The temples of Rawalpindi: Old wisdom in a new world
In the kaleidoscopic streets of bustling Rawalpindi stand tall a few Hindu temples that are hitherto the centre of Hindu festivity. The temples tell stories of the city’s diverse religious past and the neglect that the city's heritage has now fallen into.
Since the partition of the subcontinent, these temples have somehow withstood the wear and tear and still bear imprints of a culture long lost in the abyss of things bygone.
Rawalpindi, which was once predominantly inhabited by Hindus and Sikhs, now hosts only a few hundred Hindu families. All members of the Hindu community are devout worshippers and regular visitors of these temples.
As I stood at the rooftop of the buildings near Soojan Singh's haveli, I could see the old Rawalpindi city and its mandirs spread out before me. Even in the densely populated areas, these mandirs are easily discernible.
Their structures rise higher than the surroundings, nevertheless blending beautifully into the colours of the adjoining environs; a telling testimony of religious harmony amongst the people of Pindi.
To learn a little more about this cultural multiplicity, I set out to visit these temples and the Hindu community of the city. I drove from Sadar bazaar to Kabarri bazaar to visit Krishna mandir, which is still open to public. It is situated in a busy street near the railway station.
Built in 1897 by the generous citizens, Kaanji Mal, Ujagar Mal and Ram Rajpal, the double-storey building has a tree at the entrance and Shivling underneath it. The building has a plate inscribed with the names of the Hindus who donated this piece of land to the community. The mandir is dedicated to Lord Krishna, Lord Ganesh and Goddess Sheran Wali.
At the entrance of the mandir, I was warmly received by Jagmohan Arorra, an elderly man in charge of the mandir, along with a few other people from the community. They are natives of Rawalpindi and have lived all their lives in the city.
“We have lived here since ages. I was born in this mandir and have spent my childhood playing in this area,” Arorra said.
At the top floor, the interior is illuminated by sunlight shining through the large windows. The room is decorated with pictures of Hindu saints, like Sai Baba.
Rawalpindi was once home to a large number of Sikhs and Hindus. Manohar Lal, who looks after the Krishna mandir, told me that Hindus and Sikhs had and still have intermarriages among them.
“My mother was a Sikh and my father was a Hindu,” Arorra confirmed.
Since the majority of the Sikhs migrated, the Hindus are looking after these temples. The Krishna mandir, however, is now looked after by the evacuee trust board.
A mosque is situated in the street right next to the Krishna mandir. When I asked if the Hindus felt any hesitation in celebrating their religious festivals in the neighbourhood of a mosque, Arorra said:
“I don’t remember any incident. We know each other’s prayer times. Rather, we try to facilitate the other. We offer prayers and have special gatherings on Tuesdays and that has never been a problem for either us or the Muslims.”
Arorra further recalled:
“When I was a child, I used to play with my Muslim friends in this very street. One day, while playing with my friends, I went to the mosque and asked the Maulvi sahab, 'Maulvi jee! Can I say azaan as my Muslim friends do?' Maulvi jee replied with a smile, 'Why not?' That day, I called for prayers in themasjid.”
Nostalgia swept over Arorra's face, softening his eyes.
Another mandir that is still open is Guru Balmik Swamiji’s mandir. Situated in the Chaklala cantonment, this mandir was built in 1935. A number of Hindu families live nearby.
The mandir is surrounded by military camps, which have been there since the British era. It is owned by the community and not by the evacuee trust. On my arrival at the temple, I met Jagjeet Bhatti , 67, and his family, who have lived here since the time of British India.
Sunil, a young man from the community told me, “Hindus from all over Pakistan come to this mandir for Bhandara (festival) in June every year.”
On my inquiry about the religious freedom of Hindus here, Sunil said, “We usually don’t feel any hesitation in offering our prayers at the mandir. The last 15 years have been peaceful for the community because of the awareness that the media has brought to the society, but we do face problems for cremation. The Shamshaan Ghaat is situated at an overcrowded place which makes things difficult for us. For this reason, we have to take the dead bodies to Attock city for cremation.”
