Kalra Temple, Talagang, Chakwal, Punjab (photo by the author)

Pakistan’s Crumbling Hindu Heritage: Our Shared Culture and Responsibility

Pakistan possesses a rich cultural heritage and has been a cradle of ancient civilization and culture. Our country represents a proud legacy of stone-age culture, Indus Civilization, Gandhara Civilization, and Muslim Civilization. The presence of the relics from these periods makes the country unique. Pakistan has been the custodian of some very sacred Buddhist, Hindu, and Sikh heritage sites that attract tourists from all over the world. But unfortunately, these places have suffered badly at the hands of natural disasters and human vandalism. 

Therefore, it is essential to draw attention to the Hindu heritage in Pakistan, which is crumbling with passing time and is likely to disappear very soon. Hindu remains in Pakistan are part of the culture and heritage that we share with our eastern neighbor India. Since these sites are in our possession, it is our responsibility to look after them and keep them from further deterioration. 

The word “Hindu” is derived from the word “Sindhu” (Indus River), which was used for the first time by the Persians for “the land of River Indus.” The region was named Al-Hind by the Arabs, and the inhabitants of this region were mentioned as Hindus. Hence the term “Hindu” actually signified the people living in the land of river Indus, and the religion that they followed came to be called Hinduism by the orientalists in the 19th century.

Hinduism is one of the world’s ancient religions, and its origin can be tracked down to the Bronze Age (2500-2200 BCE) during the mature phase of Indus Valley Civilization. It is the blend of several beliefs and practices, lifestyles, and thinking connected by a cultural continuity and unified force that characterize Indian Civilization. Swastika, Pashupati (Lord of Animals), and proto-Siva symbols relate this civilization to the Hindu symbolism, which took a final form of a religious belief during the Vedic times. It is believed that Rig Veda, the earliest text of Hinduism, was composed in the northwestern region of the Indian Subcontinent (Pakistan).

A hindu temple
A Temple in Tilla Jogian Complex, Jhelum, Punjab (photo by the author)

Temple is the most typical artistic expression of Hinduism, focusing on the spiritual and social life of the Hindu community. The temple indicates the values and way of life of those who erected it and for whom it was built to maintain a relation between man and gods. The divine becomes visibly manifest in the Hindu temple and reachable to man. Hindu temple is considered as the house of god serving as a representation of ultimate enlightenment. Temples have been built throughout Asia during different periods and continue to be built in Hindu dominant regions.

Hindus are a religious minority in Pakistan, and they form 1.6% of the total population of the country. The percentage has fallen from 14.6% that was before partition. The shrinkage in the Hindu population in due course has led to the neglect of Hindu sacred architecture. At present, Pakistan has negligible Hindu inhabitants, and hence their holy spaces are generally abandoned and are in bad condition. This is not the only cause; numerous other factors are responsible for the present state of Hindu’s sacred buildings in Pakistan. Most of the temples had been prey to vandalism as a reaction to the Babri Masjid incident in Ayodhya, Indian, on 6th December 1992. Many were set to fire; others were damaged by the enraged vandals as a reaction. This incident had profound aftereffects on the overall conditions of Hindus in Pakistan and their sacred buildings. The subsequent wave of vandalism of Hindu remains caught a deadly blow during a recent surge of extremism, which, regrettably, transformed the temples into schools, stables, or trash houses. Nearly all, if yet not affected by the above reasons, are prone to the effects of various kinds of environmental pollution.

Satghara Temples at Katas Raj Temple Complex (photo by the author)

Pakistan embraces a reputation of owning some famous temples that are renowned due to many reasons. A few are acknowledged for their mythological association like those present in Katas Raj Complex in Chakwal district, Hinglaj Mata temple in Lasbela district of Balochistan, and Sri Punchmukhi Hanuman Temple in Karachi. Several owe their fame to their affiliation with significant personalities or specific activities like Tilla Jogian in Jhelum district and Gorakhnath temple in Gorkhatri, Peshawar, both dedicated to Guru Gorakhnath, while others like Mallot temple in Chakwal, Amb temple in Khushab, and Shawala Teja Temple in Sialkot, etc., have attracted the attention of the tourists and art lovers due to their distinct styles of art and architecture. Almost all of them are in a dilapidated state, and if not protected, will disappear in the coming years. 

