| Province |
Punjab |
| Location |
30.2°′″N, 71.45°′″E |
| Altitude |
710 Feet |
| Area |
3,721km² |
| Time Zone |
(GMT +5) |
| Towns |
6 Towns |
| Population |
5 Million |
|
|
Four rare things multan
abounds Heat, Saints, Dust and Burial Grounds
( Persian poet describes the primordial environment of the
historic city of multan)
| Multan 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.
The city's industries include metalworking, flour,
sugar, and oil milling, and the manufacture of textiles,
fertilizer, soap, and glass. Multan is also known for
its handicrafts, especially pottery and enamel work.
One of the subcontinent's oldest cities, Multan derives
its name from an idol in the temple of the sun god,
a shrine of the pre-Muslim period. The city was conquered
(c.326 BC) by Alexander the Great , visited (AD 641)
by the Chinese Buddhist scholar Hsüan-tsang, taken
(8th cent.) by the Arabs, and captured by Muslim Turkish
conqueror Mahmud of Ghazna in 1005 and by Timur in 1398.
In the 16th and 17th century, Multan enjoyed peace under
the early Mughal emperors.
In 1818 the city was seized by Ranjit Singh, leader
of the Sikhs. The British held it from 1848 until Pakistan
achieved independence in 1947. Landmarks include an
old fort containing the 14th-century tombs of two Muslim
saints. |
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| 200-BC |
The earliest history of Multan fades away
in the mists of mystery and mythology. Most of the historians,
however agree that Multan beyond any doubt, is the same
Maii-us-than which was conquered by Alexander who faced
here tremendous resistance. He was fatally wounded while
fighting to capture the citadel. For the first time his
sacred shield, which he had taken from the temple of Illion,
Athena, and which he used always to be carried before
him in all his battles, rolled in dust while he fell unconscious
on the ground with blood gushing out from his wounds.
But that was the scene which inspired the Macedonians
and seeing their king in that state they launched a lightening
attack and captured the citadel without any further harm
to Alexander. Alexander, however, never recovered fully
well after this battle and died, on his way back, at Babylon. |
| 400-600 AD |
History is silent for more than six centuries that is
until 454 A.D. when White Huns, the barbarous nomads,
stormed Multan under the banner of their leader Torman.
After a fierce fight they conquered but did not stay for
long and Hindu rule continued once again for about two
hundred years. |
| 600-700 AD |
Subsequent history of Multan is well established and
more than sufficient light has been thrown on the cross
section by world famous travellers, writers and historians
who visited Multan including the Chinese historian Hiuen
Tsang in 641 A. D. The Chinese traveller found the circuit
of the city about 30 li which is equal to five miles.
He described, "the soil rich and fertile and mentioned
about eight Deva temples. He also mentioned that people
do not believe in Buddha rule. The city is thickly populated-the
grand temple dedicated to the Sun is very magnificent
and profusely decorated-The image of Sun Deva also known
as "Mitra" is cast in yellow gold and ornamented
with rare gems. Its divine insight mysteriously manifested
and its spiritual powers made plain to all and so on".
Multan was first visited by the Muslim arms during the
reign of the Khalifa Abu Bekr, in 44 Hijri (664 A.D.),
when Mohalib, the Arab General, afterwards an eminent
commander in Persia and Arabia, penetrated to the ancient
capital of the Maili. He returned with many prisoners
of war. The expedition, however, seems to have been directed
towards exploration of the country as no attempt was apparently
made to retain the conquest. |
| 700-800 AD |
Mohammad Bin Qasim, the great Muslim general invaded
this subcontinent in 712 A. D., and conquered Sind and
Multan. The city was conquered after a fierce and long
battle which lasted for seven days. Many distinguished
officers of the Muslim army sacrificed their lives in
the battle, but the Hindu army was defeated.
