Shri Varun Dev Mandir, Karachi

Shri Varun Dev Mandir is a Hindu temple located in Manora Island in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The temple is devoted to Varuna, the god of the oceans in Hindu mythology. The exact year of the temple's construction or foundation is not known (it may be thousands of years old) but it is widely believed that the current structure was built in around 1917–18. Today, the temple is in a dilapidated state as humid winds are eating into the structure and the rich carvings on the walls of the temple are slowly eroding. At present, the building is not used for worship and the last ritual was held in the 1950s.

Currently, This temple belongs to the Hindu Council of Pakistan. According to a legend, it was around 16th century when a wealthy sailor by the name of Bhojomal Nancy Bhattia bought Manora Island from the Khan of Kalat, who owned most of the land along the coastline at that time and then his family commissioned a temple on the lay terrain.

"Manora Beach, Karachi, Pakistan" by Faisal Saeed. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

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Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Karachi

Shri Swaminarayan Temple, Karachi
"Karachi Mandir" by AroundTheGlobe via Wikipedia. 

The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Karachi is a Hindu temple that belongs to the NarNarayan Dev Gadi of the Swaminarayan Sampraday and is the only Swaminarayan temple in Pakistan. The temple is notable for its size and frontage, over 32,306 square yards (27,012 m²) on the M. A. Jinnah Road in Karachi city. The temple celebrated its anniversary of 150 years in April 2004. It is believed that not only Hindus but also adherents of Islam visit the temple, which adds to its notability. There is a sacred cowshed within the premises of this temple. The temple is located at the centre of a Hindu neighborhood in Karachi. The building that housed a dharmshala (guest house) for visiting devotees has now been converted to the office of the City District Government.

According to the Pakistan Hindu Council, Swaminarayan Jayanti, Ram Navami, Janmastami, Dussehra, Diwali and almost all of the main religious festivals are celebrated by Hindus in this temple.. Holi is celebrated with the holi bonfire lit at the centre of the temple grounds, followed by the play with colours. Janmashtami is celebrated with singing bhajans and sermons on Krishna, while on Diwali, devotees light lamps and candles to welcome Rama from his fourteen-year exile, at the end of which he defeated Ravana and young men burst crackers at the temple on the occasion. The Holi festival celebrations that take place at this temple are the biggest in Karachi.

The temple also doubles as a marriage venue. In 2008, a mass wedding arrangement was made for 20 poor couples.

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Sadh Belo, Sukkur

Sadh Belo is an island downstream of Bukkur island and separated from it by a short stretch of river. The island with its two inlets, Sadh Belo and Din Belo, is shown on the official map of 1893-4; in 1912 it was accurately surveyed on the orders of the Collector. Sindhi are settled in Sadh Belo and surrounding countryside. The majority of population Muslim with significant Hindu minority.

On it is a Hindu religious establishment founded in 1823 by Swami Bakhandi Maharaj Udasi; the gaily-painted buildings are, however, more or less modern. The place is held in high esteem by Hindus throughout Sindh and even in India. Occasionally attracting pilgrims from across the border.

Sadh Belo Temple accessed by boat
AMAR20811 - Own workPreviously published: 2 december 2013. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikipedia

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Jagannath Temple, Sialkot

The Jagannath Temple in Sialkot, Pakistan, is dedicated to the Hindu God Jagannath. The temple was built in the city's Paris Road area in early 2007 with a special grant of Rs 200,000 from Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. The special grant was given through the minority MPA Joseph Hakim Din due to the efforts of Hakem Ratan Lal Bhagat, Member of the District Peace Committee of and the participation of the Hindu community of Sialkot.

The Spectacular Jagannath Temple in Sialkot, Pakistan

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Katasraj Temple, Chakwal

Katasraj Temple - View From The Top
"Pool at Katas" by Gorkan - Own work. Licensed under GFDL via Wikimedia Commons

Katasraj Mandir is a Hindu temple complex situated in Katas village near Choa Saidanshah in the Chakwal district of Punjab in Pakistan. Dedicated to Shiva, the temple has, according to Hindu legend, existed since the days of Mahābhārata and the Pandava brothers spent a substantial part of their exile at the site and later Krishna himself laid the foundation of this temple and established his hand made Shivling in it. The Pakistan Government is considering nominating the temple complex for World Heritage Site status. In 2007, it also proposed to restore the temple complex. In 2012, the temple pond is drying up due to heavy use of ground water for industrial purposes.

