Temples of Kashmir-Kashyapa Valley-Satisar

Mata kheer Bhawani Ragnyadevi

Tulla Mulla gandarbal

Ruins of ancient temple Avantipora

Vishnu and Sun temples abound here

Shiva and Rragnya devi

close up of Kheer Bhawani

Mata Devi Local Deity Pari mahal Srinagar

Uphill the Dara Shikoh built restored by the ASI on Pari mahal hill road we found the entry to this ancient shrine

Legend of local Mata rani deity Pari mahal

Local deity since medivial times

Durga Naag mandir city center Srinagar

Opposite Kohlee's Hotel good place to stay at Dal gate

Temples of Anantnag

Pandawas are supposed to have build these

Mohinishwar Shiva Temple -meadows center,Gulmarg

Jai jai Shiv Shankar song filmed here..

Many such writings on the wall stones seen in Kashmir

Just read such stone writings all over Kashmir ,i hope even POK.

Devi temple in Srinagar

If you manage to open locks go inside many temples in the city of devi SRI. Srinagar you will see many idols still intact

Mammaleshwar Shiva enroute Amarnath

To see this drive uphill left the bridge..as you enter the Phal-Pahel gaon enroute Amarnath shrine..

Shiva Temple Pahelgaon 2

The facade of Mammaleshwar Shiva temple is maintained by the ASI well

Shiva Darshan Mammaleshwar temple

Pahalgaon uphill ASI maintained site

Shaarkaa Devi temple on hari parbat south

easier approach from down devi chowk is now more difficult as Pandits have left..their homes around this Hindu area once..was..

tri pura sundari icon Sri yantra hotspot

Compare Adee Shankaras treatment of yantra at Chadra badani where he put a stone slab over it to stop yantra worship..Abhinava Gupta reigned in Kashmir so this form not nirgun but with aakaar a yantraa..??

Devi Darshan

The Main Devi at top temple on hari Parbat the fort crown of kashmir valley

Hari Parbat main shrine on top

Take special permission from Nigin CLUB office of jktdc then go climb hari parbat to see two main shrines

One of the many Locked temples Badam wari

Amar Kaul Temple locked at base hari parbat north end gate no 2 Badam warii.

Spires of so many temples praying for revival Temple sires seen at Badam wari

Pahelgaon central temple

Shiva Shakti temple Phalgaon

Sonmarg Shiva Shaktee temple

Army maintains so many of the temples as men who fight gaurd the nation and its borders internal security needs place of worship too. Many others i failed to go and click ..for you to go and add to this album..Temples of kashyapa valley Kashmir

All about the world's tallest temple

Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir

The ambitious $50 million Vrindavan Chandrodaya temple project by ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) -- whose foundation was laid in the holy city of Vrindavan in north India on March 16, 2014 -- when completed, will be the world's tallest temple, rising to a height of 210 metres!

Tall Boy among the giants

The temple, when completed, will be taller than other legendary landmarks and wonders of the world, including the Colosseum of Rome, the Taj Mahal of Agra, the Qutub Minar of Delhi, St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, or the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Being built on 62 acres of land, with a built-up area of 5,40,000 sq ft, it has an area of about 5 acres and rises to a height of about 700 ft, equivalent to 70 floors.

Temple rests on the mythical snake

Eight months after the foundation stone was laid, India’s President Pranab Mukherjee performed the ritual of 'Ananta Shesha Sthapana Puja' – a ceremony to mark the Hindu belief that the entire temple rests on the hoods of holy mythical snake 'Ananta Shesha'.

A cameo of our rich heritage

The plan is to make the temple “a vibrant platform for reviving the lost glories of our rich heritage through festivals, besides cultural and social activities, throughout the year.”

Grand structure

The grand structure, with monumental proportions and iconic architecture, shall harmoniously combine elements of both Indian temple architecture and modern architecture.

A religious awakening

The Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir aims to bring about “an awakening among Indians and create a nation that is not only full of talent, creativity and energy, but also adorned with exalted values and character.”

The forests of Vrindavan

A look-alike of the legendary verdant forests of Vrindavan will be recreated around this magnificent temple, with varieties of lush vegetation, green pastures, elegant vistas of fruit-bearing trees and flower laden creepers, serenaded by bird songs.

