Multan
Encyclopedia : M : MU : MUL : Multan
| Multan — The City Of Saints | |
| Province | Punjab, Pakistan |
| Location - Longitude - Latitude - Altitude | 71.45' E 30.2 N 710 ft AMSL |
| Area | 3,721 Square Kilometer [link] |
| Population | 4 million (Approx) [source] |
| Density | 838 persons/ km² [source] |
| Calling Code | 061 |
| Time zone | PST +05:00 ahead of GMT |
| Number of towns | 3 (Makhdoom Rashid, Qadirpur Ran and Basti Maluk) [link] |
| Number of UCs | 4 (Multan Cantonment, Multan Sadar, Shujabad and Jalalpur Pirwala)[link] |
| Forests in Acres | 1900 [link] |
| Licence Plate | MN |
| City Mayor (Nazim) | Mian Faisal Mukhtar |
| [City District Govt Official Website] | |
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Multan (Urdu: ملتان) is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan, and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province, and is steeped in history. It has a population of over 3.8 million (according to 1998 census), making it the sixth largest city in Pakistan. It is built just east of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic center of the country, and about 966 km from Karachi.
Multan is known as the 'City of Pirs and Shrines', and is a prosperous city of bazaars, mosques, shrines and superbly designed tombs.
The Multan International Airport connects to flights to major cities in Pakistan and to cities in the Persian Gulf.
History
Multan (Sanskrit: Mulasthan मूलस्थान, place of origin)is one of the oldest cities of the Indian subcontinent. It has seen a lot of warfare because of its location on a major invasion route between India and Central Asia. It is famous for its Sufi shrines. It was also famous for its money-lenders, and is also famous for its black-magic.Multan was ruled by various Hindu empires for over 1000 years. It is believed to have been visited by Alexander the Great. It is said that when Alexander was fighting for the city, a poisoned arrow struck him, making him ill- and eventually leading to his death. The exact place where Alexander was hit by the arrow can be seen in the old city premises. It is believed to be the same city as Maii-us-than where Alexander's forces stormed the citadel after seeing their king injured and unconscious on the field of battle. Multan was part of the Mauryan Empire and the Gupta that ruled much of northern India. In the mid 5th century, the city was attacked by a group of nomads led by Torman. These nomads were successful in taking the city, but did not stay, and the long-standing Hindu rule over the city was reestablished. The noted Chinese traveller Huen Tsang visited Multan in 641 AD.
During the Hindu period, Multan was known as the city of gold for its large and wealthy temples. The Sun temple, Suraj Mandir, was considered one of the largest and wealthiest temples in the entire sub-continent. Numerous historians have written about this extremely large Hindu temple that housed over 6,000 people within it. Other famous sites included the Suraj Kund ("pool of the Sun") and Mandir Parhaidpuri.
In the 7th century, Multan had its first experience with Muslim armies. Armies led by Muhalib launched numerous raids from Persia into India. However, they did not come to conquer, and seemed only to be exploring the area. However, only a few decades later, Muhammad bin Qasim would come on behalf of the Arabs, and take Multan along with Sind. Following bin Qasim's conquest, the city was securely under Muslim rule, although it was in effect an independent state.
With the turn of the millennium, the city was attacked twice by Mahmud of Ghazni who destroyed the Sun Mandir, but he did not stay. After Muhammad Ghuri's victories in India, and his establishment of a capital in Delhi, Multan was made a part of his empire. However, the rise of the Mongols would again give it some independence, albeit requiring it to be vigilant against Mongol raids from Central Asia.
Under the Mughal Empire, Multan enjoyed over 200 years of peace, and became known as Dar al-Aman (Abode of Peace). It was at this time that Multan was ruled by Nawab Ali Mohammad Khan Khakwani. As governor of Multan, he built the famous Mosque Wali Mohammad Khan in 1757 which remains to this day. Many buildings were constructed in this time, and agricultural production grew rapidly. The decline of the Mughal Empire was not as devastating for Multan as it was for other cities. The city escaped the destruction brought upon India by the armies of Nadir Shah, but it was ruled from Kabul by numerous Afghan dynasties for a while.
