The city was among the most important trading centres ofSouth Asia with strong ties to Iran, Central Asia and the rest of the Persianate and Muslim world. It was a great centre of knowledge and learning in medieval South Asia during the Turkish-Persian rule,[10] and attracted a multitude ofSufi mystics in the 11th and 12th centuries, becoming a centre of spirituality in South Asia and earning the city the sobriquet "City of Saints." The city, along with the nearby city ofUch, is known for its large number of Sufi shrines dating from that era.[11]
Etymology
The origin of Multan's name is unclear. An ancient known name of the city wasMalli-istan;Malli was the name of a tribe that inhabited the region and city. The city name may have been derived from the deity of the ancientMultan Sun Temple.[12][13] Some have suggested the name derives from theOld Persian wordmulastāna, 'frontier land',[14] while others have ascribed its origin to theSanskrit wordmūlasthāna.[15]
The region around Multan is home to several archaeological sites dating to the early Harappan period of theIndus Valley Civilisation between 3000 BC to 2800 BC.[1] According to the Hindu religious texts, Multan was founded by the sage Kashyapa.[16] These texts also assert that Multan was the capital of theTrigarta Kingdom ruled by the Katoch dynasty during theKurukshetra War that is central to the Hindu epic poem, theMahabharata.[17][18][19] The city was visited by Greek admiralSkylax, who passed through the area in 515 BCE. The city was also mentioned by the Greek historianHerodotus in 400 BC.[20]
Multan is believed to have been the Malli capital that was conquered byAlexander the Great in 326 BCE as part of theMallian Campaign. TheMallian people, together with nearby tribes, gathered an army of 90,000 personnel to fight against an army of 50,000 Greeks. This was perhaps the largest army faced by Greeks in the entire subcontinent.[21] During the siege of the city's citadel, Alexander reputedly leaped into the inner area of the citadel, where he faced the Mallian leader.[22] Alexander was wounded by an arrow that had penetrated his lung, leaving him severely injured.[23] After a fierce battle at the site of 'Khooni Burj' the Mallian army eventually surrendered, preventing further bloodshed.[24] During Alexander's era, Multan was located on an island in the Ravi river, which has since shifted course numerous times throughout the centuries.[16]
In the mid-5th century CE, the city was attacked byWhite Huns, a group of BarbarianHephthalite nomads led byToramana. After a fierce fight they conquered Multan, but did not stay long.[25]
Several historians have suggested that before the Muslim invasion, theValas, a prominent clan of theKathiRajputs, were among the early rulers of the Thatta region. These groups are thought to have originally resided along theIndus River, encompassing areas such asThatta and Multan, before migrating to theKathiawar region of present-dayGujarat,India. In the bardic tradition, the Vala rulers are associated with the birad, or blessing, of "Tatta Multan ka Rao" (Lords of Thatta and Multan), a title that underscores their historical ties to these locations.[31][32]
Multan was first invaded by a Muslim army after the reign of the caliphAli, in 664 CE, when Mohalib, an Arab general, occupied the city.[33] The expedition, however, seems to have been directed towards exploration of the country as no attempt was apparently made to retain the conquest.[33] After his conquest of Sindh,Muhammad ibn Qasim in 712 CE captured Multan fromRaja Dahir following a two-month siege.[34] Following ibn Qasim's conquest, the city's Subjects remained mostly non-Muslim for the next few decades under the Umayyad Caliphate.[35]
In the 10th century, theBhati Rajput rulers near Multan as well as the Muslim Emir of Multan were eager to assistJayapala, the Hindu Shahi ruler of Afghanistan, because of the slave incursions into their territories by the rulers ofGhazni. However, Jayapala was unable to conquer Ghazni, and the alliance he had formed quickly fell apart.[36]
By the mid-800s, theBanu Munabbih (855–959) also known as theBanu Sama, who claimed descent from the Islamic prophetMuhammad'sQuraysh tribe came to rule Multan, and established the Emirate of Banu Munabbih, which ruled for the next century.[37]
During this era, the Multan Sun Temple was noted by the 10th century Arab geographer Al-Muqaddasi to have been located in a most populous part of the city.[38] The Hindu temple was noted to have accrued the Muslim rulers large tax revenues,[39][40] by some accounts up to 30% of the state's revenues.[35] During this time, the city's Arabic nickname wasFaraj Bayt al-Dhahab, ("Frontier House of Gold"), reflecting the importance of the temple to the city's economy.[35]
