Multan Sun Temple

The Sun Temple of Multan, also known as the Aditya Sun Temple, was an ancient Hindu sun temple, that was the base of a sun worshipping sect dedicated to Surya, the Hindu Sun God (also known as Aditya), that is located in the city of Multan, modern day Pakistan.

The temple was highly revered, and drew pilgrims from throughout the region even during the first centuries of Islamic rule. The temple's famous Aditya idol was destroyed in the late 10th century CE by Multan's new dynasty of Ismaili rulers.

Quotes

• 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.’
  • Jain, M. (2019). Flight of deities and rebirth of temples: Espisodes from Indian history. ch 2.

• 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....
  • Hiuen Tsang quoted in Jain, M. (2019). Flight of deities and rebirth of temples: Espisodes from Indian history. ch 2.

• 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.
  • Alberuni in his India, Alberuni's India, Edward C. Sachau (translator and editor)

• 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.
  • Multan (Punjab). Zakariya bin Muhammad (al-Kazwini): Ãsaru’l-Bilad in Elliot and Dowson, Vol. I : Elliot and Dowson, History of India as told by its own Historians, 8 Volumes, Allahabad Reprint, 1964. pp. 470.

• 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.
  • Al Masudi, quoted in Jain, M. (2019). Flight of deities and rebirth of temples: Espisodes from Indian history., also in Elliot and Dowson. Vol. I. p. 23. (Alberuni's India) , also in Goel S.R., Hindu Temples, what happened to them. About Jalam ibn Shaiban at Multan.

• 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.”
  • About Jalam ibn Shaiban at Multan. Alberuni:Tãrîkhu'l-Hind in E.C. Sachau (tr.), Alberuni’s India, New Delhi Reprint, 1983, p. 116.

• “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.”
  • AI Kazwin in Asr-ul-Bilãd quoted in Goel, Sita Ram (2001). The story of Islamic imperialism in India. Chapter 8 ISBN 9788185990231

• 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.
  • Al-Istakhri, quoted in Jain, M. (2019). Flight of deities and rebirth of temples: Espisodes from Indian history. 36. also in Ram Gopal, Indian Resistance to Early Muslim Invaders Upto 1206 A.D., 1983, and in S.R. Goel, (1994) Heroic Hindu resistance to Muslim invaders, 636 AD to 1206 AD. ISBN 9788185990187

• 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.
  • Al Idrisi, in Elliot Dowson I, [1], also in Jain, M. (2019). Flight of deities and rebirth of temples: Espisodes from Indian history.

• (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.
  • Zakaria Al Kazwini, in Elliot and Dowson Vol. I: 96). also in Jain, M. (2019). Flight of deities and rebirth of temples: Espisodes from Indian history.

• …[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.
  • . Sun temple at Multan. Jean de Thevenot Thevenot and Careri, Indian Travels of Thevenot and Careri, Edited by Surendra Nath Sen, National Archives of India, 1949. quoted from Jain, M. (editor) (2011). The India they saw: Foreign accounts. New Delhi: Ocean Books. Volume III Chapter5

See also

• Muhammad bin Qasim