multan

"The Hindu temple known as Prakladpuri is of great antiquity, and is mentioned in the Vedas. It is alleged to be built on the site which was the scene of the fourth incarnation of Nursinghy the half-man, half-lion avatar of Vishnu, the second person in the Hindu triad."

"The temple was wrecked several times and mosques built in its streets. The shrine of Bahawal Haqgq (Baha-ud-din Zakariya) was constructed adjacent to it. The Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan used twelve temple pillars in the construction of a mosque. When the mosque caved in, Hindus again raised a temple at that site, and instated the image."

"The Prahladpuri temple in Multan was also subjected to repeated destruction. It stood at the site of the original temple believed to have been constructed by Prahalad. It was there that the Narasimha avatar was said to have appeared out of a pillar, and saved Prahalad from his father. The festival of Hollika Dahan commenced from that site."

"The Muhammadans erected a lofty domed tomb over the remains of a celebrated saint. Shaikh Baha- ud-din Zakiria. This tomb was built close to the temple of Prahladpuri... The close proximity of the Bahawal Hak to the Prahladpuri temple, and the desire of the Hindus to raise the spire of the latter to the same height as the Muhammadan tomb, was the cause of serious riots between the two religious sects."

"The Hindu tradition is that a giant named Hurnakus once ruled the kingdom of Multan. Brahma promised him that he shbuld not meet his death by god, man, or beast ; neither should fate take him on the earth, in the air, in fire, or in water, by sword or bow, by night or day. Consequently he became puffed up with pride, fancied he was immortal,, and directed his subjects to pay him divine worship. The giant's son, named Prahlad, who was a devout follower of Vishnu, refused to comply with his father's behests. Incensed at this disobedience, Hurnakus resolved to kill his son, and mockingly desired to know if Vishnu the omnipresent would come to save him. The son, nothing daunted, replied that his god was " Here ! " at the same time striking with his hand one of the pillars of the palace. The pillar immediately opened, and revealed Vishnu with the head of a lion and the body of a man, who, seizing the impious Hurnakus, tore him to pieces. As this occurred in the evening, Brahma's promise is not considered to have been infringed. The temple, having been the scene of this incarnation, is held in the highest veneration by the followers of Vishnu, who is locally worshipped under the name of Nursingh."

"Multan has been identified as the capital of the Malli people, who offered a stiff challenge to Alexander during his invasion of 326-325 ace. It was known by several names, Kasyapapura, Hansapura, Sambapura, Prahladpura, and Adyasthana, all invocations to Vishnu or Surya. Tradition held that Multan was founded by Kasyapa, father of the twelve Adityas (or Sun gods) by Aditi; and of the Daityas (or Titans) by Diti. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Hiranya-kasipu (the Daitya), who refused to accept the omnipresence of Vishnu. Vishnu manifested himself in his Narasimha avatar at Multan during the reign of Hiranya-kasipu, whose son Prahalad was his ardent devotee. Hiranya-kasipu’s great-grandson, Banasur was an adversary of Krishna. ... The ancient belief in the origins of Multan validated its importance at the dawn of Indian history."

"Al-Multan was named ‘Frontier-place of the House of Gold’ (Farj Bayt al-Dhahab), because Muhammad b. al-Qasim, the lieutenant of Hajjaj b. Yusuf, had obtained forty bhar of gold from a house there. One bhar is equal to three hundred and thirty-three mann. It was for this reason that the town was named ‘Frontier-place of the House of Gold’. [The word] al-farj is synonymous with al-thaghr [frontier]. The quantity of the gold obtained was 2,37,600 mithqal…From al-Sind costus, qana and al-khayzuran (bamboos) are imported."

"The reason why Multan is designated “the boundary of the house of gold” is, that the Muhammadans, though poor at the time they conquered the place, enriched themselves by the gold which they found in it."

"It is situated in the third of the seven climates…It has been mentioned in Masalik ul-Absar on the authority of some works that the villages of Multan are 126,000."

"Muhammad bin Qasim massacred the men capable of bearing arms, but the children were taken captive, as well as the Purohits of the temple, to the number of six thousand. The Musulmans found there much gold in a chamber ten cubits long by eight broad, and there was an aperture above, through which the gold was poured into the chamber. Hence they call Multan ‘the Frontier of the House of Gold,’ for farj means ‘a frontier.’ The Budd (temple) of Multan received rich presents and offerings, and to it the people of Sind resorted as a place of pilgrimage. They circumambulated it, and shaved their heads and beards. They conceived that the image was that of the prophet Job—God’s peace be on him!43"

"He then crossed the Biyas, and went towards Multan... Muhammad destroyed the water-course; upon which the inhabitants, oppressed with thirst, surrendered at discretion. He massacred the men capable of bearing arms, but the children were taken captive, as well as the ministers of the temple, to the number of six thousand. The Muslamans found there much gold in a chamber ten cubits long by eight broad, and there was an aperture above, through which the gold was poured into the chamber."

