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    11th Century Udegram Mosque in Swat

    Written by: Sirat Gohar Daudpoto
    Posted on: October 12, 2023 | | 中文

    Courtyard with water tank (foreground) and prayer hall with visible pillar bases, mihrab and qibla wall (background) of the Udegram Mosque

    Many of the country’s mosques are hundreds of years old, and the earliest of them dates to the early 8th century CE, showing the long history of Islam in Pakistan and the Islamization of the region. Wherever there is a Muslim settlement there is a mosque, hence, they are found in every nook and cranny of the country.

    The three oldest mosques in Pakistan are located in Bhambhore, Mansura and Udegram. Two of these mosques, Bhambhore and Mansura, are in the Sindh province, and the Udegram mosque is situated in the Swat district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The Udegram mosque is the third oldest mosque in the country dating to the 11th century CE, but after the ancient mosques at Bhambhore and Mansura, which were built in the 8th and 9th centuries CE respectively. Located at a distance of about 3 kilometers from Udegram/Odigram town on the main Barikot-Mingora Road in Swat, the Udegram mosque is built on the slope of a mountain, which is called Mount Raja Gira after a king named Raja Gira, who owned a palace/castle the remains of that can be seen on the mountain.

    A view of Udegram Mosque from Raja Gira’s Palace

    This mosque was built during the Ghaznavid occupation of the region. An Arabic inscription that was found in 1984 by a villager at the site, mentions the date 440 AH (1048-1049 CE) of the construction of the mosque. The translation of the inscription provided in Muhammad Nazir Khan’s article with the title, A Ghaznavid Historical Inscription from Udegram, Swat, is as follows:

    Signboards installed on the main Barikot-Mingora Road containing information on the Udegram Mosque and showing the site's direction

    • In the clement and merciful name of God;
    • Has ordered the prince (al-amir) the chamberlain (al-hagib) Abu Mansur;
    • Nustegin the charitable (al-hairi), may God make his satisfaction (his prosperity) last;
    • the construction of this mosque and doors (al-bawab) in the months;
    • of the year 440 (1048-1049);
    • may God accept (them);
    • from him and appreciate his efforts.

    Prayer Hall and Water Tank of the Mosque

    Based on this evidence, many scholars suggest that the mosque was built in that year. On the contrary, thanks to the excavations carried out by the Italian Archaeological Mission at the site, the archaeological evidence shows that the mosque was constructed in the early 11th century CE. It is likely that the inscription refers to the later construction work at the mosque.

    Raja Gira's Palace

    Udegram mosque is constructed in the center of the terrace built on the northern slopes of the mountain. Built with slabs and blocks of schist in a later style of the locally used ‘Gandharan’ masonry technique. According to Alessandra Bagnera, who writes in The Ghaznavid Mosque and the Islamic Settlement at Mt. Raja Gira, it is rectangular in plan measuring 28 x 21 meters with two entrances to the east (main entrance) and west, hypostyle prayer hall, courtyard with a central basin, square mihrab, minbar, and three attached rooms to the north side. On both sides, east and west of the mosque, several other structures, which include dwellings and tombs belonging to Muslims have also been discovered, indicating the existence of a larger Muslim community in the area. The remains of the minbar to the right side of the mihrab show that it was a jami mosque, and this also points to the Muslim settlements in the surroundings of the mosque.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021