Hindu Temples of Sarafa and Bhabra Bazaars, Rawalpindi

The old neighbourhoods surrounding Sarafa, Bhabra and Lunda bazaars contain several surviving Hindu temples and pre-Partition havelis. Hidden among narrow streets, these buildings preserve an important part of Rawalpindi’s architectural and religious history.

They form part of our regional guide to Rawalpindi’s temples and historic cemeteries and the wider collection of 72 historic Hindu temples of Pakistan.

I’d been frequently spotting a few of these hindu temples and mandir of Rawalpindi Pakistan over the skyline, whenever I visited the old city. I would sometimes also catch a glimpse of the mansions’ or ‘havelis’ abandoned by Hindus and Sikhs when they hurriedly left Rawalpindi in 1947, in close proximity to these hindu temples. This would have me wonder what all heritage jewels are hidden in the narrow streets of old Rawalpindi.

Hindu temples and mandirs of Rawalpindi Google map images are pasted below for your reference.

Hindu Sikh Mohallas of Pre-partition

Then I had been hearing of Mohanpura, Kirtarpura mohallas and mai veeru de banni, where non-Muslim families lived till the 60s. Finally, on Spring Sunday we decided  to pack my gear and set off on Rickshaw to Sarafa Bazar to log these wonderful hindu temples and try to live among the ruins to imagine how these industrious people dominated the pre-partition society.

The four Hindu Temples we visited

We visited four temple structures situated along the narrow streets connecting Sarafa and Lunda bazaars. The buildings stand within walking distance of one another, although most are occupied, locked or not formally open to visitors.

The narrow lanes, multistorey havelis and closely grouped religious buildings reflect the dense urban character of old Rawalpindi. Visitors should respect residents’ privacy and never enter an occupied building without permission.

Our Travelogue

The moment we set foot inside the old city lane, the temperature dropped at least 5 ⁰ Centigrade. The lanes were clean, airy, and well maintained. On either side of the lane were three-story-high mansions. The facade, balconies, ornate wooden doors, the tapestry was absolutely amazing.

The first Mandir of the four Hindu temples was just a few yards into the lane. It had an imposing structure. It was the highest structure in the surrounding area. We couldn’t see the spire on the top standing at its foothill. We couldn’t get inside so we decided to move on to the next one.

We reached the second Mandir of the four Hindu temples after a few bends along the catacomb, and it was decrepit, to say the least. Auqaf trust manages the building but I guess they don’t have the funds to maintain it. No festivals are held here and no visitors or tourists come, except wayward travelers like us. The building itself spoke of its grandeur once, as a place for Hindu worship. The walls were thick, the carvings lavish and the spire marked the skyline. The building was solid as it had a basement at least 5 meters deep.

The people living in these lanes were those who had come from India after the partition. They were very helpful. I wonder how many Hindus live in these narrow lanes; I have heard there are quite a few remaining.

Next came Mandir number 3, called Ganesh Mandir-— with its imposing spire and hanuman figuring on its side. The residents of the temple wouldn’t let us in, god knows why. They were probably sick of pesky intruders. We then reached Lunda Bazar and went up to the Mohan Mandir.

There the family let us see the spire from up-close. While walking up the steps it felt like I was in a Bollywood movie as the setting was very similar. All the residents lived there on rent and were Muslims. They paid rent to Auqaf trust, which handles the maintenance of these religious sites.

Right across from the Mohan Mandir was the oldest Imam Bargah of Rawalpindi and also a mosque. Lunda Bazar was probably the melting pot for all the religious communities of pre-partition times.

We returned to Sarafa Bazar using a different route and then went to the northern side where Haveli Sujjan Singh is located. The imposing haveli seems haunted. It’s with the National College of Arts but there is no artwork going on. Just a chowkidar whose job it is to scare away visitors. The haveli itself is grand, to say the least. It even has an overhead gangway for the residents to stroll across over the alleyway below, from one wing of the haveli to the other.

Every lane we turned to lead us to an even better building. Simple restoration work could bring in billions of rupees in tourist revenues. It’s a shame the Indian government doesn’t let their people visit these places of their ancestors. It would be a healing touch to the atrocities that took place after partition.

 Continue exploring nearby heritage through Kalyan Das Temple, Krishna Mandir in Saddar, the Hindu temples of Lal Kurti and Sujan Singh Haveli.

Walking through these lanes reveals how much of Rawalpindi’s history survives outside recognised tourist attractions. The temples, havelis, mosques and imambargahs together preserve evidence of the old city’s diverse communities.

Careful documentation, resident-sensitive heritage walks and modest conservation could protect these buildings without turning the neighbourhood into an intrusive tourist space. Discover more heritage and historic places in Pakistan or see the best things to do in Rawalpindi.