Goraknath Temple
| Gorakhnath Temple گورکھناتھ مندر | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Peshawar |
| Deity | Guru Gorakhnath |
| Governing body | Pakistan Hindu Council |
| Location | |
| Location | Gor Khatri |
| State | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| Country | Pakistan |
Interactive map of Gorakhnath Temple گورکھناتھ مندر | |
| Coordinates | 34°00′29.5″N 71°34′50.3″E / 34.008194°N 71.580639°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Hindu temple |
| Completed | 1851 |
| Temple | 1 |
| Website | |
| Pakistan Hindu Council | |
Goraknath Temple (Urdu: گورکھناتھ مندر) is a Hindu temple located in the Gorkhatri area of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The temple is dedicated to Gorakhnath.[1][2] The temple was built in 1851.[3] The temple has been declared as a heritage site.[4]
History
Goraknath Temple is one of the few surviving Hindu temples in Peshawar, along with Kalibari Mandir and Dargah Pir Ratan Nath Jee. The Peshawar High court ordered the Evacuee Trust Property Board to open this temple (or mandir) as a result of the petition filing by the daughter of the temple priest.[1][2] It may have been constructed during the rule of the governor Avitabile during the years 1838–1842, but an earlier dating of between 1823–1830 has also been suggested for its date of erection.[5] The Gor Khatri temple is divided into two areas on a west-east axis: the eastern versus western shrines, which are connected by a chamber.[5]
Current status
The temple was reopened in 2011 following the Peshawar High Court order on ligitation filed by the Hindu community along with declaring it as a heritage site.[6][4] Following the reopening of the temple, it was attacked three times in the following two months. In the third such attack, the attackers burnt the pictures of gods inside the temple and took away the idols, the statue of Shiva was smashed to pieces and the Gita was burnt down.[7][8]
See also
References
- 1 2 AFP (2014-01-26). "Gunmen kill Hindu temple guard in Peshawar". Dawn. Retrieved 2026-04-18.
- 1 2 "Hindu Gorakhnath temple in Peshawar, Pakistan reopens after 60 years". Retrieved 2026-04-18.
- ↑ "PHOTOS: Hindu temple in Peshawar reopens after 60 years - Rediff.com News". m.rediff.com. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
- 1 2 "Pakistan to restore, hand over 400 Hindu temples". Gulf News. 2019-11-13. Retrieved 2026-04-18.
- 1 2 Shah, Ibrahim (2016-07-02). "Hindu Iconography in the Gor Khatri Temple (Peshawar): Sacred Imagery Painted in the Śaiva Shrine". South Asian Studies. 32 (2): 185–198. doi:10.1080/02666030.2016.1218125. ISSN 0266-6030.
- ↑ manzoor.ali (2011-10-20). "Minorities' rights: Goraknath Temple reopens after 60 years in Peshawar". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2026-04-18.
- ↑ "Religious intolerance: Hindu temple vandalised in Peshawar". City: Islamabad. The Times of India. TNN. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
- ↑ "Gorakhnath temple vandalised in Pakistan". City: Peshawar. Pak Tribune. TNN. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