The 10th century Arab historian Al-Masudi noted Multan as the city where Central Asian caravans from IslamicKhorasan would assemble.[41] The 10th century Persian geographer Estakhri visited the area. At the time Mansura( the capital of Sindh) along with Multan were the only two major Arab principalities in South Asia. Arabic was spoken in both cities,[35] though the inhabitants of Multan were reported by Estakhri to also have been speakers of Persian, reflecting the importance of trade with Khorasan. Polyglossia rendered Multani merchants culturally well-suited for trade with the Islamic world.[41]
The 10th centuryHudud al-'Alam notes that Multan's rulers were also in control ofLahore,[41] though that city was then lost to the Hindu Shahi.[41] During the 10th century, Multan's rulers resided at a camp outside of the city namedJandrawār, and would enter Multan once a week on the back of an elephant for Friday prayers.[42]
Multan became capital ofEmirate of Multan in 855. Al Masudi of Baghdad who visited Indus valley in 915 A.D mentioned in his book "Meadows of Gold" that it is one of the strongest frontier places of Muslims and in its neighbourhood there are a hundred and twenty thousand towns and villages".[43]
By the mid 10th century, Multan had come under the influence of the Qarmatian Ismailis. The Qarmatians had been expelled fromEgypt andIraq following their defeat at the hands of theAbbasids there. Qarmatians zealots had famously sackedMecca,[44] and outraged the Muslim world with their theft and ransom of theKaaba'sBlack Stone, and desecration of the Zamzam Well with corpses during the Hajj season of 930 CE.[45]
The governor of Jhang, Umar bin Hafas, was a clandestine supporter of the Fatimid movement and the Batiniya influence spread in Southern Punjab. Then, the Qarmatians who had established contacts with the Fatimids in Egypt set up an independent dynasty in Multan and ruled the surrounding areas.[46]
They wrested control of the city from the pro-Abbasid Amirate of Banu Munabbih,[47] and established the Emirate of Multan, while pledging allegiance to theIsmailiFatimid dynasty based in Cairo.[40][41]During this period, Uch and Multan remained a central pilgrimage site for Vaishnavite and Surya devotees, and their admixture with Isma’īlīsm created the Satpanth tradition. Hence, the beginning of the eleventh century witnessed a sacral and political diversity in Uch that was both unique and precarious.[48] The Qarmatian Ismailis opposed Hindu pilgrims worshipping the sun,[49] and destroyed theSun Temple and smashed its reveredAditya idol in the late 10th century.[47] The Qarmatians built anIsmaili congregational mosque above the ruins to replace the city's Sunni congregational mosque that had been established by the city's early rulers.[35]
11th-16th century CE
Multan is famous for its large number of Sufi shrines, including the unique rectangular tomb ofShah Gardez that dates from the 1150s and is covered in blue enameled tiles typical of Multan.The shrine ofShamsuddin Sabzwari dates from 1330, and has a unique green dome.TheMausoleum of Shah Ali Akbar dating from the 1580s was built in the regional style that is typical of Multan's shrines.
Mahmud of Ghazni in 1005 led an expedition against Multan's Qarmatian rulerAbul Fateh Daud. The city was surrendered, and Fateh Daud was permitted to retain control over the city with the condition that he adhere toSunnism.[50] In 1007, Mahmud led another expedition to Multan against his former minister and Hindu convert, Niwasa Khan, who had renounced Islam and attempted to establish control of the region in collusion with Abul Fateh Daud of Multan.[50]
In 1010, Mahmud led his third and punitive expedition against Daud to depose and imprison him,[50][38] and suppressed Ismailism in favour of the Sunni creed.[51] He destroyed the Ismaili congregational mosque that had been built above the ruins of the Multan Sun Temple, and restored the city's old Sunni congregational mosque, built by Muhammad bin Qasim.[35]
The 11th century scholar Abu Mansur al-Baghdadi reported that the Ismaili community was still living in the city.[38] Following the Ghaznavid invasion of Multan, the local Ismaili community split, with one faction aligning themselves with the Druze religion,[38] which today survives in Lebanon,Syria, and the Golan Heights. Following Mahmud's death in 1030, Multan regained its independence from the Ghaznavid empire and came under the sway of Ismaili rule once again.[50]Shah Gardez, who came to Multan in 1088, is said to have contributed in the restoration of the city.
