Multan Diaries: Dusty Streets, Golden Tombs, and Way Too Much Chai
multan. i landed here with zero expectations and left with a suitcase full of blue pottery, a mild sugar headache, and a head full of stories. the weather was doing that weird thing where it’s warm but not hot, like the city was just waking up from a nap. i just checked and it's 17.6°c there right now, so maybe bring a light jacket if you're planning to wander around the shrines after sunset.
multan is famous for its blue pottery, sufism, and apparently, its mangoes. but what no one tells you is how alive the old city feels. every corner has a shrine, every shrine has a chai stall next to it, and every chai stall has someone ready to tell you a story about the saint buried there. i heard that the tomb of shah rukn-e-alam is haunted by a friendly djinn who helps lost tourists find their way. someone told me that over a cup of cardamom tea, so take it with a grain of salt.
if you get bored, lahore and bahawalpur are just a short drive away. lahore for the food coma, bahawalpur for the palaces. but honestly, multan deserves more than a day trip. the architecture here is insane-those blue and turquoise tiles on the shrines? chef’s kiss.
*pro tip:* don't wear white unless you want to look like you rolled in dust by noon. and bring cash. the ATMs near the old city are as rare as a quiet moment in the bazaar.
for more on multan's history, check out the tomb of shah rukn-e-alam on TripAdvisor. and if you're into crafts, the hussain agahi bazaar is a must-visit. just don't blame me if you come back with 10 plates you don't need.
multan is the kind of place that sneaks up on you. one minute you're annoyed at the traffic, the next you're sipping chai under a 700-year-old shrine, wondering why you ever thought you needed a plan. go with the flow, eat the mangoes, and let the city do its thing.
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