Prahladpuri Temple, Multan
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Prahladpuri Temple ( ur, ) was a Hindu temple located in
Multan Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab. Multan is one of the List ...
city of
Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
province in Pakistan, adjacent to the
Shrine of Bahauddin Zakariya The Shrine of Bahauddin Zakariya ( ur, ) is a 13th-century shrine located in the city of Multan, in Pakistan's Punjab province. The tomb is dedicated to the Muslim mystic Bahauddin Zakariya, founder of the Suhrawardiyya order of Sufism. It co ...
. Named after
Prahlada Prahlada () is an asura king in Hindu mythology. He is known for his staunch devotion towards the preserver deity, Vishnu. He appears in the narrative of Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu, who rescues Prahlada by slaying his wicked fa ...
, it is dedicated to the Hindu deity
Narasimha Narasimha ( sa, नरसिंह, lit=man-lion, ), sometimes rendered Narasingha, is the fourth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is regarded to have incarnated in the form of a part-lion, part-man being to slay Hiranyakashipu, to end rel ...
. The temple is in ruins, since its destruction in 1992 by a Muslim mob in retaliation for the demolition of the
Babri Masjid Babri Masjid (IAST: Bābarī Masjid; meaning ''Mosque of Babur'') was a mosque in Ayodhya, India, at a site believed by many Hindus to be the birthplace of Hindu deity Rama. It has been a focus of dispute between the Hindu and Muslim communi ...
in
Ayodhya Ayodhya (; ) is a city situated on the banks of holy river Saryu in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya, also known as Sāketa, Saketa, is an ancient city of India, the birthplace of Rama and ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and the site is currently owned by
Evacuee Trust Property Board The Evacuee Trust Property Board, ( ur, ) a statutory board of the Government of Pakistan, is a key government department which administers evacuee properties, including educational, charitable or religious trusts left behind by Hindus and Sikh ...
. Survey & Studies for Conservation of Historical Monuments of Multan. Department of Archeology & Museums, Ministry of Culture, Government of Pakistan


Location

The temple is located on top of a raised platform (
mandapa A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture. Mandapas are described as "open" or "closed" depending on whether they have walls. In temples, ...
) in the southern tip of the Fort of Multan, adjacent to the venerated tomb of Baha’ul Haq Zakariya.


History


Hindu Folklore

In Hindu folklore, the original temple was built by
Prahlada Prahlada () is an asura king in Hindu mythology. He is known for his staunch devotion towards the preserver deity, Vishnu. He appears in the narrative of Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu, who rescues Prahlada by slaying his wicked fa ...
—son of the Asur-king of Multan— in honor of Narsing Avatara of
Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
, when he appeared out of a pillar to disembowel Hiranyakashipu and reward Prahlada's devoutness. The temple was constructed around the pillar. Consequently, the festival of
Holika Dahan Holika Dahan (), rendered Holika Dahanam in Sanskrit, is a Hindu occasion that celebrates the legend of the burning of Holika, an asuri, upon a burning pyre, and the salvation of her nephew, Prahlada. It precedes the occasion of Holi, the festi ...
is assumed to have started there.


Pre-modern India

The temple stands on the ruins of pre-Muslim structures. There were older temples on the site which were razed before being re-constructed or refurbished during the medieval era — however, the precise details are hazy in light of conflicting chronicles and legends. Originally, the place might have had housed the famed Sun-temple of Multan. One version of oral legend hold that a temple— a columnar structure with the roof and columns made of pure gold—used to exist around the 15th century before being dismantled by
Sher Shah Suri Sher Shah Suri ( ps, شیرشاه سوری) (1472, or 1486 – 22 May 1545), born Farīd Khān ( ps, فرید خان) , was the founder of the Sur Empire in India, with its capital in Sasaram in modern-day Bihar. He standardized the silver coin ...
to construct a mosque. The new temple was constructed, when this mosque fell down. Another account published in
Calcutta Review The ''Calcutta Review'' is a bi-annual periodical, now published by the Calcutta University press, featuring scholarly articles from a variety of disciplines. History The ''Calcutta Review'' was founded in May 1844, by Sir John William Kaye an ...
(1891) invokes the same description of the pre-existing temple but here, it had sank in the ground of "unknown causes" necessitating the construction of present structure.