Multan witnessed difficult times as Mughal rule declined. After Ahmed Shah Abdalis's dynasty went into decline, it was ruled locally by the Pastun Sadozzai chieftains. This period saw the rise of Sikh power and frequent clashes took place between the Muslims and Sikhs.
The Sikhs led many expeditions against Multan. Sardar Hari Singh Bhangi, along with Hira Singh, attacked Multan for the first time around 1763. The Sikhs plundered many villages, set the houses of the Muslims on fire and demolished many mosques. His sons Jhanda Singh and Ganda Singh attacked again in 1764 and looted Multan and its suburbs. However attempts to take the Multan fort failed and they retreated after collecting several million rupees from the ruler Muzaffar Khan Saddozai.
In the 19th century, the Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh conquered Multan. The ruler of Multan Muzaffar Khan Saddozai was defeated and killed. The death of Muzaffar Khan was in fact the death of Muslim rule in Multan. After capturing the Fort, the Sikh soldiers were let loose to arson and debauchery, which Latif recorded as follows: "The city and Fort were now given up to be plundered by the Sikh troops. Great were the ravages committed by the Sikhs on this occasion. About 400 to 500 houses in the Fort were razed to the ground and their owners deprived of all they had. Precious stones, jewellery, shawls and other valuables belonging to the Nawab were confiscated by the state and kept carefully packed by Diwan Ram Diyal for inspection of the Maharaja. In the town many houses were set on fire and nothing was left with the inhabitants that was worth having. Hundreds were killed in the city, and indeed there was hardly a soul who escaped both loss and violence". Diwan Sawan Mall took over and known to be one of the most able and powerful Sikh rulers of his time. He amassed enormous wealth and became a threat to the Sovereign. His sons Dewan Mulraj and Karan Narain were well looked after. The first son Mulraj became the Governor of Multan, after his father had been assassinated. His younger brother rose to being a General of the highest order under Maharaja Ranjit Singh and was awarded titles of Sardar (High Noble), Bakshi ( Benevolent) by the Maharaja. However, Sikh rule would not last long, as the British were eventually provoked into checking the Sikh strength in Punjab. After a long and bloody battle, Multan was made part of the British Raj. During this time, Sardar Karan Narain's son became an icon during the British Raj and was awarded titles 'Rai Bahadur' and Knighted 'Sir' by Her Majesty. The British built some rail routes to the city, but its industrial capacity was never developed.
Upon Pakistan's independence in 1947, Multan became part of the Punjab province. It initially lacked industry, hospitals and universities. Since then, there has been some industrial growth, and the city's population is continually growing. But the old city continues to be in a dilapidated state, and many monuments wear the effects of the warfare that has visited the city.
Location
The city of Multan is located in southern Punjab province at almost the exact center of Pakistan. The very next major adjoining city is Sahiwal. The area around the city is a flat plain and is ideal for agriculture. There are many canals that cut across the Multan District that provide water from nearby rivers. It is extremely hot in the summer.Language and literature
Although located in Punjab, the majority of Multan's residents are ethnic Siraiki, not Punjabi. The overwhelming majority of the people are Muslim. Most of the people speak Siraiki language with a good portion of the people conversant in Urdu. English is understood by the educated. Multan is also rich in literature, there are many poets who are known country wide. In Urdu poetry Asad Multani, Dr. Qateel Jaffri, Haider Gardezi, Aasi Karnali, Aslam Ansari, Arsh Siddiqi, Sahir Bukhari(Known as Sharif Bukhari), Iqbal Arshad, Arshad Multani, Hazeen Sidiqi, Anwar Jamal, Raziuddin Razi, Ghazala Khakwani, Kashif Baloch and Riffat Abbass are popular poets of this city. While Mazhar Kaleem the undisputed master of spy novels in urdu literature also hails from Multan.Buildings and structures
Earlier, a circular road around the rampart gave access to the city through thirteen gates and even now some of the imposing structures of these gates are still visible and well preserved. In the bazaars of the Old City one still comes across tiny shops where craftsmen can be seen busily turning out masterpieces in copper, brass, silver as well as textiles in the traditional fashion.The Old City has narrow, colorful bazaars full of local handicrafts and narrow winding lanes. There are many places of historical, cultural and recreational interest in the city.