As in Krishna’s time

Clear water lakes, with lotuses and lilies, and waterfalls that tumble from small artificial hillocks - all recreated from descriptions in the Srimad Bhagavatam and other source books of Lord Krishna – will transport the visitors to Krishna's time in Vrindavan.

Yamuna forms the backdrop

While the Yamuna creek will provide a boating opportunity for the visitors and the Krishna Lila attractions in the forest will entertain the entire family, the Bhagavad Gita Expo will ignite minds and invigorate the intellect with the stupendous wisdom given by Lord Krishna.

Heritage Museum

The Krishna Heritage Museum within the temple premises will showcase the rich heritage and artistic celebration of Lord Krishna, in the diverse cultures of India, practiced and perfected over thousands of years. A capsule elevator will take visitors from the ground level to the 700 ft tall viewing gallery, which will grant visitors an superb 3D sound-and-light experience of the different planetary systems as described in the Vedic literature.

An iconic tribute to Krishna

According to ISKCON, it is their aspiration to create a world-class and iconic monument for Krishna in the holy land of Vrindavan and proudly place Krishna on the world mindscape and Vrindavan on the world map – a realization of their founder Swami Prabhupada’s dream.

A spiritual capital

“A tall and imposing skyscraper temple should proclaim the status of Vrindavan as one of India’s spiritual capitals. This should attract the attention of the world’s thinkers, leaders and other enquiring minds to know more about Sri Krishna and his soothing, healing message for a harried world…”

Vedic values

“We wish to inculcate the glorious Vedic values in today's youth and thereby develop the exalted character of a true Indian with examples and life philosophy drawn from the Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavatam,” said ISKCON in a statement.

Bhagavad Gita proof of Indian civilization

The President of India, in his speech after the ceremony at Vrindavan, stated: “India is one of the oldest and culturally rich civilizations in the world, and it is imperative that we reconnect to our spiritual dimensions. There can be no better way of doing this than spreading the Bhagavad Gita’s message of universal love and humanity.”

New levels of spiritual consciousness

According to the President, the temple would be an architectural marvel seeking to recreate the glory and times of Lord Krishna and give thousands of pilgrims who congregate in Vrindavan every year, the opportunity to experience new levels of spiritual consciousness.

The holy city of Vrindavan

Vrindavan is revered as a holy town replete with Krishna temples. Some say there are as many as 5,000 Krishna temples of different sizes, dating back to different points in history. It was the great saint and philosopher, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who - along with his disciples - established temples in Vrindavan and led the cultural renaissance in the 15th century.

Seat of bhakti

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was instrumental in making Vrindavan the seat of bhakti and in disseminating its principles, as enunciated in our ancient texts, throughout India. ISKCON wishes to make a bold statement about the importance of Lord Krishna and his divine mission in the world, using the contemporary language of architecture.

Sri Krishna’s values

Srimad Bhagavatam describes the four pillars of spirituality as – truthfulness, compassion, austerity and purity. Civilized societies exist and operate within the framework of these values. Lord Krishna, through his timeless teachings in the Bhagavad Gita, has shaped the intellectual, cultural and spiritual mindscape of India for several millennia.

World’s greatest temple

It is, thus, only appropriate that Vrindavan strives to become a world-renowned centre for spiritual enlightenment, from where the message of divinity and peace will resonate across all humanity. The President of India also congratulated ISKCON for their efforts in highlighting and propagating the timeless teachings of Lord Krishna across the world.

Relevant spiritualism

The President expressed happiness that the Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir would strive to disseminate the philosophical message of the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam in an easy to understand way, as it was particularly relevant for Indian society today.

The temple built by a Mughal Emperor

SPRITUALITY

Where is the Temple

Goddess Durga has many names, and just like her names, there are many temples dedicated to her as well. Among her many Shakti Peeths, one temple is situated in Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh district. It is an age-old Shakti Peeth and Ma is known by the name of Bhadrakali here.

Significant Saturday

Every Saturday, one can witness a never-ending queue of her disciples waiting at the temple to get the goddess’ darshan.

