Khawaja Ghulam Farid’s presence continues to shape the spiritual and cultural fabric of South Punjab. His influence stretches across the entire Saraiki belt—Rohi, Thal, Damaan, and beyond—leaving no corner untouched by his poetry and message. The connection people feel with his work is evident not just in words, but in everyday gestures, traditions, and the quiet reverence with which his name is remembered.
Local customs carry echoes of his teachings. In an area where flowers were once scarce, people turned to wearing bright, colorful clothes to bring peace to the eye. Those same colors still appear in the streets today, alongside the same openness and warmth in how directions are given or conversations are started.
Inside a small museum nearby, objects once used by Khawaja Farid are carefully preserved—his cap, his waistcoat, his clothing. These aren’t presented as relics of the past but as part of an ongoing relationship between a community and its history. Their preservation speaks to the care with which his memory is treated, and the emotional calm many visitors say they feel when seeing these things in person.
The story of Pathanay Khan is often remembered here. When he once visited Kot Mithan but wasn’t given a turn to sing at the shrine, he expressed his disappointment to Khawaja Farid through quiet words of longing. That night, Khawaja Farid appeared to him in a dream, offering reassurance: “Tomorrow is yours, and it always will be.” The next morning, people were already looking for him, wanting to know who had come from Kot Addu. That moment marked the beginning of Pathanay Khan’s journey into becoming the voice of Khawaja’s verses.
Not far from the shrine stands the Queen of Indus—a ship once gifted to Khawaja Ghulam Farid by Nawab Sadiq. It was used for travel across the rivers, and its size is striking even now. The structure remains intact, offering a glimpse into a time when movement across the region was not only physical but deeply spiritual.
Across the Saraiki region, the legacy of Khawaja Farid is alive in practice, in memory, and in how people live. It’s felt in the language, in the hospitality, and in the shared sense of place. Every gesture—whether it’s the way someone speaks, welcomes a stranger, or preserves a quiet piece of history—carries the lasting imprint of his presence.
Leave a Reply