Huge crowds of visitors to Lahore's famous Anarkali Bazaar, usually focus on the numerous shops that sell garments for women and children, hardly noticing what lays behind. This is one of the cherished landmarks of authentic Lahore, which have withstood the test of time, and if you look closely at the ornate building behind the shops, an orange temple flag flutters in the breeze.
There were about 15 Hindu temples standing in Lahore city when partition took place in 1947. Krishna Temple has still got its structure in this legendary bazar. Besides Krishna Temple, Valmiki Temple is the only functional temple in Lahore. Mahadev Mandir, Doodh Wali Mata Mandir and Jain Temple are the other famous temples of the historic city.
Valmiki Mandir is one of the two functional Hindu temples in Lahore, where Valmikis gather to mark religious occasions, like Diwali. At a little distance from the turret, deeper into the market, is the mausoleum of Qutub ud-Din Aibak, a slave who went on to become a king and establish the Mamluk dynasty’s rule over the Delhi Sultanate. The temple is managed and maintained by the Pakistan Hindu Council and Evacuee Trust Property Board.
Click on the audio link above and hear about the story of Lahore's mandirs, as they stand today.
