PARNAMI TEMPLE IN MALKA HANS, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN (2018)

Date of Visit 06.03.2018

References SA Sherazi articles, all pictures are owned

•          PARNAMI TEMPLE IN MALKA HANS, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN
•    PRANAMI SUB-TRADITION IN HINDUISM
•        MALKA HANS HISTORY
•        Who was Ran Singh Nakka?

PARNAMI TEMPLE IN MALKA HANS, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

The dilapidated relics of the Parnami temple used to be one of the central ashrams of the Parnami faction of Hindus. Mahant Darbara Singh had constructed this five-story majestic building of the temple over 200 years ago. Dust of ages has settled in deep layers on the pedestal where Samadhi of Dya Ram - the founder of the Parnami sect used to rest in the main chamber of the temple. "A large number of Hindus had been visiting here before partition and there use to be a big annual Mela in the month of Chetar," informed a Painde Khan is using this place as a house. "I am paying rent to Auqaf for living in this Khandar," he complained a little wistfully.

This grand monument of the past with sold masonry and ornate designs wrought by artisans and artists centuries ago was one of the fine specimens of Hindu architecture. Termite is eating Wood but exquisite quality of woodwork on windows, doors and murals on the battered walls can still be seen. The thin red bricks excavated from this monument have been used in adjacent houses in the compound. And, sadly, the temple cannot be defined in the images. Auqaf does not appear to have any idea about what to do with these splendid remains of the Hindu architectural legacy, except perhaps recovering the rent from the tenants. "Last time Auqaf got the place cleaned was when Indian dignitaries visited the temple", told Painde Khan. Legend has it that there was a tunnel from this temple to Pakpattan,

PRANAMI SUB-TRADITION IN HINDUISM

Pranami(Meaning: Those who bows on), also known as Dhami, is a Vaishnavism sub-tradition within Hinduism, focusing on god Krishna. The tradition emerged in the 17th century in Western India, based on the teachings of Bhakti saints, Sri Devchandra Maharaj and his foremost disciple Sri Mehraj Thakur (also known as Mahamati Prannath or Prananath, which gives this tradition the name.

The traditions grew after Mughal Empire declined, in the wake of Aurangzeb's religious persecution of non-Muslims, when Hindu rebellion led to new kingdoms. King Chhatrasal of one such kingdom of Bundelkhand patronized Prannath. The Pranami tradition welcomed Hindus and Muslims to join the Supreme Truth Akshrateet Shri Krishna worship tradition. At conversion initiation, Prannath would invite the new members to dine together regardless of whether they came from Hindu or Muslim background. He would also explain the Pranami ideas by citing Hindu and Muslim texts to make his teachings connect with the background of the converts.

The religious center of the Pranami tradition has been in northeast Madhya Pradesh, in the town of Panna. In the contemporary era, other major Pranami religious centers (gaddi) are in Jamnagar (Gujarat) and Phuguwa (south of Kathmandu, Nepal).

The Pranami worship Akshrateet Shri Krishna as the Supreme Truth god and its theology holds nirguna Brahman (panentheistic) view of influenced by the Shuddhadvaita philosophy of Vallabhacharya. Its Hindu temples include idols, or sometimes just the texts. Its theology is contained in 14 religious texts attributed to Prannath, the Bhagavad Gitaand the Bhagavata Purana. While the Hindu scriptures Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavata Purana are in Sanskrit, the 14 Prannath compositions contain 18,768 chaupai (verses), and is called Kuljam Svarup. It is, like in other Bhakti movement saint traditions, an eclectic mix of vernacular languages found in central, west, and north India: Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, Arabic, Persian, Sindhi, and Sanskrit. The Pranami devotees believe that Prannath taught with his text, the essence of all major religious texts of the world, including the Vedas, the Bhagawat Geeta, the Quran, and the Bible. The devotees believe in Hindu bhakti, but willingly accept or reject teachings found in other sources and texts.

The tradition is strictly vegetarian (ahimsa, non-violence to animals), a non-caste tradition dedicated to Radha-Krishna. Dedicated Pranami temples exist such as in Kathiawar.

MALKA HANS HISTORY

Punjab is a gold mine for history seekers and curious travelers. You may find much more than what you hear or read. It pays to get out into the countryside and talk to ordinary people. What is more, people of the area are eager to help – at their own expense - when you ask anybody. One finds volunteer 'guides' who were forth coming with a wealth of information.

Given the history and heritage, it is easy to fall in love with ‘out of the way’ town like Malka Hans. Once an abode of Waris Shah, who stayed here and composed universal romance Heer Ranjha, Malka Hans is still serene, tranquil, and pollution-free. Legend has it that Malik Muhammad (Alia Malka) who was a member of the Hans tribe founded the town some 700 years ago. Hans became powerful when Mughal King Alamgir conferred a vast land around Malka Hans on Sheikh Qutab Hans. In 1764, Muhammad Azam who was the descendant of Qutab Hans became head of the clan. Ran Singh Nakka treacherously took Muhammad Azam prisoner where he died in confinement.