A temple and a Mughal

However, not many know that this temple has a very old and strong connection to India’s Mughal emperor Akbar. Emperor Akbar’s association with Hindu rulers is well-known. He was even married to a Hindu princess. So, apparently, Akbar once expressed a desire to build a Hindu temple.

A Durga devotee

The Mughal emperor, over time, developed faith in goddess Durga. Therefore, he shared his wish to build a temple dedicated to her, with Hindu king Ramsingh.

How Akbar got the inspiration

One day, Akbar was crossing a place where the temple stands today. There, he got a magical glimpse of Goddess Durga. Akbar immediately went to meet the then King of Bikaner, Ramsingh. He not only shared his experience with Ramsingh but also expressed his desire to build Goddess Durga’s temple at that very place.

King of Bikaner obliges

Indeed, the Hindu king Ramsingh was only too happy to oblige the Mughal emperor and without any hesitation, built Bhadrakali’s temple in that place.

Visitors from far and near

Though pilgrims visit the temple throughout the year, during the Mela days of Chaitra and also in the month of Ashwin, the pilgrims number thousands and come from outside Rajasthan - from Punjab and Haryana.

Ma Bhadrakali

The devotees believe that their wishes would be fulfilled by the goddess, who is kind and benign, despite her ferocious form…Bhadrakali is diffrent from Kali in the sense that she accepts bhadra (good) to give it to her devotees.

Temple on a river bed

This temple of Bhadrakali is built in the flow area of Ghaggar river, which has been described as Saraswati in the Vedas and Puranas.

What awaits visitors

The idol of Bhadra Kali is built of red stone and is 2’6 high. Around the statue are ornamented brackets. The temple architecture is also special. It has a high shikhar of rounded shape. While the temple has no circumambulatory path, it does have a Sabha Mandapa, the prayer hall. The temple also has a verandah, a sanctum sanctorum and a kitchen.

600-year-old temple

This being an ancient temple, it has undergone repairs. Major renovation was done by Maharaja Ganga Singh Ji of Bikaner.

Ecological threat

Since the temple stands in the bed of the Gagghar river, the threat of it being washed away always looms large.

How to reach

The temple can be reached by road from Jaipur, which is 450 kms away. The nearest airport is Jaipur. The nearest railway station is eight kms away.

Behind China’s Hindu temples, a forgotten history

In and around Quanzhou, a bustling industrial city, there are shrines that historians believe may have been part of a network of more than a dozen Hindu temples and shrines.

For the residents of Chedian, a few thousand-year-old village of muddy by-lanes and old stone courtyard houses, she is just another form of Guanyin, the female Bodhisattva who is venerated in many parts of China.

Click here for video

But the goddess that the residents of this village pray to every morning, as they light incense sticks and chant prayers, is quite unlike any deity one might find elsewhere in China. Sitting cross-legged, the four-armed goddess smiles benignly, flanked by two attendants, with an apparently vanquished demon lying at her feet.

Local scholars are still unsure about her identity, but what they do know is that this shrine’s unique roots lie not in China, but in far away south India. The deity, they say, was either brought to Quanzhou — a thriving port city that was at the centre of the region’s maritime commerce a few centuries ago — by Tamil traders who worked here some 800 years ago, or perhaps more likely, crafted by local sculptors at their behest.

“This is possibly the only temple in China where we are still praying to a Hindu God,” says Li San Long, a Chedian resident, with a smile.

“Even though most of the villagers still think she is Guanyin!” Mr. Li said the village temple collapsed some 500 years ago, but villagers dug through the rubble, saved the deity and rebuilt the temple, believing that the goddess brought them good fortune — a belief that some, at least, still adhere to.

The Chedian shrine is just one of what historians believe may have been a network of more than a dozen Hindu temples or shrines, including two grand big temples, built in Quanzhou and surrounding villages by a community of Tamil traders who lived here during the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1279-1368) dynasties.

At the time, this port city was among the busiest in the world and was a thriving centre of regional maritime commerce.

The history of Quanzhou’s temples and Tamil links was largely forgotten until the 1930s, when dozens of stones showing perfectly rendered images of the god Narasimha — the man-lion avatar of Vishnu — were unearthed by a Quanzhou archaeologist called Wu Wenliang. Elephant statues and images narrating mythological stories related to Vishnu and Shiva were also found, bearing a style and pattern that was almost identical to what was evident in the temples of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh from a similar period.

