Prahladpuri Temple, Multan

Prahladpuri Temple
Ruins of Prahladpuri Temple
Prahladpuri Temple Location within Pakistan
Geography
Coordinates	30°11′52″N 71°28′11″E / 30.19778°N 71.46972°E / 30.19778; 71.46972Coordinates: 30°11′52″N 71°28′11″E / 30.19778°N 71.46972°E / 30.19778; 71.46972
Location	Multan, Punjab Pakistan
Culture
Primary deity	Prahlada
Architecture
Architectural styles	Hindu temple
History and governance
Governing body	Pakistan Hindu Council
Website	http://www.pakistanhinducouncil.org/

Multan, Punjab

Prahladpuri Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. It is named after Prahlada and dedicated to the god Narasimha. The temple is at present in ruins, since its destruction in 1992 by a Muslim mob in retaliation for the destruction of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, India by a Hindu mob earlier that year.

The original temple of Prahladpuri is said to have been built by Prahlada, son of Hiranyakashipu, the king of Multan (Kashya-papura) in honor of Narsing Avatar, an incarnation of Hindu god Vishnu, who emerged from the pillar to save Prahlada.

The Prahladapuri temple like the Sun Temple of Multan had been destroyed after Muslim conquest of Multan, suffered several material losses and was reduced to a nondescript shrine by the 19th century. It is located on top of a raised platform inside the Fort of Multan, adjacent to tomb of Hazrat Baha’ul Haq Zakariya. A mosque has subsequently built adjacent to temple. The records suggested by Dr. A.N. Khan say that temple was once rebuilt in decade of 1810, when area was under rule of Sikhs. However, Alexander Burnes, who visited the temple in 1831, said that he found it deserted and without a roof. Later, in year 1849, when British laid siege of Multan Fort against Mul Raj, a shell fired by British army fell on gunpowder store within the fort, thus destroying almost all of the fort except the mausoleums of Bahauddin Zakaria and his sons and the Prahladpuri temple complex.Alexander Cunningham described this temple as it was seen in 1853 by him who wrote that: “It was a square brick building with some very finely carved wooden pillars for the support of the roof. The present temple was first built in 1861 by Mahant Bawl Ram Das at cost of Rs.11,000 by way of public donation and again in 1872 by the subsequent Mahanta of Prahladpuri temple with donations from Thakur Dawara Fateh Chand Tanksalia and other Hindu citizens of Multan. But in 1881, while renovation of temple a major dispute arose between Hindus & Muslims over the height of shikhara of the temple and dome of the adjacent mausoleum, which led to riot in which 2 mosques and 22 temples were destroyed. The British government of Punjab did little to control the mobs and in this riot Prahladapuri temple was also sacked and obliterated. However, the temple was soon rebuilt by then prosperous Hindu community of Multan and was managed by the community, who regulated Mahant of Prahladpuri temple.