Friday 27 July 2012

Temple in Lahore



Shri Nathji addressed a very large gathering at a large open space in Gopal Mandir at Lahore in 1937. On the raise platform were sadhus and mahatmas and holy men of repute. Ram Gopal Mehra who had come with Shri Nathji to the meeting said to Shree Nathji –
“Huzoor, sab ko mast kar do! Fill every one with a wave of divine intoxication!”
As Shri Nathji begen to speek, a spiritual wave appeared to spread outwards from Him. The listeners found their souls experience a hitherto unknown feeling. It was as if divine love and Bliss had come alive. People experienced the nearness of God. After Shri Nathji had finished speaking , the gathering rushed uncontrollably towards the platform to touch His feet and to be close to Him. Even the Mahatmas and Holy men on the stage bent down and touched Shri Nathji’s feet. This event is mentioned in the Mahagranth - God Incarnate on page 349 – 350 where we can read the details.
From my studies (which were not very exhaustive due to lack much credible information on the exact location of this temple, thus giving rise to the possibility that I may be wrong) I have deduced that this Gopal Mandir is now more commonly referred as Krishna Mandir (It has a Vigraha of Bal Gopal) and is located at Ravi Road in the heart of the city of Lahore in Pakistan. This temple was damaged, along with more than 1,000 temples across Pakistan which had been demolished by Muslims who rioted in December 1992, as protest against the demolition of the Babri Masjid in India. But this Krishna temple was the first temple which was taken up for reconstruction in Lahore after the demolitions. The Lahore High Court stayed efforts for a shopping plaza construction on the Krishna Temple land, and addressed the proposed demolition of the Krishna temple. The court issued the prohibition order on the argument that no law of the land allowed a religious building to be razed to ground and the use of its property for any other purpose. It seems that the temple still has a ground in its possession, (on which court has stayed permission for building a shopping plaza) which may be the very ground were Shri Nathji has made this Speech. This temple is the center of all Hindu festival celebrations in Lahore. I am posting a photo which shows the inside of the temple were, besides Hindus, representative of Sikh and Muslim community have gathered to show their solidarity to protect and preserve the historical temples in order to promote communal harmony in Pakistan in a function organized on Dussehra day. So the message of Divine Love which HH Shri Nathji had delivered here in 1937 still touching the hearts of the people. The other photo shows Holy being celebrated inside the temple by Hindu Girls.

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