Several other mandirs of the city are in shambles. Most inside the city have become houses or been made parts of schools or universities, while others lie in complete neglect. According to the locals, these temples are not more than 150 years old.
These mandirs; those which have vanished under the expanding city or those which are left crumbling, seek recognition from the city that once owned them, and from the people that have their past attached to it.
According to some reports, recently, a project was planned by the Unesco to renovate the temples in Rawalpindi and to declare these assets as regional heritage. Whether or not that will happen still remains a question.
As the sun sets, the mandirs fade into the darkness, overshadowed by the past and drowned in the raucous buzz of city life. One wonders if they are ever going to come out of the shadows that surround them.
Rawalpindi has the potential to become the centre of regional heritage, if taken care of.
A city with a rich history and culture, it calls for recognition and consideration from its own people, before seeking it from anywhere else.
Related:
Taimur Shamil is a Broadcast journalist based in Islamabad. He has special interest in religion, culture and politics.
COMMENTS (139) CLOSED
Oct 16, 2015 12:58pm
Wow that town sure looks like still living in 1850s !
Great report. Thanks. We need to preserve heritage for future generations. Best wsihes for efforts of Dawn.
Thank you very much for taking me to the old memory lane. These are the places where I spend my childhood, played with friends, hide and seek. Marbled floor, small rooms, climbing the steps. I wish, I could visit these places.
Where India has properly protected its masjid, Pakistan is completely failed . Hyderabad, Agra , Lucknow, Delhi had alot of famous masjids n Hindus too feel pride on their historical glory .
words fails how to express our gratitude to take us through these write up to where we normally cannot visit, fault lies von both side with the government however through you we get glimpses which otherwise is unthinkable, thanks
Good article. I am sharing this with my friends who don't visit this news website. One is sorry to note the decrepit condition of many of these temples. One hopes that these temples will continue to survive, if not thrive.
All the temples are in dilapidated condition. It seems that neither Hindu of Pakistan is dare to change the condition of temple in this city or any part of Pakistan nor government of Pakistan is eager to save this as heritage. Wait some decades, leave these temples as it is, it will be vanished from the city like other temples from Pakistan.
These photographs are painful reminders of good old days of mutual harmony and goodwill gone to the greed. It would have been a great satisfaction if we could visit our ancestral places across the border with ease and taken care of our common heritage.
The whole place looks to be in shambles through neglect. It tells a story of its own.
Awesome job, well done
We need to take care of our heritage, this certainly is an asset. City's history shouldn't be washed away at any cost. People of Pindi will raise their voice for the protection of all Old Sites.
Great pictures. I will definately visit these places next time I visit my uncle in Rawalpindi.
Just want to pint out the following: "Rawalpindi, which was once predominantly inhabited by Hindus and Sikh"
This is not 100% correct. While Rawalpindi has been inhabited for several thousand years, including Budhists, Hindus and Sikhs as well, it has been a Muslim majority place for centuries.
@ak you haven't seen venice and many other european towns...they're still living a thousand years back in time!
Time and neglect is gradually destroying precious links of heritage.
@M.Saeed Visas should be easily available for genuine visitors between India and Pakistan. Fighting over some mountain valleys in Kashmir is a waste.
Wonderful report and great pictures. The religious harmony and peaceful co existence is very heartening to know about.
@Tony Jboye
Indians keep telling us kashmir isn't worth it. Maybe to you it is not, but to us it is. Even with the full knowledge that most kashmiris would prefer independence, we still support them because we have strong cultural and blood ties to them. Almost every industrialist in prosperous northern punjab is of kashmiri descent. That even includes our PM nawaz Sharif.
A great narrative on the past and culture of the city. Great contribution by Dawn
Wow Great memory storage!
