The Shrines of Maheshwari Meghwar Saints in Sindh

The Four Shrines of Maheshwari Meghwar Saints in Sindh belong to the Bar Mati Panth, which was initiated by Shree Dhanee Matang Dev in the 11th Century A.D. through preaching in Sindh and Kutch including some parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan. His descendant Shree Lurang Dev, Shree Matai Dev and Shree Mamai Dev extended the sacred cause to uplift the low caste people. Their shrines are now located in the Southern part of Sindh, that are visited as centers of pilgrimages by the Maheshwari Meghwar followers. This introductory paper will contribute information on the historical background of Shrines in the context of the Panth. The simplicity of the shrines and the heavily performed pilgrimage rituals thereon are dominated by the complex methodology and symbolism of the Panth that still preserve the original identity of these shrines.

Original source provided by:
Mohan Devraj THONTYA (Karachi University)

About him
Mohan Devraj THONTYA is currently studying in Mphill/PhD in the Department of General History, University of Karachi working on the subject Thesis: History and Culture of Meghwars: From the earliest times to the modern age under the supervision of Prof Dr Javed Husain. He has published several papers, including “Sammatri” in “Karachi” published by Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Chair, University of Karachi, in November,2000. Mohan Devraj Thontya did extensive fieldwork for collecting hundreds of manuscripts from the Maheshwari Meghwars tradition. Thanks to his mastery of many languages, he is preparing a translation in English of the most important pieces.