"Yet to have a temple of their own: the ongoing wait for a designated place of worship for Islamabad's Hindu community"

In the heart of Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, the construction of the city's first Hindu temple, the Shri Krishna Temple, was approved in 2020. However, four years later, the designated plot for the temple remains vacant.

The Maharishi Valmiki Swamiji Mandir in Rawalpindi, a neighbouring city, continues to be the only functional Hindu temple in the garrison city's vicinity. This centuries-old shrine, built in 1935, has stood the test of time, serving as a place of worship for Hindu families who have faced upheaval, migration, and abandonment.

Pawan Raj, a 36-year-old woman, visits the Maharishi Valmiki Swamiji Mandir regularly, considering herself fortunate to have a place of worship nearby. She, like many others, expresses a desire for a temple in Islamabad to spare families long trips for routine prayers and rites of passage.

Before Partition in 1947, Hindus and Sikhs formed a significant portion of Rawalpindi's population, with several temples serving the community. Unfortunately, after the migration, many temples were left vacant. The Maharishi Valmiki Swamiji Mandir, however, has persisted, albeit with its idols removed and the shrine now largely absorbed into a tourist strip of restaurants and handicraft stores.

Kheal Das Kohistani, Pakistan's state minister for religious affairs, stated that the government finances renovations of existing places of worship but not new construction. This has posed a challenge in the construction of the Shri Krishna Temple.

In response, Imran Khan, the Prime Minister at the time, approved Rs100 million for the temple's construction. However, the matter was sent to Pakistan's Council of Islamic Ideology, which approved construction but recommended against using public funds for private places of worship.

The construction of the Shri Krishna Temple is currently in the planning and approval stages. Kohistani acknowledged the difficulties Hindus face in Islamabad and pledged to raise the stalled project with the interior ministry and the Capital Development Authority.

Notably, the construction of the Shri Krishna Temple has faced opposition from Lahore's Jamia Ashrafia seminary, which deemed it a "non-permissible act."

Pandit Rakhesh Chand, chairman of the Pakistan Sanatan Dharam, confirmed that there is no temple in Islamabad for Hindus to worship at. This has forced many residents to travel to Rawalpindi to worship at the Valmiki Mandir.

Budh Raj, the custodian of the Maharishi Valmiki Swamiji Mandir in Rawalpindi, recalled that after the Hindu population migrated, the temples were left vacant. The land originally allocated for the Maharishi Valmiki Swamiji Mandir has been reduced over time due to encroachments.

Despite these challenges, the Hindu community and the government continue to work together to finalize the project details and begin building the Shri Krishna Temple soon. The temple, once completed, is expected to serve as a symbol of unity and religious tolerance in Islamabad.

"Yet to have a temple of their own: the ongoing wait for a designated place of worship for Islamabad's Hindu community"