Katasraj Mandir

Katasraj Mandir is a Hindu mandir or temple complex situated in Katas village near

Choa Saidanshah in the Chakwal district of Punjab in Pakistan. edicated to Shiva!

the temple has existed since the da"s of Mah#bh#rata and the Pandava brothers
spent a substantial part of their exile at the site. $ccording to historian this place
was known as %Shiva netra &shiva's e"e(). *he Pakistan +overnment is considering
nominating the temple complex for ,orld Heritage Site status.
-ocation
*he Katasraj mandirs are located ./ kilometres from Chakwal istrict. 0t takes a
little e1ort to reach Katasraj b" road 2 one has to go o1 the motorwa" 2 &0slamabad2
-ahore( at the Kallar Kahar interchange! *hen follow the road to Choa Saidan Shah
for 3. km and after passing the cement factor" the road passes through the temple
complex! with the major temple complex and the pond on the right.
Architecture
*he Katas site houses the Satgraha! a group of seven ancient temples! remains of a
4uddhist stupa! a few medieval temples! havelis and some recentl" constructed
temples! scattered around a pond considered hol" b" Hindus.567 *he temples at
Katas are mostl" constructed on s8uare platforms. *he elevation of the sub shrines
seems to form a series of cornices with small rows of pillars! crowned b" a ribbed
dome.
*he 9amachandra Mandir is situated to the east of the Hari Singh Haveli and is
closed from all sides except for an entrance on the east. *he double2storied
structure has eight rooms of various dimensions on the ground :oor and a staircase
at the south leading to the ;rst :oor. *he mandir has two jharokas &balconies( that
have been severel" damaged.
*he Hanuman Mandir is on the western extreme of a high rectangular enclosure
with entrances on the south and the north. *he temple<s ceiling is undecorated! and
lime2plastered.
*he Shiva temple is also built on a s8uare platform. 0ts entrance is a recessed round
arch with faint cusps and a rectangular opening to the north.
-egends
*he legend involves the death of Shiva<s wife Sati= the stor" goes that when she
died he cried so much and for so long that his tears created two hol" ponds 2 one at
Pushkara in $jmer and the other at Ketaksha! which literall" means >raining e"es> in
Sanskrit. 0t is from this name that the word Ketas is derived. $nother version of the
legend mentions the two pools at Katasraj and ?ainital.
@et another version of the Shiva legend involves the death of Shiva<s horse Katas
instead of that of Sati his consort. Some legends also state that ver" ;rst Shiva -ing
&Sihv2-ing( was in Kattas. some old manuscripts also consider Katas as the janam
bhoomi &birthplace( of Hindu incarnation 9ama! as well as that of $"odh"a= but this
has become 8uite controversial.
*he Katasraj temple complex is believed to date back to the Mahabharata era. Man"
legends are associated with the temples. *he ;ve Pandava brothers! heroes of the
Sanskrit epic the Mahabharata! sta"ed here for four of the AB "ears the" spent in
exile. *he lake in the complex is believed to have magical powers and is supposed
to be where @udhisthira defeated the @aksha with his wisdom! bringing his brothers
back to life.
*here is a faith that b" the bath in this pound much disease removes from bod".
$ccording to +en Cunningham! Katas was considered the second largest hol" place
in Punjab for Hindu pilgrims after Cawala Mukhi. 0t is said famous Pando brothers
spent A3 "ears in Katas and built the temples of Satghara.
0t is said $l24eruni also spent some time at Katas to learn Sanskrit in a linguistic
universit" which! at that time! was established here. *emples at Katas have been
transferred from the federal government to the Punjab $rchaeolog" epartment
recentl".
Katas Raj is also the place where Alberuni attempted to measure the
circumference of the Earth, studied Sanskrit and wrote his renowned
Kitab-ul-Hind (Book of Hind which depicted the reli!ion, scienti"c
knowled!e, and social customs of Hindus# Paras ?ath Cogi drew his last breath
on Katas. Cagat +uru ?anak Ci also visited the place on the Ast of Disakh. Katas came
to be known as ?anaknawas and was a site of contemplation for man" large groups
of m"stics! ascetics and jogis. $ccording to Hindu beliefs! taking bath in the hol"
pond at the site washes awa" all sins and makes man innocent.

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Katasraj Mandir is a Hindu mandir or temple complex situated in Katas village near

Choa Saidanshah in the Chakwal district of Punjab in Pakistan. edicated to Shiva!

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