.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
It seems most likely that this painting relates to the Sufis that have been residing in the ancient city of Uch Sharif near Bhawalpur in Pakistan since the 14th century. The saint represented may be Syed Jalaluddin Makhdum-i 'Alamiyan, who founded the order in Uch and whose name is found in the left hand border of the painting. He was the grandson of Hazrat Syed Jalaluddin Bukhari, a prominent Suhrawardiyya Sufi saint, known as surkh-posh (red-clad) on account of the red mantle wore. Here we see his grandson similarly dressed. The young man, also in red robes, may be his son and successor. The two men facing him are probably the descendants of the Bukhari and Qadiri silsilahs at the time of the painting of the work - the Suhrawardi Sijada-neshin and the Khadim of the Qadiri darghah. One of the figures identified in the border inscription is a Sayyid Ghulum Muhi al-Din. There is however more than one Muhi al-Din and it has not been possible to find one who is positively associated with the line of Suhrawardiyya Shaykh Jalaluddin Bukhari.
It is curious that the late Kangra style of this painting reached as far south as Uch. It is known that it migrated to Lahore under Sikh patronage and indeed Lahore has its own Sufi dargahs. However, to do the portraits of the two contemporary guardians of the Uch dargahs who feature to the right side of the composition, the artist may have needed to travel from Lahore to Uch - perhaps at the behest of somebody who wanted a record of his visit to the venerable city.
It is curious that the late Kangra style of this painting reached as far south as Uch. It is known that it migrated to Lahore under Sikh patronage and indeed Lahore has its own Sufi dargahs. However, to do the portraits of the two contemporary guardians of the Uch dargahs who feature to the right side of the composition, the artist may have needed to travel from Lahore to Uch - perhaps at the behest of somebody who wanted a record of his visit to the venerable city.