Channan Pir is a village in the Punjab province of Pakistan, it is named after a Sufi saint and contains his tomb. It is located between the Derawar and Din Gargh forts and lies a few kilometres from Yazman town, and in the start of the Cholistan desert. It remains a cherished sanctuary, revered by Hindus and Muslims for centuries.

History

Channan Pir's origin is traced back to a saint, Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari, who prophesied the birth of a prince to the childless King Sadharan. The prince, named Channan due to his beauty, recited the Islamic Kalma, resulting in his exile. Narratives differ post-exile: some say Channan disappeared when assassins arrived, others claim he grew into a saint. Despite the variations, all stories end with Channan's disappearance, death, or burial on a mound, rendering it a revered site. Attempts to construct a mausoleum repeatedly failed due to collapses, lightning, or foundational issues, leading locals to refrain from further attempts. A nearby tree, considered Channan Pir's mother's resting place, serves as a symbolic vessel for devotees' wishes. Salman Rashid connects the site to Ctesias's Indica, which narrates about a place of celestial worship resembling the Channan Pir festival's timeline. The increasing number of annual visitors, regardless of their faith, underscores the site's role as a fulcrum for expressing human desires for divine intercession.

Festival

It is a centre of the spiritual and cultural heritage of Yazman and Cholistan. The annual Channan Pir festival, spanning seven Thursdays, culminates on the fifth week.