Pakistan: Over 200 pilgrims from India, US, & UAE visit 100-year-old renovated temple

Nearly one year after the temple was demolished by a mob belonging to a radical Islamist party, more than 200 Hindu pilgrims from India, the United States and the Gulf region held prayers at the 100-year-old renovated Maharaja Paramhans Ji mandir in northwest Pakistan on Saturday. According to a report by news agency PTI, the special prayers were held amidst tight security.

Notably, the prayers were organised nearly a year after the Pakistan government started renovating the temple and ‘samadhi’ of Paramhans Ji in Teri village. The mandir is situated in the Karak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Imran Khan-led government started the repair work after it faced global criticism.

As per the news agency, the group of devotees included more than 200 people from India, 15 from Dubai, the rest from the US and other Gulf states. While entering the Pakistan region, the Indian devotees crossed over through the Wagah Border near Lahore. After crossing the Indian region, the devotees were escorted to the temple by armed personnel. While speaking to PTI, an official said that the programme has been organised by the Pakistani Hindu Council in collaboration with the national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The official informed that the Pakistan government deployed at least 600 men from the Rangers, Intelligence and Airport Security Force (ASF), led by a Superintendent of Police rank officer.

"The rituals will go on through the night till the afternoon of Sunday. 'Hujras’ or open-air reception rooms were converted into shelters for the pilgrims," an official from Hindu Council told PTI.

Temple was renovated with money recovered from mob

While appreciating the Pakistan government for reconstructing the temple within a year and arranging a yatra, Hindu Community Legal Affairs in-charge, Rohit Kumar, called the action a positive message from the Khan government.

"Today’s prayers at the mandir by yatris from India is a positive message for India, for promoting peace and religious harmony in the region," Kumar said. Notably, the local administration had reacted sharply to the JUI-F mob after facing worldwide criticism. They recovered Rs 3.3 crore from the mob and spent the seized money on renovation work for the temple.

(With inputs from PTI)

Image: Pixabay, Twitter/@PakPMO