By the early 1100s, Multan was described by the Arab geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi as being a "large city" commanded by a citadel that was surrounded by a moat.[52] In the early 12th century, Multani poet Abdul Rahman penned theSandesh Rasak,[35] the only known Muslim work in the medievalApabhraṃśa language.[53]
In 1175,Muhammad Ghori conquered Ismaili-ruled Multan,[42][54] after having invaded the region via the Gomal Pass from Afghanistan into Punjab, and used the city as a springboard for his unsuccessful campaign into Gujarat in 1178.[50] Multan was then annexed to theGhurid Sultanate, and became an administrative province of theMamluk Dynasty[37] — the first dynasty based in Delhi. Multan's Ismaili community rose up in an unsuccessful rebellion against the Ghaurids later in 1175.[38]
Mamluk dynasty
Following the death of the first Mumluk Sultan, Qutb al-Din Aibak in 1210, Multan came under the rule ofNasiruddin Qabacha, who in 1222, successfully repulsed an attempted invasion by SultanJalal al-Din Mangburni of the Khwarazmian Empire,[37] whose origins were rooted in Konye-Urgench in modern-day Turkmenistan.[37] Uch and Sindh were also in control of Qabacha.[21]
Qabacha also capturedLahore many times and ruled all these regions. He repulsed a siege imposed on Multan city by Mongol forces who attempted to conquer the city.[55] He gathered a large army from Uch, Multan and Bukkhar (Sukkur) and Mongols were repulsed.[21]
Following Qabacha's death that same year, theTurkic kingIltutmish, the third Sultan of the Mamluk dynasty, captured and then annexed Multan in an expedition.[37][50] The Punjabi poetBaba Farid was born in the village of Khatwal near Multan in the 1200s.[54]
Qarlughids attempted to invade Multan in 1236,[56] while the Mongols tried to capture the city in 1241 after capturing Lahore – though they were repulsed.[50] TheMongols under Sali Noyan then successfully held the city to ransom in 1245–6,[56] before being recaptured by SultanGhiyas ud din Balban, the ninth Mamluk Sultan. Multan then fell to the Qarlughids in 1249, but was captured by Sher Khan that same year.[56] Multan was then conquered by Izz al-Din Balban Kashlu Khan in 1254, before he rebelled against Sultan Ghiyas ud din Balban in 1257 and fled toIraq where he joined Mongol forces and captured Multan again, and dismantled its city walls.[56] The Mongols again attempted an invasion in 1279, but were dealt a decisive defeat.[54]
Delhi SultanAlauddin Khalji dispatched his brotherUlugh Khan in 1296 to conquer Multan region which was governed by surviving family members of his predecessor, SultanJalal-ud-din Khalji.
After usurping the throne of Delhi, Alauddin decided to eliminate the surviving family members of Jalaluddin, who were present in Multan. In November 1296, he sent a 30,000–40,000 strong army led by Ulugh Khan andZafar Khan to Multan who successfully captured the city after two months of siege.[57]
Amir Khusrau, the famous Indo-Persian Sufi singer, musician, poet and scholar visited Multan on the invitation of Khan Muhammad. Multan at the time was the gateway to India and was a center of knowledge and learning. Caravans of scholars, tradesmen and emissaries transited through Multan fromBaghdad,Arabia andPersia on their way to Delhi. Khusrau wrote that:
I tied the belt of service on my waist and put on the cap of companionship for another five years. I imparted lustre to the water of Multan from the ocean of my wits and pleasantries.[58]
In the 1320s Multan was conquered byGhiyath al-Din Tughluq, he was made the governor of Multan and South Punjab, Sindh regions and of Depalpur.[21] He was the founder of the TurkicTughluq dynasty, the third dynasty of theDelhi Sultanate. Earlier he spent his time in Multan and fought 28 battles against Mongols from there and saved the regions from advances of Mongols. He wrote in the jamia Masjid of Multan that he had fought 28 battles against Mongols and had survived, people gave him the title Ghazi ul Mulk.[21]
Ghiyath al din's son Muhammad bin Tughlaq was born in Multan. After Ghiyath's death he became the Sultan and ascended the throne in Delhi.[21] The countryside around Multan was recorded to have been devastated by excessively high taxes imposed during the reign of Ghiyath's son,Muhammad Tughluq.[41] In 1328, the Governor of Multan, Kishlu Khan, rose in rebellion against Muhammad Tughluq, but was quickly defeated.[60]
TheTomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam was completed during the Tughluq era, and is considered to be the first Tughluq monument.[59] The shrine is believed to have been originally built to be the tomb of Ghiyath ad-Din,[61] but was later donated to the descendants ofRukn-e-Alam after Ghiyath became Emperor of Delhi.[62]
The renowned Arab explorerIbn Battuta visited Multan in the 1300s during the reign of Muhammad Tughluq, and noted that Multan was a trading centre for horses imported from as far away as theRussian Steppe.[41] Multan had also been noted to be a centre for slave-trade, though slavery was banned in the late 1300s by Muhammad Tughluq's son,Firuz Shah Tughlaq.[41]