The author of 'Jawahar-al-Bahoor' ( the famous Arabic
History) writes in his book "that Multan at that
time was known as the House of Gold. There was a great
Mandir which was also called as the Sun Mandir. It was
so big that six thousand resident worshippers were housed
therein. Thousands of people from every corner of the
country used to visit this place to perfom their Haj (Pilgrimage).
They used to circle round it and get their beards and
heads shaved off as a mark of respect. |
| 800-900 AD |
In the periods, of Caliph Mansoor, and Mostasim Bilia,
Multan was attacked by Arabs several times. |
| 900-1000AD |
Ibn Khurdaba described in his book, "The book of
Roads and Kingdoms", "Multan being two months
journey from Zarani the capital of Sijistan, by the name
of Farj because Mohammad, Son of Qasim, Lieutenant of
At-Hajjaj, found vast quantities of gold in the city,
which was forwarded to the Caliph's treasury so it was
called by the Arabs the House of Gold".
Al-Masudi of Baghdad who visited the valley of the Indus
in 303 A.H. (915 A.D.) mentioned about Multan in his book,
"The Meadows of Gold", that "Multan is
seventy five Sindhian Farsangs from Mansura. It is one
of the strongest frontier places of the Musulmans and
in its neighbourhood there are a hundred and twenty thousand
towns and villages", Al-Masudi also mentioned about
the idol and explained as to how people living in the
distant parts of country travel to Multan to perform pilgrimage
and in fulfilment of their woes and religious obligations,
they make offerings of money, precious stones, perfumes
of every kind and aloe wood before it. Both tstakhari
of Istakhar, or Persepolis, who wrote about the middle
of the tenth century 340 A.H. (951 A.D.) and Ibn Haukal
of Baghdad who based his work on that of Istakhari, give
glowing accounts of Multan which they described as a large,
fortif ied and impregnable city, about half the size of
Mansura, the ancient Muslim capital of Sind. They also
mentioned about the idol of Multan as being held in great
veneration by Hindus who flocked to it from all parts
of India.
Sultan Sabuktageen, the Afghan King conquered Multan,
but after four years, that is, in 980 A.D. it was conquered
by a Sardar of the Karamti Tribe who ruled it for some
time. |
| 1000-1100 AD |
Mahmood Ghaznavi attacked Multan for the first time
- conquered it and demolished many Hindu temples. He demolished
the famous 'Sun Mandir' also. Mahmood Ghaznavi attacked
Multan for the second time during 1010 A.D. and conquered
it but did not stay for long. |
| 1100-1200 AD |
Sultan Shahab-ud-din, who is also known as Mohammad
Gbory, finally defeated Pirthvi Raj and conquered India.
After consolidating his position in Dehli, the capital
of India, led an army attack, against Multan and conquered
it. As such, Multan, which had remained almost independent
under the Arab rulers became a dependency of the house
of Ghaznavi. Sultan Mohammad Ghory appointed Aii Karmani
as his Governor of Multan and Uch. |
| 1200-1300 AD |
In 1218 A.D. Changez Khan invaded Western Turkistan
and for the next three centuries history of Multan is
practically the history of incursions from Western and
Central Asia to which the invasion of Changez gave rise.
During this period Multan was nominally subject to the
Delhi Empire. There were, however, two periods when Multan
was practically a separate Kingdom independent of Delhi.
At times the province was held by powerful governors who,
though, unable to secure independence, were powerful factors
in the dynastic changes of the time.
The Administration of Multan suffered due to preoccupation
of Delhi Empire in repelling the repeated raids of Mughals
from Khurasan and Central Asia. In 1 284 A.D. the Mughals
under Taimur Khan, defeated and killed prince Muhammad,
known as the Martyr Prince who then ruled Multan. In 1305
A.D. an invasion under Aibak Khan was repelled by the
redoubtable warrior Ghazi Beg Tughlak, who is said to
have 29 times defeated the invading hordes. In 1 327 A.D.
a force under Turmsharin Khan over-ran the distt. and
retreated on payment of bribe. |
| 1300-1400 AD |
After the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate, Multan
became its western frontier. In the beginning it was governed
by Nasir-ud-Din Qabacha, then captured by jaial-al-Din
Manakabarni and finally annexed by Shams-AI-Din Altamash.