Colonial India

In 1810, the height of the temple was significantly raised (or, was the temple rebuilt - ?), which led to tensions with the Muslim community. Alexander Burnes, during his visit in 1831, noted the temple to be a structure of low height, supported by wooden pillars and having
Hanuman Hanuman (; sa, हनुमान, ), also called Anjaneya (), is a Hindu god and a divine '' vanara'' companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and on ...
and
Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu d ...
as portal-guardians; he was denied entrance to what was "the only place of Hindu worship in Multan". An annual festival was held in the premises on the anniversary of Narasimha's appearance. During the 1848 Siege of Multan, a shell fired by forces of
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
fell on a gunpowder store within the fort and blew away the roof of the temple. Post-siege, the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
retained total control of the fort and all its adjacent areas — including the temple and the mausoleum — for a couple of years before returning them back to native communities in July 1852, upon a petition. A month later, the Company Administration prohibited approaching the temple via precincts of Zakariya's shrine in lieu of allowing a request from local Hindus to refurbish the temple.
Alexander Cunningham Major General Sir Alexander Cunningham (23 January 1814 – 28 November 1893) was a British Army engineer with the Bengal Engineer Group who later took an interest in the history and archaeology of India. In 1861, he was appointed to the newly ...
, visiting the site in 1854, found the temple to be a roofless "square brick building with some very finely carved wooden pillars", and the only Hindu shrine in Multan alongside Suraj Kund. In 1859, a mutual agreement was reached upon by both communities to not incorporate conspicuous additions to either site. In 1861, the Chief
Mahant Mahant () is a religious superior, in particular the chief of a temple or the head of a monastery in Indian religions. James Mallinson, one of the few westerners to be named as a mahant, describes the position of a mahant as a combination of a ...
of the temple, Baba Ram Das raised about Rs.11,000 by way of public donation to refurbish the temple. In the early 1870s, his successor, Baba Narayan Das proposed to have the height of the temple-spire raised to 44 ft — which was more than that of the adjoining shrine — with another round of public donation. This was opposed by local Muslims as a breach of the 1859 agreement, fomenting an acrimonious dispute. The local administration had to intervene and the issue was decided in favor of the Muslims; an agreement enacted on 14 April 1876 restricted the height to 33 ft. However, the Hindus were not content and sought for scopes to get it vacated.


Multan Riots

In August 1880, the Mahant obtained consent from local civil and military authority to install the 45 ft. spire. Constructions went on for about three months, before the Mahdoom of the tomb moved a petition before Cordery, the Commissioner of Multan. Cordery investigated the dispute and reported to Lt. Governor Egerton, who decided to not only reinstate the 1876 agreement but also asked Hindus to cede with possession of the compound well and an adjacent plot. This led to the Hindus appealing for a reversal before Viceroy Ripon. C. August 1881, a committee composed of six people each from both camps was set up to arrive at a compromise — the proposed solution was to not dismantle the spire but as a compensation, grant the sole possession of the well and ownership of the plot to the Muslims. Before the solution could be approved by the government and put to effect, the town got enmeshed with the communal tensions fomenting across Punjab against the backdrop of
Arya Samaj Arya Samaj ( hi, आर्य समाज, lit=Noble Society, ) is a monotheistic Indian Hindu reform movement that promotes values and practices based on the belief in the infallible authority of the Vedas. The samaj was founded by the sanny ...
's cow-protectionist movements. The question of transport to, and sale of beef in Multan town became an affair of competitive communalism. On 20 September 1881, a riot erupted and spanned over two days, resulting in 50,000 rupees worth of damage but no casualties. Hindu rioters burned a mosque in the city's bazaar, attacked the Walli Muhammadi Mosque, and burned a Quran. A Muslim mob retaliated about 2 hours later,
arson Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...
ing the Prahladpuri temple in particular. However, the temple was quickly renovated by the Hindu community. On 14 October, the Government issued its decision: the local authority lacked authority to decide on the issue of additions to the temple structure and accordingly, the Hindus were either to dismantle the spire or follow the compromise, arrived at by the committee. On 29 October, it was settled in favor of the latter. A well for the Hindus was also constructed in an adjacent plot and a wall erected between the tomb and the temple.


