Shah Chishti Sabiri twice before becoming his devour murid. He was formally initiated into the Chishti Sabiri order in his third meeting with Khwaja Fazluddin. The shrine of Khwaja Fazluddin Shah is located in Kalyam Sharif, in Rawalpindi’s Gujar Khan tehsil, and remains a revered site for his devotees. Khwaja Fazluddin Shah Chishti Sabiri Kalyami (d. 1891) was a leading khalifa of Khwaja Hafiz Muhammad Sharif Khan Chishti Sabiri.

Khwaja Hafiz Muhammad Sharif Khan Chishti Sabiri had come to Kalyam Sharif from Delhi under the instructions of his spiritual mentor, Khwaja Syed Mazhar Ali Shah Jalalabadi. Khwaja Syed Mazhar Ali Shah was a renowned Chishti Sabiri mentor of Jalalabad in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district. He passed away in 1244/ 1828–29 and was buried in Jalalabad. He was associated with the Chishtiyya-Sabiriyya branch established by Khwaja Shaikh Muhammad Chishti Sabiri (d. 1099/ 1687-88), the son of Shaikh Muhammad Sadiq. Khwaja Shaikh Muhammad’s elder brother, Shaikh Daud Gangohi (d. 1095/ 1684), too, was a celebrated Sabiri adept of Gangoh Sharif in Punjab’s Ambala district.

Khwaja Hafiz Muhammad Sharif Khan Chishti Sabiri, a distinguished deputy of Syed Mazhar Ali Shah Jalalabadi, settled in Kalyam Sharif, Gujar Khan, where he spread the Chishtiyya-Sabiriyya order. He passed away in Kalyam Sharif and was buried there. His deputy, Khwaja Fazluddin Shah Chishti Sabiri, later had an impressive tomb built over his grave.

The shrines of Khwaja Fazluddin Shah Chishti Sabiri and some of his prominent deputies are located in various villages and towns across Pothohar. Among his notable disciples were Khwaja Pir Sultan Mahmood, also known as Kala Pir (Ferozepur, Indian Punjab); Sain Muhammad Hussain Chishti Sabiri, alias Sanghori Walay (Kalyam Sharif); Maulvi Abdul Sattar Chishti Sabiri (Kalyam Sharif); Khwaja Mian Muhammad Hussain Chishti Sabiri (Mari Bagial); Qazi Mohsinuddin Chishti Sabiri (Bagga Sheikhan); Khwaja Syed Amir Ali Shah Chishti Sabiri Kalyami (Kalyam Sharif); Qazi Imamuddin (Phalina); Sain Mian Barkatullah (Chahari); Sain Badar Din (Murree Road, Rawalpindi); Sain Fazal Din (near Sihala); and Sain Allah Ditta Chishti Sabiri, among others.

I have visited many of the shrines of Khwaja Fazluddin Chishti Sabiri’s deputies and disciples in the Rawalpindi district, exploring their historical and spiritual significance.

In nearly every village in the district, there is a shrine dedicated to an adept associated with a recognised Sufi order, known for its teachings and mystical practices.

Qazi Mohsinuddin, like his fellow deputies, played a significant role in spreading the Chishtiyya-Sabiriyya teachings in Rawalpindi and other districts of the Punjab. According to Qazi Azhar Manzoor, Khwaja Qazi Mohsinuddin travelled with his spiritual master to various locations in the Punjab, including Lahore and Pakpattan.

Soon after his initiation into the Chishtiyya-Sabiriyya order, Khwaja Qazi Mohsinuddin began preaching at Masjid Malkan, the oldest mosque in Bagga Sheikhan village. He dedicated most of his time to promoting and teaching the principles of the Chishtiyya-Sabiriyya order while also managing his livestock trade, balancing his spiritual responsibilities with his economic pursuits. Qazi Mohsinuddin passed away in 1931. He had three sons: Ghulam Fareed, Qazi Fazl Hussain and Qazi Abdul Aziz. Ghulam Fareed died in his childhood. Qazi Abdul Aziz, too, passed away at a young age.

