Famous Hindu Temples in Pakistan
Are you someone who wants to know about the famous Hindu temples in Pakistan or you think that temples in Pakistan are as scarce as water in a desert? If you are one, you need to visit this country in Southeast Asia. Despite being an Islamic country, Pakistan boasts of several popular Hindu temples dotting its landscape. Jagannath Mandir in Sialkot, Hinglaj Mata Mandir in Baluchistan, Shri Varun Dev Mandir in Manora and Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir in Karachi are some of the good examples.
You don’t have to read books on archeology or log onto UNESCO website as the region was home to a large Hindu population before Pakistan came into existence. The country still has a significant Hindu population which prides in these places of worship. Here we take a glance of popular Hindu temples in Pakistan.
1. Jagannath Mandir, Sialkot
It is more than 1000 years old and was renovated in early 2007 by Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi. The main deity is lord Jagannath who is an incarnation of lord Vishnu.
2. Hinglaj Mata Mandir
According to legend the head of Mata Sati fell here while Lord Vishnu slashed her body to pieces while lord Shiva did his Tandav. People also claim that Lord Rama atoned for his killing of Ravan here.The annual four day pilgrimage to the temple is in April and on the third the priest recite manra that help bring the wishes and prayers of devotees come true.
3. Shri Varun Dev Mandir
It is situated on the outskirts of Manora Cant and is more than 160 years old. The main deity is Varun who is the god of the oceans and is admired for its fine architecture and beautiful craftsmanship.
4. Katas Raj Temple
According to legend this temple was where Pandavas spent their exile and the pool created around the temple is made up of Lord Shiva tears. It was said to be built in 3rd Century and described in the travelogues of Chinese Monk Faxian. Most of the temples are constructed on square platforms and when observed from a distance it seems like there are small rows of pillars that are roofed by a dome.
5. Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir
According to legend the statue here was found in its natural state and is not man- made making it the only natural statue of Hanuman in the world which represents all five forms of the deity. Devotees from all over the world pay pilgrimage to lord hanuman here.
6. Kalki Devi Cave
According to legend kalki devi stopped here on her way to Hinglaj and it is considered auspicious to visit this place on the first Monday of each month. There is an annual festival every September which sees devotees from all caste, creed and religion revere in the festivities.
7. Naval Mandir
Also considered one of the major temples for Hindus in Pakistan Naval Mandir is one of the most revered temples in Karachi. A visit to this temple is supposed to have magical powers like cleansed hearts of hatred and turning misdemeanors into the virtuous. Among other things, the temple is a refuge of homeless. The temple also houses the statues of Santoshi Mata, Kali, Hanuman, Guru Nanak, Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesha and Rama. An air of mysticism surrounds the temple complex and its adjoining areas during the festivals. It looks more spectacular during the festivals of Holi and Diwali.
8. Gor Khattree and Gorakhnath Temple
Gor Khattree is a misnomer. Literally meaning Warrior’s Grave the place doesn’t have a tombstone in vicinity. The fort like temple complex, which is called as the Gorakhnath Temple, has also been mentioned in Baburnama, the memoir of Mughal Emperor Babur. The temple complex has an unusual structure thus making it hard to describe. As per folklores Gorakhnath jumped into the temple well for bath and surfaced at distance of 15 kilometers at Gorakh Digi. The place is now called as Kushal Bagh. The place sees a large number of visitor turnouts out on Tuesday when devotees come here, sings bhajans and recites verses from Hindu holy books.