Rs 1.2m renovation of Krishna Mandir begins

LAHORE: The renovation of Krishna Mandir, the only active Hindu temple in the city, started on Tuesday under the supervision of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). The restoration is expected to take three months and cost Rs 1.2 million.

Faraz Abbas, ETPB administrator, said that two halls would be constructed for worship and the top storey of the temple would be converted into an ashram (asylum). He said that the renovation would iron out the problems faced by Hindus during religious celebrations at the temple.

Abbas said that the Krishna Mandir was an old temple, built back when the Ravi River passed in front of it. The riverbank was made into a shamshan ghat (cremation site) and the temple sprung up to facilitate worship after funerals, he said.

The temple was among the many badly damaged in fierce reprisals of the December 6, 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in India. “The ETPB has renovated the temple many times since partition. The Hindu community celebrates many religious events with the help of the ETPB.” Many other proposals have been sent to authorities to renovate other temples and places of worship for minorities in Punjab. shahnawaz khan

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