When Balban strengthened his frontier guard he posted
his eldest son Sultan Muhammad
Khan-i-Shahid here and made him responsible for the defence.
It was under his patronage that Amir Khusrau and Hasan
Dehiavi lived in Multan and composed their poems. Multan,
however, continuously suffered from Mongol invasions.
In
order to meet these Mongol pressures Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughlaq
was appointed as a warden of the Frontier Marches. From
Multan he rose to be the Sultan of Delhi - Multan remained
under the Tughlaqs until it was conquered by Amir Taimur
in 1 397 A.D.
During this long period the prosperity of Muitan grew
unabated. It was during this period that the city was
adorned by important monuments that established a particular
school of Muitani Architecture. The Tombs of Baha-AI-Din
Zakariya, Shah Rukn-AI-Din, Rukn-e-Alam and Shamas Sabzwari
have given to Multan a unique place in the indo-Muslim
Architecture. The presence of these tombs of the saints
mentioned above have also added a religious tone to the
city.
In 1 397 A.D., came the invasion of Taimur whose troops
occupied Uch and Multan, sacked Tiamba, raided the Khokhars
of Ravi and passed across Beas to Pakpattan and Delhi.
|
| 1400-1500 AD |
in India in reality. Khizer Khan Syed governed the Kingdom
in the name of Taimur but without any sovereign title
or royal honours. During the troubled reign of his grand
son Syed Mohammad, an insurrection broke out in Multan
among the Afghans called Langas. Finally one of the Langa
chiefs proclaimed himself as the king of Multan under
the title of Sultan Kutab-ud-din Langa.
During the eighty years that Multan was held by Langa
Dynasty, it became the principal caravan route between
India and Kandhar. Commerce and agriculture flourished.
All the lands along the banks of the Chenab and the Ghagra
as well as some on the Indus were cultivated and prosperity
flourished once again. |
| 1500-1600 AD |
In 1526 A.D. Shah Hussain Arghun, at that time the ruler
of Sind, seized Muitan on behalf of Baber, the Mughal
emperor. He bestowed it on his son Mirza Askari. The Mirza,
assisted by Langar Khan, one of the powerful amirs of
Sultan Mahmud Langa, held possession of Multan during
the rest of the Baber's reign. After the death of Baber,
Humayun found himself compelled to surrender Multan, in
fact the
whole of Punjab, to his eldest brother, Kamran Mirza.
The prince established his court at Lahore and deputed
one of his arnirs to take care of Multan.
During the confusion that followed the flight of Humayun
to Persia the Kingdom of Multan was captured by Baluchies
under their chieftain Fatteh Khan who surrendered it to
Hebat Khan, one of the commanders of Sher Shah Suri. Pleased
with his services, Sher Shah Suri bestowed the Kigndom
of Multan on Hebat Khan. |
| 1600-1700 AD |
When Humayun recaptured the Indian throne in 1555 A.
D. Multan was also amalgamated in the Mughal Empire, Abul
Fazal mentions in "Ain-c- Akbari" that: "Multan
was one of the largest provinces of the empire, extending
to the frontiers of Persia including within its limits
the modern countries of Baluchistan, Sindh, Shikarpore
and Thatta, besides a portion of Doabas now attached to
Lahore. A royal mint for silver and copper coins was established
at Multan alongwith the mints at Delhi, Agra and a few
other places". Under the Mughal Emperors, Multan
enjoyed a long period of peace and was known as Dar-ul-Aman
(city of peace). For more than two hundred years that
is from 1548 to 1748 there was no warfare in this part
of the Punjab. As a result of these peaceful conditions,
cultivation increased, particularly in the riverain areas
and commerce flourished. Multan thus became an emporium
for trade. The city became the headquarter of a province
which covered the whole of the South Western Punjab and,
at times, included Sind also. |
| 1700-1800 AD |
At the decline of the Mughal Empire Multan had, at first
escaped devastation which was experienced by other parts
of the subcontinent. The main reason was the change in
the route of the invaders from Afghanistan to India as
it lay through Lahore. So the armies of Nadir Shah and
Ahmed Shah Abdali left Multan unscathed. After having
been a part of the Dehii empire, Multan in 1752, became
a province owing allegiance to the Afghan kings of Kabul.
