Prahladpuri Temple

In Hindu folklore, the original temple was built by Prahlada — son of the Asur-king of Multan[lower-alpha 1] — in honor of Narsing Avatara of Vishnu, when he appeared out of a pillar to disembowel Hiranyakashipu and reward Prahlada's devoutness.[2][3] The temple was constructed around the pillar. Consequently, the festival of Holika Dahan is assumed to have started there.[1]

The temple stands on the ruins of pre-Muslim structures.[2] 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.[2] Originally, the place might have had housed the famed Sun-temple of Multan.[4][lower-alpha 2]

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 to construct a mosque.[2] The new temple was constructed, when this mosque fell down.[2][lower-alpha 3] Another account published in Calcutta Review (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.[5]

In 1810, the height of the temple was significantly raised (or, was the temple rebuilt - ?), which led to tensions with the Muslim community.[2][6] Alexander Burnes, during his visit in 1831, noted the temple to be a structure of low height, supported by wooden pillars and having Hanuman and Ganesha as portal-guardians; he was denied entrance to what was "the only place of Hindu worship in Multan".[2][7] An annual festival was held in the premises on the anniversary of Narasimha's appearance.[8]

During the 1848 Siege of Multan, a shell fired by forces of East India Company fell on a gunpowder store within the fort and blew away the roof of the temple.[8][9] Post-siege, the East India Company 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.[2][10] 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.[2] Alexander Cunningham, 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.[2][8] In 1859, a mutual agreement was reached upon by both communities to not incorporate conspicuous additions to either site.[2]

In 1861, the Chief Mahant of the temple, Baba Ram Das raised about Rs.11,000 by way of public donation to refurbish the temple.[2] 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.[2] This was opposed by local Muslims as a breach of the 1859 agreement, fomenting an acrimonious dispute.[2][lower-alpha 4] 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.[2] However, the Hindus were not content and sought for scopes to get it vacated.

In August 1880, the Mahant obtained consent from local civil and military authority to install the 45 ft. spire.[11] Constructions went on for about three months, before the Mahdoom of the tomb moved a petition before Cordery, the Commissioner of Multan.[11] 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.[11] This led to the Hindus appealing for a reversal before Viceroy Ripon.[11] 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.[11]

Before the solution could be approved by the government and put to effect,[lower-alpha 5] the town got enmeshed with the communal tensions fomenting across Punjab against the backdrop of Arya Samaj's cow-protectionist movements.[12] The question of transport to, and sale of beef in Multan town became an affair of competitive communalism.[11] On 20 September 1881, a riot erupted and spanned over two days, resulting in 50,000 rupees worth of damage but no casualties.[13][14] Hindu rioters burned a mosque in the city's bazaar, attacked the Walli Muhammadi Mosque, and burned a Quran.[15] A Muslim mob retaliated about 2 hours later, arsoning the Prahladpuri temple in particular.[15][lower-alpha 6] However, the temple was quickly renovated by the Hindu community.[16]

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.[17] On 29 October, it was settled in favor of the latter.[18] A well for the Hindus was also constructed in an adjacent plot and a wall erected between the tomb and the temple.[19]

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.[20] On 23 January 1913, the incumbent Mahant was removed by a Panchayat (trans. assemblage) of Hindus in what led to protracted litigation.[21][lower-alpha 7]

After the creation of Pakistan, 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.[1] 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 (henceforth, ETPB) in whose hands, it fell into a state of neglect; a madrasa got established inside the temple premises.[22][23] Despite, the building continued to be a prominent landmark in Multan and even, a dharamshala was opened adjacent to the site.[2][24]

In 1992, the temple (as well as the dharamshala) was destroyed by a Muslim mob in retaliation for the destruction of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, India; local Hindus associated with the temple were also targeted.[1][2] It has been in ruins ever since.[2]

By 2006, lower levels had been occupied by squatters and garbage was regularly dumped at the site.[2]

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.[2][25] 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.[26][27] However, the local administration refused to issue a No Objection Certificate, apparently fearing local fanatics.[28]

In February 2021, a one-man commission[lower-alpha 8] established by the Supreme Court of Pakistan 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;[29] accordingly the State of Punjab as well as ETPB was ordered to ensure optimum preparedness of the shrine for Holi festival.[30][31] Soon, the local "peace committee" — with representatives from the government, civil society, and Ulemas — announced plans to restore the temple as part of a broader project in ensuring religious harmony.[32][33]