In 1397, Multan wasbesieged byTamerlane's grandsonPir Muhammad.[63] Pir Muhammad's forces captured the city in 1398 following the conclusion ofthe 6-month-long siege.[54] Khizr Khan the governor of Multan allied with Amir Timur. Timur captured Lahore and gave its control to Khizr khan as reward for his support.[64] Also in 1398, the elder Tamerlane and Multan's governorKhizr Khan together accomplished theSack of Delhi.[54] The sack of Delhi lead to major disruptions of the Sultanate's central governing structure.[54] Khizr Khan ruled the subcontinent on the name of Timur.[64] In 1414, Multan's Khizr Khan captured Delhi fromDaulat Khan Lodi, and established the short-livedSayyid dynasty — the fourth dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate.[54]
A contemporary writerYahya Sirhindi mentions in hisTakhrikh-i-Mubarak Shahi that Khizr Khan was a descendant of Muhammad.[65]
Multan then passed to theLangah, who established the Langah Sultanate in Multan under the rule of Budhan Khan, who assumed the title Mahmud Shah.[37] The reign of Shah Husayn, grandson of Mahmud Shah, who ruled from 1469 to 1498 is considered to be most illustrious of the Langah Sultans.[37] Multan experienced prosperity during this time, and a large number of Baloch settlers arrived in the city at the invitation of Shah Husayn.[37] The Sultanate's borders stretched encompassed the neighbouring regions surrounding the cities of Chiniot and Shorkot, including present dayFaisalabad.[37] Shah Husayn successfully repulsed attempted invasion by the Delhi Sultans led by Tatar Khan and Barbak Shah.[37]
Multan's Langah Sultanate came to an end in 1525 when the city was invaded by rulers of the Arghun dynasty,[37] who were either ethnic Mongols,[66] or of Turkic or Turco-Mongol extraction.[67]
In 1541, thePashtun kingSher Shah Suri captured Multan, and successfully defended the city from the advances of the Mughal EmperorHumayun.[68] In 1543, Sher Shah Suri expelledBalochdynasty, who under the command of Fateh Khan Mirrani had overrun the city.[68] Following its recapture, Sher Shah Suri ordered construction of a road between Lahore and Multan to connect Multan to his massiveGrand Trunk Road project.[68] Sher Shah Suri also built (or renovated)Delhi-Multan road, the ancient trade route had existed since the time of King Ashoka or earlier. To improve transit in the areas between Delhi and Multan, leading toKandahar andHerat in Afghanistan, eventually toMashhad capital ofKhorasan province of Iran.[69] It then served as the starting point for trade caravans from medieval India departing towards West Asia.[68]
Multan served as medieval Islamic India's trans-regional mercantile centre for trade with the Islamic world.[10] It rose as an important trading and mercantile centre in the setting of political stability offered by the Delhi Sultanate, the Lodis, and Mughals.[10] The Arab explorerIbn Battuta visited Multan in the 1300s during the reign of Muhammad Tughluq, and noted that Multan was a trading centre for horses imported from as far away as theRussian Steppe.[41] Multan had also been noted to be a centre for slave-trade, though slavery was banned in the late 1300s by Muhammad Tughluq's son,Firuz Shah Tughlaq.[41]
The extent of Multan's influence is also reflected in the construction of theMultani Caravanserai inBaku,Azerbaijan — which was built in the 15th to house Multani merchants visiting the city.[70] Legal records from the Uzbek city ofBukhara note that Multani merchants settled and owned land in the city in the late 1550s.[10]
Multan would remain an important trading centre until the city was ravaged by repeated invasions in the 18th and 19th centuries in the post-Mughal era.[10] Many of Multan's merchants then migrated toShikarpur inSindh,[10] and were found throughout Central Asia up until the 19th century.[10]
Following the conquest of UpperSindh by the Mughal EmperorAkbar, Multan was attacked and captured by Akbar's army under the command ofBairam Khan in 1557,[71] thereby re-establishing Mughal rule in Multan. The Mughals controlled the Multani region from 1524 until around 1739. Emperor Akbar established theSubah of Multan with its headquarters at Multan city, which was one of his original twelvesubahs (imperial top-level administrative provinces) roughly covering southern Punjab, parts of Khyber and Balochistan borderingKabul Subah,Lahore Subah,Ajmer Subah,Thatta Subah,Kandahar Subah and the PersianSafavid empire. It was one of Mughal Empire's largest provinces by land area and population.[72]
In 1627, Multan was encircled by walls that were built on the order ofMurad Baksh, son ofShah Jahan.[52] Upon his return from an expedition to Balkh in 1648, the future emperorAurangzeb was appointed Governor of provinces of Multan and Sindh – a post he held until 1652.[54]
In 1680, the renowned Punjabi poet,Bulleh Shah, who is regarded as a saint by both Sufis andSikhs, was born in Uch, Multan province.[73]
In the second half of the 17th century, Multan's commercial fortunes were adversely affected by silting and shifting of the nearby river, which denied traders vital trade access to theArabian Sea.[74] Multan witnessed difficult times as the Mughal Empire waned in power following the death of Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707.
