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Katas Raj Temple Complex

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The beautiful Katas Raj temples complex, consisting of 12 temples [7 are considered main], surrounding the Katas Lake was built by Pandav during their self-exile after Lakshgrih event, in the Potohar Plateau near Kallar Kahar at an altitude of 2,000 feet. Some links below:

URL	Comment
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katas_Raj_Temples	Good Introduction to the temple covering most of the aspects of this temple.
https://www.sanskritimagazine.com/katas-raj-temples-pakistan/ - by Adeel Makhdumi	It has photos of all the temples and includes description of Mahabharat in brief.
https://www.worldhistory.org/Katas_Raj/ by Muhammad Bin Naveed	Some history and architecture description.
https://www.mahashivratri.org/shiva-temples/katas-raj-temple-in-pakistan.html	Social and Religious aspect
https://rising-pakistan.com/katas-raj-temples/	History and Beautiful photos
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=KatasRaj

Geography:

Katas Raj is an area located approximately 40 kilometers off Chakwal, Punjab, Pakistan. Its location on Google Map can be seen here

History

Bhagwan Shiv, while carrying the body of dead Sati, shed two drops of tears on here to form the Katas lake and other at Pushkar, Rajasthan. Pandav, while in self-exile after Lakshagrih, stayed here and built earliest temples. Later rulers of Kashmir built modern standing structure during their reign from 625 CE to 939 CE.

Alexander Cunningham, the first Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India, in 1872-73 CE describes a Buddhist stupa 61m in height with ten streams around also existed there.

Architecture

These were built in Kashmiri architectural tradition and resemble the architecture of the temples of the Karkota and Varma dynasties who ruled from 625-939 CE. Certain defining characteristics such as dentiles, trefoil arches, fluted pillars and pointed roofs are present in most of the temples along the Salt Range foothills. The main building material is soft sand stone which is plastered over.

Philosophical

This area is called Dvaitavana in the Mahabharat and the series of questions between the Panda and the Yaksha took place here.

Social

Shivratri is celebrated here and many devotees from India also travel there. After 2008, Mumbai blast, Indian Hindus stopped travel but resumed in 2010.

Political

After partition, Pakistani government neglected the complex and it deteriorated. Pakistani Hindus and Hindus from India. The locals used the pond and the place for recreational purposes. The Indian Hindus were barred from visiting the temple in 1956, 1960 and 1965. The Indian Hindus were again permitted to visit the temple after 1984.

In the year 2005, L.K. Advani, the former Deputy PM of India, visited the site and was extremely dissatisfied with its condition. The scenario changed when the Pakistani government agreed to restore the temples to its former glory and also clean the pond. Hindu God's idols were placed in the seven temples after their restoration.

However, as of 2016, there is a suo moto case that has occurred due to the drying up of the pond as the water is being illegally used by the nearby cement factories. The Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has also questioned about the absence of idols in the Shri Ram and Hanuman temples of the Satgraha.

Points to Ponder

Same as any other non-Muslim place of worship in Pakistan.