In 1947, Pakistan emerged on the world map with a predominantly Muslim population. However, before partition, a number of other religions were practiced in the region, including Hinduism. Hinduism first established its roots, and was adopted by the Indus civilisation, between 2300 BC and 1500 BC. Some of the earliest Hindu temples once stood in what is now Pakistan; their traces can still be seen in the ruins that exist today, in varying degrees of dilapidation.
Hindu temples were dotted all around the region that is now Pakistan. The presence of these venerated sites is well documented in various historical narratives; primary among these are the chronicles of renowned Muslim scholar Al-Biruni who joined Mehmood Ghaznavi on his conquests of India in the 11th century and spent 20 years there. Al-Biruni in his encyclopaedic book Kitab-ul-Hind, talks extensively about Indian culture and religion, expressive in his wonderment at the religious sites.
In modern day India, centuries-old temples still stand in prime condition, receiving hundreds of devotees every day. One therefore has to ask, what happened to the Hindu temples that found themselves in Pakistani territory upon partition?
Largely overlooked in conversations around cultural heritage (though I argue that they still form an essential part of this cultural heritage landscape), they often fall victim to the political and religious debacles of the day. The 1992 riots that ensued in Pakistan as a result of the demolition of Babri Mosque in India, is one such example. The incident led to protests erupting throughout Pakistan, and Hindu temples were the obvious and easy target of this uproar. During these protests, thirty Hindu temples were attacked in different parts of Pakistan. These attacks ranged from vandalism to complete destruction.
The way temples are positioned, in both public consciousness and the administrative framework, in Pakistan is highly influenced by the tense relationship between India and Pakistan since partition. Although 1.6% of Pakistan’s population is Hindu, anything associated with Hinduism is usually (if not always), associated with India, thus immediately barring any constructive dialogue on the measures that could be taken to improve the state of Hindu temples. While Buddhist sites were preserved and promoted, Hindu cultural heritage, which has been equally responsible in shaping the historicity of Pakistan, was ignored.
Cultural heritage sites in Pakistan are protected under the Antiquities Act 1975. The sites listed under this act are declared protected monuments and special measures are taken for their preservation and promotion; most are Muslims sites. Out of 145 monuments in Punjab, only one is a Hindu temple, meaning that no measures for the conservation of other existing temples are in place.
There has, however, been some improvement. Post 2005, the new government took to the restoration of selected Hindu temples to help shape a ‘softer’ image of Pakistan on the international stage. Since then, Pakistan has seen an increased propensity for restoration and conservation of ancient Hindu temples, a monumental improvement considering that previously even the existence of such venerated sites was unknown. The current government has pledged to restore 400 Hindus temples for the Hindu population of Pakistan, beginning with a 1000 year old temple in Sialkot. Though not yet fully restored, the temple was reopened for the local Hindu community following a 72 year hiatus.
The Temples
Hindu temples can be found in several Pakistani cities, in various states of preservation. Some still receive devotees from within the country, as well as from across the border, while others have suffered extreme negligence and have thus been abandoned.
Temples of Rawalpindi
Before the British divided India, Rawalpindi had the largest Hindu and Sikh populations of the cities that were to become a part of Pakistan. The multi-religiosity of the city was diminished when most of its Hindu and Sikh residents relocated to the Indian side, leaving behind their rich religious and historical heritage. Most of their places of worship have been readapted to be used as living quarters, scrap yards and storage areas. These non-Muslim places of worship were once spread out all over the city; there are around 20 temples and Gurdwaras that are no longer in use, having fallen victim to administrative negligence, but some still exist in a well-preserved state. The skyline of the older areas of Rawalpindi boasts both mosques and temples, a reminder of the of multi-religiosity that the city once possessed.
Above: The Kalyan Das temple @shiraz.hassan
The temples that are still functional are maintained and funded by affluent Hindu families and politicians in Pakistan. One of the best known temples among these is the Krishna Temple which lies in the middle of the bustling old part of Rawalpindi. The plaque on the entrance of the temple tells visitors it was built by Ujagar Mal Ram Richpal in 1897. His descendants relocated to the Indian side upon partition and became untraceable. Krishna Temple is the biggest in Rawalpindi and can accommodate almost 2500 people, and so all Hindu religious festivities, such as Holi and Diwali, are celebrated here by the Hindu population of the city and its adjoining areas. The temple building, although in a dilapidated state, is still an excellent example of Hindu temple architecture, flaunting an elaborately decorated spire that looms over its surrounding bazaar. Recently, as an effort to acknowledge the importance of the religious cultural heritage of the non-Muslim populations of Pakistan, the government has taken measures to renovate and extend Krishna temple so that it may house more devotees.
