The Tahir Khan Nahar tomb is a late 15th-century octagonal brick tomb in Sitpur (also spelt Seetpur), in Alipur tehsil of Muzaffargarh district, built by a local ruler in his own lifetime and modelled on the tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam in Multan. Its walls are banded with glazed blue, white and yellow brickwork, and a three-domed mosque by the same patron stands beside it. Sitpur lies about 100 km south of Muzaffargarh city, between the Indus and the Chenab, so it is a long day trip from Multan rather than a quick stop.
The district gazetteer calls the tomb and mosque the only antiquities in Muzaffargarh district. This guide covers the Nahar rulers, what to look for on both buildings, the drive, and what else is nearby.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Where | Sitpur (Seetpur), Alipur tehsil, Muzaffargarh district |
| From Muzaffargarh | About 100 km, by the road south through Alipur |
| Built | Late 15th century; the gazetteer gives 1475 |
| Patron | Tahir Khan Nahar, ruler of the Nahar territory |
| Style | Multan school, after the tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam |
| Height | About 45 feet on a raised octagonal platform |
| Mosque | Three domes, beside the tomb's south-east corner; still in use |
| Best months | November to February |
Who was Tahir Khan Nahar?
The Nahars were an offshoot of the Lodhi family. According to the Muzaffargarh district gazetteer, in 1455 Sultan Bahlol Lodhi of Delhi granted land in this area to his relative Islam Khan Lodhi, who took the title Nahar and set up an independent state covering parts of today's Alipur tehsil, Dera Ghazi Khan district and northern Sindh. Multan at the time was ruled by the Langah sultans, and the Nahars held the riverine country to its south-west.
Tahir Khan was Islam Khan's grandson. The gazetteer says he extended the territory considerably, earned the name Sakhi, the generous, and built the tomb and the mosque during his own lifetime at the close of the 15th century. The town's importance outlasted the family: Akbar's survey, the Ain-i-Akbari, lists Sitpur as a pargana of the Multan province, and Mughal records refer to it as "Sitpur of the Nahars".
What does the tomb look like?
The tomb follows the pattern of the Multan school, and the comparison with Shah Rukn-e-Alam's tomb (finished around 1320) is clear once you have seen both. It is smaller, but built on the same idea: a heavy octagon with sloping corner towers, a second octagonal stage, and a hemispherical dome on top. Wikipedia describes it as three-storeyed.
Details worth looking for, as recorded by the Pakistan heritage survey site Pakheritage:
- Brick throughout. It is built entirely of fired brick, with glazed brick and glazed terracotta plugs for decoration.
- Corner turrets. Each corner of the lower stages has a sloping tower topped by a small turret.
- Glazed bands. All eight sides carry interlacing patterns and horizontal bands of glazed brick in cobalt blue, sky blue and white, with yellow, which is unusual in this region.
- Arches and screens. Each face is framed by a four-centred arch holding either a doorway or a pierced terracotta screen (jali), with the mihrab on the west side.
- The interior. The octagon becomes a sixteen-sided chamber inside, carrying the dome.
The tomb stands on a raised octagonal platform and reaches about 45 feet. Wikipedia records it as protected by the federal government.
The Shahi Mosque of Sitpur
The mosque stands just to the south-east of the tomb and is still used for prayers. The Federal Department of Archaeology describes three bulbous domes, the central one larger than the two on either side, glazed tilework in geometric and floral patterns, three mihrabs in the western wall, and a courtyard about 24 m east to west and 18 m north to south. It is owned by the Auqaf department.
Its date is uncertain. The gazetteer puts both buildings at 1475, while Wikipedia gives the mosque as about 1530. The area around the mihrab has been re-clad in modern tiles that copy older motifs, so look at the outer walls for original work. Dress modestly, remove shoes, and avoid prayer times.
What condition is it in?
Not good. An Associated Press of Pakistan photo report described the tomb as neglected, with fading tiles and decaying outer walls. In September 2021 the Punjab archaeology department invited bids for conservation of the tomb at a cost of Rs 20 million, as one of three South Punjab monuments in the same tender. We could not find a report confirming when, or whether, that work was completed, so you may find scaffolding, fencing, or simply a weathered building.
There is no ticket office or visitor centre that we could confirm. Opening hours are not published; daylight is the practical window.
How do you get to Sitpur from Multan?
- Multan to Muzaffargarh, across the Chenab, the usual way out of Multan to the south-west.
- Muzaffargarh to Alipur, south through the farmland of the doab between the Indus and the Chenab.
- Alipur to Sitpur, the last stretch; ask for Seetpur or "Tahir Khan ka maqbara".
The gazetteer gives the whole run from Muzaffargarh as about 100 km. Allow a full day from Multan with time for both buildings, and go with your own or a hired car; we could not confirm public transport that reaches the site conveniently. This is low-lying river country, so after a heavy monsoon check that roads around Alipur are open before you set out.
Summer in this part of Punjab is extremely hot. November to February is the comfortable window, though winter mornings can be foggy.
What else is nearby?
- Shah Rukn-e-Alam's tomb, the model for this one. See it first in Multan and the comparison makes sense; our Shah Rukn-e-Alam tomb guide has the details.
- Panjnad Headworks, the barrage where the five rivers run as one, a riverside stop in the same corner of Punjab; see our Panjnad Headworks guide.
- Uch Sharif, with its tile-covered tombs, on the far side of the Panjnad. Our Uch Sharif guide covers it.
For more around the city, our Multan day trips guide and experiences page have other ideas.
Is it worth the drive?
For people interested in the Multan style of tomb-building, yes: it is a pre-Mughal glazed-brick tomb in that style well away from Multan and Uch, and it sees few visitors. Seeing a mosque and tomb by the same 15th-century patron side by side is unusual.
For a general sightseer it is a long round trip for two buildings in uncertain condition. If you have only one day around Multan, the city's own shrines will give you more for the time.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the tomb of Tahir Khan Nahar?
In Sitpur (Seetpur), a town in Alipur tehsil of Muzaffargarh district, south Punjab, about 100 km south of Muzaffargarh city.
When was the Tahir Khan Nahar tomb built?
At the close of the 15th century. The Muzaffargarh gazetteer gives 1475, and says Tahir Khan built it in his own lifetime.
Why does it look like Shah Rukn-e-Alam's tomb?
It was built in the Multan school, which followed Shah Rukn-e-Alam's 14th-century tomb: an octagon with sloping corner towers, glazed brick bands and a hemispherical dome.
Is there an entry fee?
None has been reported, and there is no confirmed ticket office. The adjoining mosque is in daily use.
Has the tomb been restored?
The Punjab archaeology department tendered a Rs 20 million conservation project in 2021. Completion has not been publicly confirmed, so check its state locally.