The smaller temples, built in pairs around the larger central temple, were built around 900 years or so ago, although the earliest of them dates back to the latter half of the 6th century AD. 

It was abandoned by Hindus when they migrated to East Punjab in 1947 and no one stayed back. The relationship of Hindus with local muslim population was very good. Local Muslims even accompanied them to next town Choa Saiden Shah from where the Katas hindu population proceeded further to India. It has always been the site of holy pilgrimage for people of Hindu faith. It is believed that Shiva lived the years of his marital life with Sati here, after Sati's death grief took over him and from his tears a pond was formed.The pilgrims bathe in the sacred pool and seek forgiveness as Hindu belief holds that bathing in the pond (especially on certain occasions) leads to the forgiveness of sins and helps attain salvation. Until recently, it was believed that the pond had unlimited depth. Even nowadays, worshippers of all Hindu faiths perform pilgrimage to the mandir.

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Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir, Karachi

Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir in Karachi
"Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir" by Saadullah Bhatti - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir is a Hindu temple located in Karachi, Pakistan. According to the Pakistan Hindu Council, the temple was constructed around 200 years agoand is an important worshiping site for the Hindus of the local community. The Mandir is one of the oldest operating temples and the only one situated at the banks of a creek in Karachi.

Narayan Mandir is located under the Native Jetty Bridge, a landmark in Karachi, in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The temple overlooks the Arabian Sea which is an important place for many Hindu rituals.

The temple is primarily devoted to the Hindu goddess Lakshmi; however, it is also home to statues of Hanuman and Sai Baba of Shirdi. Main festivals celebrated in the temple are Ganesh Chaturthi, the birthday of Ganesha, and Raksha Bandhan. Hindus come to the temple to make offerings to the gods and to perform death rituals of Karni. The temple is a sacred place for offering Shraddha and placing murtis of Goddess Durga (after performing garba for nine days) and idols of Ganesha in the sea at the end of festivals of Nao Ratree and Ganesh Chaturthi respectively. Hindus dip and take baths in the waters of the Arabian sea for ritual purification. During monsoon season, Hindu women come to the temple for fasting and to pray for the well-being of their husbands.

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Saidpur Temple

Saidpur Temple
"Said Pur Village" by Xubayr Mayo - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Saidpur, apart from other structures of religious significance, boasts a shrine of Rama. Around 1580 AD, Akbar's trusted general Raja Man Singh stopped at Rawalpindi on his way to Kabul. One day, Said Khan took Raja Man Singh to the village for sightseeing. Raja Man Singh liked the village's serene atmosphere and decided to build a temple there. At that time there was a large Hindu population inhabiting the village. The general was fond of architecture and had built a number of temples in the Potohar area of Punjab. A haveli which he ordered at Rohtas Fort was said to be remarkable for its elegance.

In order to commemorate his visit to the village, Man Singh expressed his wish before Said Khan of erecting a temple, which Khan readily accepted. Man Singh willingly agreed on meeting all the expenses of the construction and its subsidiaries that included a two-roomed dharmshala (hostel or inn) and four ponds namely Ram Kund, Lakshman Kund, Sita Kund and Hanuman Kund, all named after the famous characters of the Ramayana epic.

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Hinglaj Mata

The Temple Cave of Hinglaj Mata, Hingol National Park

Hinglaj Mata, or Nani Mandir, is a temple situated in the town of Hinglaj, Balochistan. The site is a part of the Hinglaj National Park. The deity honoured is goddess Sati. 

The shrinewas formed in a narrow gorge on the bank's of Hingol river. It is a cave,  with a mud roof.  There is no man-made idol of goddess Sati. Instead, a shapeless rock is worshipped. 

There are many legends of Hinglaj Mata.  One of them pertains to the formation of the shrine. It is said that Sati and Vishnu married against the wishes of Sati's father, Daksha. Infuriated, he organised a yajna, and did not invite Sati and Vishnu. They still decided to go,  however. Daksha clashed with Shiva, and Sati,  strickened by grief, jumped into a pyre. 

Sati died, but her body did not burn. Shiva cut her body up into 52 pieces and scattered them in the universe. It is said that Sati's head landed in Hinglaj. 

Hinglaj is visited my many Hindu devotees. The local Muslims also worship and protect her, calling her Nani Mata.

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