Dar al-Aman era
Under Mughal rule, Multan enjoyed 200 years of peace in a time when the city became known asDar al-Aman ("Abode of Peace"). During the Mughal era, Multan was an important centre of agricultural production and manufacturing of cotton textiles.[74] Multan was a centre for currency minting,[74] as well as tile-making during the Mughal era.[75]
Multan was also host to the offices of many commercial enterprises during the Mughal era,[74] even in times when the Mughals were in control of the even more coveted city of Kandahar, given the unstable political situation resulting from frequent contestation of Kandadar with the Persian Safavid Empire.[74]
Afsharid invasion
Nader Shah conquered the region as part of his invasion of the Mughal Empire in 1739. Despite invasion, Multan remained northwest India's premier commercial centre throughout most of the 18th century.[74]
Durrani and Maratha invasions
In 1752Ahmad Shah Durrani captured Multan, the city which was also his birthplace,[76] and the city's walls were rebuilt in 1756 byNawab Ali Mohammad Khan Khakwani,[52] who also built theAli Muhammad Khan Mosque in 1757. In 1758, theMarathas underRaghunathrao briefly seized Multan,[77][78] appointingAdina Beg Khan as theNawab of Punjab who left it in the hands of Salih Muhammad Khan, though the city was recaptured by Durrani in 1760. After repeated invasions following the collapse of the Mughal Empire, Multan was reduced from being one of the world's most important early-modern commercial centres, to a regional trading city.[74]
Sikh empire
In 1772, Ahmed Shah Durrani's sonTimur Shah lost Multan to Sikh forces.[54] However, Multan's association with Sikhism predates this, as the founder of the Sikh religion,Guru Nanak, is said to have visited the city during one of his journeys.[79]
The city hadreverted to Afghan rule under the suzerainty ofNawab Muzaffar Khan in 1778.[80] In 1817,Ranjit Singh sent a body of troops to Multan under the command of Diwan Bhiwani Das to receive from Nawab Muzaffar Khan the tribute he owed to the Sikh Darbar. In 1818, the armies ofKharak Singh andMisr Diwan Chand layaround Multan without making much initial headway, until Ranjit Singh dispatched the massiveZamzama cannon, which quickly led to the disintegration of the Multan's defences.[81] Misr Diwan Chand led Sikh armies to a decisive victory over Muzaffar Khan. Muzzafar Khan and seven of his sons were killed before the Multan fort finally fell on 2 March 1818 in theBattle of Multan.[82][83]
The conquest of Multan established Ranjit Singh's superiority over the Afghans and ended their influence in this part of the Punjab.[84]Diwan Sawan Mal Chopra was appointed to govern the city, remaining in his post for the following 25 years.[84] Following the Sikh conquest, Multan declined in importance as a trading post,[74] however the population of Multan rose from approximately 40,000 in 1827 to 60,000 by 1831.[84] Sawan Mal adopted a policy of low taxation which generated immense land revenues for the state treasury.[85] Following the death of Ranjit Singh, he ceased paying tribute to a successor and instead maintained alliances of convenience with selected Sikh aristocrats.[85] He was assassinated in 1844, and succeeded by his sonDiwan Mulraj Chopra, who unlike his father was seen as a despotic ruler by the local inhabitants.[85]
1848 Multan Revolt
The 1848 revolt and subsequentsiege of Multan began on 19 April 1848 when local Sikhs loyal to Diwan Mulraj Chopra murdered two emissaries of theBritish Raj,Vans Agnew and Lieutenant Anderson.[86] The two British visitors were in Multan to attend a ceremony for Sardar Kahan Singh, who had been selected by theBritish East India Company to replace Diwan Mulraj Chopra as ruler of Multan.[87]
Rebellion engulfed the Multan region under the leadership of Mulraj Chopra andSher Singh Attariwalla.[86] The Multan Revolt triggered the start of theSecond Anglo-Sikh War,[87] during which thesajjada nashin of theShrine of Bahauddin Zakariya sided with the British to help defeat the Sikh rebels.[88] The revolt eventually resulted in the fall of the Sikh Empire in 1849.[89]
By December 1848, the British had captured portions of Multan city's outskirts, and destroyed theMultan Fort while bombarding the city.[90] In January 1849, the British had amassed a force of 12,000 to conquer Multan.[86] On 22 January 1849, the British had breached the walls of the Multan Fort, leading to the surrender of Mulraj and his forces to the British.[86] The British conquest of the Sikh Empire was completed in February 1849, after the British victory at theBattle of Gujrat. Between the 1890s and 1920s, the British laid a vast network of canals in the Multan region and throughout much of central and Southern Punjab province.[91] Thousands of "Canal Towns" and villages were built according to standardized plans throughout the newly irrigated swathes of land.[91]
After independence of 1947
