Tulamba is more than 2,500 years old. Archaeological digs have uncovered four distinct layers, belonging to the
Hindu,
Buddhist,
Muslim,
Sikh civilisations. The coins of several prior governments have been excavated here. Tulamba saw the influence of several
Mahajanapada of ancient India, mainly
Gandhara,
Kamboja and
Magadha. By 400-300 BCE, the region came under the influence of several Magadha dynasties of eastern India. The first was that of the
Nanda Empire of ancient India from 300 BCE, and with the rise of
Chandragupta Maurya, the region came under the complete control of the
Mauryan Empire. After the victory of the
Mauryan Empire against the Greeks in the
Seleucid–Mauryan war, much of the region came under the rule of
Chandragupta Maurya of ancient India. Chandragupta and Seleucus made a peace settlement in 304 BCE. Selecucus Nucator ceded the satrapies, including those in Chitral to the expanding Mauryan Empire. The alliance was solidified with a marriage between Chandragupta Maurya and a princess of the Seleucid Empire. The outcome of the arrangement proved to be mutually beneficial. The border between the Seleucid and Mauryan Empires remained stable in subsequent generations, and friendly diplomatic relations are reflected by the ambassador
Megasthenes, and by the envoys sent westward by Chandragupta's grandson
Ashoka. Afterward, the region was briefly and nominally controlled by the
Shunga Empire. However, with the decline of the Shungas, the region passed to local Hindu and Buddhist rulers, and interrupted by foreign rulers. Many of these foreign rulers, like the Indo-Parthians, Sakas, and Kushans converted to Hinduism and Buddhism, and promoted these
Indian religions throughout Central and South Asia. The region reached its height under the Buddhist ruler
Kanishka the Great. After the fall of the Kushans, the region came under the control of the
Gupta Empire of ancient India. During the period, Hindu and Buddhist art and architecture flourished in the area. Tulamba was listed in the
Ain-i-Akbari as a
pargana in
sarkar Multan, counted as part of the
Bari Doab. It was assessed at 1,200,778
dams in revenue and supplied a force of 800 cavalry and 5,000 infantry.
Religious significance Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru, came here during his travels. Guru Har Rai, the Seventh Sikh Master, sent a
masand (preacher) to preach
Sikhism to the local people of this area. The
Islamic history of Tulamba began when
Muhammad bin Qasim came to Tulamba on his way to Multan. The place he passed is now known as Qasim Bazar.
Military history The people of Tulamba have encountered many armies in the city's history as a result of its geographic position. Armies coming from the north and west had to pass through Tulamba to get to the strategic city of
Multan.
Alexander the Great came to Tulamba when he invaded the
Indian sub-continent. At that time Tulamba was ruled by the Moi people, who fought Alexander's forces. The ancestor of the
Mughals, Taimur-e-Lang, also invaded Tulamba, at that time called Tulma.Timurid forces firstly sacked Tulamba and then
Multan by October 1398.
Sher Shah Suri built a
fort in the center of the city. The boundary wall and some parts of the original building are still present. The fort is now occupied by the girls higher secondary school and the offices of the town committee. ==Geography and climate==