Channan Pir
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. The prince, named Channan due to his beauty, recited the Islamic Kalma, resulting in his exile.
Narratives differ post-exile: some say Channan disappeared when assassins arrived, others claim he grew into a saint. Despite the variations, all stories end with Channan's disappearance, death, or burial on a mound, rendering it a revered site.
Attempts to construct a mausoleum repeatedly failed due to collapses, lightning, or foundational issues, leading locals to refrain from further attempts. A nearby tree, considered Channan Pir's mother's resting place, serves as a symbolic vessel for devotees' wishes.
Salman Rashid connects the site to Ctesias's Indica, which narrates about a place of celestial worship resembling the Channan Pir festival's timeline. 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.
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.
References
- ^ "Places Around Bahawalpur, Channan Pir - PTV". Archived from the original on 2008-04-11.
- ^ Miraj, Muhammad Hassan (December 27, 2013). "Channan Pir". DAWN.COM.
- ^ Singh, Sarina (2004). Pakistan & the Karakoram Highway. Lonely Planet. p. 154. ISBN 978-0-86442-709-0. Retrieved 17 March 2011.