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Places of Interest
Jaima
Mosque
Sawi Mosque
Mosque Ali Muhammad Khan
Mosque Phool Hattan Wali
Eid Gah
Jaima
Mosque: Multan also boasts of having some of the oldest mosques
which were once considered as the jewels of the city. These mosques now
remind us the glorious past of multan as it was governed by Muslims for
more than a thousand years.The first mosque ever built in multan was the
Jamia Mosque which was constructed on the orders of Mohammad-bin- Qasim
the famous general who conquered multan in 712 AD Ruins of this mosque
were visible till 1954 at Qasim Bella which have now been washed away by
the repeated floods of the river Chenab.
Sawi
Mosque: Sawi mosque is supposed to be the oldest mosque which still
exists though it has no roof now and most of its decorations have been
damaged. Some portions of this mosque are still intact which indicate
that glazed blue tiles were profusely used for ornamentation.
Mosque
Baqarabadi: Baqarabadi Mosque built by Baqar Khan in 1720 A.D.
Mosque
Ali Muhammad Khan: The second oldest mosque of multan which is still
in good shape is Mosque Ali Mohammad Khan also called as
Mosque
Wali Mohammad Khan.
It is an excellent building, situated in the busiest Chowck Bazar of the
city. It was built by Nawab Ali Mohammad Khan Khakwani, in 1757 (1171
A.H.) when he was the governor of multan in the time of Alamgir II. The
mosque is provided with a reservoir for the ablutions, baths, and a
large hall for prayers. During the Sikh period, the gateway of the
Mosque was used as the court house of the Nazim, while its great hall
was utilized for keeping the Granth, or the holy book of the Sikhs. The
mosque was restored to the Muslims by the British Government at the
commencement of the British rule. Over the gateway of the Mosque the
following Persian inscription appears:
'Ba
Fazli ezado Nabi akhire zaman,
Ba yumme hazrat j ilani Ghous Hardo jahan,
Bajae Shahnae bazar behre hadme fisad,
Ke bud chahutrao dare jurm o zulm ayan,
Bisakkt barsare bazar nazime Multan,
Barae sale binayash zebheb hatif guft,
Namud Majide'Ali Mohommed Khan'.
Translation:
"By
the grace of God and Prophet, the last of the Prophets. And the favour
of the Saint of jilan esteemed in both worlds. On the site of the Chief
Police Magistrate's Court With the object of up-rooting wickedness. For
the place was a manifest source of crime and cruelty. This mosque bath,
well and admirable cistern. Were built on the street by the Governor of
multan. The invisible voice ordained for the year of its foundation. The
lofty mosque has been built by Ali Mohammed Khan" 171 A.H
Moqsue
Phool Hattan Wali: This mosque is located in the Main Bazar (now
called Chowck Bazar) of the city. It was named so because it was located
in the midst of the flower sellers bazar. The story recorded by Latif in
his book "Early History of Multan" is reproduced here.
"it is said that the Mughal Emperor Farrukh Sher (1713-1718 AD) on
his visit to Multan, being childless, asked a Fakir to pray on his
behalf, that he might be blessed with a male issue. The fakir prayed for
him, and a son was born to the Empress. His Majesty, through the
governor of Multan, presented the fakir with an offering of Rs. 80,000,
and with this money the liberal minded fakir had this mosque
built.".
Eid
Gah Mosque:
This grand mosque of multan is located on the main Multan-Lahore highway
in the North-East of the city. It was built in 1735 AD by Nawab Abdul
Samad Khan when he was the governor of multan. It is a very spacious
mosque provided with a vast courtyard and a huge prayer chamber
measuring two hundred and fifty feet long and fity-four feet broad
crowned by seven domes. Its exterior was faced with glazed blue tiles
and interior was ornamented with colourful faience mosaics. This grand
mosque suffered extensively during the Sikh period as it was used for
military purposes and Diwan Mul Raj arranged here the refuge for the two
British officers Mr. Vans Agnew and Lt. Anderson who were finally killed
during the 1848-49 siege.
Multan
was finally annexed by the British and they fixed the following
inscription in the western wall of the Mosque to commemorate the death
of Agnew and Anderson: Within this dome On 19th April, 1848 AD were
cruelly murdered
PATRICK
VANS AGNEWP ESQUIRE - Bengal Civil Service LIEUT. WILLIAM ANDERSON -
First Bombay Fusiliers.
The
British also used this mosque for many years as the Deputy Commissioner’s
Court but in 1863 AD it was restored to Muslims. It, however, remained
in disrepair till 1891 AD when a sum of Rs. 1,00,000 was raised through
public subscription and an equal amount was granted by the government
for its repairs. After independence it was found insufficient to
accommodate the increased number of people so its court-yard was
enlarged further. A new grassy plot with flower beds and a central water
channel with fountains have been included in the court-yard.
Ornamentation
of the mosque has been neglected and now (1988) a tomb is being
constructed just out side the mosque which has completely destroyed its
beauty and outlook because it looks higher than the mosque.
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