The numerous Sufi shrines within the old city offer impressive examples of workmanship and architecture. The Shams-e Tabriz shrine is built almost entirely of sky-blue engraved glazed bricks. That of Shah Rukn-e Alam (Tughlaq period) has one of the biggest domes in Asia. The shrine of Sheikh Yusuf Gardez is a masterpiece of the Multani style. Other shrines include the Pahladpuri Temple and the Idgah Mosque (1735).
Educational institutions
Multan is rich as far as schools and educational campuses are concerned. In last few years (when?), mushroom growth of quality educational institution is observed in this neglected region. Bahauddin Zakariya University formely known as Multan University, is the main source of higher education for this region. There are many colleges involved in the grooming of students and fulfilling desire of acquiring and distribution of knowledge and education. Government College AT Bosan Road, Government College Science are widely hailed colleges. Punjab College is a recent addition to this list. For girls, Government Degree College for Women is the most popular. Among schools, various public and private schools provide education up to Secondary level. One of them is Govt. Islamia High School Aam Khas Bagh, which inspite of very limited resources, is providing opportunity for the poor students of this city to excel.
Industry
Multan is a commercial and industrial center, it is connected by road and rail with Lahore and Karachi, and by air with Karachi, Quetta, and Faisalabad. Industries include fertilizer, soap, and glass factories; foundries; cotton, woolen and silk textile mills; flour, sugar and oil mills; and a large thermal-power station. It is famous for its handicrafts (ceramics and camel-skin work) and cottage industries. There are hospitals, public gardens, and several colleges affiliated with the University of the Punjab. The University of Multan was established in 1975. Large, irregular suburbs have grown outside the old walled town, and two satellite towns have been set up. Mangoes of Shujabad district are well known. Multani khussa (shoes); embroidered clothes for ladies; embroidered cholas for men; earthenware pottery, painted pottery, camel-skin ware (e.g. lamps); carpets, wooden products, especially lacquered wood.Agriculture
Multan is an important agricultural, industrial and tourist region. Wheat, cotton and sugarcane are the main crops grown in the district. Moreover, rice, maize, tobacco, bajra, moong, mash, masoor and oil seed such as rape / mustard and sunflower are also grown in minor quantities in the district.Fruits
Mangoes, citrus, guavas and pomegranate are the main fruits grown in the Multan district. Additionally, dates, jaman, pears, phalsa and bananas are also grown in minor quantities in the district.Tourism
Multan, being an historic city, attracts a number of tourists every year.Mausoleums
Mausoleum of Hazrat Baha-ud-Din Zakaria
Standing at the north-eastern fringe of the ancient fort of Multan, is the eternal abode of Al-Sheikh Al-Kabir Sheikh-ul-Islam Baha-ud-Din Abu Muhammad Zakaria Al-Qureshi Al-Asadi, one of the greatest saints of the Suhrawardiya Silsila and one of the most distinguished disciples of Sheikh Al-Shuyukh Shahab Al-Din Suhrawardy. He was the founder of Suhrawardiya Silsila in the Sub-Continent. He was born in 1170.
The prime attraction of the Fort area is the Mausoleum generally known as Bahawal Haq (the ornament of the Faith). The dome of the Mausoleum is visible from miles and dominates the skyline of Multan.
