#amazing #explorepunjab #multan
Multan was founded by great grandson of Prophet Noah according to Persian historian Firishta.[22] It is one of the oldest cities of South Asia and has seen a lot of warfare because of its location on a major invasion route between South and Central Asia.[23] The region has been continuously inhabited for at least 3,000 years. With recorded history dating 5 millenia back.[24] The region is home to numerous archaeological sites dating to the era of the Early Harappan period of the Indus Valley civilisation,[25] dating from 3000 BCE until 2800 BCE.
According to Hindu religious texts, Multan was founded by the Hindu sage Kashyapa[26] and also asserts Multan as the capital of the Trigarta Kingdom ruled by the Katoch dynasty at the time of the Kurukshetra War that is central the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata.[27][28][29]
Famous Hindu festival of Holi is assumed to have originated from Prahladpuri temple of Multan.[30]
Ancient Multan was the centre of a solar-worshipping tradition that was based at the ancient Multan Sun Temple.[31] While the tradition was dedicated to the Hindu Sun God Surya, the cult was influenced by Persian Zoroastrianism.[31] The Sun Temple was mentioned by Greek Admiral Skylax, who passed through the area in 515 BCE. The temple is also mentioned in the 400s BCE by the Greek historian, Herodotus.[32]
Skylax was a Greek explorer, he is said to have sailed down the Indus River at the behest of the Persian ruler of Achaemenid empire Darius the great (522-486 BCE). Kaspatyrus or Kashyapura (old name of Multan) was a Gandharan city at that time conquered by Darius's army and was included in Arachosia province.[33]
Greek invasion
Multan is believed to have been the Malli capital that was conquered by Alexander the Great in 326 BCE as part of the Mallian Campaign. It was the ancient capital and a centre of excellence of the Punjab region. The Malli tribe of Multan together with nearby tribes gathered an army of 90,000 personnel to fight against 50,000 army of Greeks. This was the largest army faced by Greeks in entire subcontinent.During the siege of the city's citadel, the Alexander leaped into the inner area of the citadel, where he killed the Mallians' leader.Alexander was wounded by an arrow that had penetrated his lung, leaving him severely injured.Greek army started killing civilians and animals and whatever came in their way to take revenge of their injured leader. The site was filled with blood, the place is known as Khooni burj. It is situated near Delhi gate in Multan.
Malli army surrendered to Greek army and further bloodshed was saved.During Alexander's era, Multan was located on an island in the Ravi river, which has since shifted course numerous times throughout the centuries.
In the mid-5th century CE, the city was attacked by White huns, a group of Barbarous Hephthalite nomads led by Toramana. After a fierce fight they conquered but did not stay for long.
By the mid 600s CE, Multan had been conquered by the Chach of Alor,of the Hindu Rai dynasty. Chach appointed a thakur to govern from Multan, and used his army to settle boundary disputes with Kashmir.