Taung Graveyard
Sights/Landmarks
Taung is located inside Kirthar National Park, some 70 km from Thana Bula Khan town. It has some prehistoric and Buddhist sites. It had been a centre of cultural and political activity during the rule of the Burfats over Kohistan and the present-day district of Lasbela in Balochistan. The necropolis of the Burfats is located on a small hill and is conspicuous from a distance. There are more than 350 tombstones that dot the landscape. Most of these belong to the various lineages of the Burfats. The tombstones of the Burfats in Taung are fabulous pieces of art.
Tombstones are locally called Rumis and those belonging to males are decorated with the depictions of riders and weapons, while the Rumis of females bear jewelry depictions. The height of the Rumis which range from four to 18 feet indicates the status and position of the dignitary in his life time. Most of the taller Rumis belong to the descendants of Jam Lohar, Jam Hamal, Jam Bapar and Jam Baadin; all erected at the necropolis of the Burfats.
The tombstones of the royal family are either built on a double platform or there is a beautiful gallery around the structures. These tombstones have more decorations compared to the others.
Burfats
The Burfats are a valiant tribe of Sindh. They played a very important role in the socio-political history of Sindh during the reign of the Sammas (1350-1520), the Arghuns (1520-1555), the Tarkhans (1555-1590), the Mughals (1590-1700), the Kalhoras (1700-173) and the Talpurs (1783-1843). When the Arghuns supplanted the Samma dynasty, the Burfats, who are also an offshoot of the Sammas, launched a guerilla war against them. They used to ransack the villages and towns which fell under the dominion of the Arghuns and unleashed a rein of terror. The Arghuns were terribly scared of the rising guerilla tactics of the Burfats. They were unable to subdue the tribe. The Mughals bestowed some jagirs upon them. Likewise, the Kalhoras also gave them importance.
Thana Bula Khan
Thana Bula Khan is a major town in Kohistan situated some 140km from Karachi and 76km from Hyderabad. The landscape of Kohistan is dotted with a number of historical graveyards. However, the necropolis of the Burfats in Taung is quite prominent. Taung is a fertile and picturesque town in Kohistan. Its name is a phonetic variation of Tanager Rai, a Buddhist merchant who lived during the rule of the Buddhist Rais of Sindh (499-641 A.D). He was very rich; that's why still people say that the meaning of 'Taung' is rich. He controlled the business of the mountainous and hilly regions of Sindh and Baluchistan.
Coordinates: 25.776078, 67.556811
For more details: Tombs of Burfat at Taung
Tombstones are locally called Rumis and those belonging to males are decorated with the depictions of riders and weapons, while the Rumis of females bear jewelry depictions. The height of the Rumis which range from four to 18 feet indicates the status and position of the dignitary in his life time. Most of the taller Rumis belong to the descendants of Jam Lohar, Jam Hamal, Jam Bapar and Jam Baadin; all erected at the necropolis of the Burfats.
The tombstones of the royal family are either built on a double platform or there is a beautiful gallery around the structures. These tombstones have more decorations compared to the others.
Burfats
The Burfats are a valiant tribe of Sindh. They played a very important role in the socio-political history of Sindh during the reign of the Sammas (1350-1520), the Arghuns (1520-1555), the Tarkhans (1555-1590), the Mughals (1590-1700), the Kalhoras (1700-173) and the Talpurs (1783-1843). When the Arghuns supplanted the Samma dynasty, the Burfats, who are also an offshoot of the Sammas, launched a guerilla war against them. They used to ransack the villages and towns which fell under the dominion of the Arghuns and unleashed a rein of terror. The Arghuns were terribly scared of the rising guerilla tactics of the Burfats. They were unable to subdue the tribe. The Mughals bestowed some jagirs upon them. Likewise, the Kalhoras also gave them importance.
Thana Bula Khan
Thana Bula Khan is a major town in Kohistan situated some 140km from Karachi and 76km from Hyderabad. The landscape of Kohistan is dotted with a number of historical graveyards. However, the necropolis of the Burfats in Taung is quite prominent. Taung is a fertile and picturesque town in Kohistan. Its name is a phonetic variation of Tanager Rai, a Buddhist merchant who lived during the rule of the Buddhist Rais of Sindh (499-641 A.D). He was very rich; that's why still people say that the meaning of 'Taung' is rich. He controlled the business of the mountainous and hilly regions of Sindh and Baluchistan.
Coordinates: 25.776078, 67.556811
For more details: Tombs of Burfat at Taung
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