LAHORE, PAKISTAN, January 11, 2007: Mahasivaratri, the annual festival sacred to Lord Siva where devotees worship all through the night, will be celebrated at Katasraj Temples on February 7 for the first time in centuries. The Punjab Archeology Department will be organizing the event and the Indian Foreign Minister will be one of the devotees along with a contingent from India. The news report explains, “Plans to celebrate the festival are part of a development project for Hindu sites at Katasraj. Pakistan and India agreed on the project during a visit by LK Advani and Shivshankar Menon, the then Indian high commissioner, to Katasraj in June, 2005. It was also agreed that arrangements would be made to allow more Hindu pilgrims to visit Katasraj Temples in the near future. Located on a hill six kilometres from Choa Saidan Shah in Chakwal, Katasraj Temples have historic and religious value for Hindus. The temples have also been mentioned in Mahabharata. According to Hindu beliefs, both Katas and the Paskar (Ajmer) are the eyes of Shiva. According to plans for the development of Katasraj Temples, the Shiva Temple and its surroundings are being restored by keeping in mind the religious sentiments of Hindu pilgrims.”
A second report on this temple, here, says, in part, a temple complex dating back to the time of Pandavas (called Katasraj) lying almost in debris in Pakistan will now be revived by a team of archaeologists, Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain told media persons on Sunday. A team of Pakistani archaeologists will visit Indian temples–Pushkar, Ajanta Ellora and few others on January 28 to study the pattern of India’s ancient structure. Apart from the 600 BC temples, which are in a dilapidated condition, there is a sacred pool with association with Lord Siva. After BJP leader L K Advani had visited Katasraj in 2005, a decision was taken to renovate the ancient Shiva temple. During his controversial visit to Pak, Advani had laid the foundation stone for the restoration of the Katasraj temple. But since Advani’s visit ran into controversy due to some of his remarks, the plans to renovate the historical temples got left behind. The sprawling Katasraj shrine is believed having been constructed by the Pandavas during their 14-year exile. According to the Mahabharata they spent 12 years there.
The Pakistan Government had set aside US$328,000 for restoring the temples to their original form. Under phase I, the report proposes cleaning and enlargement of the Katas pool, besides conservation and restoration of the Shiva temple and the adjacent cluster area. The other work includes removal of debris, repair of damaged staircases, plastering walls, preservation of paintings, development of pathways and Hari Singh Haveli. The restoration work includes conservation of the Satghara temple complex, the Hanuman temple, the Ramachandra temple, the Stupa and excavated site, besides board and lodging facilities for tourists.