Qazi Fazl Hussain had three sons: Qazi Muhammad Afzal, Qazi Muhammad Akram and Qazi Muhammad Sharif. Qazi Muhammad Akram is believed to have been the first khalifa and sajjada nashin of the darbar dedicated to Khwaja Qazi Mohsinuddin Chishti Sabiri, continuing his grandfather’s legacy. He passed away in 1950, leaving behind three sons: Qazi Manzoor Ahmad, Qazi Habib Ahmad and Qazi Aziz Ahmad.

The second sajjada nashin of the darbar was Qazi Manzoor Ahmad. Following his death in 1983, his son Qazi Azhar Manzoor succeeded him. Qazi Manzoor had seven sons: Qazi Zahoor Ahmad, Qazi Azhar Manzoor, Qazi Javed Manzoor, Qazi Ghulam Muinuddin, Qazi Ahmad Raza, Qazi Hamid Raza and Qazi Ijaz Raza.

The tomb of Khwaja Qazi Mohsinuddin Chishti Sabiri was constructed by his disciple, Mistri Abdur Rahman, in 1940. The tomb has a square layout with a verandah and features two entrances: one on the south and the other on the east. The façade prominently displays the names of Qazi Mohsinuddin and his spiritual master, Khwaja Fazluddin Shah Chishti Sabiri.

Inside the tomb are three graves: those of Qazi Mohsinuddin, his brother Qazi Mohkamuddin and Mistri Abdur Rahman. The interior is adorned with decorative glasswork, which replaced murals during a renovation. This form of glass decoration is characteristic of the tombs of Sufi elders in Rawalpindi and various districts of the Punjab, where it has largely replaced the wall paintings that once adorned the tombs of the Pothohar plateau.

Adjacent to the western wall of the tomb there is the grave of Qazi Muhammad Akram, the first khalifa and sajjada nashin of Khwaja Qazi Mohsinuddin Chishti Sabiri. Near the eastern doorway of the tomb, there are several other graves. One of those belongs to Maulvi Fazl Dad. The Urdu inscription on the grave reads: “Maulvi Fazl Dad khadim (servant) Fazluddin Kalyami.” Maulvi Fazl Dad passed away on January 14, 1944.

To the east of the tomb is the grave of Master Ameer Alam Chishti Nizami, the grandson of Khwaja Qazi Mohsinuddin Chishti Sabiri. The remaining graves in the vicinity belong to the followers of Khwaja Qazi Mohsinuddin Chishti Sabiri, reflecting the enduring legacy of his spiritual influence.

To the south of the tomb of Khwaja Qazi Mohsinuddin Chishti Sabiri there are several graves belonging to his family members. These include Qazi Muhammad Sharif (d. 1981), the son of Qazi Fazl Hussain; Qazi Mehboob Ahmad (d. 2009), the son of Qazi Muhammad Sharif; Qazi Aziz Ahmad Chishti Sabiri (d. 2021), the son of Qazi Muhammad Akram Chishti Sabiri; Qazi Manzoor Ahmad Chishti Sabiri (d. 1983); and Fazl Jan (d. 1990), the wife of Qazi Muhammad Akram Chishti Sabiri, among others.

Bagga Sheikhan is an important centre for the Chishti Sabiri order. Every year, on January 8, the Chishti Sabiri elders from Bagga Sheikhan village take a doli (palanquin) from the shrine of Khwaja Qazi Mohsinuddin Chishti Sabiri to celebrate the urs of their spiritual mentor, Khwaja Fazluddin Shah Chishti Sabiri, at Kalyam Sharif. They spend one night at the shrine complex of Khwaja Fazluddin Shah Chishti Sabiri and return to Bagga Sheikhan on January 9. This tradition, established during the time of the first sajjada nashin, continues today under the current sajjada nashin, Qazi Azhar Manzoor.

The writer is an anthropologist. He has authored 16 books on Pakistan’s cultural heritage and anthropology. He tweets @kalhorozulfiqar and may be contacted at zulfi04@hotmail.com