Katas Raj Temples: Difference between revisions

| year_completed        = 7th century CE onwards<ref>{{cite web|first1=Muhammad |last1=Bin Naveed|title=Katas Raj|url=https://www.worldhistory.org/Katas_Raj/|work=[[World History Encyclopedia]] |access-date=30 June 2017}}</ref>

The  '''Shri Katas Raj Temples''' ([[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], {{lang-ur|{{Nastaliq|کٹاس راج مندر}}}} شری) ([[Sanskrit]]: कटासराज) also known as '''Qila Katas''' ({{nq|قلعہ کٹاس}}),<ref name="laiba">{{cite journal|last1=Khalid|first1=Laiba|author-link1=Katas Raj Temples|title=Explore Rural India|date=2015|volume=3|issue=1|pages=55–57|url=http://itrhd.com/pdfs/ERIM-jan15.pdf|access-date=15 September 2017|publisher=The Indian Trust for Rural Heritage and Development|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430192343/http://itrhd.com/pdfs/ERIM-jan15.pdf|archive-date=30 April 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> is a complex of several [[Hindu]] temples connected to one another by walkways.<ref name="laiba"/> The temple complex surrounds a pond named ''Katas'' which is regarded as sacred by Hindus.<ref name=sah>{{cite book|last1=Sah|first1=Krishna Kumar|title=Deva Bhumi: The Abode of the Gods in India|date=2016|publisher=BookBaby|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M6pWDQAAQBAJ|page=79|access-date=15 September 2017|isbn=9780990631491}}</ref> The complex is located in the [[Potohar Plateau]] region of [[Pakistan]]'s [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]] province. The temples are located near the town of [[Choa Saidanshah]], and are near the [[M-2 motorway (Pakistan)|M2 Motorway]].

The Katas Raj Temple complex is located near [[Kallar Kahar]], and is located at an altitude of 2,000 feet.<ref name=sah/> It is approximately 100 kilometres away by road from another important Hindu pilgrimage destination - the [[Tilla Jogian]] complex. Katas Raj is located near the interchange for the town of [[Kallar Kahar]] off the [[M2 motorway (Pakistan)|M2 Motorway]] which links [[Islamabad]] to [[Lahore]]. The complex is located alongside the road that connects Kallar Kahar to Choa Saidan Shah near the village of Dulmial.

The 4th century CE Chinese monk, [[Faxian]], described a temple at Katas Raj in his travelogues.<ref name="bjp"/> The 7th century CE Chinese traveler [[Xuanzang]] visited the area and reported the existence of a Buddhist [[stupa]] dating to the era of the 3rd century BCE king, [[Ashoka]].<ref name=gop>{{cite web|author1=Directorate General of Archaeology|title=KATAS RAJ TEMPLES|publisher=Government of Punjab|url=http://www.dgarch.gop.pk/katas-raj-temples-chakwal}}</ref><ref name="Shri Katasraj Yatra"/> The stupa was reported to be 200 feet tall, and surrounded by 10 springs.<ref name=gop/> '''Simhapura''' (also Singhapura or Sinhapura) Buddhist kingdom, mentioned and visited by Xuanzang, has been identified with Katas Raj by [[Alexander Cunningham]] in his book [[Alexander Cunningham#Publications|The Ancient Geography of India]].<ref name=raj1>[[Alexander Cunningham]], 1871, [[Alexander Cunningham#Publications|The Ancient Geography of India]], pp. 127.</ref>

India's former Deputy Prime Minister [[Lal Krishna Advani]] visited the temples in 2005,<ref name="hinduonnet.com">[http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2213/stories/20050701005201000.htm Playing peacemaker: Advani, Visiting the Katas Raj temple complex near Lahore] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203124241/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2213/stories/20050701005201000.htm |date=2008-12-03 }} [[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]], Volume 22 - Issue 13, Jun 18 - Jul 01, 2005.</ref> and expressed displeasure at the site's dilapidated state.<ref name=khalid/> In 2005 Pakistan proposed to restore the temple complex,<ref name="Plan"/> while in 2006 the restoration project began in order to clean the sacred pond, paint and restore some temples, and installation of informational blue boards around the temple complex.<ref name="khalid"/> 300 Indian Hindus visited the site for the ''Shivratri'' festival in 2006,<ref name=khalid/> which for a short time became an annual tradition for some Indian pilgrims, though Indians stopped coming after the [[2008 Mumbai attacks]].<ref name=khalid/> 2,000 Pakistani Hindus resumed the tradition of celebrating ''Shivratri'' at the temple in 2010,<ref name=khalid/> and another 2,000 in 2011 with visitors coming from as far as [[Karachi]].<ref name=marriage/> A wedding for Hindu couples was arranged during that year's ''Shivratri'' festival for couples from [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] province whose families had lost much of their property in the [[2010 Pakistan floods]].<ref name=marriage/>

In January 2017, Pakistan's government began installation of ''[[shikhara]]s'' on the temples.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rana|first1=Yudhvir|title=Pakistan government begins installation of shikhar kalash on Hindu temples|url=http://m.timesofindia.com/city/amritsar/pakistan-government-begins-installation-of-shikhar-kalash-on-hindu-temples/articleshow/56357121.cms|access-date=13 January 2017|newspaper=Times of India|date=22 June 2017}}</ref> In February 2017, 200 pilgrims from India traveled to the temple to participate in the ''Katas Raj Dham'' festival.<ref>{{cite news|title=Over 200 Hindu pilgrims from India arrive in Lahore for Katas Raj Dham|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-over-200-hindu-pilgrims-from-india-arrive-in-lahore-for-katas-raj-dham-2331778|access-date=15 September 2017|agency=DNA India|date=22 February 2017}}</ref> In 2018, Pakistan issued visas to 139 Indian Hindu pilgrims to visit Katas Raj dham.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://m.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pakistan-issues-visas-to-139-indian-pilgrims-to-visit-katas-raj-dham/story-d2krgBtNZfhQ5VRDFtyzuJ.html | title=Pakistan issues visas to 139 Indian pilgrims to visit Katas Raj dham| date=2018-12-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/pakistan-issues-visas-to-139-indian-pilgrims-to-visit-katas-raj-dham/ar-BBQHceU?li=BBJE6P9 | title=Pakistan issues visas to 139 Indian pilgrims to visit Katas Raj dham}}</ref>

In 2016, the temple hit the national limelight after its centuries-old water pond ran dry, attributed to the depletion of groundwater owing to the establishment of four major cement factories in the area. After the menace was reported, the [[Supreme Court of Pakistan]] took a [[suo motu]] notice and started hearing the case in November. During the course of proceedings, [[Chief Justice of Pakistan]] [[Mian Saqib Nisar]] remarked that cement factories were consuming water worth millions of rupees without paying their dues. He stated that taxes should be imposed on the factories and if the government would not do so, the court would take the matter into its hands.