Multan 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. After independence was achieved in 1947, Multan had become less significant politically. Though it was still 3rd largest district and division of the country but city and the large population of South Punjab region lacked self governance. 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.[92]
The predominantly Muslim population supportedMuslim League andPakistan Movement.[93] After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the minorityHindus andSikhs migrated to India en masse, while some Muslim refugees from the newly independentRepublic of India settled in the city. Today, it is one of the country's six largest urban centres and remains an important settlement in the Southern Punjab.[92]
Geography
Topography
Multan is located in Punjab, and covers an area of 560 square kilometres (220 sq mi). The nearest important cities areDera Ghazi Khan andBahawalpur. Multan is located near few rivers of central Pakistan. TheSutlej River separates it from Bahawalpur and theChenab River fromMuzaffargarh. The area around the city is a flat, alluvial plain surrounded by orchards and deserts that is also used formango farms.
Multan is located near theSulaiman Mountain Range which is the extension of the southernHindu Kush of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The most well-known peak of the Sulaiman mountains is the twin-peakedTakht-e-Sulaiman or "Throne of Prophet Solomon" at 3,487 metres (11,440 ft).
Multan features ahot desert climate (Köppen climate classificationBWh) with extremely hot summers and mild winters. The normal annual precipitation measures around 200 millimetres (7.9 in).
Multan is known for having some of the hottest weather in Pakistan. The highest recorded temperature is 50.0 °C (122.0 °F) recorded in May 27 2010, and the lowest recorded temperature is approximately −2.2 °C (28.0 °F).[94][95]
Western Disturbances which generally occurs during the winter months between December and February. The Western Disturbance provokes moderate rainfall, withhailstorms also sometimes occurring.
Deforestation, dust storms occur during summer months. The region has seen large scale deforestation in last decades resulting in dust storms. Multan's dust storm sometimes produce violent wind.[98]
Heat waves occur during the hottest months of May and June, and can result in temperatures approaching 50 °C (122 °F)
South West Monsoon occurs following the hottest months of the year, and lasts between June and September. Monsoon rains moderate temperatures, and can sometimes produce heavy rain storms.
Continental air prevails during the remaining months generally yields clear weather with little to no precipitation.[94][95]
Cityscape
Multan Cityscape
Multan's urban typology is similar to other ancient cities in South Asia, such asPeshawar,Lahore, and Delhi, all of which were founded near a major river, and included anold walled city, as well as a royal citadel.[90] Unlike those cities, Multan has lost its royal citadel, as it was largely destroyed by the British in 1848, which negatively impacted the urban fabric of the city.[90]
Multan's old neighbourhood homes exemplify Muslim concerns regarding privacy and defense against the city's harsh climate.[90] The urban morphology is characterized by small and privatecul-de-sacs branching off of bazaars and larger arteries.[90]
A distinct Multani style of architecture began taking root in the 14th century with the establishment of funerary monuments,[90] and is characterized by large brick walls reinforced by wooden anchors, with inward sloping roofs.[90] Funerary architecture is also reflected in the city's residential quarters, which borrow architectural and decorative elements from Multan's mausolea.[90]
Multan city had a population of 1,078,245 in the 1998 census. In2017 census, Multan's population jumped to 1.827 million.[102] Multan had a sex ratio of 950 females per 1000 males and a literacy rate of 74.69%: 77.50% for males and 71.74% for females. 440,112 (24.09%) were under 10 years of age.[103] The figure increased to 2.215 million in the2023 Pakistani census.[6][a]
Language
At the time of the 2023 census, 42.69% of the population spokeSaraiki, 30.13%Urdu, 24.97%Punjabi and 1.15%Pashto as their first language.[104]
Religion
Islam is the predominant religion, with 98.63% of the population, with Christians making up 1.26%. 1598 people are Hindu and 78 are Sikh.[104]
1881–1941: Data for the entirety of the town of Multan, which included Multan Municipality and Multan Cantonment.[114]: 36 2017–2023: Urban population of Multan City tehsil, which is the extent of the Multan Metropolitan Corporation
The area under Multan Development Authority (MDA) is 560 square kilometres, covering almost all important establishments like Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Pak Arab Fertilizers Industrial Estate, and others. [116]
In 2005 Multan was reorganised as aCity District composed of six autonomous towns:
Multan is connected to operational motorwaysM4 on northside connecting toFaisalabad andM5 on south side connectingSukkar. M4 is further connected toM3 connecting Lahore andM2 connectingIslamabad andPeshawar to Multan. While M5 will be connecting to Karachi viaKarachi-Lahore Motorway in future.