Apart from Krishna Temple, there are several other centuries old temples in old Rawalpindi that are in dire need of attention from the authorities, if they are to be saved from the unrelenting ravages of time that have threatened since partition.
Above: Mohan Temple @shiraz.hassan
Katas Raj Temples
Dating back to 615-950 CE, Katas Raj Temples exist on the outskirts of Chakwal in the province of Punjab. It is the only Hindu site that has made it to the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Pakistan. An extremely venerated site among Hindus from within and across the border, Katas Raj temples hold an elevated position in Hindu mythology. The pond in the middle of the temple is said to have been filled by the tears of Shiva due to his inconsolable grief at the loss of his wife. The teardrops that fell when he was carrying his wife whilst flying, are said to have fallen in two places, forming one pond in Katas Raj and another in Ajmer, Rajasthan in India.
It is not only the Hindu religion that has a historical association with the Katas Raj Temples; the site is believed to have been constructed on the ruins of a Buddhist Stupa which towered 61m high with streams running around it, as accounted by Alexander Cunningham, the first Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India. The remains of these Stupas can still be seen in the temple complex.
Next to the temples there also exist remnants of a Sikh gurdwara where Guru Nanak took residence while he was travelling the world. In the 11th century, Al-Biruni is also said to have lived in the temple complex while studying Hinduism. Katas Raj Temples narrate 1500 years of the religious history of Pakistan, and how different religions superseded one another at various times, creating a multi-layered picture of Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. These temples are an excellent testimony of the stratified nature of the historical religious sites of Pakistan.
The complex consists of seven old temples known as Satgarah. Among these, Shiva Temple is in the best state of conservation. The presence of the pond in the middle of the complex makes Katas Raj unique among all temple sites in Pakistan, but this body of water is also what makes this site comparatively hard to maintain and conserve. In recent times, the effect of negligence of several decades had begun to take shape in the form of structural failures, vandalism and the drying up of the sacred pond. The latter factor in particular drew international attention to the dilapidating site, causing outrage. Since that incident, special attention has been paid to the restoration and conservation of the temples and the issue of its condemnable state was raised in the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2018. At the end of that year, after several decades of suffering negligence, a Hindu ritual was carried out in Katas Raj as pilgrims from India visited the revered site.
Sun Temple of Mulasthana (Multan)
Located in the historical city of Multan, the Sun temple was first mentioned in the accounts of the Greek admiral Skylax in 515 BC, during the invasion of northern India. Later in the 7th Century, a Chinese pilgrim called Hsuen Tsang also records details of an opulent temple in the famous city of Mulasthana, mentioning with awe its golden idol of the Sun God and its dancing girls. The city of Multan, now located in the province of Punjab, makes its appearance in historical chronicles under different names, including Mulasthana, which is derived from Sanskrit words Mula and Sthana, meaning ‘original-adobe‘. There are twelve Sun Temples located throughout the Indian subcontinent, believed by Hindus to have been constructed by Samba, son of Hindu God Krishna. The one in Multan is the oldest among them. The Sun Temple is said to have been the biggest temple of the city, attracting pilgrims from far off lands. The importance of this site is evident from the fact that Multan was given its name based on the presence of the Sun Temple and Sun God. It is also a reminder of the deep historical association the city had with Hinduism.
When the Muslim conqueror Muhammad bin Qassim reached Multan in 712 AD, the Sun Temple had already existed for over a century. It was a famous and venerated pilgrimage site, forming an important link in the chain of twelve Sun Temples. Perhaps recognising the importance it held, the temple, although stripped of all its gold and valuables, was not destroyed by the invaders. In the 10th century, Al-Biruni also visited the building during his journey throughout India and gave a glowing description of it. In his book ‘Tarikhu’l-Hind’, which chronicles his journey, Al-Biruni writes:
“A famous idol of theirs was that of Multan, dedicated to the sun, and therefore called Aditya. It was of wood and covered with red Cordovan leather; in its two eyes were two red rubies. It is said to have been made in the last Kritayuga. the time which has since elapsed amounts to 216,432 years. When Muhammad Ibn Alkasim Ibn Alinunabbih conquered Multan, he in-quired how the town had become so very flourishing and so many treasures had there been accumulated, and then he found out that this idol was the cause, for there came pilgrims from all sides to visit it.” (Al Biruni’s India, Page 116, Abu Rihan Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Biruni al-Khwarizmi, Tarikhu’l-Hind)
Towards the end of the 10th century, the temple was destroyed, and later rebuilt and restored. This rebuilt temple received thousands of worshippers until the 17th Century, when it was destroyed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. After that, the building existed only in ruins, completely lost to obscurity until it was traced and marked on the map during British colonisation. In 1992, during a time of extreme religious tension between India and Pakistan, the temple was again attacked by a mob, inflicting even greater damage to a structure already in ruin.