Beyond riots

In the early morning of 7 November 1912, unknown miscreants removed an image of Lakshmi and threw it in a nearby well, after stealing the crown; local Muslims were blamed by the Hindus. On 23 January 1913, the incumbent Mahant was removed by a Panchayat (trans. assemblage) of Hindus in what led to protracted litigation.


Independent Pakistan

After the creation of
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, most Hindus migrated to the newly independent Republic of India but the affairs of temple continued to be managed by the few remaining Hindus of city. Eventually, the image of Narasimha was taken away to a temple in Haridwar. The management of the site was soon taken over by the
Evacuee Trust Property Board The Evacuee Trust Property Board, ( ur, ) a statutory board of the Government of Pakistan, is a key government department which administers evacuee properties, including educational, charitable or religious trusts left behind by Hindus and Sikh ...
(henceforth, ETPB) in whose hands, it fell into a state of neglect; a
madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...
got established inside the temple premises. Despite, the building continued to be a prominent landmark in Multan and even, a
dharamshala Dharamshala (; also spelled Dharamsala) is the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh, India. It serves as administrative headquarters of the Kangra district after being relocated from Kangra, a city located away from Dharamshala, in 1855. The ...
was opened adjacent to the site.


Destruction and aftermath

In 1992, the temple (as well as the dharamshala) was destroyed by a Muslim mob in retaliation for the destruction of
Babri Masjid Babri Masjid (IAST: Bābarī Masjid; meaning ''Mosque of Babur'') was a mosque in Ayodhya, India, at a site believed by many Hindus to be the birthplace of Hindu deity Rama. It has been a focus of dispute between the Hindu and Muslim communi ...
in
Ayodhya Ayodhya (; ) is a city situated on the banks of holy river Saryu in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya, also known as Sāketa, Saketa, is an ancient city of India, the birthplace of Rama and ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
; local Hindus associated with the temple were also targeted. It has been in ruins ever since. By 2006, lower levels had been occupied by squatters and garbage was regularly dumped at the site.


Proposed Reconstructions

In 2009, the site was scheduled to be documented and preserved using funds from Central Government; a detailed survey was carried out, which determined a risk of imminent collapse of all remnant structures, but future plans were shelved. In May 2015, ETPB announced fresh plans to restore the temple and in August, granted a fund of 5 million PKR to Punjab Archeology Department for the purpose. However, the local administration refused to issue a
No Objection Certificate No Objection Certificate, popularly abbreviated as NOC, is a type of legal certificate issued by any agency, organisation, institute or, in certain cases, an individual. It does not object to the covenants of the certificate. The certification is ...
, apparently fearing local fanatics. In February 2021, a one-man commission established by the
Supreme Court of Pakistan The Supreme Court of Pakistan ( ur, ; ''Adālat-e-Uzma Pākistān'') is the apex court in the judicial hierarchy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Established in accordance to thePart VIIof the Constitution of Pakistan, it has ultimate a ...
to interrogate into the status of minority religious shrines, criticized ETPB's handling of Hindu religious sites and submitted for the immediate restoration of the temple along with construction of lodging facilities for potential tourists; accordingly the State of Punjab as well as ETPB was ordered to ensure optimum preparedness of the shrine for Holi festival. Soon, the local "peace committee" — with representatives from the government, civil society, and
Ulemas In Islam, the ''ulama'' (; ar, علماء ', singular ', "scholar", literally "the learned ones", also spelled ''ulema''; feminine: ''alimah'' ingularand ''aalimath'' lural are the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious ...
— announced plans to restore the temple as part of a broader project in ensuring religious harmony.