Sheikh Baha-ud-Din Zakariya known as Bahawal Haq was born at Kot Kehror, a town of Layyah District near Multan, around 1170. For 15 years he went from place to place to preach Islam and after his wanderings Bahawal Haq settled in Multan in 1222. He died in 1267. The Mausoleum is a square of 51 feet 9 inches, measured internally. Above this is an octagon, about half the height of the square, which is surmounted by a hemispherical dome. The Mausoleum was almost completely ruined during the siege of 1848, but was soon afterwards restored by the Muslims.
Mausoleum of Shah Rukn-i-Alam
The tomb of Shah Rukn-i-Alam grandson of Shaikh Bahauddin Zakaria, which was built between 1320 and 1324, is an unmatched pre-Moghul masterpiece. The Mausoleum of Rukn-i-Alam could possibly be considered the glory of Multan.
From whichever side the city is approached, the most prominent thing that can be seen from miles all around is a huge dome. This dome is the Shrine of Sheikh Rukn-ud-Din Abul Fath commonly known by the title Rukn-i-Alam (pillar of the world). The tomb is located on the southwest side of the Fort premises. This elegant building is an octagon, 51 feet 9 inches in diameter internally, with walls 41 feet 4 inches high and 13 feet 3 inches thick, supported at the angles by sloping towers. Over this is a smaller octagon 25 feet 8 inches, on the exterior side, and 26 feet 10 inches high, leaving a narrow passage all round the top of the lower storey for the Moazzan, or public caller to prayers. The whole is surmounted by a hemispherical dome of 58 feet external diameter. The total height of the building, including a plinth of 3 feet, is 100 feet. As it stands on the high ground, the total height above the road level is 150 feet.
Besides its religious importance, the mausoleum is also of considerable archaeological value as its dome is reputed to be the second largest in the world, after 'Gol Gumbad' of Bijapur (India), which is the largest. The mausoleum is built entirely of red brick, bounded with beams of shisham wood, which have now turned black after so many centuries. The whole of the exterior is elaborately ornamented with glazed tile panels, stringcourses and battlements. Colors used are dark blue, azure, and white, contrasted with the deep red of the finely polished bricks. The tomb was said to have been built by Ghias-ud-Din Tughlak for himself, but was given up by his son Muhammad Tughlak in favor of Rukn-i-Alam, when he died in 1330.
Mausoleum of Shah Shams Sabzwari
The mausoleum of Shams-ud-Din, commonly known as Shah Shams Tabrez, is located about half a mile to the east of the Fort site, on the high bank of the old bed of the River Ravi near Aam-Khas Garden. He was a descendant of Imam Jaffer and was born in 1165. He died in 1276 and the shrine was built by his grandson in 1330. The tomb is square, 30 feet in height surmounted by a hemispherical dome. It is decorated with ornamental glazed tiles.
Mausoleum of Shah Gardez
Within the city there is another shrine of Hazrat Muhammad Shah Yusaf Gardezi commonly known as Shah Gardez just inside the Bohar Gate. It is a rectangular domeless building decorated with glazed tiles, a work of considerable beauty. He came to Multan in 1088 and revitalized the then-dead city. Shah Yousaf Gardez converted many people to Islam and performed numerous mirlaces which can be found in history books. His descendents are known as Gardezis and are one of the few old noble families in the country. They are also very well educated and have been to Ivy Leagues, and Oxford and Cambridge.
Mausoleum of Musa Pak Shaheed
The Mausoleum of Moosa Pak Shaheed is inside the Pak Gate. Sheikh Abul Hassab Musa Pak Shaheed was a descendant of Abdul Qadir Jillani and was born in Uch. The Shrine of Musa Pak Shaheed is also frequented by a large number of Pathans from all parts of Pakistan.
Other Mausoleums and Tombs
In addition to the tombs mentioned above, Multan has several other historical and archeological remains of the Muslim period. Prominent among these are:
Shahadna Shahaid is located near Delhi Gate and is the shrine of a faithful disciple of 'Bahaul Haq'.
