Samadhi (shrine)

In Sikhism, the term "samadhi" is used for the mausoleums of eminent figures, both religious and political. Examples include the Samadhi of Ranjit Singh in Lahore, and that of Maharaja Sher Singh near Lahore. Hindu equivalents are usually called chatri, although those for Maratha Empire figures also often use "samadhi". The forms of structure called "samadhi" vary greatly. The word is sometimes used for a memorial stele, also called paliya, a type of hero stone once common in parts of Gujarat and Sindh. It may be used for small memorial buildings such as open chatri, often placed around a temple. In Punjab, samadhis are also known as marhī.

The tradition of India is cremation for most Hindu people at the time of death, while samadhi is generally reserved for very advanced souls, such as yogis and saints, who have already been "purified by the fire of yoga" or who are believed to have been in the state of samadhi at the time of death. Samadhi usually involves inhumation rather than cremation.

Regional and religious styles

According to Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro, Sikh samadhis are often decorated with frescoes, which usually depict both Sikh and Hindu themes, such as the Sikh gurus or Indic deities. During Sikh-rule, samadhis tended to be costly, grand structures with ribbed domes and elaborate paintings. However, Sikh samadhis erected during British-rule tended to be simpler, with fewer frescoes and shikhara or squat domes. Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro also identifies a regional Pothohari style of samadhis, which usually contain consisting of tanks (sarovars), step-wells (baolis), ribbed domes, high-neck drums, marble door frames, and are either square or octagonal in-shape. The Bharatpur rulers at Govardhan Hill built chhatri cenotaphs made out of sandstone and lime mortar that has terraced gardens and ritual steps around the kund. In Singapore, the local Sikh population venerate Bhai Maharaj Singh at the Bhai Maharaj Singh Memorial, which functions as a samadh.