Multan is situated along the under-construction 6-laneKarachi–Lahore Motorway (M3) connecting Southern and northern Pakistan that is being built as part of the $54 billionChina Pakistan Economic Corridor. Currently, Lahore to Multan travel time is 4 hours on motorway M3 and M4.
The 6-lane, 392-kilometre long M-5 section of the motorway is built betweenSukkur and Multan at a cost $2.89 billion.[117] The M-5 is open since 2019.[118] It is connecting Multan to Sukkar and will connect to Karachi when Sukkar-Karachi Motorway will be opened.
Multan is also connected to the city ofFaisalabad via the M-4 motorway,[119][120] which in turn is connected to theM-1 and M-2 motorways that provide access to Islamabad and Peshawar. Further links with theKarakoram Highway will provide access toXinjiang, China, and Central Asia
Multan is connected by rail with all parts of the country and lies on the main track between Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore andQuetta. TheMain Line-1 Railway that links Karachi and Peshawar passes through Multan district is being overhauled as part of theChina Pakistan Economic Corridor. As part of the project, railways will be upgraded to permit train travel at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour, versus the average 60 to 105 km per hour speed currently possible on existing track,[121] The project is divided into three phases, with the Peshawar to Multan portion to be completed as part of the project's first phase by 2018,[122] and the entire project is expected to be complete by 2021.[122][needs update]
TheMultan Metrobus is abus rapid transit line which commenced service in January 2017,[124] at a cost of 28.8 billionrupees.[125] The BRT route serves 21 stations over the course of 18.5 kilometres, of which 12.5 kilometres are elevated.[126] 14 stations are elevated, while the remainder are at street level. The BRT route begins atBahauddin Zakariya University in northern Multan, and heads southward to pass by the eastern edge of Multan's old city at the Daulat Gate before turning east to finally terminate at theKumharanwala Chowk in eastern Multan.
The route will be served initially by 35 buses, serving up to 95,000 passengers per day (or less than this but mostly students are using it).[126] The Multan Metrobus is planned to ultimately have total of 4 BRT lines covering 68.82 kilometres,[127] which will be complemented by feeder lines.[127]
Multan International Airport is located 10 km west of Multan's city centre, in the Multan Cantonment. The airport offers flights throughout Pakistan, as well as to the Persian Gulf States.
In March 2015, a new terminal building was formally inaugurated by Pakistani Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif.[128] Following the opening of the new terminal, passenger traffic soared from 384,571 in 2014–2015, to 904,865 in 2015–2016.[129]
The remains ofPrahladpuri Temple is located on top of a raised platform inside theMultan Fort, adjacent to the tomb of Bahauddin Zakariya. A mosque has been subsequently built adjacent to temple.[130] The original temple is said to have been built by Prahlad, son ofHiranyakashipu, the king of Multan (Kashya-papura).[131]
TheMultan Cricket Stadium has hosted many international cricket matches.Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium is the other stadium in Multan which is usually used for football along with other sports activities.
^Bury, John Bagnell (2015) [1900].A History of Greece to the Death of Alexander the Great (Digital ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 810.ISBN9781108082204.
^Firishtah, Muḥammad Qāsim Hindū Shāh Astarābādī (1770).The History of Hindostan. T. Becket and P.A. De Hondt.
^Moir, Zawahir; Shackle, Christopher (2013).Ismaili Hymns from South Asia: An Introduction to the Ginans. Routledge. p. 186.ISBN9781136822841.The name of the actual city of Multan derives from the same Sanskrit word (Sk mūlasthāna-).
^Charak, Sukh Dev Singh (1978).Himachal Pradesh, Volume 1. Light & Life Publishers.