Wu’s discoveries received little attention at the time as his country was slowly emerging from the turmoil of the Japanese occupation, the Second World War and the civil war. It took more than a decade after the Communists came to power in 1949 for the stones and statues to even be placed in a museum, known today as the Quanzhou Maritime Museum.

“It is difficult to say how many temples there were, and how many were destroyed or fell to ruin,” the museum’s vice curator Wang Liming told The Hindu. “But we have found them spread across so many different sites that we are very possibly talking about many temples that were built across Quanzhou.”

Today, most of the sculptures and statues are on display in the museum, which also showcases a map that leaves little doubt about the remarkable spread of the discoveries. The sites stretch across more than a dozen locations located all over the city and in the surrounding county. The most recent discoveries were made in the 1980s, and it is possible, says Ms. Wang, that there are old sites yet to be discovered.

The Maritime Museum has now opened a special exhibit showcasing Quanzhou’s south Indian links. Ms. Wang says there is a renewed interest — and financial backing — from the local government to do more to showcase what she describes as the city’s “1000-year-old history with south India,” which has been largely forgotten, not only in China but also in India.

“There is still a lot we don't know about this period,” she says, “so if we can get any help from Indian scholars, we would really welcome it as this is something we need to study together. Most of the stones come from the 13th century Yuan Dynasty, which developed close trade links with the kingdoms of southern India. We believe that the designs were brought by the traders, but the work was probably done by Chinese workers.”

Ms. Wang says the earliest record of an Indian residing in Quanzhou dates back to the 6th century. An inscription found on the Yanfu temple from the Song Dynasty describes how the monk Gunaratna, known in China as Liang Putong, translated sutras from Sanskrit. Trade particularly flourished in the 13th century Yuan Dynasty. In 1271, a visiting Italian merchant recorded that the Indian traders “were recognised easily.”

“These rich Indian men and women mainly live on vegetables, milk and rice,” he wrote, unlike the Chinese “who eat meat and fish.” The most striking legacy of this period of history is still on public display in a hidden corner of the 7th century Kaiyuan Buddhist Temple, which is today Quanzhou’s biggest temple and is located in the centre of the old town. A popular attraction for Chinese Buddhists, the temple receives a few thousand visitors every day. In a corner behind the temple, there are at least half a dozen pillars displaying an extraordinary variety of inscriptions from Hindu mythology. A panel of inscriptions depicting the god Narasimha also adorns the steps leading up to the main shrine, which houses a Buddha statue. Huang Yishan, a temple caretaker whose family has, for generations, owned the land on which the temple was built, says the inscriptions are perhaps the most unique part of the temple, although he laments that most of his compatriots are unaware of this chapter of history. On a recent afternoon, as a stream of visitors walked up the steps to offer incense sticks as they prayed to Buddha, none spared a glance at the panel of inscriptions. Other indicators from Quanzhou’s rich but forgotten past lie scattered through what is now a modern and bustling industrial city, albeit a town that today lies in the shadow of the provincial capital Xiamen and the more prosperous port city of Guangzhou to the far south. 

A few kilometres from the Kaiyuan temple stands a striking several metre-high Shiva lingam in the centre of the popular Bamboo Stone Park. To the city’s residents, however, the lingam is merely known as a rather unusually shaped “bamboo stone,” another symbol of history that still stays hidden in plain sight.

Papnash Shiva Temple - Bidar, Karnataka

Papnash Shiva Temple is situated in Bidar district in North-east Karnataka. It is believed that the Shiva Linga idol in this temple is one of those installed by Lord Rama during the time of his journey back from Lanka. A natural spring flows into a pond in front of the temple called Papnasha which means destruction of sins.

Every year, during Shivratri festival lots of tourists visit Papnash Shiva Temple. At the ruins an ancient Shiva Temple along with a New Temple has been built on the slops of the hill. The location of the temple in a valley is mesmerising to the eyes. At the foot of the temple is a cistern measuring 16 ft by 14 ft. The cistern is continuously fed by the natural spring and towards the north there is small tank which is said to be built during Lord Rama s times.