These Mandir seem abandoned. Looksl
Before 1947, there were more Sikh gurdwara and Hindu temples than Mosques at Rawalpindi.
India & Pakistan must promote cultural & religious tourism for their citizens. The temples & mosqus in both countries are our cultural heritage. 70 years of partition can't be allowed to delink our ties. These temples should be renovated & taken care by both India & Pakistan jointly. This will help bridging mistrust between two (one) countries. I hope good sense will prevail.
Beautiful! Thanks!
Time and again Dawn has done a wonderful job of informing the past history of Pakistan especially regarding temples.
I feel for sure that Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs should come out of the temple, mosque, church and gurudwara mentality.
Please think over seriously as to why we need places of worship that too when people are struggling to make both ends meet, hardly find shelter of their own and when there is so much of intolerance and hate in the name of religion. We can always pray at our homes whether it's rented or our own. Our only duty is to think and behave humanely being human with the utmost religious tolerance.
Shukriya Taimur for highlighting this....
According to the locals, these temples are not more than 150 years old. Then where are temples older than 150 years.
What a sad plight of these temples.
The condition of temples is very bad. These need to be preserved.
thanks dawn hope liberals in Pakistan can do something more for minorities
@Khan First PrimeMinister , third and fourth prime ministers of India were all of Kashmiri descent. It only means that Kashmiris have been ruling both india and Pakistan for long time.
The culture has been eradicated and buildings presumably preserved (neglected structures). These need renovations and it seems that at this condition, in ten or so years all you'll be left with is just a pile of rubble.
I hope UNESCO allows these temples to be as they are and perish as time goes by. When politics is added into religion, it is just waste of time to talk or do anything. From the pics can assume that nobody wants to even paint the temple and the caretakers are elderly folks. Will the next generation take over the temple? Sitting here in India, I cant ask or even answer this question.....
Whats wrong the the photo coloring?
@Khan By that account, everyone in Pakistan is somehow related to India. In relation to kashmir, the name was after Rishi Kashyap (originally Kashyap Mir). Most of the early works on Veda occured in Kashmir Valley. Kalhan, Hemachandracharya, Jaydev and many others were related to kashmir. Srinagar, Anantnag and many more names bear the past of the valley.
So not denying that there is a relation of Northen Punjab with Kashmir, there is equal if not stronger bonding between India, Indian thoughts and people with Kashmir
I thank you Dawn for shining a light on this glorious past when when Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims were in 1 big nation. I wish we would again live together as 1 nation..
Very sad to see the pictures. But anyway this is how time changes.
Can someone enlighten me as to how Rawalpindi got it name? Thanks.
@Hemant Patil there is no mistrust my friend. We Indian have always respected n preserved Islamic monuments.
Dawn is far better in quality, readability and ad free reporting compared to the top Indian media websites. They also try to maintain a neutral view towards reporting in most cases. All the best to Dawn and its team for putting this article on the main page
@Hemant Patil The Pakistani government has no interest in preserving the history of it current and former minorities.
beautiful pictures.
Thank you very much again Dawn. And thanks to Taimur Shamil as well. While most Pakistanis as hell bent on destroying our combined cultural heritage this is a small step in right direction. Hats off to Muslims in these neighborhoods as well where Hindus feel safe and secure.
@Janu Please do not preat hate. The governments in Islamabad do not even care for Muslim sites which are crumbling. So please do not!!
@Awais Jibran, there is nothing wrong with the colors of these photographs. In fact the colors are very appropriate, representing the sad situation that these mandirs are in………..
we are finally able to see the beauties of religious places of minorities.
@SKS you're probably correct but that's because progress leaves little room for non historical structures ... Pakistan can do a better job only when it's economy starts to generate abundant rewards multiplying a greater revenue to distribute amongst a broader population. once that occurs all structures will eventually gain more value ... poor nations such as Pakistan and india do not care so much for heritage as they are struggling to preserve as many defense capacity oriented ammunition to take down their neighbor. india is not innocent and does everything in it's disposal to make sure Pakistan loses in an arms race which isn't a healthy shift for either country but I would probably lay equal blame to Pakistan for not doing enough to counter the economic growth in recent years that india has seen. healthy competition between neighbors is a good thing but defense spending is not healthy !
good article dawn
Really, very nice & informative. Plz carry on .
