The Dying Temples of Hindus and Sikhs in Potohar Plateau: A Case Study of Katas Raj Temples

Abstract

This paper evaluates the impact of partition on the historical temples of Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan, especially in the Rawalpindi division. This paper will discuss a case study of Katas Raj's temples. Katas Raj temples are located in the Chakwal district of the Potohar Plateau. The ancient Katas Raj temples are inscribed in the list of UNESCO World Heritage. This paper consists of three sections. The first section is about the introduction and religious significance of Katas Raj temples. The second section describes the early condition of Katas Raj before the partition of India and Pakistan. At the same time, the third section of this paper explains the impact of partition on these temples and the current condition of Katas Raj temples. This article highlights the current issue of drying up of the sacred pond of Hindus in Katas Raj and its importance in the Hindu religion as they believe that the pond originated when their Lord Shiva shed his tears on the death of his wife, Sati. The nature of the study is qualitative, and interviews with locals of Chakwal district collect the data; secondary sources are based on books, articles, journals, newspapers and magazines.