Holi - The Festival of Colors - celebrated across Pakistan by the Hindu community of the country.
In Rawalpindi, there are hardly 600 Hindu families, mostly belonging to the Valmiki sect of Hinduism. There are two Valmiki and a Krishna Mandir in Rawalpindi. With the Colors of Holi being still in the air, sharing some photographs of a Holi celebration at the Valmiki Mandir in Rawalpindi.
The curator of the temple, Shri Jagjit Bhatti says that “ tell the world that Hindus in Pakistan are celebrating Holi in its full colors and glory, we are safe here.” This Valmiki Mandir, located at Chaklala area of Rawalpindi is a temple from the pre-partition era. It was built in 1935 and active since then. Post partition, most of the Hindus migrated from the area, thus drastically reducing the Hindu population in the city to bare minimum. This Valmiki Mandir is among the three active temples of the city where Hindus come to pray and celebrate their religious festivals on a regular basis.
A friend comments that these are sad pictures. The faces in these pictures reflect their minority status and not their religious freedom or their festive mood - as Holi is not a 'temple festival’ to be celebrated indoors, in the evening, but rather a celebration out in the open, during the day.
I have no words to counter my friends observation, but all I have, are these photographs and they are what I would like to share with you.
Hey
ReplyDeleteNice Work dear ...
Dileep Here
It's great you made the effort to go there, record this and put it up. That is very important and very commendable. Way to go :)
ReplyDeleteI agree that it seems a bit sad that they can not celebrate out in the open where people of other religions can cheer them on and share a bit of their joy. All we can do is pray that Quaid's Pakistan would have its comeback where people of all religions have equal rights to practice their religion as they see fit and not be afraid or intimated.
ReplyDeleteYaaro zindagi ka koi bharosa nahi bus Hindu Muslim Sab bhai mil zul kar raho !!!!
ReplyDeleteGod Bless
Great photos and images. It captured the fun of the celebration of holi. My heartfelt holi wishes to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteshruti xxx
http://messages.365greetings.com/holiday/holi/holi-wishes.html
Krishna Mandir Rawalpindi
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/doBRTLPY9Aw
http://youtu.be/SeXkbqF7xJI
I appreciate Shirazhassan for the subject of his blog. It is the so called religious and political leaders who divide people on the basis of religion. Can anyone divide the blood when it comes out during riot murders. Can anyone divide the water of Ganga and Jamuna once the meet other at a place? I wonder why our leaders did not come out with the solution like United States of Hindustan, on the lines of USA? We could have become much stronger.
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