Always fascinated by Dawn's coverage of unusual landmarks. Keep up good work. Thanks.
Great to see the historical temples in the heart of Rawalpindi but the same time heart broken to see them dilapidated while the Mosques right next to the temple in one of the pics is so lively and nicely painted. I knew that there are still few temples left in Pakistan but didnt know that they in such a deprecit conditions. :(
This is awesome report! we must protect and renovate such historical and religious heritage. I appeal to government of Pakistan to take care of such historical buildings and make it open to all, it will not only boost our tourism industry but would make our minority brothers some confidence. once again much appreciated great work.
Let me try to take the research forward - Entire area, surrounding Rawalpindi, has been ancient home to Aryan Rajput imperial tribes, who were originally Gurjar of far antiquity. In Indian ancient History, they were called Gurjar-Pratihar (Door-keepers), due to the location of their kingdom being in north-west, the door to indian subcontinent, also due to their claim to be descendants of Laxman (brother of lord Ram). Later, they got disintegrated in to Bhatti, Janjua, Parihar and Rawal rajputs. Porus or Puru, who fought Alexander the great, at the banks of Jhelum, was also a Gurjar-Pratihar Rajput.
Current Pakistan's COAS, Raheel Sharif is also from same Rajput ancestry, and so are bollywood actors Akshay kumar ( real name Rajeev Bhatti) and Kunal kapoor, And so do I.
And that's why there were a lot of Durga (devi) temples in the area. Durga, being the ancestral deity ( Kul-Devi) of Rawal Rajputs, and being the goddess of war, who symbolically rides a lion.
Wonderful report and great pictures.
Bangladesh is a great example of hindu and Muslim brotherhood in the world.
Turn them into art centres if they are not to be used by Hindu community. We should preserve these, but also make use of them for the whole community if the HIndu community cannot alone sustain these beautiful structures.
@P Sheth
You misunderstood my "blood ties" comment for "cultural ties."
Most Pakistanis are part of an ethnic group that as a whole shares ties to India. Thats a fact. That does not mean majority here have personal relations in India, just that our cultures are similar. Sindh and Rajastan are similar, but that does not mean many Rajastanis live in Sindh, or even vice versa.
These families in Northern Punjab are truly Kashmiri by blood and migrated only in the 1880-1930s. Its not just cultural similarities, but real blood bond. They aren't just similar, the are actually Kashmiris who now are just living in Punjab (and many Kashmiris migrated from Amritsar in 1947 too).
The fact that the vedas are heavily influence by Kashmir just means Kashmir influenced India and vice versa. It does not mean Indians have the same sort of blood ties to Kashmir that wealthy families in north punjab do.
Hats off to Dawn, Hats off to the Author for this wonderful article and pictures.. Thank you. Rawalpindi looks like a beautiful place.. I would have loved to visit the city and the temples.
@Khwarezmi Thank you for rewriting history... that's the best answer.
Dawn is doing good but still government has to save all temples and heritages related to religion and culture in pakistan if pakistan protect history then only can make history!!!!
@Ajay vikram Singh Thank you for sharing with me the piece of my heritage. Now I know from where the word Rawal comes from. How sad our rich common ancestry got integrated .
@P Sheth We have so much in common then why we feel so alien. Some thing terribly went wrong between the people of same stock. That makes me sad.
It is sad to see so many places of worship in utter disrepair . Such a neglect reflects loss of history and heritage.
