New Delhi: After a long legal battle, the oldest Hindu temple in Pakistan will be recovered from the encroachers and restored. The 1200-year-old Valmiki Temple in the city of Lahore will be restored, the Eveq Trust Property Board (ETPB), which oversees places of worship for minorities in Pakistan, said on Wednesday.
The Valmiki shrine in Lahore’s famous Anarkali bazaar was seized from a Christian family last month, it said. At present, only Valmiki Mandir along with Krishna Temple survives in Lahore.
Amir Hashmi, the official spokesperson of ETPB, said that the Valmiki Mandir will be renovated as per the master plan in the coming days. “Today, more than 100 Hindus, some Sikhs, and Christian leaders came to the Valmiki temple. For the first time after it was seized from the invaders, Hindus performed puja according to their religious tradition and offered offerings,” Alli said. It is said that the Christian family has kept this temple under their control for more than two decades.
In 2011, the family filed a suit in the local civil court claiming that even if the temple land was transferred to ETPB, the ownership rights would remain with them, according to revenue records.
Moreover, it claims that the temple belongs only to Valmiki Hindus. Hashmi said that the trust has decided to fight in court as there is no other option. The court expressed deep anger as it rejected the arguments of the petitioner.
During the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, rioters attacked the Valmiki Temple in Lahore. Idols and materials were destroyed in it. Krishna and Valmiki took away the gold ornaments from the idols. Later the temple was set on fire. The temple was demolished and the building was set on fire. It took two days to put out the fire as shops in the vicinity also caught fire.
A one-member commission appointed by the Supreme Court has recommended to the Pakistan government that the Valmiki temple must be restored and all facilities should be provided to the Hindus. But the ETPB could not start the restoration work at the temple in the wake of the lawsuits, the spokesman said. The ETPB oversees Hindu temples, gurudwaras, and their properties after the partition of the country. There are 200 Gurdwaras and 150 temples within its scope.
(Vinayak)