During this period the country was ruled by Governors
of Pathan extraction and under the rule of the Saddozais
of Kabul. The Saddozais governed Multan for more than
sixty six years but general conditions remained turbulent.
After consolidating their position at Lahore, the Sikhs
marched to the south-west for over two hundred and fifty
miles. They crossed the indus and penetrating into the
Deras' under their Commanders Sardar Hari Singh Bhangi
and his sons, jhanda Singh and Ganda Singh along with
Hira Singh, the Sikhs destoryed everything, plundered
many villages and killed the people mercilessly, set the
houses of the Muslims on fire and demolished many mosques.
Ultimately, under the command of jhanda Sing and Ganda
Sing, they appeared before Multan on March 9 1764 A.D.
(21 Ramazan 11 78 A. H.) looted its suburbs but after
collecting millions of rupees they returned. |
| 1800-1900 AD |
By the beginning of 1818 Ranjit Singh succeeded to raise
a big army consisting of 25,000 soldiers equipped with
necessary provisions which he placed under Diwan Misr
Chand, his most trusted General. The over all charge of
the campaign wasentrusted tohiselderson Khark Singh and
the contingent set out for Multan
with great pomp and show. The famous Zamzama Gun was also
transported to Multan. Nawab Muzaffar Khan Saddozai who
was the Governor of Multan for the past thirty nine years
fought courageously but failed to save Multan from the
clutches of Sikhs. The death of Muzaffar Khan was in fact
the death of the Muslim rule in Multan. After capturing
the Fort the Sikh soldiers were let loose to arson and
debauchery and Latif recorded as under :
"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. The precious stones, jewellery, Shawls and
other valuables belonging to the
Nawab were confiscated to 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 city sack, and indeed there was hardly
a soul who escaped both loss and violence"
The Sikh rule continued in the Punjab and Multan unchecked
but thinking themselves very powerful, the sikhs crossed
the Sutlej and entered into the British Territory. They
looted some of' the villages also. This happened on December
8, 1845 A.D. The outcome of this adventure was a fierce
battle and a disastrous and
ignominious defeat of the Sikh Army. Thereafter a treaty
was signed between the British and the Sikhs. Under the
new treaty a Council nf Regency was established at Lahore
which empowered the British to intervene into many administrative
matters. Keeping in view the provisions of the treaty
the British Resident introduced several measures in order
to regulate the ad 'Ministration throughout the Sikh territories.
These measures were to be implemented by Diwan Mul Raj
also, who was the Sikh Governor of Multan. The changes
were, however, detrimental to the over all interests of
the Diwan as they affected his tight control over the
traders and businessmen. The other decision of the Resident
which brought a blow to Diwan Mui Raj was the introduction
of appeals against the decisions of the district officers.
such appeals were to be heard by the Lahore Darbar. These
measures infuriated the Diwan, as he considered it as
an infringement of his rights.
So keeping in view the insulting attitude of the British
Diwan Mul Raj first resigned, then changed his mind and
agreed to continue for some time. Later his resignation
was accepted on March 24, 1848 and Sardar Khan Singh was
appointed as the new Diwan of Multan while two British
officers, Mr. P. A. Vans Agnew and Lt. W. A. Anderson
were appointed to take care of the administration. When
these officers reached Multan they were received by Diwan
Mul Raj but his advisers forced him to change his mind.
