		The South Asian Life & Times - SALT January - March 2013
Home Contents January - March 2013 Editor's Note Cover Story Ravi Shankar - A Life Truly Lived Feature 50 Years of Solar System Exploration Heritage Makli - Crumbling & Forgotten Real Issues Women on Sexual Violence Kiran Bedi Suman Nalwa Richa Anirudh Pages from the Past Chakwal Remembered Maldives - Back in Time Health Ashwagandha -The Wonder Herb Culture Mahakumbh 2013		about us back-issues contact us search data bank
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		Crumbling & Forgotten Makli Hill Monuments at Makli Hill - World Heritage Site - Photo courtesy UNESCO On the outskirts of the historic town of Thatta in Sindh (Pakistan), barely 2 miles away, is a large necropolis, a 6 sq mile area dotted with thousands of elaborate, at times simple and stark, and at times imposing tombs and mausoleums, of Sufi saints, rulers, intellectuals and high officials of the time – all neglected and crumbling with time and age. It is known in local tradition as the home of 125,000 saints. “Makli was a place of public congregation and celebration, and it served as the focal point in the social lives of the "leisure-loving" inhabitants of Thatta. It has a special religious significance for both Hindus and Muslims. In Hindu tradition it is a way-station for the pilgrimage to the sacred Mount Hinglaj.” The enchanting architectural masterpieces that are scattered about the 6 sq mile Makli Hill necropolis reflect the aesthetic maturity of a province rich in history and tradition. Because of its cultural and archeological importance, in the 1980s UNESCO listed the Makli necropolis as a World Heritage Site. The most preserved area of the necropolis is Makli Hill, which comprises about 35 monuments and contains four different schools of architecture and art made from stone to brick and glaze. The monuments here tell the story of external cultural influences in Lower Sindh, including Hindu, Central Asian and Persian cultures. Read the entire article in the print edition of The South Asian Life & Times subscribe@the-south-asian.com
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