3/5 Ali H. 1 year ago on Google
The
Chaukhandi
(Urdu:
چوکنڈی
قبرستان;
Sindhi:
چوڪُنڊي
)
tombs
form
an
early
Islamic
cemetery
situated
29
km
(18
mi)
east
of
Karachi,
Sindh
province
of
Pakistan.
The
tombs
are
notable
for
their
elaborate
sandstone
carvings.
The
tombs
are
similar
in
style
to
the
elaborate
tombs
at
the
Makli
Necropolis
near
Thatta,
and
are
built
in
the
funerary
architectural
style
typical
of
lower
Sindh.
Address
Chokandi
Qabrastan,
opposite
total
pump
Shah
Latif
Town
Bin
Qasim
Town
Quaidabad
Malir
Karachi.
Generally,
the
tombs
are
attributed
to
the
Jokhio
(also
spelt
Jokhiya)
and
known
as
the
family
graveyard
of
the
Jokhio
tribe,
although
other,
mainly
Baloch,
tribes
have
also
been
buried
here.
They
were
mainly
built
during
Mughal
rule
sometime
in
the
15th
and
18th
centuries
when
Islam
became
dominant.
This
type
of
graveyard
in
Sindh
and
Baluchistan
is
remarkable
because
of
its
main
north–south
orientation.
The
more
elaborate
graves
are
constructed
with
a
buff-colored
sandstone,
which
has
often
kept
remarkably
well
over
time
in
the
arid
local
climate.
Tombs
were
constructed
either
as
single
graves
or
as
groups
of
up
to
eight
graves,
raised
on
a
common
platform.
A
typical
sarcophagus
consists
of
six
vertical
slabs,
with
two
long
slabs
on
each
side
of
the
grave
indicating
the
length
of
the
body
and
the
remaining
two
vertical
slabs
on
the
head
and
foot
side.
These
six
slabs
are
covered
by
a
second
sarcophagus
consisting
of
six
more
similar
vertical
slabs
but
smaller
in
size,
giving
the
grave
a
pyramid
shape.
The
upper
box
is
further
covered
with
four
or
five
horizontal
slabs
and
the
topmost
construction
is
set
vertically
with
its
northern
end
often
carved
into
a
knob
known
as
a
crown
or
a
turban.
The
tombs
are
embellished
with
geometrical
designs
and
motifs,
including
figural
representations
such
as
mounted
horsemen,
hunting
scenes,
arms,
and
jewelry.
