On September 20, 2025, I was wandering in Khushab in search of a few old buildings. A young man suggested that I meet Shehzad Aslam, who owns a shop in the main bazar. I met him, and indeed he turned out to be a man of extensive knowledge about the history of Khushab and its historical and heritage buildings. He told me many interesting things about the past of Khushab; he is an expert on the pre-partition houses and other buildings. He took us on a quick tour of the locality and, within an hour, showed us at least four buildings of historic and cultural value.
One of them is a Hindu temple and the adjoining Janj Ghar, a community guest house, which was used to accommodate and entertain the groom’s marriage party and also served as a general guest house. The temple is a solidly built two-storey building and is quite unlike a traditional temple. I cannot explain the reason. However, if there had not been a plaque clearly mentioning the word “Mandir,” I would never have thought of it as a Hindu temple.
It was locked, and we could not enter it. However, luckily, a window was open, and I was able to take a peek and a picture. It is a large hall with balconies on all four sides. The temple and the Janj Ghar are both located side by side in the same compound, at: 32°17'41.59"N, 72°21'6.14"E.
Arya Samaj Hindu Temple, in Khushab. (20.09.2025.)
A closer view of the temple. (20.09.2025.)
श्री .......समाज मन्दिर सं. ੧੯੮੫
सुख दियाल सपुत्र बहरी कंहैया लाल मेहरा ख़ुशब निवासी ने धमार्थ बनवाया
سُکھدیال سپُتر باہری کنہیا لعل مہرہ سکنہ خوشاب
نے دھرمارتھ بنوایا۔ 1928 ء
Om
Shri Arya Samaj Temple Year 1985 (1928 AD)
Sukhdiyal s/o Kanhayya Lal Mehra, resident of Khushab,
got constuctured this for religious / charity purpose. 1928 AD
IIn all the hustle and bustle, I forgot to take a closer picture of this most important plaque. Shehzad Aslam came to my rescue and sent me a very clear picture of this commemorative plaque. I also want to express a little doubt here: I could not read the second word on the top left side. It should be “Arya,” as that would complete the sense. But I myself could not read it, as it is written in an unfamiliar style. Anyway, Shehzad Aslam Sahib confirms it to be “Arya.”
A side view of the temple. (20.9.2025.)
Interior of the temple. (20.09.2025.)
The Janj Ghar in Khushab. (20.09.2025.)
یہ جنج گھر و مسافر خانہ
مع ۔۔۔۔۔۔ زمینی5 مرلہ پوجینیہ پِتا شریمان لالہ نہال چند جی سونی
و ماتا صاحبہ شریمتی سُلکھنی دیوی جی کی یادگارمیں بنوایا گیا۔
اکتوبر 1935 ء
بِشن داس کِشن داس رام لبھایا دیسراج ٹھاکر داس گوپال داس سونی
येह जंज घर व मुसाफ़िर ख़ाना
मा ...... ज़मीनी ५ मरला पूजनीय पिता श्रीमान लाला निहाल चंद जी सोनी
व माता साहिबा सुलखनी देवी जी की यादगार में बनवाया۔
अकतुबर १९३५
बिशन दास किशन दास राम लभाया देसराज ठाकुर गोपाल दास सोनी
This Wedding Party House & Guest House
With 5 Marla of land, was constructed in memory of father, Respected Lala Nihal Chand Sawhney and mother, respected Sulakhni Devi ji.
October 1935
Bishan Das, Kishan Das, Rama Labhaya, Desraj, Thakur Das, Gopal Das Sawhney
The temple (right) and the Janj Ghar (left) are side by side. (20.9.2025.)
यह कमरा व बरामदा सुवर्गबाशी श्रीमान दिता मल जी
सपुत्र पियरा राम जी मकङ नोशेहरा निवासी की पुन्य स्मृत्यै में
उनके स्पत्रों श्रीमान राम दता मल व लाला हुकम चन्द व लाला हेम राज जी
ने धर्माथ बनवाया ।। सं. १९९२
یہ کمرہ و برآمدہ سُورگباشی شریمان لالہ دیوی دِتّہ مل جی سپُتر لالہ پیارا رام جی مکڑ
نوشہرہ نواسی کی پنیہ سمرتی میں ان کے سپُتروں
شریمان رام دِتّہ مل و لالہ حُکم چند و لالہ ہیمراج جی نے دھرمارتھ بنوایا
1935
This room and verandah were constructed, in virtuous memory of Shriman Lala Devi Ditta Mal ji s/o Lala Piyara Ram ji Makkar, resident of Nowshera, by his sons Shriman Ram Ditta Mal & Lala Hukam Chand & Lala Hemraj ji for religious / charity purposes.1935
Janj Ghar. (20.09.2025.)
येह कमरे मलिक बिधी चन्द जी व उन की धर्म पतनी श्रीमती भाग वनती जी
की याद में मलकानी जीवन देवी
जी ने बनवाए
یہ کمرے
ملِک بِدھی چند جی
و ان کی دھرم پتنی شریمتی بھاگ ونتی جی
کی یاد میں ملکانی جیون دیوی
جی نے بنوائے۔
1936
These rooms were constructed in the memory of Malik Bidhi Chand ji & his wife respected Bhag Wanti ji, by Malkani Jiwan Devi .
1936
Verandah of the Janj Ghar. (20.09.2025.)
So the plaques not only record the names of the persons who contributed to the construction of these buildings but also provide a brief history of their construction. It is clear from these plaques that the temple was built earlier, in 1928, and that later, in 1935/36, the Janj Ghar was added to it.
Currently, a homoeopathic college for girls is being run there. The administration graciously allowed us to enter the premises and take a few photographs. We were also informed that it is a property of the Auqaf Department, which neither repairs it nor allows others to repair it. Now the logic behind this policy is beyond my understanding.
The writer. (20.09.2025.)
At the end, I would like to offer my special thanks to Aslam Shehzad Sahib, not only for guiding me to this temple but also for providing me with a clear image of the plaque on the temple. He maintains a Facebook page dedicated to the history of Khushab, which contains valuable information about the past and present of the city.
Shehzad's grandfather, Qasim Ali, born in 1922, migrated from Badanpur, a village 4 km east of the historic city of Samana in Punjab, India. I asked him a few questions about those tragic times. He told me that half of their family were killed in the riots. I asked him if he felt any bitterness or hatred toward those people. His answer will always resonate in my mind: he said, “It was hatred that brought us those tragedies; should we hate again?”
Mr. Shehzad Aslam at his shop. (20.09.2025.)
I am sure that with the collaboration of Shehzad, I would be able to write many more interesting posts on similar subjects, related to the history and culture of Khushab. To reach the destination, follow the map given below.
Tariq Amir
October 1, 2025.
Islamabad
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