For the last few years, the Government of Pakistan is working for the protection of some important temples in the country. Steps have been taken for the functioning of some temples too, which is indeed very encouraging. Many temples across Pakistan have already faded during the past few years. They were investigated and documented a few years back, but now they have vanished completely. 

Pakistan was established for a group of people with a common religious belief who were discriminated against and kept deprived of equal rights. Their sacred places were not safe, and their mosques suffered from vandalism at the hands of Hindus and Sikhs. Pakistan, a country founded in the name of Islam, which is the religion of peace and harmony, was never supposed to repeat the same mistakes. This Pak (pure) land is meant for all its citizens, whether Muslims or non-Muslims, and it is the responsibility of all of us to protect and take care of the religious buildings present in every nook and corner of our country as if it is our own sacred space. 

Temple at Attock Khurd, Punjab (photo by the author)

Undoubtedly, there is a genuine need for their protection and preservation for the best utilization of memorable Hindus Architecture. The authorities should take steps for the protection, preservation, and conservation of this shared heritage, which represents our past rich culture, to pass it to our generations on which they could be proud of. Their preservation is obligatory not only for their survival for our future generation but also for imparting a strong message to the world that Pakistan does not support extremism at any cost, and Pakistanis care for the sacred structures of every religion. 

A few suggestions and recommendations to the authorities are that the significant temples of the country should be protected through conservation, after which measures should be adopted for a safe environment (fencing, etc.), master planning, environmental development (shelter). Restoration of the temples which are structurally collapsed is promptly needed. Establishing the open-air museum is recommended for the safety of temples which are rich in architecture. 

Hindu temples in Pakistan are rich in architecture, and these present an intriguing view to the tourists as well as to the devotees. The management and restoration of them could lead to the development of religious and cultural tourism in the region. Their restoration and preservation will attract Hindu pilgrims from all over the world, which would not only develop tourist activities in the region but also nurture interfaith harmony in the country. Tourist activities in the region will result in economic growth and also create a soft image of Pakistan.   

Also Read: ARCHEOLOGY AND PUBLIC’S INTEREST

23 thoughts on “Pakistan’s Crumbling Hindu Heritage: Our Shared Culture and Responsibility

  1. I’ve been surfing online more than 2 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours.
    It’s pretty worth enough for me. In my view, if all
    site owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet will be
    a lot more useful than ever before.

  2. This is really interesting, You’re a very skilled blogger.

    I’ve joined your rss feed and look forward to seeking more of your magnificent post.
    Also, I’ve shared your web site in my social networks!

  3. Do you have a spam problem on this blog; I also am a blogger, and I
    was curious about your situation; we have developed some nice practices and we
    are looking to trade strategies with other folks, please shoot me an e-mail if interested.

  4. We’re a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community.
    Your web site provided us with valuable information to work on. You have done an impressive job and our
    whole community will be grateful to you.

  5. Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any widgets I could
    add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates.
    I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and
    was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this.

    Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading
    your blog and I look forward to your new updates.

  6. I’m impressed, I must say. Seldom do I come across a blog
    that’s both equally educative and entertaining, and let me tell you,
    you have hit the nail on the head. The problem is an issue that not
    enough men and women are speaking intelligently about. Now i’m very happy that I found this during my search for
    something regarding this.

  7. 279400 499966There is numerous separate years Los angeles Weight reduction eating strategy with each a person is a necessity. The pioneer part can be your original finding rid of belonging to the extra pounds. la weight loss 875717

  8. Your style is unique in comparison to other people I’ve
    read stuff from. Thanks for posting when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this web site.

  9. Having read this I thought it was rather enlightening.
    I appreciate you finding the time and energy to put this content together.
    I once again find myself personally spending a significant amount of time both reading and
    commenting. But so what, it was still worthwhile!

Comments are closed.