![alexander in multan alexander in multan](https://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/215087-SalmanRashidNew-1311347053.jpg)
Having sailed down the Jhelum from the vicinity of Mandi Bahauddin, to its junction with the Chenab near Jhang, Alexander made forced marches across what was then sand desert, through modern Toba Tek Singh to Kamalia, Tulumba and eventually Multan — “the principal town of the Mallian people”, as the historian Arrian tells us.
The city of Multan lay around the lofty battlements of a strongly fortified citadel with two perimeter walls that stood in the area taken by the tomb of Rukne Alam today. Alexander led the attack with one division supported by another, under his general Perdiccas. Alexander’s troops managed to take down a gate, massive as it must have been, penetrating into the first corridor.
As the foreigners milled about in the corridor between the two defensive walls, they saw above them the battlements virtually crawling with the defenders. As Alexander ordered sapping operations, he also called for scaling ladders to be put up against the walls. Impetuous as he was, Alexander did not like the slow progress. Snatching a ladder from the man carrying it, Alexander personally placed it against the wall and, crouching under his shield, clambered up to the crenulations.
Immediately behind him was Peucestas, carrying the sacred shield that Alexander always used in battle. Following Peucestas was Leonnatus, the king’s personal bodyguard.
Having reduced the defenders on the battlements, Alexander stood on the crenulations in full view of both the defenders and his own troops. While his troops were hurrying to join him on the fort walls, Alexander jumped inside the fort where he met the best of the Rajput troops from Multan and as far away as Rajasthan. In the thick of this battle, as he raised his sword arm to strike an adversary, an arrow from a Multani archer found its target.
The arrow, having pierced his corselet, lodged in his breast on the right side. Alexander fell. We are told that he bled from the mouth, the blood being mixed with air bubbles, meaning that his lung was punctured. There is then a very moving heroic scene preserved in the histories: Perdiccas standing astride the still body, protecting it with the shield of Achilles, and Leonnatus desperately holding off the attackers.
Meanwhile, Alexander’s panicked soldiers had gained the wall by escalade. Soon the gates were thrown open and the fort taken. Though he gave his army a fright, Alexander did not die. He made it back by the skin of his teeth. This was September 326 BCE.
Four years later, in June 322, Alexander died apparently of a fever in Babylon. In between the injury in Multan and his final exit from near Gwadar, Alexander fought several battles, notably those of Rahim Yar Khan, Sehwan and Hyderabad. And he survived the horrendous march across the parched wastes of Makran. Yet so many in Multan believe he died of their arrow.
It is said, in jest of course, that the Multani phrase ‘karay saan,’ (will do) means something may (or may not) get done in the next several years after the utterance. I joke with my Multani friends that if they want to believe it was their arrow that killed the Macedonian, then we must also take the karay saan joke at face value. Surely only such an arrow could have taken four years to kill a man.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 23rd, 2011.
COMMENTS (19)
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Love ya salman saab!!
Dear Sir, I'm a big fan of your writings, please continue the great work of elucidating your readers. Btw great article as always.
@SaudiRules: Liked your post !! From your name it appeared you were hardcore Islamic.
@ Frank
you assume it was the heroic islamic warriors who fought with alexander then?
@ Frank no man next pakistani missile name gonna be Alex the macedonian.
Well aware of the event in question and yet very refreshing to hear it again from you. Good read as always. I am glad you did not cross the line and portray Alexander as Greek. Looking forward to your next piece of historical perspective. Greetings from a Macedonian colleague.
Alexander lived in the 4th century BC. The Rajput caste came into existence during the 8th and 9th centuries AD as a caste of landowners in North West India paying tributes to various Hindu kings, most prominently the Gurjara-Pratiharas. The Rajputs only came into prominence in the 11th century AD after Sultan Mahmud's raids helped to free them by weakening their Gurjara-Prathihara overlords.
With a gap of more than a millenium between Alexander and the Rajputs I wonder how they managed to meet on the battlefield.
I thought our history began after Ghouri invaded the infidels in sindh! We should not be impressed by the infidel history of the hindus/sindhus of the Multan who fought gallantly against sikander as we are taught that the hindu soldiers are coward and our great golf-playing, businessmen jawans are better than 10 hindus-just doing their job as soldiers! Mr. Salman Rashid please stop spoiling the young pakistani mind with the infidel history! What is next, you are going to tell us that Lahore was founded by the son of hindu god-king Rama Luv?
And yet according to most Pakistanis, our history only starts when Muhammad bin Qasim invaded Sind on the orders of his tyrant commander/uncle Hajjaj bin Yusaf.
As always very informative.
Good article. I think Tribune should encourage more articles on history and other social areas and not only current day politics.
History is extremely interesting subject for those who want to know about past of the region, of the city and of the world where they live. It also helps to plan for the future. It gives pride of being part of that and also teaches many lessons. It promotes the wish of travelling and learn many things which you can`t, while sitting at a place. Thanks, Mr. Rasheed, for writing this small and very interesting historical piece. I request for continuing. It is very essential, because History has become most neglected and most forgotten subject in Pakistan. People are unaware about their backgrounds and historical importance of this land. I believe majority people of the country do not know anything about history of Indus civlisation, Moenjodaro, Peshawar(Qissakhani Bazaar), Lahore and many other famous and small places but had and are great historical importance. People now avoid to talk on history and other academic subjects but only on lifestyles, eatings, shopping malls, restaurants which have become symbol of status. Our strong media has also completely neglected History of the country; Even the recent history of the country is being twisted in favour of tribes and Powerful families. Kindly try to make things straight and continue to write about recent history too. write, I take the opportunity to also request the media to record interviews of those people who saw movement of Indepence and creation of Pakistan. A very little number is still alive and available, who can narrate the correct history. This is also important, rather very important otherwise we will be left as rudderless ship.
Great article. We need more like this to explore our history. I believe if it was USA than they would have made a monument at the site where Alexander was shot and would have earned millions of dollars by now in tourism --- One of these days when our country will be safer, we should be able to do so much to explore our rich history and show it to the world.
Thank you for such an informative article.
Please carry on writing in the same vein.....
hahahahahhaha funny last words well written man but its true one tine one yoonani guy told me alex made a mistake instead of going west he went to india got killed poor baby.
Good article. I would really like to see more articles from you focusing on the ancient history of lands that are now part of Pakistan.