Field guides / Punjab / Tomb of Mai Mehrban
Field guide · Heritage
Tomb of Mai Mehrban
The unfinished tomb of Mai Mehrban in Multan, a three-stage brick tomb built in imitation of the great tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam.
The tomb of Mai Mehrban in Multan was never finished. It is built of small local bricks laid in mud mortar, in the usual Multani way. Like the famous tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, which it imitates, it rises in three stages. The walls outside are set with recessed arched panels framed by recessed friezes. The second stage is really the drum of the hemispherical dome, which is finished in lime plaster.
Why go
- ✦An unfinished tomb in the Multani style
- ✦Modelled on the tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam
- ✦Recessed arched panels on the walls
- ✦A hemispherical dome on a tall drum
History
Who Mai Mehrban was is not recorded in the published sources. The tomb copies the 14th-century tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, so it was built after it, but no firm date is known. It is listed as PB-111.
How to Reach
In Multan city; use the map on this page. It is in a built-up area, so go by car or rickshaw.
Planning tip
Best Time to Visit, November to February; Multan is one of the hottest cities in Pakistan from April to September.
Getting there, In Multan city; use the map on this page. It is in a built-up area, so go by car or rickshaw.
Allow, About 20 minutes.
What to Do
Nearby
Straight-line distance from Tomb of Mai Mehrban, within 5 km.
