Kaliam Awan
Union Council in Rawalpindi, Pakistan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kalyam Awan (Urdu: كليام اعوان), alternatively known as Kalyam Sharif (Urdu: كليام شريف), is a village located in the Gujar Khan Tehsil of the Rawalpindi district of Punjab, Pakistan.[1] As of 2008, it was officially registered as a Union, which is the subdivision of a Tehsil, by the National Reconstruction Bureau of the Government of Pakistan.[2]
Kalyam Awan
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Union Council | |
A sign referring to Kalyam Awan, next to railway tracks in Rawalpindi. | |
 Interactive map of Kalyam Awan | |
| Coordinates: 33°25′0″N 73°13′0″E | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Division | Rawalpindi |
| District | Rawalpindi District |
| Tehsil | Gujar Khan Tehsil |
| Religion | Islam |
| Elevation | 536 m (1,759 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
Kalyam Awan is known primarily due to its historical association with Sufism, for the shrine of a Hashemite Sufi known as Fazal ud-Din al-Kalyami is present therein, who was associated with the Chishti Sufi order (tariqa). As per the latter portion of the name of the village, Kalyam holds a community largely associated with the Awan tribe, an Alid tribe that traces its lineage back to the fourth Caliph of the Muslims, Ali ibn Abi Talib.
Fazal ud-Din's Shrine
The shrine of the Hashemite Chishti Sufi, Fazal ud-Din, is present within the village. People visit the shrine, and partake in 'acts of worship', otherwise deemed acts of heresy by the traditional and mainstream scholars of Islam, including not just residents of Kalyam themselves but people from surrounding areas too.[3] Fazal ud-Din's shrine is present here, and the Urs is held from late December till early January, every year.[4] The shrine is visited particularly for the Urs of Fazal ud-Din, and in Sufism, an Urs is the celebration of the death anniversaries of major Sufi characters. Activities at the shrine typically include prayer, recitation, and communal events linked to local religious practices.[5]
Location and Geography
In itself, Kalyam Awan is a village located in the Rawalpindi District of Punjab, Pakistan.[3] More specifically, it lies within the Pothohar Plateau and is primarily an agricultural area. The terrain is slightly hilly, and the region experiences a semi-arid climate. The locals speak the Pothwari dialect.[2]
| Location | Distance (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Chak Beli Khan | 55 km |
| Rawalpindi | 30 km |
| Islamabad | 44 km |
| Chakwal | 72 km |
| Gujar Khan | 24 km |