@Ajay vikram Singh Incidentally, The Indian movie star Akshay Kumar's real name is Rajeev Bhatia and his family hails from Dera Ismail Khan NWFP Pakistan. Before Partition, there were many Hindu Bhatia families in DI Khan and they all migrated to India. All Bhatias do trace their ancestry to Bhatti Rajputs from Jaisalmer Rajasthan. As far as the difference between the surnames Bhatti and Bhatia is concerned, I do not know the answer but yes Bhatia came from Bhatti.
@Khan Blood ties, Dear? You need to go a little deeper. The blood of Pakistanis and Indians would be same. Reason: A few hundred years back, most Pakistanis were Hindus. Don't agree?
Let us try to build friendship keeping aside the animosities. The only way forward is peace. Focus more on commonalities than differences.
The partition destryed the Punjab and Bengal. Both regions where the two communities lived harmoniously despite the british colonialists efforts to foster division and conflict amongst them. Glory to Hind.
@Janu To be fair I as a visiting hindu went to four temples in four different cities and atleast two were in reasonably good condition. Pakistan government has spent good amount of money on the Katas Raj Temple.The problem is partly demographic. A lot fewer hindus remain and cannot support all the temples which existed before partition.Pakistan -like India- has financial limitations . Katasraj is so well supported that the management declined my offer of donation.
@Khwarezmi you are wrong and the author is correct . Rawalpindi pre-partition had 50% Hindus and Sikhs and 50% Muslims and had one of the bloodiest partition. The 1901 census puts the Hindus and Sikhs at 60% . The author has done a great job in highlighting the cultural past of the garrison city. I think Pakistan has a treasure trove of historic places and would encourage the author and others to share more. I would be more than happy to organize a fund raising campaign for a video documentary as these stories need to be told to our next generation
Feeling great after going through this report.....also love this heritage but afraid of the negligence for these beautiful old Mandirs and houses....should take some steps before its too late..
@Being Logical - it is mostly the very large Muslim population in India that helps maintain the masajids. Pakistan has comparatively a very small number of Hindus hence less support. Modi's gov't will surely not support a masajid.
Thank you sir
@Being Logical : This article is about Hindu and Sikh temples in Pakistan---stay focused!
@Befree : The bottom line is: The Rise and Fall-- of species, ideologies, systems, religions, nations, cultures, dynasties ... That thought alone should make all humans humble, but it doesn't!
@Ajay vikram Singh you have gone bit too far, Akshay kumar' real name is Rajiv Bhatia ( mercantile community whose origin is from Aror in Sindh, most Sindhi business people are Aroras and so are punjabis from south Punjab ( now living in India with Arora sure name) ka kapoor caste is of khatri - mercantile community from Punjab popularly known since as Lalas in Punjab , prithviRaj kapoors fathers name was Lala mangat Rai kapoor - a merchant in Peshawar Pakistan.Rawalpindi was correctly settled by Bappa Rawal , a Rajput King . But Rajputs are essentially from Rajputana ( today's Rajasthan ) . Punjabi Brahmins and Khatris never really acknowledged them as real punjabis.
@Sivaram Pochiraju : 'Prayer houses' were and are the centres of community support. They have been about more than just praying, sectarianism, and hate. They are ABOUT LIVING, CARING, AND SHARING. Now they are more about territorial conquests or resistance to conquests.
@arshy: The battle between India and Pakistan, is , in one particular matter, about a dragged-out war of attrition. Pakistan wants Kashmir, but India, too, wants it --and each one cites history. If humans were to respect history, invasions and conquests would NOT happen! History and even pre-history teach us that all things mutate and 'change is the only constant'. Yet, while all things change, there is resistance to it, because we fear the unknown and loss of identity. So we often cite how old our cultures are and dream that they will outlast others and be forever! GLORY! Dream on!
a little known vignette is that Rawalpindi in the late 1700s and early 1800s was home to Raja Ranjeet Singh's powerful Punjabi army comprised of the core Khalsas, the Nihangs,the regular Punjabi army including the infantry and its french and Italian officers and Akali Phula Singh's crack Fidayeens. General Hari Singhs Khalsa fauj-i-khas was stationed further north in Haripur and the Hattak or Attock area. Throughout Ranjit's rule his closest friend was his foreign Minister Fakir Azizuddin.