The ruins of the temple are now located in the walled city of Multan, next to the shrine of the Muslim saint Bahauddin Zakariya. Multan is known as the ‘city of saints’ due to the hundreds of sufi Muslim shrines throughout the city. The Sun Temple now only exists in ruins, overshadowed by the well-preserved Muslim sites located in its vicinity. Evidence of the presence of an ancient grand temple at this location now only exists in history books.
The Sun Temple is a testament to how cultural heritage sites fall victim to religious conflicts. A centuries-old place of worship, that has been praised in several historical narratives,1 now exists as a ghost of the past, overlooked and completely neglected by the authorities and public alike. The site where the grand temple once existed now suffers from encroachment. It is put to use very rarely, for the purpose of pitching tents for the Muslim pilgrims that come to Multan for the Urs (death anniversary) of the saints in the surrounding shrines. Major portions of the temple have been demolished, the roof the temple has caved in, all the idols are gone, and nothing indicates presence of a majestic spiritual site that once existed here in all its glory. The centuries-old Sun Temple has been forever lost to posterity.
Hinglaj Mata Temple
Hinglaj Mata is a temple located in a small, naturally formed cave in the Kheerthar hills in the province of Baluchistan. It is one of the few sites that still receives thousands of pilgrims from within and across the border. The temple has existed for millennia and the rituals carried out at the temple during the four-day pilgrimage have been performed at the sites for generations. There is no man-made idol at the temple but rather a shapeless stone is worshipped during the rituals. In Hindu mythology, the temple is located here because the head of Shiva’s wife, Sati, fell on this location when she died. The temple is attributed to the goddess Hinglaj Mata, who is considered a powerful deity, believed to bestow her blessings on all her worshippers.
Although a revered Hindu site, Hinglaj Mata Temple is also revered by some Muslims of the region, who call the temple Nani Mandir (lit. “maternal grandmother’s temple”) and the goddess is called ‘Bibi Nani.’ Bibi Nani is believed to be the protector of region and Muslims from surrounding areas also participate in the annual pilgrimage to the site along with Hindu devotees. Muslim residents have been protecting the site against vandalisation and mob attacks, thus preventing the site from falling victim to the same fate as other temples in the country. The site exists in a good state of conservation because of the combined efforts of local Hindus and Muslims.
Lava Temple
Sitting inconspicuously next to the Alamgiri Gate of the Lahore Fort is a small room which was once a Hindu Temple called Temple of Loh or Lava Temple. Now abandoned, the Temple of Loh is said to have been dedicated to the son of Hindu Lord Rama. Some historians have even claimed that the birth of Loh, the son of Lord Rama, took place in the very temple.
The temple is comparatively smaller in scale compared to other famous Hindu sites, but is integral in highlighting the historical significance of Hinduism in the foundation of Lahore. The origins of Lahore are still unknown and have been a point of debate among historians for a long time, some of whom trace the city’s existence as far back as 4000 BC. The main religion of Lahore before the 10th Century was Hinduism, with Hindu temples present at various locations throughout the city as stated in chronicles of Al-Biruni. The city of Lahore was earlier called Lavpor or Loh Kot, meaning ‘Fort of Loh’, pointing to the deep association the city has with Loh, son of Lord Rama. That the foundation of the city and this temple are connected to the same Hindu entity, perhaps suggests the site is as old as the city itself. The Temple of Loh is one of the lesser known sites in the Lahore Fort, and although open to tourists, it receives few visitors. There are no religious rituals carried out at this temple.
Recent findings have indicated that the temple was once bigger than the current size of a few square metres that it has been reduced to. During the excavation of the nearby Royal Kitchen, the archaeological findings included a structure and fresco work that once had been part of the temple. Lahore Fort was commissioned by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and it is unclear what existed in its place before the fort was erected.
Concluding remarks
Now predominantly Muslim, the land that is now Pakistan has Hindu and Buddhist roots, going back thousands of years. As has been shown, the cultural heritage of both of these religions, and Hinduism in particular, still exist in Pakistan, though in various states of dilapidation, primarily due to administrative negligence and falling victim to religious or political debacles. Though there have been some sparks of hope for these sites, a more concerted effort will need to be made if they are to be saved from the sands of time.
References
1The Lost Sun Temple of Multan, Vikas Vaibhav) (Buddhist Records of the Western World (Ta-T’ang-Si-Yu-Ki) by Hieun Tsiang)(Tarikhu’l-Hind, Abu Rihan Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Biruni al-Khwarizmi)
Further reading
‘The Temples of Rawalpindi: Old Wisdom in a New World’
‘Pakistan to Renovate Rawalpindi Krishna Temple’
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