Shri Varun Dev Mandir
Shri Varun Dev Temple | |
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Varun Dev Mandir visible in the top right corner | |
Shri Varun Dev Temple Location within Sindh | |
Geography | |
Coordinates | 24°51′36″N 67°0′36″E / 24.86000°N 67.01000°ECoordinates: 24°51′36″N 67°0′36″E / 24.86000°N 67.01000°E |
Culture | |
Primary deity | Varuna |
Architecture | |
Architectural styles | Hindu temple |
Number of temples | 1 |
Number of monuments | 1 |
Inscriptions | 2 |
History and governance | |
Governing body | Pakistan Hindu Council |
Website | http://www.pakistanhinducouncil.org/ |
Shri Varun Dev Mandir is a Hindu temple located in Manora Island in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The temple is devoted to Varuna, the god of the oceans in Hindu mythology.[1]
Construction
According to a legend, it was around 16th century when a wealthy sailor by the name of Bhojomal Nancy Bhattia bought Manora Island from the Khan of Kalat, who owned most of the land along the coastline at that time and then his family commissioned a temple on the lay terrain.[2]
The exact year of the temple's construction or foundation is not known[3] but it is widely believed that the current structure was renovated in around 1917–18.[4]
Inscription in devnagri script says,[5] Om, Varun Dev temple.
The inscription in Sindhi on front gate says,[5] dedication from sons in the sacred memory of Seth Harchand Mal Dayal Das of Bhriya. Bhriya is a town in Khairpur in Sindh.
Current status
Currently, this temple belongs to the Pakistan Hindu Council. Evacuee Trust Property Board has done nothing to protect or preserve this ancient heritage.
Today, the temple is in a dilapidated state as humid winds are eating into the structure and the rich carvings on the walls of the temple are slowly eroding. At present, the building is not used for worship and the last ritual was held in the 1950s.[6]