Thanks to Dawn and Taimur Shamil for Article Temples in Pakistan.
Thanks to show our past, in harmony
@arshy spot on arshy, but India has fought a war with china and will arm itself to challenge China. Also China has territorial problems with India. So Pak is incidental in our calcualtions. Today we neglect it, tomorrow we may break it if we want to. That the ultimate truth. Today we are increasing the distance like a sprinter on the run, we have left Pak far behind. We have overtaken it for many laps and the next time we may just push it over into the ground
@Khan -- Depends on how much support can be offered by the government, in the interest of preserving culture. Unfortunately, that looks like a mirage. You got to be large heart'ed
@Vijay B. - Punjabi language has many dialects ( Lahnda) like Potohari, Majhi, Saraiki, Hindko, Shahpuri, Malwi, Multani etc etc.
http://www.geocurrents.info/geonotes/punjabi-and-the-problems-of-mapping-dialect-continua
The same word is often spoken a little different in different dialects. The Bhatti is also called Bhatiya .
Such type of articles should be included in the School text books on both sides of border.This will make the present generation aware of our common heritage.This will go long way in solving the problems between our two countries.
very nice article. touching. Greetings from india (chennai)
India has more than one thousand year old temples, and more than five hundred year old masjids and we are proud of them.
@dawn Not every Mosque is maintained by Muslim community. There are many mosque in India which are being protected & maintained by government of India & Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Keep it up Taimur. Fine piece of work this is.
Look at the condition..tells a lot about minorities in Pakistan
Thank you author, nice to see remnants of days when all natives of the land from all religions used to live side by side.
@Khan even if we agree with you, what is the benefit of helding up people to people contact pending outcome of the despute.
Moreover it can neither be solved militarily nor otherwise as present rulers do not want to talk on this.
So let us open up trade, tourism, travel etc so that economy of both sides gain.
@MS Prithraj's father's name was Dewan Basheswarnath Singh Kapoor his father was Dewan Keshavmal. However Raj Kapoor and his descendants have called themselves Pathans on multiple occasions, I am sure why but they do and see Peshawar as their spiritual home and people of Peshawar equally see them as sons and daughters of Peshawar.
I do have a gripe with my fellow Indians. Please don't bring up Hindu history and bondage etc. All societies have some form of past which is different from present.
Learn to embrace the truth of impermanence: "All that is mine, beloved and pleasing will become otherwise and will become separated from me".
Simply Beautiful !!!
@dawn India has a wakf board which looks after the masjids and related properties. There are competent persons who look after affairs of the masjid property. Also Govt of India gives subsidy for muslims for their Haj pilgrimage. If Pak. govt too forms a board to look after mandirs and sets aside even a token amount aside and encouraged ethnic hindus to come forward to look after their temples thing will work out well. A small step in this direction will go a long way in building confidence between two communities.
Excellent research....great job digging out facts. I left the city in early seventies and have visited since then regularly. Thank you for educating me about the facts hitherto not known to many.....and sadly that includes me as well.
Great article. But those temples need preservation......
Very sad to see the state of temples in Pakistan.You must come to Cochin to see the condition of Cheraman Jumamasjid which was built in AD 629 and also Jewish Synagogue built in 1539.It is all maintained by the Govt.Not muslims or Jews.
some confusion!!!
@Hemant Patil .I agree with you ,all these temples need repairs and renovations,by Archeology department ,or some Hindu Trusts here in Pakistan,the problem is lack of funds and the population of Hindus are stagnant,besides seems not interested .A people to people contact and free travel between the two countries could help revive the Temples and Mosques to their original shape.The traveling must be easy,and group tours can be arranged,and proper steps be taken to renovate all Archaeological sites ASAP.
