Multan Eidgah
Multan, is one of the oldest cities in South Asia. It has seen a lot of warfare because of its location on a major invasion route between South Asia and Central Asia. It is famous for its Sufi shrines.
Historic Eidgah in Multan is a part of beautification of the ancient city of saints and revival of its archaic originality.
The 268-year old Eidgah, spread over five acres near the LMQ Road, was built in 1735 when Nawab Abdus Samad Khan was the governor of Multan. The architectural specialty of the building is that it is the only edifice having a bulbous dome in southern part of Punjab.
Red stone of Jaipur (India) and red bricks of different sizes were used in its construction and flooring.
Shah Rukan-e-Alam Tomb The Mausoleum of Rukn-i-Alam is the glory of Multan. When the city is approached f rom any side the most prominent thing which can be seen from miles all around is a huge dome. This dome is the Shrine of Sheikh Rukn-ud-Din Abul Fath commonly known by the title Rukn-i-Alam (pillar of the world). The tomb is located on the south-West side of the Fort premises.In beauty and grandeur so other dome perhaps equals it This elegant building is an octagon, 51 feet 9 inches in diameter internally, with walls 41 feet 4 inches high and 13 feet 3 inches thick, supported at the angles by sloping towers. Over this is a smaller octagon 25 feet 8 inches, on the exterior side, and 26 feet 1 0 inches high, leaving a narrow passage all round the top of the lower storey for the Moazzan, or public caller to prayers.
The whole is surmounted by hemishperical dome of 58 feet external diameter. The total height of the building, including a plinth of 3 feet, is 100 feet. As it stands on the high ground, the total height above the road level is 150 feet. This contributes materially to the majestic and colossal appearance of the tomb, making it the most prominent object of view to the visitors. Besides its religious importance, the mausoleum is also of considerable archaeological value as its dome is reputed to be the second largest in the world after 'Gol Gumbad' of Bijapur (India), which is the largest.The mausoleum is built entirely of red brick, bounded with beams of Shisham wood, which have now turned black after so many centuries. The whole of the exterior is elaborately ornamented with glazed tile panels, string courses and battlements. Colours used are dark blue, azure, and white, but these are contrasted with the deep red of the finely polished bricks, while the result is both effective and pleasing. These mosaics are not like those of later day's plane surfaces, but the patterns are raised from half an inch to two inches above the background. This mode of construction must have been very difficult but its increased effect is undeniable, as it unites all the beauty and variety of colours with the light and shade of a raised pattern.
The grave of Rukn-i-Alam is of plain brick work covered with plaster. The tomb was said to have been built by Ghias-ud-Din Tughlak for himself, but was given up by his son Muhammad Tughlak in favour of Rukn-i-Aiam, when he passed away from this world during 1 330 AD at the age of 88. It is generally believed that Sh. Rukn-i-Alam was not. Equal in piety and sanctity to his illustrious grandfather Bahawal Haq, but there is no doubt that he was one of the most accomplished men of his age. He taught his disciples a modified form of metempsychosis, and discoursed with the people on metaphysical subjects.
Nishtar Medical College
Nishtar Medical College, located in Multan city, is the 3rd oldest medical institution of Pakistan. Nishtar medical college is affiliated with Nishtar hospital which has a capacity of 1000 beds and a total of 26 departments. The college supports 1600 students in total.
The college campus is an old and traditional building. It symbolizes Islamic architecture with central quadrangular. Foundation stone was laid on the 28th of April, 1951 by Sardar Abdul Rab Nishtar. The inauguration ceremony was held on the 1st of october, 1951 by the then commissioner Mr. Inamullah Khan. The ceremony was attended by the staff and students of the first batch.
In Nishtar College Campus there are 5 main lecture theaters along with 5 demonstration halls ,10 labs ,1 dissection hall ,4 museums, 1 assembly Hall.1 library and 7 departments in the campus namely Anatomy ,Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Pathology , Forensic Medicine and Community Medicine.
The Nishtar Medical College and Hospital is affiliated with MINAR (Multan Institute of Nuclear Medicine And Research), PMRC (Pakistan Medical Research Council) and Nursing Training Institute and Family Planning.
The Nishtar Medical College remained affiliated with the University of the Punjab, Lahore up to 1976, and thereafter with the Bahauddin Zakaria University, Multan, now the college is affiliated with University of Health Sciences, Lahore.
Standing at the northeastern side of the old fort which is situated on the high mound, is the tomb of Shikh-al-Kabir, Bahauddin Abu Mohammed Zakariya Al-Qurashi. The tomb occupies the centre of a vast oblong open area measuring 260 feet N.S by 203 feet E.W and is enclosed by a perimeters brick wall. It has two main gates one on the east and the other on the West Side. There is a vow of fourteen "Hujras" on the north for the "Zaireen".
The tomb was almost completely ruined during the siege of Multan in1848 AD by the British army but was repaired immediately by Makhdum Shah Mahmud. There is no original inscription on the body of the tomb to show the date of its construction and the subsequent repairs. However, from the fact that here lies the great Shaikh Bahauddin Zakariya who had erected it himself during his prime time, it can be said that it belongs to the early decades of the 13th century. The Shaikh died on the 7th of Safar (661/21 December 1262).
Tomb of Shah Sabzwari
The tomb of Shah Shamas Sabzwari is situated near the Aam Khas Bagh, about a quarter of a mile on the east of the ancient port on the high bank of the old bed of the Ravi which is now filled with a multitude of modern buildings. Shah shams Sabzwari was a celebrated "Ismaili Dai". Very little is known about Shams Sabzari’s life. According to a popular legend, he arrived in Multan at the time of Shaikh Baha-al-Din Zakariya. He breathed his last at the age of 111 years in 675/1276 and was buried in Multan.
The main features of the tomb are similar to those of the city’s other major tombs. It has a square hall in an Octagon shape topped by a high dome. There is a verandah all-round the grave-chamber, with fine arches in every side and a single entrance to the hall. In the courtyard, which is at a lower level than that of the verandah, there is small mosque. Like other decorated tombs of Multan, this tomb is also ornamented with Kaashi tile work and Naqashi work. But recently a fire damaged its entrance seriously.
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