Name of monument: Darbar Hazrat Shah Daula
Location: Circular Road Gujrat.
Original Date of Construction: Early 17th century but changes were made in recent times.
Material and Method of Construction: Brick Construction and plastered.
Shah Daula was an important saint of the Mughal period and famous for construction of bridges over perennial streams on Grand Trunk Lahore and at Sialkot. He was born in the twenty fifth year of Akbar reign. His father was Abdul Rahim Khan Lodi, a descendent of Ibrahim Khan Lodi, was a soldier of the King house. Shah Daula father died in the year of his birth. His mother Niamat Khatoon sustained herself and her child for five years by corn grinding. She then died in Mauza Kalah. The orphan Daula went begging and in the course of his wandering he reached Sialkot. There he met Mehta Kinam, a slave of the qanungo who adopted him and brought him well. As a young man Daula went to Mauza Sangoi near Sialkot and became pupil of Shah Saidan Sarmast a sufi faqir of suharwarthy sect. Daula later joined group of laborers digging up an old site for the construction of new fort. While working for the saint Daula lost his middle finger of his right hand. As a service to the saint, he received Dalq, which is a faqir’s coat. Daula left the shrine of the saint and settled in the suburbs of Sialkot. Growing in reputation and power during ten years of his stay, Shah Daula built many mosques, tanks and most notably a bridge over Nala Aik.
Gujrat was his next destination. He moved to Gujrat in the 7th year of Jahangir reign in 1612 AD in obedience to holy instructions. at that time Gujrat was relatively small settlement but with his arrival it flourished. During his stay he established his khanqah and built a bridge over Nala Dek. His Khanqah is not of significance architectural importance except the mosque which has been renovated and enlarged in the recent times. He died in 1676. He was thus contemporary with Akbar Jahangir and Shah Jahan. He is one of the few saints whose portrait was made during the Mughal period signed by Famous artist Dilodat.
Naqoosh-e-Javidan 