Katasraj Temple
The Katasraj temples are located 40 kilometers from Chakwal District. While it takes a little effort to reach Katasraj by road - one has to go off the Moterway M2 - (Islamabad - Lahore) at KallarKhar interchange. Then follow the road to Choa Saiden Shah for 24 km. Then you can see the Katas Raj Temples on your left.
Katasraj temple is a Hindu temple situated in Chakwal district of Punjab Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple has existed since the days of Mahabharata and the Pandava brothers spent a substantial part of their exile at the site. Pakistan Government is considering nominating the temple complex for World Heritage Site status. It also proposes to spend about Rs 20 million in three phases for the restoration of the complex.
Most of the temples, located some 40 km from the modern city of Chakwal in Pakistan's Punjab, were built during the reign of Hindu kings. These several temples were built around 900 years ago or more. Although, the earliest of the
Katas Raj temples dates back to the latter half of the 6th century AD.
The temple was not abandoned by local Hindus when they migrated to East Punjab in 1947. It has always been the site of holy pilgrimage. Even nowadays, through an agreement between India and Pakistan, Hindu worshippers perform a pilgrimage to the temple every year and bathe in the sacred pool around which Katas Raj is built.
In 2006-07, Pakistan decided to place idols of Hindu gods in the seven temples and restore them to their original state to attract visitorsThe budget allocated for the project was Rs.51.06 million. The temple was visited earlier by India's former deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani. The Punjab government decided to import idols of Hindu gods from various monuments in India to Pakistan for the restoration. A three-member archeological team visited India to collect idols of Hindu gods.
Architecture
The Katas site houses the Satgraha, a group of seven ancient temples, remains of a Buddhist stupa, a few medieval temples, havelis and some recently constructed temples, scattered around a pond considered holy by Hindus. The temples at Katas are mostly constructed on square platforms. The elevation of the sub shrines seems to form a series of cornices with small rows of pillars, crowned by a ribbed dome.
The Ramachandra temple is situated to the east of the Hari Singh Haveli and is closed from all sides except for an entrance on the east. The double-storied structure has eight rooms of various dimensions on the ground floor and a staircase at the south leading to the first floor. The temple has two jharokas (balconies) that have been severely damaged.
The Hanuman temple is on the western extreme of a high rectangular enclosure with entrances on the south and the north. The temple's ceiling is undecorated, and lime-plastered. The Shiva temple is also built on a square platform. Its entrance is a recessed round arch with faint cusps and a rectangular opening to the north. Katas Raj temple complex is believed to date back to the Mahabharata era. There are stories about the Pandavas spending time there during their long exile. The lake in the complex is believed to have magical powers and supposed to be where Yudhishtir defeated the Yaksha with his wisdom to bring his brothers back to life.
Legends
Many legends sacred to the Hindus are associated with it, some of them involving Shiva himself. Legend says that the five Pandava brothers, heroes of the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, stayed here for four out of the 14 years that they spent in exile.
Another legend involves the death of Shiva's wife Satti, so the story goes that when she died he cried so much and for so long, that his tears created two holy ponds - one at Pushkara in Ajmer in India and the other at Ketaksha, which literally means raining eyes, in Sanskrit. It is from this name that the word Ketas is derived.




By: Kamran Haider
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