ABSTRACT
The social and symbolic space of Sufi shrines in South Asia is multivalent. Not only does it accommodate multifarious social and ritual activities, but it also incorporates a wide variety of meanings and interpretations related to devotional and religious beliefs as well as political interests attached to the role of Sufi shrines. Sufism in general is considered an ‘emotive, multivalent and contested’ tradition (Rozehnal 2004: 116; Rozehnal 2006). The Sufi shrine culture in Pakistan is in particular imbued with various controversies (Ewing 1983: 251), given the fact that debates on Muslim identity have been playing a crucial role in the establishment and maintenance of religious institutions where governments have been involved, both directly and indirectly.