It gets very crowded during Shivaratri celebrations. In the sanctum, there is a big Shiva Linga. In the temple complex, there are three other Shiva Lingas. These Shiva Lingas can be touched by devotees, and they can directly offer pujas to them.

Papnash means destroyer of sins. It is believed that a visit to this temple and a dip in the Papnash pond will destroy all the sins committed by a person. For this reason alone, this temple attracts a large number of pilgrims.

Pakistan’s long forgotten Hindu temples

SPEAKING TREE

After India gained independence, a large chunk of Hindus and Sikhs migrated from Pakistan to India. Similarly, nearly an equal number of Muslims left India to live in Pakistan. Today, only 26 out of Pakistan's 428 Hindu temples exist. There are many examples of such ancient architecture; silent testimonies of our heritage, narrating tales of our past and stories of our land. Unfortunately, these exponents of our history are in a state of utter neglect. Let’s take a look at some such temples.

Katasraj temple

Katasraj Mandir is a temple complex situated in Katas village in the Chakwal district of Punjab in Pakistan. Dedicated to Shiva, the temple has existed since the days of Mahabharata and the Pandava brothers spent a substantial part of their exile at the site. The smaller temples, built in pairs around the larger central temple, were built around 900 years or so ago, although the earliest of them dates back to the latter half of the 6th century AD.

Many legends are associated with the temples. Legend says that the five Pandava brothers stayed here for four out of the 14 years that they spent in exile. The lake in the complex is believed to have magical powers and is supposed to be where Yudhisthira defeated the Yaksha with his wisdom to bring his brothers back to life.

Another legend involves the death of Shiva's wife Sati; the story goes that when she died he cried so much and for so long that his tears created two holy ponds - one at Pushkara in Ajmer and the other at Ketaksha, which literally means "raining eyes" in Sanskrit. It is from this name that the word Ketas is derived. Another version of the legend mentions the two pools at Katasraj and Nainital.

The temple complex was not abandoned by Hindus when they migrated to East Punjab in 1947. Worshippers of all faiths perform pilgrimage to the mandir. The pilgrims bathe in the sacred pool and seek forgiveness as a belief holds that bathing in the pond (especially on certain occasions) leads to the forgiveness of sins and helps attain salvation. Until recently, it was believed that the pond had unlimited depth.

For decades the temple complex was in bad state. The holy pond was littered with garbage, while the murals inside the temples disappeared due to the ravages of time and the neglect of the authorities. In 2006-07, Pakistan governments decided to place murtis of Hindu gods in the seven mandirs and restore them to their original state to attract visitors.

The Katas site houses the Satgraha, a group of seven ancient temples, remains of a Buddhist stupa, a few medieval temples, havelis and some recently constructed temples, scattered around a pond. The mandir has two jharokas (balconies) that have been severely damaged. The temple's ceiling is undecorated, and lime-plastered.

Hinglaj temple

An important Shakti Peeth of Goddess Sati, Hinglaj Mandir or Nani Mandir is situated in Baluchistan province of Pakistan. It came into existence when Lord Vishnu cut up Sati's dead body into 52 pieces so that Lord Shiva would calm down and stop his Tandava. These pieces got scattered all over the Indian subcontinent whilst Sati's head fell at Hingula or Hinglaj.

According to ancient scriptures, Lord Rama had also meditated at Hinglaj to atone for his sin of 'Brahmhatya' - killing of Ravana who was a Brahmin and a great devotee of Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga. Each year they organize a grand cultural-fair at this temple. Muslim residents actively take part in this celebration. They worship the Goddess with the same devotion as Hindus.

The temple is not in a very good state. The chairman of the committee that manages the famous Hinglaj Mata temple was kidnapped just two days before the beginning of the shrine’s annual pilgrimage, according to a media report in April 2012.

Gori temple

The Jain temples of Tharparkar are among Pakistan’s major archaeological monuments. The most impressive of them all, Gori Temple, is located in the village of Gori between Islamkot and Nagarparkar in Tharparkar district. This partly ruined temple is mysterious since it has been abandoned for a long time. Authors in the past have yearned to find out about the current status of this long lost place of worship.

