Field guides / Punjab / Lala Rukh's Tomb
Field guide · Heritage
Lala Rukh's Tomb
Lala rukh tomb is situated at Hasan Abdal near Hakim`s tomb, present name is misleading as the monument has not been known as such, in the past.
The early 19th century English travelers like Elifinstone and William Moor-craft and even Alexander Cunningham visiting it in 1888 CE do not call it Lala Rukh`s tomb. The tomb seems to have been christened as lala Rukh`s tomb` only after the publication of Thomas Moor`s Lala Rukh, published from London in 1846 CE. The cenotaph built in variegated sand stone stands on a high platform amidst a large enclosure which is approached through a door on the west. The remaining part of the wall was, constructed in 1952-53 with coursed rubble stone masonry and cement mortar was laid.
Why go
- ✦Named after a poem, not after anyone buried here
- ✦Cenotaph of variegated sandstone on a high platform
- ✦Recorded by Elphinstone, Moorcroft and Cunningham — none of whom used this name
- ✦At Hasan Abdal, beside Hakim's Tomb
History
Early nineteenth-century travellers including Mountstuart Elphinstone and William Moorcroft recorded the monument, as did Alexander Cunningham on his visit in 1888 — and none of them called it Lala Rukh's tomb. The cenotaph is variegated sandstone on a high platform within a large enclosure entered from the west. Part of the enclosure wall was rebuilt in 1952–53 in coursed rubble with cement mortar.
Historical Significance
A documented case of a literary name displacing a monument's real identity — which is now lost.
Why Visit
Come for the sandstone and the puzzle. Nobody knows whose tomb this is.
Interesting Facts
- The name comes from Thomas Moore's poem Lalla Rookh, not from any occupant
- Elphinstone, Moorcroft and Cunningham all recorded it without using this name
- The real identity of the person buried here is unknown
Planning tip
Best Time to Visit, October to March.
Getting there, Strung along the Grand Trunk Road between Rawalpindi and Attock, roughly 40–80 km west of Islamabad. Hasan Abdal's monuments cluster together and pair naturally with Taxila.
Allow, Twenty to forty minutes each; a half day for the Hasan Abdal and Attock group.
What to Do
Make Lala Rukh's Tomb Part of a Trip
GreenPak resorts within reach, and the journeys that travel this region.
Nearby
Straight-line distance from Lala Rukh's Tomb, within 30 km.
