Krishna Temple, Rawalpindi

The Shri Krishna mandir (Urdu: ), or the Krishna Temple, is a Hindu temple located in Rawalpindi in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is situated between the Rawalpindi railway station and Kabari Bazaar in Saddar. Currently, it is one of the two places of worship for the approximately 7,000 Hindus living in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, with the other handful of temples being non-functional. Hindu festivals like Holi and Diwali are celebrated here.

It covers an area of less than 4 marlas (around 101 m2). The courtyard of the double-storey building has a capacity to accommodate around 100 worshippers.

History
The Krishna temple was built by brothers Kanji Mal and Ujagar Mal Ram Rachpal, two wealthy businessmen of Saddar, in 1897 as a place of worship for the Hindus living in the surrounding areas. From 1947 to 1948, it was closed to avoid religious violence that followed the partition. It was reopened in 1949 and was handed over to the local Hindu Punchayat for those Hindus who chose to remain in Pakistan and it became the main place of worship for Rawalpindi Hindus.

In 1970, the temple was taken over by the Evacuee Trust Property Board, which leased the area surrounding it to local traders. The Hindu community has been protesting against this occupation of the temple land. The temple was frequented by diplomats living in Islamabad until the 1980s.

Currently, it serves as the main temple for the estimated 50 Hindu families residing in the city, with two prayers held daily. It is also frequented by Hindus visiting from Sindh.

Renovation
In 2018, the Punjab government released Rs. 20 million to renovate the temple. The renovation and restoration was completed in 2020.