Architecture

Prior to being demolished, the temple featured a main hall, and circumlocutory passages adorned with skylights. The hall continued to feature a replica of the idol under a
baldachin A baldachin, or baldaquin (from it, baldacchino), is a canopy of state typically placed over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over h ...
.


See also

*
Multan Sun Temple The Sun Temple of Multan was a temple dedicated to Surya, the Hindu Sun God, in the city of Multan. It commanded significant fame in the subcontinent as a place of pilgrimage and wealth under Hindu as well as Islamic rule before being destroyed ...
*
Hinduism in Pakistan Hinduism is the second largest religious affiliation in Pakistan after Islam. While Hinduism was one of the dominant faiths in the region a few centuries back, today Hindus account for 2.14% of Pakistan's population or 4.4 million people accor ...
*
Evacuee Trust Property Board The Evacuee Trust Property Board, ( ur, ) a statutory board of the Government of Pakistan, is a key government department which administers evacuee properties, including educational, charitable or religious trusts left behind by Hindus and Sikh ...
*
Mankiala stupa The Manikyala Stupa ( ur, ) is a Buddhist stupa near the village of Tope Mankiala, in Pakistan's Punjab province. The stupa was built to commemorate the spot, where according to the Jataka tales, an incarnation of the Buddha called Prince Satt ...
*
Hinglaj Mata Hinglaj Mata (Hindi: हिंगलाज माता, bal, هنگلاج ماتا, ), also known as Hinglaj Devi, Hingula Devi and Nani Mandir, is a Hindu temple in Hinglaj, a town on the Makran coast in the Lasbela district of Balochistan, a ...
*
Kalat Kali Temple Kalāt or Qalāt ( Brahui/ Balochi: قلات), historically known as Qīqān, is a historic town located in Kalat District, Balochistan, Pakistan. Kalat is the capital of Kalat District and is known locally as Kalat-e-Brahui and Kalat-e-Sewa. Q ...
*
Katasraj temple The Shri Katas Raj Temples ( Punjabi, ur, ) (Sanskrit: कटासराज) also known as Qila Katas (), is a complex of several Hindu temples connected to one another by walkways. The temple complex surrounds a pond named ''Katas'' which is ...
*
Multan Sun Temple The Sun Temple of Multan was a temple dedicated to Surya, the Hindu Sun God, in the city of Multan. It commanded significant fame in the subcontinent as a place of pilgrimage and wealth under Hindu as well as Islamic rule before being destroyed ...
*
Sadh Belo Sadh Belo ( sd, ساڌ ٻيلو, ), or Sat, is an island in the Indus River near Sukkur, Sindh, Pakistan that is famous for its highly revered Hindu temples. The temples are associated with the syncretic ''Udasi'' movement. The island is famous fo ...
*
Shivaharkaray Shivaharkaray or Karavipur is a Shakti Peeth dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Durga, located near Parkai railway station, near Karachi, Pakistan. It is one of the two Shakti Peethas in Pakistan, other being Hinglaj Mata mandir Puranas describe tha ...
*
Shiv Mandir, Umerkot Umarkot Shiv Mandir (), also known as Amarkot Shiv Mandir, is a Hindu temple situated in Umerkot District, near Rana Jaageer Goth, in Sindh Province of Pakistan. This temple is perhaps the oldest in Sindh. The temple is one of the most sacred H ...
*
Shri Varun Dev Mandir Shri Varun Dev Mandir ( sd, شْرِيْ وَرُڻَ ديوَ مَنْدِرَ ,श्री वरुण देव मंदिर, ) is a Hindu temple located in Manora Island in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The temple is devoted to Lord Jhule ...
*
Tilla Jogian Tilla Jogian ( Punjabi and ur, ) is an abandoned Hindu temple and monastic complex located on the summit of the ''Tilla Jogian'' mountain in the Salt Range of Pakistan's Punjab province. The complex was the most important centre for Hindu '' j ...


Notes


References

{{Hindu temples in Pakistan Hindu temples in Punjab, Pakistan Destroyed Hindu temples Hindu pilgrimage sites in Pakistan Buildings and structures in Multan Buildings and structures demolished in 1992