Very ironic,when the past is able to tell present about its rich past,faith and culture.Kudos to writer for giving a refreshing change for once.
Temples, synagogues, mosques, gurudwaras, churches, etc. - bring people together in praise and thanks to the Giver of life
fantastic reporting sir please continue your work which can join our countries in the time of hate and jealousy. it shows the respect of pakistan for his old culture and heritage. once again thanku very much sir.....
Its in Pakistan's interest only if it takes care of these temples as it will showcase to the outside world that it takes care of minorities and reassure its minorities that they are safe to practice their religion.
Sent this special report to the PMO in India to share how in the Muslims land temples are protected even when the minority is microscopic. But how in the secular land babris and Dadris incidents are occuring and mosques are desecrated even when the minority is macroscopic.
@SBB Rewriting which history? Potohar region and North Western Pakistan, invluding pindi region has been Muslim majority for centuries. Are you denying this?
I dint know about all these treasures in pindi . Why don't you start guided walking tours to these places . If u do please let me know . Also if it's not a problem can u send me exact location addresses . I live in faizabad . Are they far from here .
@Kalashnikov According to Wikipedia (which is not a genuine source) the 1901 census "Muslims numbered around 100,000, around than 40% of the total population, while Hindus and Sikhs numbered 280,000 and 155,000 respectively, while some 1,000 Jewish".
Then Wikipedia go on with "The predominantly Muslim population supported Muslim League and Pakistan Movement".
Firstly, the 100.000 figure do not make 40% Second, it goes on to say Pindi was Muslim majority only 46 years later.
This is all most likely some cooked up numbers, far from reality and not genuine history.
Wow! The author has given us a rare glimpse of temples in an Islamic country. I have heard about the Mohan mandir which has been taken over by the Muslims and made into a madrasah. Thank you for showing us the glorious past. Hope the unesco will be successful in repairing and maintaining the rich heritage. Religious tourism can be developed and people to people contacts increased to bring peace to the region
I appreciate Taimur Shamil who has created harmony in two different religions.I was born in rawalpindi and have a bleak recognition of my birth place. My father and ancestors has passed their life and many times told me the story of rawalpindi. I wish Muslims and Hindus at Pakistan should take initiative to renovate the temples and put an example before the world about their generousity.
@Manish thats why you guys eradicated Babri masjid
Dear Taimur Shamil,
very good article! My husband is from that area and I told him about your article. He himself can't remember as he left in the age of two, but his Mother and Grandmother used to tell him the stories about "Pindi". Thank you so much for taking interest in the history of Punjab ;-))
Intelligent people must question.,Questioning makes one disloyaI to a dogma , if the dogma is the unquestioned belief of the questioner,What the questioner is supposed to do?? Telling a bed side story,making money out of it,Or really exposing the cause ,effect and resolution of the issue at hand.I am sure majority of the writers and news papers,dare not question the causes of pain ,demise , misery of the common people.
Excellent article and beautiful photographs. Have found Dawn to provide a balanced and progressive reportage - keep it going!
Meanwhile in Hyderabad India https://instagram.com/p/8-0jyqmLEJ/
Great report. The responses of many Pakistanis is heartening.
Many Indians have blood ties with Pakistan and vice versa. This cannot be denied. Afterall, it is just a political division. We are bound together culturally and to some extent by blood relations, though this is weakening by the day. Motilal Nehru was a Kashmiri Brahmin. So were Allama Iqbal's parents/ancestors. So, it is hard to deny blood ties.
@Ajay vikram Singh Thanks for enlightening Ajay, I come from the same area, Gujarkhan, next to Rawalpindi, and belong to Bhatti Rajput caste. Agreed there are plenty of Janjuas, Bhattis and other Rajputs in the area. Most have accepted Islam as their faith, but still pride in their individual castes. Shall share this info provided by yourself with my ancestors who I'm sure would be very happy to hear of this.
