Dozens of Indian Hindu pilgrims reach Pakistan to visit Katas Raj temples

According to an official here, up to 55 Hindu pilgrims travelled from India over the Wagah Border to Lahore on Tuesday in order to visit the Shree Katas Raj temples, which are situated in the Punjab province’s Chakwal region. An annual bilateral agreement on visits to religious places allows Sikh and Hindu pilgrims from India to travel to Pakistan. Under protocol, Pakistani pilgrims travel to India annually as well. “A group of 55 Hindu pilgrims led by Vijay Kumar Sharma arrived in Lahore via Wagah Border on Tuesday to take part in their religious festivities at the Katas Raj Temples,” Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) spokesperson Amir Hashmi was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. The Hindu and Sikh communities who immigrated to India after the division have their religious sites and shrines overseen by the ETPB, a statutory board. At Wagah, additional Secretary shrines Rana Saleem welcomed and garlanded them. Sharma and other attendees expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to visit their sacred sites in Pakistan. Hashmi stated that during their seven days in Lahore, the Hindu pilgrims will also visit other temples. He said that the Hindu pilgrims would spend their night at Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore and depart on Wednesday morning to participate in the festivities at the Katas Raj Temples. “The main two-day event will kick off on Dec 21 in 17 temples of Katas Raj,” Hashmi said, adding that local Hindus will also join them in the ‘Deep Mala’ festivities. The pilgrims will visit the Krishna Temple upon their return to Lahore on Saturday before departing for their homes on Monday. For the Hindu population, the Katas Raj Temples, often referred to as Qila Katas, are very important sacred sites. In order for 104 Hindu pilgrims to attend the 315th anniversary of Shiv Avtari Satguru Sant Shadaram Sahib’s birth at Shadani Darbar, another esteemed Hindu holy place in Sindh, the Pakistan High Commission had earlier this month granted visas to them. The largest minority group in Pakistan is Hindu. 75 lakh Hindus are estimated to reside in Pakistan based on official data. Nonetheless, the community claims that there are more than 90 lakh Hindus in the nation. The majority of Hindus in Pakistan live in Sindh province, where they coexist with Muslims in terms of language, culture, and customs. They frequently report being harassed by radicals. (With agency inputs)