1,500-year-old Hindu temple in Pakistan to be renovated

Karachi, Feb 20 (ANI): One of the oldest Hindu temples in Karachi is finally being renovated after its management battled with land grabbers to regain partial control of its property.

The management of 1,500-year-old Shri Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir is adamant that it will complete the long-pending renovation work, despite encroachments on the temple's plot, intimidation and threats by land grabbers as well as a lack of funds.

"The temple was supposed to be renovated within two years. But a shortage of funds and the cases we have been fighting for the ownership of our land have slowed down the process. Yet we won't give up," The Express Tribune quoted Shri Ram Nath Maharaj, the temple's caretaker, as saying.

The temple will get a facelift with the blocks of old stones that are being moulded into new ones.

The temple holds special significance for Hindus as it is the only shrine in the world, which has a 'natural statue' of Hanuman that is not man-made, Maharaj added.

The eight-foot blue and white statue was discovered at the site of the temple long ago. The room in which the statue is kept will not be touched during the renovation.

According to the report, the Shri Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir has faced the same issue as many of the temples in the city- encroachment.

According to documents shared by the Maharaj, in 1995 the plot was divided into ten parts. Land grabbers later claimed the lease.

In 2006, the temple won back four of these plots after the lease was cancelled by a district court. (ANI)