The Gori temple was dedicated to Lord Parshwanath, the 23rd Jain prophet who preached in the 8th century BC. Several Jain texts give an account of the history of the temple and legends surrounding it. The text “Shri Gaudi Parshvanath Stavan” by Nemavijaya was written in Tharparkar region itself. The temple is built in the classical Jain style. It has one main temple surrounded by 52 smaller shrines, each housing one or more images of Jain prophets. It has 52 domes and its interiors were adorned with paintings.

Gori temple became a famous pilgrimage centre. Setting aside legends and tradition, there is still something that makes the Gori temple unique – the paintings within the ranga-mandap dome. These paintings are older than any other frescos in the Jain temples of North India, with the exception of Ellora. In India, the temples have been renovated and any old frescos have been painted over. Gori paintings are also older than any other surviving frescos in Pakistan, with the possible exception of some Gandhara fragments.

Mari Indus temple

High above the mighty Indus temples were built from the sixth to the eleventh centuries A.D. Largely ignored by scholarship in this century, and orphaned since partition, these structures form an important missing link in the history of architecture. The far northwest in ancient India what now is the Northwest provinces of Pakistan, Swat, and parts of Afghanistan has many structural remains we can associate with Hindu mythology.

Sharada Peeth

Sharada Peeth, located near Sharda in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (Pok), is the famous temple of goddess Sarasvati (Sharda) on the banks of Kishenganga River. Its ruins are near the Line of Control (LOC) between the Indian and Pakistani-controlled portions of Kashmir and Jammu. Kashmir was a high established centre of learning of vedantic works until invaders from central-Asian countries came and destroyed it. Indigenous script of Kashmir is named after the deity Sharada Devi.

It is one of the most established Shakti Peethas formed due to the falling of body parts of the corpse of Sati Devi, when Shiva carried it and wandered throughout Aryavartha in sorrow. There are 51 Shakti Peeth linking to the 51 alphabets in Sanskrit. Each temple has shrines for Shakti and Kalabhairava. Sharada Peeth is one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peetha. Devi's Right hand is said to have fallen here. The Shakti worshiped here is the goddess of knowledge, Saraswathi otherwise known as Sharada.

Prior to the partition, a fair was held at village Shardi in the month of Bhadrapada and on the eighth day of the Shukla Paksha, and devotees from all over India, flocked the place in thousands, for receiving the blessings of the Mother Sharada deity. There is a place called “Tikkar” at a distance of one and half kilometers from Kupwara, in Kashmir. From here, there is a short cut for going to Shardi which measures 40 kilometers. Many Pilgrims treaded this path only.

Guru Gorakhnath temple

The Gorakhnath temple is named after the Guru Gorakhnath achieved prosperity in this city and also influenced followers with his teachings. It is said that this temple was built on the spot where Gorakhnath did meditation in Treta Yug. The temple is situated in the Gorgathri neighbourhood in Peshawar. Gorakhnath temple was reopened in 2011 after a long legal fight or 60 years as the temple was forcefully closed by the Evacuee Property Trust Board and the Provincial Archaeology Department of Pakistan.

Gorakh Degi

It is said that Sikh Gurus used to jump into the well inside the Guru Gorakhnath temple and appear in Gorakh Degi on Warsak Road miles away. Gorakh Degi, along with most other religious sites in Peshawar, was abandoned after the partition.

Kalyan Das temple

In the middle of the area that is commonly known as Kohati Bazaar, one can see the dome of a temple which is almost hidden by the high walls of an academic institution. Here stands one of the beautiful, historic landmarks of the Rawalpindi: Kalyan Das Temple. Outside this building, there is a Government Qandeel Secondary School for visually impaired children.

On entering the main gate of the school, one is at once confronted with the sight of a magnificent architectural form which stands right in the middle of the school courtyard. This temple was named after a generous resident of Rawalpindi, Kalyan Das, who laid its foundation stone in 1850s, and as confirmed by the board – it is said that it was completed in 1880.

The Kalyan Das temple is believed to have had more than a 100 rooms and was spread over an area of about seven acres, besides a vast pond around the main temple building. Like many other temples of the city, during the partition of India, Kalyan Das temple was also left abandoned as the Hindu population left the city. Today this magnificent architectural piece still stands tall but the complex it is in is a state of decay.

