City guide · Punjab
A craft day in Multan: blue tiles, khussas and the old bazaar
Multan wears its craft on its buildings. Spend a day between the tiled shrines, a gallery below ground and the old bazaar, and you'll see where the blue and the tilla come from.
Most cities keep their crafts in shops. Multan also keeps them on its monuments: the blue tiles on its shrines are the same craft as the blue pottery in its bazaars. This is how we'd spend a day following it.
| When | Where | What for |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning | The shrines of Bahauddin Zakariya and Shah Rukn-e-Alam | Centuries of glazed tilework |
| Late morning | Nigar Khana | Blue pottery and camel-skin lamps, made and sold |
| Afternoon | Hussain Agahi market | Blue pottery, embroidery and khussas |
| Optional | The blue pottery institutes | Watching kashigars at work |
Morning: the tiled shrines
Start early, while it's cool. The mausoleum of Bahauddin Zakariya, built around 1262, is often cited as the earliest glazed-tile monument in the subcontinent. [1] The tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam is considered the earliest monument of the Tughluq era. [2] The tomb of Shah Yousaf Gardezi, in the city, is covered in the blue enamelled tiles typical of Multan. [2]
All of this is kashigari, the same craft as Multan's pottery, and the city's tile tradition runs deep: glazed tiles found at Qila Kohna Qasim Bagh have been dated to about 900 AD. [3] Our blue pottery story explains how it's made.
Late morning: Nigar Khana
Across from the shrine of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, on Qila Kohna Qasim Bagh Road, Nigar Khana shows Multan's crafts in a chamber about 20 feet below ground. Look for kashigari vases, plates, jars and tiles, and for naqashi, painted camel-skin lampshades and vases that are rarely made anywhere else. Opening hours change with the season, so check their website before you go. [4]
Afternoon: the bazaar
Hussain Agahi market, on Hussain Agahi Road near Qila Kohna Qasim Bagh, is one of Multan's big markets, with blue pottery, embroidered shawls and fabric work. Vendors expect you to bargain. It gets crowded in the evenings and at weekends, so earlier is easier. [5]
Multan's khussas are made in the cobbled streets of the old city, and the city has long been said to make the best of them. [6] Our khussa story covers the styles and how to get the fit right.
On your way, look out for the clock tower, the Ghanta Ghar, built in the British period in the Indo-Saracenic style. [2]
If you have time: where kashigars train
Ustad Muhammad Alam, who has spent more than 60 years in the craft, runs an institute about 10 km from Multan on Bahawalpur Road. A TEVTA-run Institute of Blue Pottery Development offers three- and six-month courses. [7] If you'd like to watch the painting, ask ahead whether visitors are welcome.
Before you go: our suggestions
- Go between October and March. Multan's summers are fierce, and this is a walking day.
- Carry cash for the bazaar, and small notes for bargaining.
- Dress modestly at the shrines, and ask before photographing people at work.
- Plan the packing before you buy pottery, especially if it's going abroad.
Questions people ask
What is Multan famous for in crafts?
Blue pottery and tilework (kashigari), hand-stitched khussas, and painted camel-skin lamps.
Where can I buy blue pottery in Multan?
Nigar Khana, opposite the shrine of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, shows and sells kashigari. Hussain Agahi market also has blue pottery stalls; vendors there expect you to bargain.
When is the best time to visit Multan?
We'd go between October and March. Multan's summers are very hot, which makes a day of walking hard work.
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