SIALKOT - The government formally opened historic Hindu Temple “Shawala Teja Singh Temple” to Hindu Community for worship after it rehabilitation and renovation completed at a cost of Rs5 million.
Chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Pakistan Dr Amir Ahmed inaugurated the renovated temple building on Friday.
Its renovation, repairing and rehabilitation work has been completed in two months and the ETPB had released a special grant of Rs5 million for the project with start of the renovation and rehabilitation on August 21,2019.
Now, this ancient Hindu temple building has been preserved to its original design and shape under the direct supervision of the Pakistani government.
Shawala Teja Singh Temple was formally handed over to the Pakistan Hindu Council, enabling local Hindu Community to start their worship and religious rituals there.
The Hindus held worship and their religious rituals there. They also distributed sweets on the occasion.
Entire temple building has been whitewashed besides fixation of Iron Gate at the main entrance and construction of boundary walls to secure it from the outsiders.
On the other hand, the local Hindu leaders Rattan Lal, Ramaish Kumar, Dr Munawar Chand, Amarnath Randhawa and Pandit Kashi Ram, after performing worship and religious rituals at the temple, highly hailed and welcomed this direly needed renovation, rehabilitation of the temple and its formal hand over to the local Hindu Community.
The Hindu leaders informed that building of the historic temple was badly damaged during violent protest in reaction to the demolition of Babari Mosque in the city of Ayodhya, in Uttar Pradesh (India), in December 1992.
Located at Sialkot city’s congested Mohallah Dhaarowal-Circular Road locality, this Hindu temple had been lying closed/abandoned for the Hindus to worship since before the creation of Pakistan. Hindu community had a very pressing demand for this temple’s rehabilitation and re-opening.
The Hindu community in Sialkot region said that re-opening of the temple has showed to the World that minorities have been enjoying complete religious freedom in Pakistan and the government is making all out sincere efforts to ensure basic rights and religious freedom to all minorities.
Local Hindu leaders Rattan Lal, Ramaish Kumar, Dr Munawar Chand, Amarnath Randhawa and Pandit Kashi Ram stressed the need for promotion of religious harmony to establish durable peace.
On July 02,2019, the Pakistan government had announced re-opening of Shawala Teja Singh Temple in for the Hindu community to worship there after its 72 years long closure.