The beautiful paintings engraved on the walls of the temple are fading away; the damp roof of the main architecture pours in rainy days. The rooms of the main complex are used as store rooms and are kept locked. The idols are missing but their marks attract the attention of visitors. The many spires in the temple complex are still imposing but years of neglect has made them colourless. The white paint used to brighten the complex has, in fact, buried its original floral work.

The Panj Tirath

Panj Tirath, which got its name from the five pools of water present there, comprised a temple and a spacious lawn with peeple and date trees. Years of neglect, however, was not what brought upon its ultimate demise – it was razed down in the 1970s to make way for the building of what was then known as the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Sri Varun Dev temple

Situated on the seashore off Manora Cantt, Karachi this Temple is about 160 years old and has been specifically designed as per Hindu architecture. The Temple was abandoned & illegally occupied by land grabbers after the 1947 partition. In 2007, Pakistan Hindu Council brought back the sanctity of the Temple by taking a bold step to renovate the same. The Station Commander, PNS Himalaya, Manora Cantt handed over the control of this Temple to Pakistan Hindu Council in June, 2007.

The Rama Peer temple

The Rama Peer temple, which some say was 80 years old, was one of many Hindu temples in Karachi that have in recent years been the subject of property disputes involving commercial builders. It was demolished in December 2012 by a Karachi property developer.

Konark Sun Temple

Konark Sun Temple also Konarak is a 13th-century Sun Temple (also known as the Black Pagoda), at Konark in Odisha, India. It is believed that the temple was built by king Narasimhadeva I of Eastern Ganga Dynasty around AD 1250. The temple is in the shape of a gigantic chariot with elaborately carved stone wheels, pillars and walls. A major part of the structure is now in ruins. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also featured on NDTV's list of Seven Wonders of India and Times of India's list of Seven Wonders of India.

The name Konark derives from the combination of the Sanskrit words, Kona (corner) and Arka (sun), in reference to the temple which was dedicated to the Sun god Surya.

The monument was also called the Black Pagoda by European sailors. In contrast, the Jagannath Temple in Puri was called the White Pagoda. Both temples served as important landmarks for the sailors

The temple was originally built at the mouth of the river Chandrabhaga, but the waterline has receded since then. The temple has been built in the form of a giant ornamented chariot of the Sun god, Surya. It has twelve pairs of elaborately carved stone wheels which are 3 meters wide and is pulled by a set of seven horses (4 on the right and 3 on the left). The temple follows the traditional style of Kalinga architecture. It is carefully oriented towards the east so that the first rays of sunrise strikes the principal entrance. The temple is built from Khondalite rocks.

The original temple had a main sanctum sanctorum (vimana), which was supposedly 229 feet (70 m) tall. Due to the weight of the super structure (70m tall) and weak soil of the area the main vimana fell in 1837. The audience hall (Jagamohana), which is about 128 feet (30 m) tall, still stands and is the principal structure in the surviving ruins. Among the structures, which have survived to the current day, are the dance hall (Nata mandira) and dining hall (Bhoga mandapa).

The Konark temple is also known for its erotic sculptures of maithunas.

Two smaller ruined temples have been discovered nearby. One of them is called the Mayadevi Temple and is located southwest from the entrance of the main temple. It is presumed to have been dedicated to Mayadevi, one of the Sun god's wives. It has been dated to the late 11th century, earlier than the main temple. The other one belongs to some unknown Vaishnava deity. Sculptures of Balarama, Varaha and Trivikrama have been found at the site, indicating it to be a Vaishnavite temple. Both temples have their primary idols missing.

A collection of fallen sculptures can be viewed at the Konark Archaeological Museum which is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Ancient Texts

According to Bhavishya Purana and Samba Purana, there may have been a sun temple in the region earlier than current one, dating to the 9th century or earlier. The books mention three sun temples at Mundira (possibly Konark), Kalapriya (Mathura), and Multan.

According to the scriptures, Samba, the son of Krishna, was cursed with leprosy. He was advised by the sage, Kataka, to worship the sun god to cure his aliment. Samba underwent penance for 12 years in Mitravana near the shores of Chandrabhaga. Both the original Konark temple and the Multan temple have been attributed to Samba.

The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (1st Century CE) mentions a port called Kainapara, which has been identified as current day Konark.

