Zanana Rauza

Sandwiched between the tomb of Sheik Salim Chisthi and the Jamat Khana is Yaran Chatbutra or Friends Platform, where other disciples of Sheik Salim Chisthi are buried, and the Zanana Rauza, or women’s tomb, a dark suite of rooms containing graves of the women of Sheikh Salim’s family. The building is actually a part of northern cloister of the Jami Mosque. The northern wall of the building contains an underground doorway connected to Salim Chishti’s house, so that women of Sheikh Salim’s family could visit him during his religious discourses. Later on this building was converted into women’s graveyard. At present there are two oblong chambers parallel to the wall of the mosque, which are further divided into two chambers. Stone screens containing geometrical patterns again subdivide the outer chamber. This chamber contains grave of Bibi Mattu Lanbiri, as well as other uninscribed graves. Zanana Rauza can be entered through an elegant gateway, standing between Sheikh Salim’s tomb and Jamat Khana. This is shown in the photo above. The gateway contains beautiful bands of red sandstone and marble. The central arch contains a square opening bordered by inlaid panels of red sandstone and marble. Within this square opening there is an  arch framed with beautiful floral designs. The gateway is flanked by panels containing small arches and is surmounted with beautiful kiosks and turrets.