Taimur Shamil, Good photographer, Subjects also interesting. Good that you highlighted this. Now it is Pakistani Government’s responsibilities to take care of it. After some time or after long time when relations will improve between both countries, what is there to attract Indian tourist. In India you can see all historic structure if it is belongs to Hindus or Muslims maintained very nicely.
Good report Shamil Taimoor, you did very well what was due on your part
@Sivaram Pochiraju Great thoughts sir!! I hope we learn sooner. BTW These temples remind us the good old days when there was "religious equilibrium".We in Pakistan are quite competent at neglecting our common heritage!!
@Sandeep SIngh Aurangazeb had them converted into beautiful mosques.
Thanks.Good effort by dawn. We must preserve our heritage. Govt. of Pakistan should take care of all historical, religious and other sites not only it will glorify pak but also increase tourism. A large number of people will get which ultimately improve the economy.
Thank you Mr.Taimur for highlighting this delipedated worship place. Though I am not hindu or Sikh but I have respect for all religions because religion bring peace to inner human conscious.
Excellent,I will share it....
a country which destroys its past and rewrites history will never find its soul ever .
A nation which disrespects its culture and heritage will not long last. that is history.
This is the treasure of Rawalpindi it must be saved & renovated .govt. Must save the heritage & bring back the glory of temple.thanks down for the report & afford to save lost treasure
@Mohibullah Well, temples are not part of my culture. At the same time I am 100% for protecting these sites as historic monuments. Looking forward to replies from people who disagree :)
These structures in a dilapidated position. With the passage of time, will be demolished and nobody will care as we are neglecting these cultural things of the people who once thronged and in the bad luck they had to migrate to other parts of the sub-continent. It is the responsibility of the government to look into and renovate them.
great report.thanks buddy.keeping history alive for future generations to ponder upon
Thanks Taimur, Thanks DAWN, for nice article and photographs.
@Khan I would like to mention that Pandit Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajeev Gandhi, all these PMs who ruled India most of the time were of Kashmiri origin.
Rawalpindi - the city that Bappa Rawal built. Guess very few Pakistanis want to know this.
@dr J Tipu - Bhai Tipu. Then we are brothers. Who knows, 7-8 generations back we shared an ancestor. Please convey my regards and Salam to your family.
We have a saying about Rajputs here - Raghu-kul ( Clan of Raghu, ancestor of Lord Ram) reet sada chali aaye.....praan jaye...par vachan na jaye".
It means - The pledge of the clan of Raghu, is eternal ....once they give a word..they give up life easily but never go back on their word.
Requesting Pakistan government can renovate and re-establish some of your temples .... Then allow the pilgrims from Indian Hindus ...... Its multi fold benefits (1) Foreign exchange for Pakistan ... (2) Image betterment for both countries who are perceived to be always fighting ... (3) The people who wish to go back to nostalgia have their chance, remember the Google ad ...... and the most important (4) build better relationship between the countries
I think only five to ten percent of total Temples left in Pakistan .
Excellent report Dawn. I recently visited this place and I also clicked and I am happy someone carefully and responsibly captured it. This picture with Mosque minar and Mander is excellent picture.
I am from Rawalpindi it is very beautiful city lies in mountains green plateau. i invite indian brothers n sisters to visit Rawalpindi., it is located in Pothohar Plateau and people there speak pothwari which is considered the sweetest language in punjab.
@Raza Naqvi so nostalgic... where do you live now. I am from same lovely city.
World Heritage is the property of our next generation. Therefore, it is gift from the previous generation to next generation.
Thus it is our onus to keep all temples in good condition.
Special Funds may be allocated in the Budget for complete renovation.
Tourism is the 2nd largest industry, and earns a lot of from it.
Just like Taj Mahal India.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1211298/the-temples-of-rawalpindi-old-wisdom-in-a-new-world
OpIndia.com 
কাঞ্চন গুপ্ত 
S
kuṅkumam
Dr Jwala Gurunath 
kalyan97 
kalyan97 