"On reaching Mooltan, Mahomed Kasim also subdued that province; and himself occupying the city, he erected mosques on the site of the Hindoo temples."

"The temples and Gurdwaras in the city were looted and desecrated Many of them were burnt down The old Dharamsala of Bawa Sant Das, the Shivala in Serat Wan Wattan, the Jain temple outside Delhi Gate, the shrine of Baba Safra, Kultarianwalt Dharamsala, the local Gaushala, were all reduced to ashes The temple of Jog Maya and the Ram Tirath Temple were desecrated, the idols were smashed and thrown out The devotees living on the premises were slaughtered The Devpura Temple and Devta Khu were similarly attacked and the inmates done to death"

"In Multan attacks of a most destructive nature began on the 5th March, the day on which the Muslim League had decided to unleash its offensive in the Punjab. In violence, speed and the extent of destruction wrought this Multan campaign was in no way less than its Rawalpindi parallel. In both areas Hindus and Sikhs were in a small minority, and the Muslim population very inflammable. In Multan city itself the attack came on the 5th March. A procession of Hindu and Sikh students which was taken out to demonstrate against the formation of a communal Muslim League ministry in the Punjab, was suddenly and brutally attacked by a Muslim mob, with the help of the Police. Many of the students who were in this procession were killed. Then this mob fell upon Hindu and Sikh quarters of the town. A modest estimate places the number of Hindu and Sikhs killed on the first day at 300 and those injured at 500. The Muslim mob was led by a Sayad or Muslim holy man, reputedly a descendant of the Prophet of Islam, on a white charger, ‘inspiring’ the ‘faithful’ with the destruction of ‘Kafirs’. The police were watching all this and moved not their little finger to stop what could be stopped with firm action in a short space of time. So virulent had been the Muslim League propaganda, and such the fury into which the League had whipped the Muslim temper, that the mob did not even spare Hindu and Sikh patients in the T.-B. Hospital. Whole families were done to death, and on the least suspicion of being a non-Muslim a man was killed. Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew, President of the Punjab Provincial Congress Committee, was on that fateful night a guest in the house of Seth Kalyan Das of Multan. Dr. Kitchlew’s host and his entire family were butchered and the Doctor escaped death only on his proving to his assailants’ satisfaction that he was a Muslim. Hindu shops were looted and burned on a large scale. More than a dozen Sikh and Hindu holy places were also burned and desecrated: Eight factories belonging to Hindus were looted and destroyed by fire. Hindu and Sikh quarters were burned to cinders.(91)"

"All this was done in village after village after the Muslims had given assurances of safety on the Koran to Hindus. Hindu women were molested and abducted. Altogether 50 villages in this tehsil were looted with arson, murder and abduction of women. Ears, noses and breasts of women were cut off, and they were raped in the presence of their husbands, brothers, fathers and sons. Such Hindus as approached Muslims with messages of peace were brutally and cynically murdered by these League gangs. Forcible conversions of Hindus occurred on a large scale. It is estimated that Hindus were wiped out in this district over an area of about 500 square miles. (91-92)"

"The Muslim League leaders pursued a path contrary to the spirit in which an appeal like the Gandhi-Jinnah appeal should have been followed up. They continued to visit troubled areas like Amritsar for further incitement and for giving directions for new attacks. They continued with a pose of hypocritical innocence, to denounce imaginary Hindu-Sikh atrocities against Muslims. A full-hearted condemnation of the Rawalpindi Carnage or the Multan destruction never came from the Muslim League. (112)"

"Multan District. All Hindu and Sikh places of worship in this District have been damaged, burned or desecrated."

"“The infidels have a large temple there, and a great idol… The houses of the servants and devotees are around the temple, and there are no idol worshippers in Multan besides those who dwell in those precincts… The ruler of Multan does not abolish this idol because he takes the large offerings which are brought to it… When the Indians make an attack upon the town, the Muslims bring out the idol, and when the infidels see it about to be broken or burnt, they retire.”"

"There is an idol held in great veneration by the Hindus and every year people from distant parts undertake pilgrimages to it… When the Indians make war upon them and endeavour to seize the idol, the inhabitants [Arabs] bring it out pretending that they will break it and burn it. Upon this the Indians retire, otherwise they would destroy Multan."