The Mausoleum of Bibi Pak Daman is located near Basti Daira.
Mausoleum of Hazrat Sher Shah Syed on Multan-Mazzaffargarh Road.
Mausoleum of Hazrat Makhdoom Abdul Rashid Haqqani at Makhdoom Rashid Road.
Totla Mai near Haram Gate.
Shah Ali Akbar, a descendant of Shah Shams Sabzwari. He was the grandson of Hazrat Shah Shams. His mausoleums is situated in Shia Miani Multan.
Baba Safra near Eidgah.
The long brick tombs generally known as Nuagaza tombs, or the "nineyarder tombs". This term is generally applied, in the sub-continent, to the warriors and martyrs of Islam who, at the time of the early invasions of the Muslims fell in action against the Hindus.
Outside the Delhi Gate, nearly twelve yards (351/2 feet to be exact) in length, there is a stone of chocolate color with marks of light yellow on it, 27 inches in diameter and 78 inches thick, with a hole through the middle 9 inches in diameter. It is called Manka. People say the saint wore it round his neck, while some maintain that it was his thumb ring. The tomb is asserted to be 1300 years old. It is possible that it may belong to the times of the early Muslim invasion under Mohammad -bin-Qasim.
Mosques
Multan also boasts of having some of the oldest mosques, which were once considered as the jewels of the city. These mosques now remind us of the glorious past of Multan as it was governed by Muslims for more than a thousand years.Jamia Mosque
The first mosque ever built in Multan was the Jamia Mosque, which was constructed on the orders of Mohammad Bin Qasim. Ruins of this mosque were visible till 1954 at Qasim Bella which have now been washed away by the repeated floods of the river Chenab.
Sawi Mosque
Sawi mosque is supposed to be one of the oldest mosques, which still exists though it has no roof now and most of its decorations have been damaged. Some portions of this mosque are still intact which indicate that glazed blue tiles were profusely used for ornamentation.
Mosque Ali Muhammad Khan
Another old mosque of Multan, which is still in good condition, is Mosque Ali Muhammad Khan, which is also known as Mosque Wali Muhammad Khan. It is an excellent building, situated in the busiest Chowk Bazaar of the city. It was built by Nawab Ali Muhammad Khan Khakwani in 1757 (1171 A.H.) when he was the governor of Multan in the times of Alamgir II. The mosque is provided with a reservoir for the ablutions, baths, and a large hall for prayers. During the Sikh period, the gateway of the Mosque was used as the courthouse of the Nazim, while its great hall was utilized for keeping the Granth, or the holy book of the Sikhs. The Mosque was restored to the Muslims by the British Government at the commencement of the British rule. ''' Mosque Phool Hattan Wali ''' This mosque is located in the Main Bazaar (now called Chowk Bazaar) of the city. It was named so because it was located in the midst of the flower sellers' bazaar. The story recorded in a book titled "Early History of Multan" says that the Mughal Emperor Farrukh Sher (1713-1718 AD) on his visit to Multan, being childless, asked a fakir to pray on his behalf, that he might be blessed with a male issue. The fakir prayed for him, and a son was born to the Empress. His Majesty, through the governor of Multan, presented the fakir with an offering of Rs. 80,000, and with this money the liberal minded fakir had this mosque built.
Eid Gah Mosque
This grand mosque of Multan is located on the main Multan-Lahore highway in the Northeast of the city. It was built in 1735 AD by Nawab Abdul Samad Khan when he was the governor of Multan. It is a very spacious mosque provided with a vast courtyard and a huge prayer chamber measuring 250 feet long and 54 feet broad crowned by seven domes. Its exterior was faced with glazed blue tiles and the interior was ornamented with colorful mosaics. After independence it was found insufficient to accommodate the increased number of people so its courtyard was enlarged further.