Sun Dial and Time

The wheels of the temple are sundials which can be used to calculate time accurately to a minute including day and night. 

Second Temple

According to the Madala Panji, there was another temple in the region. It was built by one Pundara Kesari. He may have been Puranjaya, the 7th century ruler, of the Somavasmi Dynasty.

Narasimhadeva I

The current temple is attributed to Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. His reign spanned from 1238 to 1264 CE. The temple may have been a monument to his victory against Tughral Tughan Khan.

Dharmapada's Tale

According to local folklore, Narasimhadeva I had hired a chief architect called Bisu Maharana to build the temple. After a period of twelve years, a workforce of twelve thousand almost finished the construction. But, they failed to mount the crown stone. The impatient king ordered the temple to be finished in three days or the artisans be put to death. At the time, Bisu Maharana's twelve year old son, Dharmapada arrived at the site. Bisu Maharana had never seen his son, as he had left his village when his wife was still pregnant. Dharmapada successfully proposed a solution to mount the crown stone. But, the artisans were still apprehensive that the king will be displeased to learn that a boy succeeded where his best artisans failed. Dharmapada climbed onto the temple and leapt into the water to save his father and his co-workers.

Collapse

A lithography plate from James Fergusson's 'Ancient Architecture in Hindoostan' (1847). It depicts part of the main tower still standing.

There have been several proposed theories for the collapse of the main sanctum. The date of the collapse is also not certain.

The Kenduli copper plates of Narasimha IV (Saka 1305 or 1384 CE) states the temple to be in a perfect state.

In the 16th century Ain-i-Akbari, Abul Fazl also mentions Konark being in a proper state. The account also mentions the cost of construction being 12 years of revenue.

The cause of collapse is also placed on Kalapahad who invaded Odisha in 1568.

In 1627, the then Raja of Khurda had removed the sun idol from Konark and moved it to the Jagannath temple in Puri.

James Fergusson (1808–1886) had the opinion that marshy foundation had caused the collapse. But, the structure has shown no sign of sinking into its foundation. Fergusson, who visited the temple in 1837, recorded a corner of the main sanctum still standing. It also fell down in 1848 due to a strong gale.

According to Percy Brown (1872–1955), the temple was not properly completed and so it collapsed. This contradicts earlier recorded accounts of the temple being in a proper state.

In 1929, an analysis of a moss covered rock estimated the date of abandonment at around 1573.

Other proposed causes include lighting and earthquake.

Aruna Stambha

In the last quarter of the 18th century, when worship had ceased in the temple, the Aruna stambha (Aruna pillar) was removed from the entrance of Konark temple and placed at the Singha-dwara (Lion's Gate) of the Jagannath temple in Puri by a Maratha Brahmachari called Goswain (or Goswami). The pillar is made of monolithic chlorite and is 33 feet 8 inches (10.26 m) tall . It is dedicated to Aruna, the charioteer of the Sun god.

Preservation Efforts

An inscription from 1903 about the filling of the temple with sand.

In 1803, requests were made for conservations by the East India Marine Board, but only removal of stones from the site was prohibited by the Governor General. As a result, a part of the main tower, which was still standing, collapsed in 1848.

The then Raja of Khurda removed some stones and sculptures to use in a temple he was building in Puri. A few gateways and some sculptures were destroyed in the process. In 1838, after the depredation of the Raja of Khurda, Asiatic Society of Bengal requested conservation, but the requests were denied and only preventative of human-caused damages were guaranteed. The Raja was forbidden to remove any more stones.

In 1859, Asiatic Society of Bengal proposed moving an architrave depicting the navagraha to the Indian Museum in Calcutta. The first attempt in 1867 was abandoned as the funds ran out.

In 1894, thirteen sculptures were moved to the Indian Museum.

In 1903 when a major excavation was attempted nearby, the then Lieutenant governor of Bengal, J. A. Baurdilon, ordered the temple to be sealed and filled with sand to prevent the collapse of the Jagamohana.

In 1906, casuarina and punnang trees were planted facing the sea to buffer the site against sand-laden winds.

In 1909, the Mayadevi temple was discovered while removing sand and debris.

The temple was granted World Heritage Site status by the UNESCO in 1984.