^Hutchison, John (1933).History of the Panjab Hill States, Volume 1. Asian Educational Services.ISBN9788120609426.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
^Cunningham, Alexander (1871).The Ancient Geography of India: The Budhism Period, Including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang. Cambridge University Press.ISBN9781108056458.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
^Firishtah, Muḥammad Qāsim Hindū Shāh Astarābādī (1770).The History of Hindostan. T. Becket and P.A. De Hondt.
^Vala, Najbhai (1999).કાઠિયાવાડ: વાળા અને કાઠી રાજવંશો [Kathiyawad: Vala and Kathi Dynasties] (in Gujarati) (1st ed.). Rajkot: Pravin Prakashan Pvt. Ltd. p. 97.વાળા અને કાઠી રાજવંશોને, તેમની માંગણ કોમ કે જે મીર, ઢાઢી વિ. (જે મુસલમાન કોમ છે) તે અત્યારે પણ પ્રસંગોપાત્ત "ઠઠ્ઠા-મુલતાનના રાવ" તરીકે બિરદાવે છે.
^Tod, James (1920)."Chapter 7 Catalogue of the Thirty-six Royal Races". InCrooke, William (ed.).Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan or the Central and Western Rajpoot States of India. Vol. 1st. Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press. p. 134.All the genealogists, ancient and modern, insert the Vala tribe amongst the Rajkulas. The birad, or ' blessing,' of the bard is Tatta Multan ka rao, indicative of their original abodes on the Indus.
^Glassé, Cyril. 2008. The New Encyclopedia of Islam. Walnut Creek CA: AltaMira Press p. 369
^Ahmad, I., & Reifeld, H. (Eds.). (2017). Lived Islam in South Asia: Adaptation, Accommodation and Conflict (1st ed.). Routledge.https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315144887
^Asif, Manan. (2016). A Book of Conquest. Harvard University Press.
^Strand, Elin; Marsh, Adrian; Paul Polansky (2006).Gypsies and the Problem of Identities: Contextual, Constructed and Contested. Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul.ISBN9789186884178.
^abcdefgMehta, Jaswant Lal (1980).Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India, Volume 1. Sterling Publishers Pvt Ltd.ISBN9788120706170.
^Virani, Shafique N. The Ismailis in the Middle Ages: A History of Survival, A Search for Salvation (New York: Oxford University Press), p. 100.
^abcCalcutta Review, Volumes 92–93. University of Calcutta. 1891.
^abcdefghiAhmed, Farooqui Salma (2011).A Comprehensive History of Medieval India: Twelfth to the Mid-Eighteenth Century. Pearson Education India.ISBN9788131732021.
^Suvorova, Anna (2004).Muslim Saints of South Asia: The Eleventh to Fifteenth Centuries. Routledge.ISBN9781134370054.
^Khan, Hassan Ali (2016).Constructing Islam on the Indus: The Material History of the Suhrawardi Sufi Order, 1200–1500 AD. Cambridge University Press.ISBN9781316827222.
^Bunce, Fredrick W. (2004).Islamic Tombs in India: The Iconography and Genesis of Their Design. D.K. Printworld.ISBN9788124602454.
^Yousaf, Mohammad (1971).A Brief History of Multan. Ferozsons.
^Porter, Yves (2009).The Glory of the Sultans : Islamic Architecture in India. Gérard Degeorge (English language ed.). Paris: Flammarion.ISBN978-2-08-030110-9.OCLC303042895.
^Davies, C. Collin. "Arghun." The Encyclopedia of Islam, Volume I. New ed. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1960.ISBN90-04-08114-3
^Bosworth, Clifford Edmund. The New Islamic Dynasties: A Chronological and Genealogical Manual. New York: Columbia University Press, 1996.ISBN0-231-10714-5
^abcdChandra, Chandra (2005).Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part – II. Har-Anand Publications.ISBN9788124110669.
^abcdefghOonk, Gijsbert (2007).Global Indian Diasporas: Exploring Trajectories of Migration and Theory. Amsterdam University Press. p. 294.ISBN9789053560358.
^abcdefghBignami, Daniele Fabrizio; Del Bo, Adalberto (2014).Sustainable Social, Economic and Environmental Revitalization in Multan City: A Multidisciplinary Italian–Pakistani Project. Springer Science & Business Media.ISBN9783319021171.
^"Multan Climate Normals 1991–2020".World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved17 September 2023.
^"PAKISTAN – TURKEY JOINT STATEMENT" (Press release). Islamabad, Pakistan. Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 31 October 2008. Archived fromthe original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved30 March 2018.
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