"The temple of this idol is situated in the middle of Multan, in the most frequented bazar. It is a dome-shaped building. The upper part of the dome is gilded, and the dome and the gates are of great solidity. The columns are very lofty and the waUs coloured. Around the dome are the dwellings of the attendants of the idol, and of those who live upon the produce of that worship of which it is the object. There is no idol in India or in Siad which is more highly venerated. The people make it the object of a pious pilgrimage, and to obey it is a law. So far is this carried, that, when neighbouring princes make war against the country of Multan, either for the purpose of plimder or for carrying off the idol, the priests have only to meet, threaten the aggressors with its anger and predict their destruction, and the assailants at once renounce their design. Without this fear the town of Multan would be destroyed. It is not surprising, then, that the inhabitants adore the idol, exalt its power, and maintain that its presence seciu-es divine protection."

"(Multan) is a large fortified and impregnable city, and is held in high esteem by the Hindus and Chinese for it contains a temple which is for them a place of worship and pilgrimage, as Mecca is for the Muhammadans... The houses of the servants and devotees are around the temple, and there are no idol worshippers in Multan besides those who dwell in these precincts."

"…[In] Multan [there is] a Pagod of great consideration [the famous Sun temple, destroyed in the 11th century, rebuilt and again destroyed after Thevenot’s visit, by Aurangzeb], because of the affluence of People, that came there to perform their Devotion after their way; and from all places of Multan, Lahors, and other Countries, they come thither in Pilgrimage. I know not the name of the Idol that is Worshipped there; the Face of it is black, and it is cloathed in red Leather: It hath two Pearls in place of Eyes; and the Emir or Governour of the Countrey, takes the Offerings that are presented to it."

"There is a temple dedicated to the Sun, very magnificent and profusely decorated. The image of the Sun-deva is cast in yellow gold and ornamented with rare gems. Its divine insight is mysteriously manifested and its spiritual power made plain to all. Women play their music, ight their torches, offer their flowers and perfumes to honour it. This custom has been continued from the very first. The kings and high families of the five Indies never fail to make their offerings of gems and precious stones (to this Deva). They have founded a house of mercy (happiness), in which they provide food, and drink, and medicines for the poor and sick...."

"Al-Bîrûnî records: “A famous idol of theirs was that of Multan, dedicated to the sun, and therefore called Aditya. It was of wood and covered with red Cordovan leather; in its two eyes were two red rubies. It is said to have been made in the last Kritayuga… When Muhammad Ibn Alkasim Ibn Almunabih conquered Multan, he inquired how the town had become so very flourishing and so many treasures had there been accumulated, and then he found out that this idol was the cause, for there came pilgrims from all sides to visit it. Therefore he thought it best to have the idol where it was, but he hung a piece of cow’s flesh on its neck by way of mockery. On the same place a mosque was built. When the Karmatians occupied Multan, Jalam Ibn Shaiban, the usurper, broke the idol into pieces and killed its priests… When afterwards the blessed Prince Mahmud swept away their rule from those countries, he made again the old mosque the place of the Friday-worship.”"

"Mûltan is one of the strongest frontier places of the Musalmãns… In it is the idol also known by the name of Mûltãn. The inhabitants of Sind and India perform pilgrimages to it from the most distant places; they carry money, precious stones, aloe wood and all sorts of perfumes there to fulfil their vows. The greatest part of the revenue of the king of Mûltãn is derived from the rich presents brought to the idol… When the unbelievers march against Mûltãn and the faithful do not feel themselves strong enough to oppose them, they threaten to break their idol, and their enemies immediately withdraw."

"Krishna’s son, Samba, was said to have instituted Sun worship. The Samba Purana stated that Samba was cured of leprosy due to his devotion to Surya. As a mark of thankfulness, he constructed the Sun temple at Multan. According to the Bhavishya Purana, the name Adyasthana was used for the temple Samba built. Adya could well have been a corruption of the word Aditya or Sun (Cunningham 2006: 196- 199; Hasan 2008: 86). The Bhavishya Purana also mentioned the existence of a golden image of Surya. The ancient belief in the origins of Multan validated its importance at the dawn of Indian history.’"

"Muhammad Kasim, ascertaining that large offerings were made to the idol, and wishing to add to his resources by those means, left it uninjured, but in order to show his horror of Indian superstition, he attached a piece of cow's flesh to its neck, by which he was able to gratify his avarice and malignity at the same time."

"A famous idol of theirs was that of Multan, dedicated to the sun. When Muhammad Ibn Alkasim Ibn Almunabbih, conquered Multan, he inquired how the town had become so very flourishing and so many treasures had there been accumulated, and then he found out that this idol was the cause, for there came pilgrims from all sides to visit it. Therefore he thought to build a mosque at the same place where the temple once stood. When then the Karmatians occupied Multan, Jalam Ibn Shaiban, the usurper, broke the idol into pieces and killed its priests. When afterwards the blessed Prince Mahmud swept away their rule from those countries, he made again the old mosque the place of the Friday-worship."