Durrani Tombs

BY ZEESHAN

INTRODUCTION Prince Sultan Jan Sadozai and his father,

Prince Jamhoor, the first Durrani ruler of Kohat, lie buried in Shahpur village, about 3km from the Kohat city.

Prince Sultan Jan Durrani Khawar belonged to the fifth generation of Ahmed Shah Abdali, who laid the foundation of the Durrani dynasty in Afghanistan in 1747 and ruled it until 1772.

HISTORY The Durrani rulers of Kohat, Prince Sir Sultan

Jan Sadozai and his father King Jamhoor.who buried in Shahpur village about three kilometres away from Kohat city.

King Jamhoor was appointed first extra assistant commissioner/sessions judge of Kohat in November 1849 after British took control of Punjab. He was given area up to Kurram Agency.

His forces were stationed in the Durrani Fort, now headquarters of sixth division of Pakistan Army.

After his death in 1868, Prince Sultan Jan became the ruler. The wives of King Jamhoor Jan Sadozai Durrani and Prince Sultan Jan Sadozai Durrani are also buried in the graveyard with a number of other princes and princesses.

Tomb-I belongs to Sultan Muhammad Jamhur Sadozai, who died in 1869 AD. The tomb on his grave was completed in 1887 AD, under the supervision of Sultan Jan Sadozai.

The Durranis came to Kohat after the death of King of Afghanistan Shah Shujaa in 1842 during fighting with the rebels.

The other two tombs-tomb-II and tomb-III are comparatively more decorated and well built with proper domes. Tomb-I has flat roof of wooden rafters, which has fallen down. The latter two tombs are properly plastered and show that both were built earlier than the one belonging to Sultan Muhammad Jamhur Sadozai. The graves in these two tombs belong to the same Shahzadgan.

Architecture Tomb I: It stands to the west of other two tombs

and belongs to Sultan Muhammad Jamhur Sadozai, a Durrani prince. It is rectangular in plan, 11. 40mχ 5.00m externally. A 3.50mχ 3.00m doorway is provided on the south side.

Each corner of the rectangular structure has a minaret topped by a parapet which is decorated with a row of merlons. Above the entrance is a tall square column built in five stages with a pyramidal crown on the top.

Internally, the tomb was divided into two parts. The front chamber is rectangular in plan, 5.70 χ 3.50 m, while the back chamber is square in shape, 3.50 χ 3.30 m. Both the portions were topped by a flat roof comprising wooden beams and rafters, which no longer exists and has fallen down.

The front portion accommodates the grave of Sultan Muhammad Jamhur. It is now buried under the fallen roof debris. The inner side of the walls is made of mud bricks, while certain portions show the use of burnt bricks as well on the inner side.

Thank you Class