Who was Ran Singh Nakka?

By 1748, when the Mughal power in Punjab was declining and the Sikhs were on the ascendance, Sardar Heera Singh Sandhu (1706–1776) took possession of the lands surrounding his native village, Baherwal, and the countryside of Kasur which was located in the Nakka country South of Majha Region, and his misl took the name of the area they ruled. He took Amrit Sanchar (Sikh Baptism) in 1731. Nakkain Punjabi means border or some sort of a gateway and the Nakka country was located between the Ravi and Sutlej south of Lahore. He also took Chunian from the Afghans but died near Pakpattan in a battle against Sujan Chisti - a devotee of the Shrine of Baba Farid. His companions brought his dead body to Baherwal where it was cremated. Hira Singh Sandhu's son, Dal Singh Sandhu was a minor, so his nephew, Nar Singh Sandhu son of Hira Singh Sandhu's brother Natha Singh Sandhu, succeeded him as leader of the misl.

In 1768, Nar Singh was killed in a battle against the Kharals at Kot Kumaliah and was succeeded by his brother, Ran Singh. Ran Singh fought repeatedly against Kamar Singh, the ruler of Syedwala. Sometime before his death in 1781, he defeated him and captured Syedwala. Sardar Ran Singh greatly expanded the misl's strength so it became dominant among its neighbors. At its high point under Ran Singh, it ruled Kasur, Sharaqpur, Gugera Parganas and the Kharal fort of Kot Kumaliah and could field 2,000 horsemen. Sardar ran Singh was killed by one of the kharal tribe men peroka kharal. Zamburaks, and artillery. His son, Bhagwan Singh succeeded him but could not hold his territory against Wazir Singh, the brother of Kamar Singh, who retook Syedwala. Realizing he might lose all of his territories, Bhagwan Singh set up the engagement of his sister, Raj Kour, to Ranjit Singh, who was the son of Maha Singh, the leader of the Sukerchakia Misl, in order to gain a powerful ally. In 1785, Maha Singh was facing attacks from Sardar Jai Singh of the Kanheya Misland called Bhagwan Singh and Wazir Singh to help him, but after they were victorious against Sardar Jai Singh, Maha Singh began to favor Wazir Singh.

Bhagwan Singh and Wazir Singh at war again and Bhagwan Singh was killed in the ensuing battle. Dal Singh, the son of Hira Singh, subsequently killed Wazir Singh in revenge but was himself killed later by a servant of Wazir Singh. In 1789, Gyan Singh, succeeded his brother, Bhagwan Singh (sons of Sardar Ran Singh Nakai). I

n 1798 he married his sister Raj Kaur to Ranjit Singh who becomes his second but most favorite queen. Raj Kaur also being the name of one of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's mothers, took the name of Maharani Datar Kaur. In 1802, she gave birth to Kharak Singh, the heir apparent of the Sikh empire. Maharaja Ranjit Singh always fondly called her Mai Nakain.

The last desolated Hindu Temple standing at Katha Saghral Khushab

02-02-2019

Katha Saghral is part of Khushab tehisl, the village is situated 25 km from Khushab on the Rawalpindi-Peshawar Road. It is semi-hilly and mineral area. Dozens of minerals including coal and salt are being mined in the surrounding area of this village. The population of this village is associated with agriculture and tomato is the famous cultivation of the area.

Before partition of sub-continent lots of Hindu family lives in this town.

An old, Hindu temple, standing in desolated state inside the premises of Government school on the main road of Katha Saghral. Nothing much knows about the year of construction of this edifice.

The temple is constructed of clay burnt bricks that are commonly known as ” lakhori ” popular in the mughal architecture and abundantly in Nawabi architecture of Faizabad and Lucknow .The form which is flat , thin , of red colour . Initial Awadh architectural structures were made of these slim elements. The best part is , it could be used and aligned in multiple formats of arches , sculptural facades because of their small size and thinness , they could be placed to make intricate shapes and fine details on walls and column surfaces

The structure consists of single story square “Sanctum” which was designed for placing the housing deity. In sanctum room corner squinches portion filled with extended flower bouquet element made of lime. From square sanctum structure main temple curvilinear spire (tower, sikhara) is raised, which is common type of northern Indian Shrines (Latinas). For construction of curvilinear spire small dimensions bricks used which are different from ground floor of temple.

