Pakistan to renovate Krishna temple in Rawalpindi
New Delhi : Krishna temple, the only Hindu temple in Pakistan will receive special attention from the officials of Punjab province in the country. The government has decided to release Rs 20 million to renovate the temple situated in the twin cities of in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Being the only functioning temple, it accommodates good number of Hindu worshippers on festivals and religious occasions, a media report mentioned today. There are two prayers held at the temple every day - one in the morning and one in the evening - which are attended by six or seven people.
Mohammad Asif, the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Deputy Administrator, said the government has released Rs. 20 million to reconstruct the temple at the request of a Member of Provincial Assembly, Dawn reported.
Asif further added that the renovation work for the temple would start soon and a team has visited the site to make plan to start construction. During the work, the main room where idols are kept will be sealed until reconstruction ends, the paper said.
Once reconstructed, the temple will be able to accommodate more people," Mohammad Asif was quoted as saying by the paper.
The official said the temple could house the local Hindu community from the Rawalpindi, Islamabad and nearby areas.
In 1897, Kanji Mal and Ujagar Mal Ram Rachpal built a small temple to serve people in nearby areas. However, after partition the street temple in Saddar became the only place of worship for Rawalpindi's Hindus.
After 1949 partition, the temple was reopened and was operated by local Hindus before being handed over to the ETPB in 1970.
Jag Mohan Arora said the temple courtyard, which can only accommodate nearly 100 people, should be enlarged and shops next to the temple that the ETPB has rented to local traders should be retrieved to expand the front of the building.
"At present the front of the temple is very small. The ETPB should vacate nearby shops that have been rented," Mr Arora said.
