The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c11.86

Language: English

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considerable time before the visit of Mas‘ūdī. An interesting fact noticed by this traveller is about the famous idol of the city ‘known by the name of Multan.’¹ ‘The inhabitants of Sind and India,’ he tells us, ‘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 great part of the revenue of the king of Multan is derived from the rich presents brought to the idol of the pure aloe-wood of Kumār, which is of the finest quality, and one *man* of which is worth 200 dīnārs.’ Financial necessity was therefore one of the important reasons why this idol was allowed to flourish in a city which was probably predominantly Moslem.² But there was another reason. Mas‘ūdī says that ‘when the unbelievers march against Multan, and the faithful do not feel themselves strong enough to oppose them, they threaten to break their idol, and their enemies immediately withdraw.’ Al-Mas‘ūdī leaves us in no doubt that amongst these unbelieving enemies of Islam the Ba’ūrah (Pratīhāra?) king of Kanauj was the foremost.

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The kings of the Gurjaras (Jurz) we have already seen were unfriendly to the Arabs even as early as the first quarter of the 8th century A.D.³ When the merchant Sulaymān visited India in the middle of the 9th century A.D., they were regarded as the greatest foes of the Muḥammadan faith in India.⁴ Their power had by the last quarter of the 9th century spread over a large portion of Northern India, including portions of the eastern Punjab.⁵ But the policy of hostility to the Arabs handed down by earlier rulers was apparently continued by their successors and at the time of Mas'ūdī, their 'army of the North' waged incessant war 'against the Arab prince of Multan, and with the Musulmans, his subjects on the frontier.'¹ In this struggle, the temple of Multan appears to have played an important part. It is conceivable that but for this advantage the Arab principality of Multan would have fallen a victim to the mighty army of the Gurjara-Pratīhāras. In the middle of the 10th century however the Amirs of Multan appear to have secured some success over their enemies, for we are told by Mas'ūdī that a city which was called Ba'ūrah (Pratīhāra?) after the designation of the princes of Kanauj was at his time 'in the territories of Islam,' and 'was one of the dependencies of Multan.' It is difficult to locate this town;

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but we are told by Mas'ūdī that 'through this town passes one of the (five) rivers which form together the river Mihrān (Indus) in Sind.'² The success of the Arabs of Multan was probably due in a large measure to the decline of the Gurjara-Pratīhāra empire in the first quarter of the 10th century.³ Al-Iṣṭakhrī, who visited India a few years after Mas'ūdī, tells us that 'Multan was a city of about half the size of Manṣūrah.' He also repeats the story of its idol, and the pilgrimages undertaken to it by the people from the most distant parts. But his account contains some interesting details about this temple. According to him the vast sums of money which these pilgrimages brought to the god, were "spent upon the temple and on those who lead there a life of devotion."⁴ "The temple of the idol," we are told, "is a strong edifice, situated in the most populous parts of the city, in the market of Multan, between the bazar of the ivory-dealers and the shops of the copper-smiths. The idol is placed under a cupola in the midst of the building, and the ministers of the idol and those devoted to its service dwell around the cupola. In Multan there are no men either of Hind or Sind who worship idols except those who worship this idol and in this temple. The idol has a human shape and is seated with its legs bent in a quadrangular posture on a throne made of brick and mortar. Its whole body is covered with a red skin like morocco leather, and nothing but its eyes are visible.

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Some believe that the body is made of wood, some deny this; but the body is not allowed to be uncovered to decide the point. The eyes of the idol are precious gems, and its head is covered with a crown of gold.¹ It sits in a quadrangular position on the throne, its hands resting upon its knee, with the fingers closed, so that only four can be counted." This account differs from that of Mas‘ūdī on one important point. According to the latter the offering to the idol formed one of the important sources of revenue of the Arab State of Multan; but according to Iṣṭakhrī, they were spent on the temple and its devotees. Iṣṭakhrī adds another interesting detail to the story of the utilisation of the idol in wars against the Indians. He tells us that but for this ruse the Indians "would destroy Multan." This statement not only supports our contention about the wars between the Arabs of Multan and the Gurjara-Pratīhāras but also indicates that the Arabs had also by this time lost all their early conquering vigour and enthusiasm, being reduced more or less to a moribund condition. Iṣṭakhrī further tells us that "the Mālik is of a tribe of Quraish, and is not subject to the ruler of Manṣūrah but reads the Khuṭba in the name of the Khalifa." The chief, we are told, lived in a large cantonment outside the city, and never entered Multan except on Fridays, when he went to the city on the back of an elephant, in order to join in the prayers of that day.

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Ibn Ḥauqal, who visited India about the same time, but finished his work in about 976 A. D. confirms most of the statements of Iṣṭakhrī. He also notices the decadent condition of the Arab State of Multan which was only saved from destruction by the Indians by the latter's fear of desecration of the idol of that city. But he adds the interesting information that the sums collected from the offerings of the pilgrims at the shrine were first taken by the Amir of Multan, who then distributed them amongst the servants of the temple. Multan, in his days was strongly fortified. Prices were low, but Manṣūrah was much more fertile and populous. His chronicle makes it clear that the chief of Multan still belonged to the same family which ruled in the time of Mas‘ūdī. He owed no allegiance to the chief of Manṣūrah, but still read the Khuṭba in the name of the Khalīfa.