Hindu temple (shikhara/dome elements; local Pan-Indian motifs)
Date established
1850 (foundation)
Completed
1880
Kalyan Das Temple (Kalyan Das Mandir) is a 19th-century Hindu temple in Kohati Bazaar, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan. It was built by the Suri family and is named after Kalyan Das Suri. The complex is notable for its tall shikhara-like domes and painted panels. Since the mid-20th century the temple compound has been occupied by a government school for visually impaired children; the temple building itself is reported to be in a state of neglect. [1][2]
Historically the temple has been the starting point of Amarnath for the Hindu community. The pilgrims would walk barefoot from the temple to the Amaranth Caves through Murree hills.[3]
History
Murals showing Ganesh at Kalyan Das temple
Construction of the Kalyan Das Temple began in the mid-19th century; contemporary news reporting cites a foundation in the 1850s and a completion date around 1880. The temple was commissioned by a wealthy Hindu family of Rawalpindi, commonly identified in sources as the Suri family, and named for Kalyan Das Suri. [1][2]
After the 1947 Partition the temple ceased to serve a regular Hindu congregation as Rawalpindi's Hindu population largely migrated; the Evacuee Trust took custody of the property. Portions of the temple compound later became the site of the Government Qandeel School for the Blind (Qandeel Secondary School), an institution for visually impaired children that has operated at the site since the 1950s and was nationalised in the early 1970s. [4][2]
Architecture and artwork
Depiction of Sakhi of Krishna in the temple
The temple complex is distinguished by several prominent domed towers (shikharas) which dominate the small courtyard. There are carved panels and painted murals inside and above the temple entrance, including depictions of Hindu deities such as Ganesha and panels showing scenes associated with Krishna and the nayika tradition. The mural is etched in expensive stones like lapis, that were available only in Afghanistan. There are murals of Trimurtis - Brahma (creator), Shiva (destroyer) and Vishnu (preserver). There is also a fresco mural with Gurumukhi inscription which says ‘Shamaskhi’; this means the tale of Krishna. Architectural observers compare some decorative elements to Mughal-influenced motifs (arches and carved detail) blended with Hindu temple forms. [1][5][3]
Current use and condition
Multiple news reports describe the temple as physically intact but suffering from neglect and lack of conservation. The main temple structure sits within the courtyard of the school for the visually impaired; school buildings and other alterations have reduced the visibility of the temple from surrounding streets. Journalists and heritage commentators have called for preservation work while noting that the temple still attracts occasional visitors and is an important reminder of Rawalpindi's pre-Partition religious landscape. [2][1][6]
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