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The history of Multan prior to the arrival of Arabs in the 8th century
A.D is obscure. Alexander is said to have passed through the district
in about 325-326 B.C, but his route cannot be traced. It is probable
that Multan was the city of Malli which Alexander stormed and where he
was wounded.
About 327 B.C. the Macedonians were ousted by Chandragupta and the
Maurya dynasty remained in power till the beginning of the second
century A.D. From 30 B.C to 470 A.D., the Kushan dynasty ruled over
the area, and from 470 A.D to 550 A.D., the White Huns are believed to
have held sway.
Multan figured as the capital of an important province of the kingdom
of Sindh in the writings of the early Arab geographers. At the time
the Arabs first came to Sindh, the country was ruled by Raja Chach, a
Brahmin. Multan was conquered by Arabs under Muhammad Bin Qasim in 712
A.D . After defeating Raja Dahir, a descendant of Chach.
Thereafter, the town remained for the three centuries the out post of
Islam in India, under the caliph of Baghdad. It remained nominally
subject to the Lodhies, Ghaznavids and Muhammad Ghauri upto the end of
12th century. From the beginning of the 13th century for the next
three centuries , the history of Multan is practically the history of
the incursions from western and central Asia.
In 1397 came the invasion by Taimur, whose troops occupied Uch and
Multan, sacked Tulamba, raided the Kohkhars of Ravi and past across
Biass to Pakpattan and Delhi. In 1528, comes the peace full transfer
of the province of Multan to the emissaries of the Mughal Emperor
Babar. Under the Mughal Emperors, Multan enjoyed a long period of
peace between 1528-1748 and was known as Dar-ul-Aman.
In 1752 Multan became a province owing allegiance to Afghan kings. It
was then ruled by Pathan governors and Daud Putra chiefs of Bahawlpur
for some time. After 1771, Multan witnessed continued warfare between
Sikhs and the Nawabs of Multan. Between 1818 and 1845, it remained
under the Sikh rule and finally came under the British rule in 1849.
The City
Multan city has the distinction of being the birthplace of three
distinguished man in history Muhammad Tughlaq is said to have been
born in 13th century in a hamlet and the place, which is known as “
Kotla Toleh Khan “. Emperor Bahlole Lodhi was born in Qazian Wala
Makan near Hussain Agahi. Ahmed Shah Abdali, the first Durrani
sovereign of Afghanistan , was also born at Multan in 1722.
The city of Multan is bound on the north by the depression lying
between it and the front and on all other sides by a brick wall. It
has six gates i.e. Lohari gate, Pak gate, Bohar gate, Delhi gate,
Haram gate and Daulat gate.
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 Fort
Multan Fort was built on a mound separating it room the city by old
bed of river Ravi. Its date cannot be fixed with accuracy. When
intact, its circumference was 6,600 ft. having 46 bastions, including
two towers at each of the four gates i.e., Delhi gate, Khizri gate,
Sikhi gate and Rehri gate. The fort was ravaged by the British to
avenge the murder of one Mr. Agnew in 1948. At present it is survived
by some parts of the old rampart and bastions besides the shrines of
Hazrat Bahauddin Zakaria and Shah Rukne-e-Alam, an obelisk in memory
of Agnew and a Hindu temple. The famous Qasim Bagh and a stadium are
located within the walls of the fort. A panoramic view of Multan city
can be had from the highest point in the fort.
Shrines
The devastation of Khorasan and Western Iran was to the benefit of
this part of Pakistan, for it led to the setting in this city of a
large Gardezi Syeds and Qureshis from Khwarizm, amongst whom Shiekh
Bahauddin Zakaria is a famous saint. About the same time Pir Shams
Sabzawari from Sabzwar and Kazi Qutubuddin from Kashan came to Multan.
Baba Farid Shakar Ganj was born in a village of Multan , and settled
in Pakpattan.
Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki passed through Multan to Delhi and
Syed Jalal, the spiritual leader of many families in Multan,
Muzaffargarh and Bahawalpur came to Uch.
Sultan Sikhi Sarwar’s father also emigrated form Bukhara to Sarwar
Shah Kot in Multan district. These venerable men contributed greatly
to spreading Islam in this area. The saints and shrines of Multan have
been attracting a large number of devotees all year round.
One of the foremost scholars of Islam, Sheikh Baha-ud-din Zakaria’s
shrine is located in the fort. He was born in 1170 A.D., studied in
Turan and Iran and received instructions from Sheikh Shahab-ud-din
Suharwardi at Baghdad. His mausoleum was built by the saint himself.
It was a unique style of architecture of that period, a only other
being at Sonepat in India. It also houses the graves of most of the
eminent members of the Qureshi family, including that of Nawab
Muzaffar Khan.
The mausoleum of Shah Rukn-e –Alam, the grand son of Sheikh Bahauddin
Zakaria, this also located near the main gate of the Multan fort. He
was also a man of great religious and political influence during the
Tughlaq region and was in Multan when it was visited by Ibn-e-Batuta.
The Mausoleum was originally built by emperor Ghias-ud-din Tughlaq but
was given up by his son Muhammad Tughlaq in favor of Shah Rukn-e-Alam
. Besides its religious importance, the mausoleum has a unique
architectural value. Its dome is considered to be the second largest
in the world. The mausoleum has recently being given the Agha Khan
award for the best Muslim architecture. Some of the interesting
statistics of its architecture are:
(a) Total height of the road level is 150ft
(b) Total height of building is 100ft
(c) Octagonal upper structure diameter is 26ft
(d) Octagonal lower structure diameter is 52ft
(e) The dome on top has a diameter of 58ft
The mausoleum has very rich geometric pattern, calligraphy and
colorful floral, mosaic and glaze tile work. The shrine is visited by
devotees all year around.
The shrine of Hazrat Shams Sabzwari is located near Aam-khas garden. A
descended of Imam Jaffar, he was born in 1165 A.D., the saint died in
1276 A.D., and is shrine was built by his grand son in 1330 A.D.
Other Shrines
Other shrines in Multan include those of Mohammad Yousaf Gardezi near
Bohar Gate, Musa Pak Shaheed inside the Pak Gate, Totla Mai Haram
Gate, Shah Ali Akbar, a descendant of Shah Shams Sabzwari, in Suraj
Miani and Baba Safra near Eidgah.
Mosques of Multan
The famous mosques of Multan are Wali Mohammad Mosque in Chowk Bazar
built by Ali Mohammad Khakwani in 1758 A.D., Mosque Phulhatt in Chowk
Bazar built by Emperor Farrukh Siyar, Baqarabadi Mosque built by Baqar
Khan in 1720 A.D. and the beautiful Eidgah Mosque built by Nawab Abdul
Samad Khan in 1735 A.D.
Other Places
Multan has some beautiful modern buildings such as Nishtar Medical
College, University Campus, Arts Council building with and auditorium,
Multan Railway Station building the famous Clock Tower building of the
Multan Municipal Corporation and State Bank of Pakistan etc.
There are places of recreation in Multan such as the Stadium, the Lake
Chaman zar-e-Askari and Company Bagh in the Multan Fort, Lange Khan
Garden, Aam-Khas Garden and the parks at Bohar Gate, Chowk Shaheedan,
Tabbi Sher Khan and the Nawan Shaher in and around Multan.
Festivals, Fairs and Meals
Religious festivals in Multan are a peculiar mixture of devotion and
recreation. Multan is famous for its shrines. Annual Urs is held on
every shrine. Well known are the Urs of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, Bahauddin
Zakaria, Shah Shams Sabzwari, Shah Jamal, Sher Shah and Mela Ludden
Pir, etc.
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