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Garam
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Multan About 966 km (600 miles) from Karachi and more or less right in the center of
the country lies the ancient city of Multan It offers a variety of attractions
to the visitor, including historical sites and unique monuments, especially the
tomb of Rukn-e-Alam, a monumental mausoleum.
Multan, the 'City of Pirs
and Shrines' is a prosperous city of bazaars, mosques, shrines and superbly
designed tombs. It is also a city of dust, summer heat and beggars. It has a
long history. Alexander the Great added it to his list of Indus conquests. In
641 AD Xuang Tzang found it 'agreeable and prosperous' - Mohammad Bin Qasim
obviously agreed, he was the next to conqueror Multan in 712 AD. Mahmud of
Ghazni invaded in 1006, Timurlane in 1398. In the 16th century it was the
Moghuls turn, followed by the Sikhs in 1752 and the British in 1849. The old city has narrow colourful bazaars full of local
handicrafts and narrow winding lanes. There are many places of historical,
cultural and recreational interest in the city.
Little-visited Multan, in the lower Punjab, is claimed to be the oldest surviving city on the subcontinent, dating back some 4000 years. Once an important centre of Islam, it has since attracted more mystics, holy men and saints than you can shake a shalwar qamiz at. Today Multan is dominated by their tombs and shrines, a fort that affords superlative views over the city, and one of the best bazaars in Pakistan - those not converted by Anita Roddick might like to snap up the skin potion, made from lizards, which is said to be an excellent revitaliser. It's a 570km (353mi) trek down to Multan from Islamabad. Buses and minbuses descend on Multan from a variety of destinations including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Hyderabad, dropping passengers off at the chaotic general bus station. Trains (a more comfortable way to travel) shuffle between Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. The Fort
Multan fort was built on a mound separating it from the
city and the old bed of river Ravi. 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 settling in this city of a large number of pious and learned men and noble families like Gardezi Syeds and Qureshis from Khawarizm, amongst whom Sheikh Bahauddin Zakaria is a famous saint. About the same time Pir Shams Tabrez from Sabzwar and Kazi Qutubuddin from Kashan came to Multan. Baba Farid Shakar Ganj settled in Pakpattan. Khawaja Qutubaddin Bakhatair Kaki passed through to Delhi and Syed Jalal, the spiritual leader of many family in Multan, Muzafargarh and Bahawalpur, came to Uch, Sultan Sakhi Sarwar's father also emigrated from Bokhara to Sakot 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 the year round. The shrines of one of the foremost scholars of Islam, Shaikh Bahauddin Zakaria is located in the fort.
He was
also a man of great religious and political influence. Besides its religious
importance, the Mausoleum has a unique architectural value. Its dome is
considered to be the second largest in the world after "Gol Gumbad" of
Bijapur,
India. the mausoleum has very rich geometrical patterns, calligraphy and
colourful floral, mosaic and glazed tile work. Other shrines in Multan include that of Muhammad Yousaf Fardezi near Bohar Gate, Musa Pak. Shaheed inside the Pak. Gate, Total Mai near Haram Gate, Shah Ali Akbar, a descendant of Shah Shams Sabzwari, in Suramiani and Bab Sarfa near Eidgah. |
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