Jain Mandir; A Symbol of Religious Diversity of Lahore
The Jain Mandir in Lahore is the symbol of Lahore’s antiqueness and richness in cultural heritage. It is located on Lytton Road in Old Anarkali, Lahore. Jainism in Pakistan has a very rich and extensive heritage and history with many ancient and sacred Jain Temples scattered across the country. Punjab and Sindh have many Jain Temples and remains. In Punjab, there are three prominent Jain Sites, one is in chawinda phatak, Pasrur which is known as the tomb of Baba Dharam Dass, second is in Gujranwala, which is the Samadhi of the monk of the region Vijayanandsuri, and 3rd is the old Jain Temple in Lahore.
Jainism is the branch of Hindu religion. Jainism is one of the oldest religion still practiced today. The religion has between four and five million followers, they known as Jains or Jainas. Many of them resides in India and Pakistan. Before partition, there were Punjabi, Marwadi and Gujrati communities, all of them were belonged to Jainism. Bhabhra’s are an old trading community, they live in Punjab and practice Jainism till now, many of them left Pakistan after the Indo-Pak partition in 1947. However, their original home is still Pakistan, many cities has localities named on them.
The Jain Community in Lahore is not very large but has an integral part in the diverse cultural fabric of the city. Lahore was the hub of various religions and cultures, historically. The Jain Mandir in Lahore constructed in the late 19th century or 20th century, not confirms yet. Jain Mandir is famous for its sophisticated architecture and extravagant statues. The temple simply followed traditional Jain architectural styles, the sculptures has detailed features, decorative pillars and beautifully whittled entrances. The symbols of Jain cosmology and Philosophy are incorporate in the temple such as the Trithank.
When in 1992 Hindu extremists demolished the historical Babri Masjid, the Jain Mandir in Lahore also became one of the worship places that faced consequences from this event. As the Jain community is minor in the country and they did not had sufficient resources to renovate it, the Jain temple was neglected for many years. However, in December 2021, the supreme court of Pakistan ordered the restoration of the Jain Mandir alongside a Hindu temple in Neela Gumbad. After that the efforts were made to renovate the temple, and now it is open for Jain community as well as for tourists too.
The renovation of Jain Mandir in Lahore highlights the efforts of Pakistani government preserve the cultural heritage of the region, it also increases the religious tolerance among all the communities of country and it also brighten the country’s image on international platform. If u are going to visit Lahore the Jain Mandir should be in your list.