Pakistan declares 1,000 years old Panj Tirath Hindu temple as national heritage

PESHAWAR: Pakistan has declared over 1,000 years old Hindu temple at the historical Panj Tirath site in Peshawar as national heritage.

Provincial Government Directorate Archeiology and Museums has issued a notification to declare the Panj Tirath site as national heritage.

A fine of upto Rs2 million and five years’ imprisonment will be imposed if anyone found guilty of damaging the historical site.

The historical site and temples are located inside the Chacha Younus Family Park and has been in dire need of rehabilitation.

Panj Tirath is an over 1,000 years old archaeological site and is situated at Hashtnagri. The archaeological site got the Panj Tirath name from the five pools of water there. It has two temples and a spacious lawn with Peepal and other trees.

The site is considered one of the most sacred places for the Hindus which has been turned into a family park.

Panj Tirath has been mentioned in Hindus religious book “Hindu Mythology.” A writer, Lord Hinger, mentioned that five Pando brothers started living in this place which later came to be known as Panj Tirath.

It said that the Pando brothers then left the place but their followers made five pools there in their memory and established a temple called “Shawal Thakardawara.”

They believed that the water cured all kind of diseases. Later it was renamed as Panj Tirath.