Idols of lord Krishna, Radha re-installed in Lahore

Lahore's Hindu community marked the occasion with a ceremony to show their joy.

Hindu shrines are being restored and repaired and idols are being installed at some of the temples in Pakistan for the first time since subcontinent's partition in 1947.

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Thanks to the current thaw between the two neighbours, idols of Hindu deities Krishna, Radha and Hanuman have been installed at the Krishna Mandir in the city that had been bereft of idols for the past 59 years.

Lahore's Hindu community marked the occasion with a ceremony to show their joy. The re-installation ceremony was performed by Pundit Vinay Kumar Bhiraghi.

A Hindu delegation from India, which first worshipped at the ancient Katas Raj temple in Chakwal district of Punjab, carried idols with them for the Krishna Mandir.

The temple not only has idols from India, but a team of Punjab's Archaeological Department also toured India to learn techniques in restoration and conservation.

Lahore Balmik Association secretary general Manohar Chand told Daily Times Tuesday that the idols of the three deities had been brought to Pakistan at the request of Baba Devender Kumar Ghai. Founder-president of the Anglo-Asian Friendship Society (UK), Ghai had visited Pakistan last year.

Thanking the Pakistan government, Manohar Chand said the installation was important because there had been no idols of the three gods in the city since partition.

Earlier, the worship last Saturday at the Katas Raj temple complex, which is mentioned in the Puranas (the ancient Hindu scriptures), also marked a first worship performed at this temple since partition. It coincided with Mahashivratri, the Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Shiva.