In the meanwhile commotion and agitation spread into the
city. As such the helpless Diwan became a tool in the
hands of the Sikh Army which rebel.led and the two British
off icers were mu rdered. The rebelling soldiers gathered
around Mul Raj and declared him as their leader.
This open rebellion infuriated the British Government
at Lahore and they decided that Multan should be captured
and amalgamated into the British Territory. So the British
Government collected forces right from Bannu to Bombay
on top priority basis in order to capture Multan and by
the end of the year Multan was surrounded from all sides.
On December 21) 1848 the Bombay Division commanded by
Brigadier Dundas also reached Multan. On December 27,
one British column launched an attack on the suburbs and
the residence of Mul Raj, the "Aam Khas", was
bombarded while three other columns were ordered to make
diversion to distract the enemy. The irregular forces
commenced the diversion at noon and by 4 p.m. the whole
line of the suburbs including the tomb of Sawan Mal, the
blue Mosque of Shams Sabzwari and the cantonments of the
'Aam Khas' were in possession of the British. The Bombay
Native Rifles actually
entered one of the city gates. Meanwhile, a shell from
a mortar blew up the magazine located within the fort.
containing 5,000 maunds of powder. The explosion destroyed
the great Mosque and the lofty dome of Baha-ud-Din Zakariya's
Tomb.
On January 2, 1849, breaches in the Khuni Burj and the
Dehii Gate were reported, and storming parties advanced
and crossed the intervening ditch, but the city wall was
found intact with a height of 30 feet, totally impregnable.
A most bloody struggle ensued and the English became masters
of the town. Again, to
quote Latif: "Terrible had been the carnage during
the siege and frightful the effect of the British Ordnance.
The battered town of Multan presented the appearance of
a vessel wrecked and broken by a tremendous storm which
had driven it to an
inhospitable shore. The streets were strewn with slain
Sikhs, whose long locks, matted with gore, and beards,
blown about by the wind, gave the dead a demoniacal appearance.
Not a house or wall had escaped the effects of the English
shells. All had been scorched and blackened by the bombardment.
Mul Raj retired to the citadel with more than 3,000 picked
men, the rest all dispersed and fled. In vain did the
Diwan make an endeavour to rally them. They were dispirited,
and nothing was left for the garrison but to sally or.
surrender. Mul Raj was now reduced to the last extremity.
A constant storm of shell had reduced the
interior of the fortress to a wreck. Ail the flour having
been blown up in the explosion of the grand mosque, every
soldier of the garrison was obliged to grind the wheat
for his own food. Mul Raj's chief advisers urgently pressed
him to surrender, and he promised either to do this or
take poison. He was finally arrested by the British and
that was the end of the Sikh rule over Multan as well
as the end of loot and plunder which was the main characteristic
of the Sikh rule.
As stated above the residents of Multan suffered extensively
during this battle. It was another addition to the history
of the power game and bloodshed witnessed by the streets
of Multan but life returned to normal with the passage
of time. |
| 1900-2006 AD |
Multan, however, lost its very important position as
soon as the British stronghold over the sub-continent
grew stronger and stronger. Although peace prevailed in
the region but no real progress was made. When independence
was achieved in 1947 Multan was a forgotten region. There
was no industry; no higher and professional educational
Institutions, no high standard hospitals; so much so that
there was not even a single recreation park in the whole
of the city. It looked more like a town though its population
was nearly one lakh. The site of the Old Fort was in ruins.
Thorny bushes and ditches were in plenty whispering the
awful tale of its ruination, Majority of the roads were
unmetalled and the sewerage system too defective to explain.
The history of the district since independence is mainly
connected with the expansion of facilities except a few
minor changes such as one of its districts, that is, D.G.
Khan has been declared as the Divisional Headquarter and
some of its Tehsils such as Vehari as the new District
etc. |
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