On a visit: Diplomats eulogise bygone era of Multan
Envoys of Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, Sri Lanka, South Africa recall historic events
Moen Jo Daro, the most important site of the Indus civilisation lies in Pakistan. PHOTO: FILE
MULTAN:
The diplomats of Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Sri Lanka, South Africa and United Nations Development Programme said Multan is a centre of the Indus civilisation which is famous for its well-planned cities and impressive crafts.
While speaking at a dinner hosted for them by a PTI MNA in Multan, the diplomats said it is a city of saints. About the artifacts discovered there, they said the blue pottery and metals discovered at various ancient sites in the region indicate the people, who have once lived in Multan, were skilled craftsperson and metallurgists. “It should they were able to work with copper, bronze, lead and tin, as well as baked bricks and control the supply and drainage of water,” said one of the guests.
They maintained that based on the activity in the soil, it was found out that the people had shifted their crop patterns from harvesting large-grained cereals like wheat and barley, during the intensified monsoon, to drought-resistant species of small millets and rice in the declining monsoon.
Moreover, about Multan, they said Hindu legends called the city the capital of Trigarta Kingdom, ruled by the Katoch dynasty, which was involved in the Mahabharata war mentioned in the Hindu epic of the same name.
Multan became part of Pakistan following the Partition in 1947. The buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries became historical landmarks in city. However, the old city remains in a dilapidated state, with political and security issues discouraging development and tourists from the area.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2016.
The diplomats of Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Sri Lanka, South Africa and United Nations Development Programme said Multan is a centre of the Indus civilisation which is famous for its well-planned cities and impressive crafts.
While speaking at a dinner hosted for them by a PTI MNA in Multan, the diplomats said it is a city of saints. About the artifacts discovered there, they said the blue pottery and metals discovered at various ancient sites in the region indicate the people, who have once lived in Multan, were skilled craftsperson and metallurgists. “It should they were able to work with copper, bronze, lead and tin, as well as baked bricks and control the supply and drainage of water,” said one of the guests.
They maintained that based on the activity in the soil, it was found out that the people had shifted their crop patterns from harvesting large-grained cereals like wheat and barley, during the intensified monsoon, to drought-resistant species of small millets and rice in the declining monsoon.
Moreover, about Multan, they said Hindu legends called the city the capital of Trigarta Kingdom, ruled by the Katoch dynasty, which was involved in the Mahabharata war mentioned in the Hindu epic of the same name.
Multan became part of Pakistan following the Partition in 1947. The buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries became historical landmarks in city. However, the old city remains in a dilapidated state, with political and security issues discouraging development and tourists from the area.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2016.