The Tale of Mandir Chota Lal in Anarkali Bazaar

(All pictures and writeup text used in this blog, are author's property, kindly respect copyrights)

18-08-2018 (Date of Visit)

In Anarkali bazaar stands a small temple named 'Mandir Chota Lal', its primary entrance discreetly concealed behind front shops. Before the Indo-Pak partition, numerous Hindu merchants conducted their businesses in Anarkali. While the temple remains non-operational throughout the year, it ceremoniously opens its doors during the Diwali festival to welcome worshippers for prayers.

Various historical references contain details about this temple.

This magnificent temple was once Anarkali's remarkable and revered structures. Its inception was attributed to Lala Durga Parsad, also known as Lala Chota Lal, who dedicated a considerable fortune to its construction. Before this temple's existence, the site was occupied by another shrine known as 'Bohardas ka Shivala'. Bohardas, a devout individual residing at this location, cultivated a banyan tree that eventually led to the site being renowned as Bohardas wala Shivala. While his original name might have differed, he was universally known as Bohardas.

During the British Colonial era in Lahore, the land of Bohardas Shivala was allotted to Lala Chota Lala, a moneylender by profession. He erected shops for his business and erected a new temple on the grounds of the former Bohardas Shivala. The temple boasted a spacious courtyard and a well was dug to serve the convenience of travelers and the local populace. The flooring was adorned with exquisite tiles, and there stood splendid structures in proximity to the temple. The majority of columns were crafted from red marble. Access to the temple was facilitated through two gateways, one on the west and the other on the east, housing statues depicting various revered Hindu deities.

The temple structure was octagonal and constructed using precious stones for its interior and exterior. Adorning its octagonal walls was a dome featuring intricate floral patterns adorning its surface and apex. Atop the dome rested a crowning ornament, referred to as the “Amalaki”, plated in gold. The temple priest, Suraj Bahan Gorh Barhman, received a salary from Chota Lal. Additionally, there were eight shops in front of the temple, the rent from which was dedicated to the upkeep of the temple.

An Abandoned Hindu Shiva Temple in Hazro

—All photos and text by author

Date of Visit: -      29-03-2018

Hazro is a town located at north-west of Pakistan in Attock District of the Punjab province Pakistan. According to the Gazetteer of Rawalpindi, Hazro was the scene of the great battle in which, in AD 1008, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznawi defeated the united forces of the Rajas of Hindustan and the Hindus of the Punjab with a slaughter of 20,000 men, it was afterwards fixed upon by some of the Pathan followers of that chieftain to be the site of the colony

The population according to the 1901 census of India was 9,799. According to the Gazetteer of Rawalpindi, Hazro had a significant Hindu population which was "half Pathan, half Hindu".

A small Shiva Temple located in Shahbaz Mohalla Hazro.  The top spire seems to be gold plated. Famous anthropologist Zulifqar Ali Kalharo visited this site; he observed chevron lines on outer surface of conical part. According to him, these lines symbolize life. This mandir was constructed for the shudar community of town.

An abandoned Hindu Temple in Khanqah Dogran

08-03-2018

In the charming town of Khanqah Dogran, my gracious host, Hussain Dogar, and I embarked on a shared quest in search of a centuries-old mosque from the 17th century. Our determination was fueled by the sight of a captivating picture of this mosque on Flicker many years ago. However, despite our best efforts, the elusive mosque remained beyond our grasp. Perhaps the location was mislabeled, adding a touch of mystery to our expedition. Nevertheless, as we made our way back, a remarkable sight greeted us in the heart of Khanqah Dogran Bazaar—an abandoned Hindu mandir.

This ancient place of worship had undergone a transformation, with its lower portion repurposed into shops, bustling with the energy of daily commerce. As we looked up, wooden balconies adorned the first floor, adding an air of elegance to the structure. The chapel rooms, once filled with prayer and devotion, now housed families who had migrated after the partition. Walking through the surrounding street, we discovered a poignant reminder of the town's history—Pre-Partition Hindu Houses that stood as silent witnesses to a bygone era. It was revealed to us by locals that before the year 1947, this very street teemed with the vibrant presence of Hindu families. However, the passage of time had brought change, and today, no Hindu families remained in the area. The mandir itself, abandoned for decades, bore the architectural hallmarks of the early 19th century or possibly the latter half of the 18th century.

In this unexpected encounter, we found ourselves immersed in the layers of Khanqah Dogran's history, where religious narratives intertwine with the passage of time. The abandoned mandir stood as a tangible symbol of the town's multicultural past and the ebb and flow of its inhabitants. As we reflected on our journey, we realized that even though our original objective remained unfulfilled, the stories we encountered along the way painted a vivid portrait of the town's rich tapestry of cultures and traditions.

Abandoned Hindu Tmeple

Entrance 

Enterance