An
Urdu saying about Multan translated with poetic
licence into English goes:
With
four rare things Multan abounds,
Heat, beggars, dust and burial grounds.
About
966 km from Karachi and more or less right in the
centre of the country lies the ancient city of Multan.
Any visitor to the town, which is extremely hot in
summer, will see an element of truth in this ouplet.It's
attributed by native tradition to a saint who, being
flayed alive, called on the sun to avenge him. Multan's
also extremely dusty, as the annual rainfall seldom
exceeds thirteen centimetres (five inches). But its
tombs and other historic remains make it well worth
visiting for an overnight stay.
For all its heat and dust, Multan has always been
a rich prize for invaders. Up to 1947 it was the centre
of the hides and skin trade in the subcontinent.
In
Alexander's time it was probably the capital of the
Malloi, a fierce tribe who shut themselves up in the
fortress when he approached.Alexander was outnumbered
ten-to-one; nevertheless, in what his subjective historians
escribed as a feat of amazing personal bravery, he
scaled the battlements of the citadel and dropped
almost alone into the fortress.
"He happened to land on his feet beside a fig-tree
.... He slashed with his sword and hurled any stones
that came to hand: the Indians recoiled, as his three
attendants leapt down to join him, carrying the sacred
shield (of Achilles)."
But
the skills of the Indian archers were his undoing;
his helpers were wounded and a metre-long (three-feet)
arrow pierced his armour and struck him in the chest.But
when an Indian ran forward to finish him off, Alexander
stabbed his attacker before he struck home. Then he
collapsed, spurting blood, beneath the cover of his
Trojan shield.Eventually the walls collapsed and the
Macedonians rushed in to massacre the men of Multan
"down to the last woman and child". Although his wound
was serious, Alexander recovered.
Hsuan
Tsang, who visited Multan in AD 641 found the city
agreeable and prosperous. "The greater part (of the
people) sacrifice to the spirits; few believe in the
law of Buddha."
He
also described the temple dedicated to the sun god
as magnificent and profusehdecorated.
"The image of the Sun-Deva is cast in gold and ornamented
with rare gems. Its divine insight is mysteriously
manifested, and it, spiritual powers made plain to
all. Womer play their music, light their torches,
offer theiflowers and perfumes to honour it."
The
idol, broken up by Mahmud of Ghazni was later restored
and then finally destroyer by Aurangzeb in the seventeenth
century.Muhammad bin Qasim, who took Multar for the
Arab Caliphate, besieged the city fomore than two
months in an712. According tc one historian 6,000
warriors were put to death and their dependants taken
as slaves. Not long after this, Muhammad bin Qasim
was sent home to face death by execution.
Getting
to Multan:
Multan
945 kilometres (587 miles) from Karachi, and 636 kilometres
(395 miles) from Islamabad, is served by road and
daily air and rail services.
When
to go:
It
is pleasent in September-October & in March- early
May, but exclusively hot in summer.
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