Green pond
Clear water among temples.
Raheelsualiheen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ahsan Ali — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Shahzaib Damn Cruze — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Shahzaib Damn Cruze — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Abid Mahmood — CC BY-SA 3.0
The Katas Raj Temples are a Hindu temple complex in the Salt Range of Punjab, linked by walkways around a pond held sacred by Hindus. The site lies on the Potohar Plateau at about 610 metres, about 10 km in a straight line from the Khewra Salt Mine. The oldest temple dates back to the 6th century AD, and the site is believed to appear in ancient Hindu texts. The name comes from a Sanskrit word meaning «tearful eyes», and in Urdu and Persian the pond is called Chashm-e-Alam. Prehistoric stone tools and terracotta bangles have been found here. Stone temples with domes and ribbed towers stand on terraces around the clear green pond, with stone steps leading down to it. Ruined houses and old doorways surround them, bare hills look down on the complex, and the Satghara group of temples lies a short way to the southwest. This is a religious site, so respect its customs and do not enter the pond. The light is best in the morning or before sunset, and it pairs well with nearby Khewra.
Clear water among temples.
Old stone temples.
Stone steps to the water.
Choa Saidanshah, Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan
From a Sanskrit word for «tearful eyes».
Khewra Salt Mine, about 10 km away.