NEW DELHI, Dec 25: Over 70 Indian Hindu pilgrims returned home on Wednesday after performing religious rituals at the sacred Katas Raj temples in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) additional secretary Shrines Saifullah Khokhar presented special gifts and bouquets to the pilgrims at Wagah Border here.
In the morning, the pilgrims had breakfast at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore and visited the historic Anarkali Bazaar. They were escorted to the Wagah border in special buses under tight security.
During their seven-day visit to Pakistan, the Hindu pilgrims performed religious rituals at the Katas Raj temples and spent three days in Lahore, visiting the Krishna Mandir on Ravi Road and Valmiki Mandir in Anarkali. They also toured the Lahore Fort.
“We are thankful to ETPB Chairman Syed Ataur Rehman for ensuring the preservation and renovation of our places of worship. I encourage the global Hindu community to visit Pakistan and witness these sacred sites,” the leader of the group, Vijay Kumar Sharma, told reporters at Wagah.
Vivek Pandey, another pilgrim, said that the construction of residential complexes has enhanced the beauty of the Katas Raj temples.
“We spent seven days in Pakistan and were met with warmth and respect wherever we went. Lahore is a beautiful city, and visiting our religious sites at Katas Raj and Lahore brought us immense spiritual peace,” said another pilgrim.
Saifullah Khokhar reaffirmed the ETPB’s commitment to promoting religious tourism and extending hospitality to visiting pilgrims. He said significant funds are being allocated for the restoration and beautification of temples and gurdwaras.
Earlier this month, the ETPB inaugurated a residential complex built for Hindu pilgrims at the Katas Raj temples.
According to the ETPB, a 36-room residential building next to the Katas Raj temples has been constructed for PKR190 million.
“It has been ensured that Hindu pilgrims coming from all over the world, including India, can stay here with all facilities,” Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Chaudhry Salik Hussain said at the inaugural ceremony.
He said that in addition to improved facilities, 6,000 plants of different species have been planted for the health of the temple’s environment.
He further said the ETPB has installed a 40-KW solar system and spacious parking facilities at the Katas Raj Temples so that Hindu pilgrims and tourists can enjoy complete facilities.
Katas Raj Temples, also known as Qila Katas, is a complex of several Hindu temples connected by walkways. The temple complex surrounds a pond named Katas, regarded as sacred by Hindus. (PTI)
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