Rawalpindi is a district in north Punjab, and geographically it is part of the famous Potohar Plateau, which has an ancient prehistoric archaeological history. Tens of thousands of years-old human settlements have been found here. For at least three millennia, it has been a centre of famous civilizations, Gandhara being one of the most famous and well-known. In recent times, the British Indian Empire established its control over this region in 1849, which lasted for a century until 1947.
Before partition, it had a multi-religious population. Though Muslims were in the overwhelming majority in the Rawalpindi district, the Hindus and Sikhs also had a considerable population, forming almost 10% and 8% of the total population, respectively. They were mostly involved in trade and shopkeeping, hence mostly concentrated in big villages and towns, where in many cases they formed a majority of the population.
One such village is Gulyana, which is a very old town and before the partition was a majority Hindu and Sikh village. Some houses, temples, etc., built by them can still be seen. On my visit to Gulyana on Augustst 31, 2025, I was able to explore two such temples and a Samadhi on the outskirts of the village.
The first temple, the smaller one and closer to the village, is located at 33°11'54.67"N, 73°16'17.95"E. Our friend and host during this short visit, Danish, told us that although the temple is officially under the custody of the Auqaf Department, no care is taken of it. However, a local resident, Tariq Mahmood s/o Sheikh Zulfiqar Mahmood, who now lives in the UK, has recently arranged for some repair work on the structure. The plinth of the temple has been repaired, but beyond that, no details about its name or history could be found.
A Hindu temple in Gulyana. (02.09.2025.)
Some repair work on the plinth is visible. (02.09.2025.)
A view from another direction. (02.09.2025.) A view from the backside. (02.09.2025.)
The temple is located in open fields. (02.09.2025.)
Inside the temple, the frescoes and paintings are largely intact. One can still see and appreciate the beauty of the decorative work, even after the passage of such a long time. However, it has not been safe from the curse of graffiti and vandalism. The walls are adorned with paintings of Hindu deities, while the roof displays beautiful floral designs.
Close to the temple, about 30 meters to the southwest, there is a well that once belonged to the temple. It is still functional. A Persian wheel can be seen, though it is no longer in use. Hindu devotees must have used this water for purification rituals.
Well of the temple. (02.09.2025.)
Another wheel. (02.09.2025.)
The water was drawn with the help of a Persian Wheel. (02.09.2025.)
People still draw water from this well, using an electric motor. (02.09.2025.)
L to R: Tariq, Abdul Hasan & Hasanain. (02.09.2025.)
On the far right, our host and guide, Ismail. (02.09.2025.)
The second and larger temple is located about 170 meters southeast of the first temple, at 33°11'52.76"N, 73°16'24.21"E. It is a beautiful structure, surrounded on all four sides by a verandah. When I visited, it was the peak of the monsoon season, and everything was covered with overgrown trees and vegetation. The same was the case with this temple, which prevented me from taking a good photograph of its impressive building.
A view of the second Hindu temple from the east. (02.09.2025.)
A view from the South, a Samadhi is visible on the left. (02.09.2025.)
A closer view. (02.09.2025.)
A comlete section of veranda has fallen apart on the left. The Western side. (02.09.2025.)A view from the south. (02.09.2025.)
Debris of the fallen veranda on the western side. (02.09.2025.)
The samadhi. (02.09.2025.)
A floral design inside the Samadhi. (02.09.2025.)
Probably Guru Nank ji and Bhai Mardana (on the right). (02.09.2025.)
A verandah of the temple. (02.09.2025.)
Another view of the verandah. (02.09.2025.)For more information about the temple and Gulyana, I suggest reading an article
"Gulyana: Punjab's crumbling 900-year-old village", written by
Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro, published in Dawn on June 20, 2015. It is a very informative and interesting article.
I do not like to criticize or make controversial remarks about a site or an issue in my blog. However, the negligence of the Auqaf Department is very painful. It is evident from this temple, and many other such temples and gurdwaras, that while they enjoy the income from the properties attached to these institutions, in most cases, they neither protect nor carry out maintenance work on these buildings. The same is true of this temple, which even has some land attached to it and is given on contract by Auqaf. Yet, no care is taken of the temple itself. I can only hope that they will change their ways.
To avoid confusion and waste of time, follow the map given below.
Tariq Amir
September 2, 2025.
Islamabad.