Temples
Sun Mandir Hindus ruled over Multan for a thousand years but most of the ancient temples were destroyed during subsequent Muslim invasions. There are, however, two places of considerable antiquity of that period. The most important place of the Hindu period was the "Sun Mandir". It was the most important place of worship throughout the sub-continent as referred to in many books. It was situated on one of the old Fort. There is however no trace of it now.Suraj Kund Another place was "Suraj Kund" (the pool of sun). It is about five miles to the South of Multan on the Bahawalpur Road. It was a pond 132 feet in diameter and 10 feet deep when full of water. Sawn Mal the Sikh Diwan surrounded it with an octagonal wall. lt was a place of pilgrimage till 1947 and two fairs were held here annually. One on the 7th of the Vanishing moon of Bhadon, and the other on the 7th of the rising moon of Magh, the numbers having references to the seven hours of the Sun's Chariot, according to the Hindu mythology or the seven Rishies.
Important Places
Multan Fort
Multan Fort was built on a detached, rather high mound of earth separated from the city by the bed of an old branch of River Ravi. There is no Fort now, as it was destroyed by the British Garrison, which was stationed there for a long time but the entire site is known as the Fort. Nobody knows when Multan Fort came into being but it was there and it was admired and desired by kings and emperors throughout centuries. It was considered as one of the best forts of the sub-continent from the defence as well as architectural points of view. When intact, its circumference was 6,600 feet or, say, about one and a half mile. It had 46 bastions including two flanking towers at each of the four gates named as the De, Sikki, Hareri and Khizri Gate. When it was intact the Fort consisted of a hexagonal wall from 40 to 70 feet high, the longest side of which faced the northwest and extended for 600 yards, and which isolated it from the town. A ditch 25 feet deep and 40 feet wide was on the side of the wall, behind which was a glacis exhibiting a face of some 18 feet high, and so thick as to present an almost impregnable rocky mound. Within the fort, stood the citadel. The walls were flanked by 30 towers, and enclosed numerous houses, mosques, a Hindu temple of high antiquity, and a Khan's palace, the beauty of which was severely damaged by the battering it got from the guns of Ranjeet Singh in 1818. Once this was the position of the Multan Fort, but during the British occupation everything was lost and finished forever.Memorial Obelisk
There are no architectural remains of the British period except the Memorial Obelisk, which is located in the center of the Fort. It was built in the memory of Agnew and Anderson who were murdered in 1848. It is 50 feet high with five steps to a pedestal five feet high.Museum
The Museumof Multan contains a fine collection of coins, medals, postage stamps of the former State of Bahawalpur, manuscripts, documented inscriptions, wood carvings, camel-skin paintings, historical models and stone carvings of the Islamic and Pre-Islamic periods.Punjnad
At a distance of about 70 kilometers from Multan is Punjnad, which is a confluence of five rivers. You can have a boat ride here in River Chenab.Fort Munro
Fort Munro lies on the Quetta Road at 85 km from D.G. Khan. It is the only hill station in southern Punjab in the Sulaiman Mountains Range. Its altitude is 1800 meters and attracts many people for short stays during the summer. TDCP resort at Fort Munro offers excellent boating on the Dames Lake. The resort also provides accommodation, a restaurant and a snack bar.Other places
Multan has some modern beautiful buildings such as:
- Nishtar Hospital / Medical College
- Bahauddin Zakaria University
- Arts Council building
- Multan Railway Station building
- The Clock Tower of the Multan Municipal Corporation
- State Bank of Pakistan.
- The Stadium
- Lake Chamanzar-e-Askari and Company Bagh in the Cantonment
- Stadium and the Qasim Bagh in the Multan Fort
- Langer Khan Garden
- Aam-Khas Garden and the parks at Bohar gate
- Chowk Shaheedan
- Tabbi Sher Khan and the Nawab Shaher in and around Multan.
External links
- [A City of Saints Online] Multan Entertainment Portal
- [Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan. (BZU).aZ.]
- [Images of Multan]
- [Multan from Pakvisit]
- [from Tourism Punjab]
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