Katas Raj Temples

Katas Raj Temples is a Hindu temple complex in Choa Saidan Shah Tehsil, Pakistan, arranged around a natural pond on the Potohar Plateau. The individual structures are linked by paved walkways and form a spatial unit with the water in the open landscape.

The temples were built between the 7th and 10th centuries during the rule of the Hindu Shahi dynasty over the region. Chinese travelers such as Faxian and Xuanzang visited the site and documented its importance for the religious landscape of that time.

The name Katas comes from Sanskrit and refers to the tears that, according to belief, formed the central pool at the heart of the complex. Pilgrims from the Hindu community in Pakistan and abroad still visit the site for prayer and ceremonies, especially during festivals.

Visitors must remove their shoes before entering the prayer areas and should dress modestly. The complex is easy to walk through, but the ground can become slippery in wet weather.

The stories from Hindu mythology link the pond to the epic Mahabharata and the time when the Pandava brothers lived there in exile. According to one account, the brothers also solved philosophical riddles at this water that are still part of the transmitted literature today.