The Shri Katas Raj Temples (Punjabi, Urdu: کٹاس راج مندر شری) (Sanskrit: कटासराज) also known as Qila Katas (قلعہ کٹاس) is a complex of several Hindu temples connected to one another by walkways.The temple complex surrounds a pond named Katas which is regarded as sacred by Hindus.The complex is located in the Chakwal Potohar Plateaus region of Pakistan's Punjab province. The temples are located near the town of Choa Saidan Shah, and are near the M2 Motorway.
The Salt Ranges have archaeological remains still hidden underground. A number of bones of the limbs and vertebrae of animals have been found at some nearby sites. Prehistoric axes and knives made of granite, and artifacts like terracotta bangles and pottery have also been unearthed at the Katasraj site. The latter have been found to be similar to those excavated in Harappa, but have not been dated.
Hindu tradition holds that the temples date from the era of the Mahabharata, and is believed to be where the Pandava brothers spent a large portion of their exile.It is also believed by Hindus to be the site where the Pandavas engaged in a riddle contest with the Yakshas, as described in the Yaksha Prashna
Founding:-
The 4th century CE Chinese monk, Faxian, described a temple at Katas Raj in his travelogues.The 7th century CE Chinese traveler Xuanzang visited the area and reported the existence of a Buddhist stupa dating to the era of the 3rd century BCE Indian emperor, Ashoka the great.The stupa was reported to be 200 feet tall, and surrounded by 10 springs. Simhapura (also Singhapura or Sinhapura) Buddhist kingdom, mentioned and visited by Xuanzang, has been identified with Katas Raj by Alexander Cunningham in his book The Ancient Geography of India.
Following the collapse of the empire of Gandhara, Hinduism gained traction in the region under the reign of the Hindu Shahis beginning around the 7th century CE. The Hindu Shahis established Hindu temples at Katas Raj from the mid 7th to 10th centuries, though the British engineer Alexander Cunningham dated the shrines to around 66 BCE.The Hindu Shahi empire also funded construction of several other temples throughout northern Punjab and the Potohar plateau, including the nearby Tilla Jogian, and Kafir Kot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Early:-
The founder of the Sikh faith, Guru Nanak, is believed to have visited the Katas Raj Temples, as the site became a popular destination for ascetics.The Sikh emperor Ranjit Singh also regularly performed pilgrimage to the site.He visited the site for the Vaisakhi festival in 1806 in December 1818 and again in 1824.
The complex was a popular pilgrimage site for Hindus prior to the 1947 Partition of British India, with large numbers visiting for Shivratri.Following Partition, the local Hindu community left the region for India. The relationship of Hindus with local Muslim population was good, and local Muslims accompanied Hindus to the nearby town of Choa Saiden Shah, from where the local Hindu population departed for India. Indian pilgrims continued to visit the temple for the Shivratri festival.
Modern:-
In 2006 the restoration project began in order to clean the sacred pond, paint and restore some temples, and installation of informational blue boards around the temple complex. 300 Indian Hindus visited the site for the Shivratri festival in 2006.
2000 Pakistani Hindus resumed the tradition of celebrating Shivratri at the temple in 2010 and another 2000 in 2011 with visitors coming from as far as Karachi. A wedding for Hindu couples was arranged during that year's Shivratri festival for couples from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province whose families had lost much of their property in the 2010 Pakistan floods.
In January 2017, Pakistan's government began installation of shikharas on the temples. In February 2017, 200 pilgrims from India traveled to the temple to participate in the Katas Raj Dham festival. In 2020, Pakistan issued visas to 139 Indian Hindu pilgrims to visit Katas Raj dham.
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