Bhaun Mandir
On Sunday, 22 January 2023, the artist started the journey to the destination
Bhaun, situated at a distance of 12 km from Chakwal City. At Bhaun Mandir
the artist met a family who came from Canada to visit the village where
they spent their childhood. They were disappointed as the temple and the
other historical sites of Bhaun were damaged and destroyed. Bhaun is a
tiny, captivating town with many of the loveliest and untouched sites
in town, which may be visited while strolling. As you go, there are so
many little alleys and narrow passageways at every turn of every street,
every footpath, each eager to tell you its history, it is majestic past,
its meteoric ascent, and slow collapse. Bhaun was a hamlet before to partition,
mostly populated by Sikhs and Hindus. The hamlet contained 5 Mandirs,
2 Gurdwaras, 5 water ponds, and several more Hindu holy sites. "About
12 kilometers south of Chakwal is the historical town of Bhaun, formerly
known as Bhavan, which is known for its magnificent temples, highly revered
shrines, and Havelis with exquisitely carved doors and remarkably built
wooden balconies indicating the owners' affluence and aesthetic."
The Hindus fled the town in 1947, leaving behind a slew of temples and
houses (Havelis) with architecture that is a mix of indigenous and Kashmiri
styles, with little decoration. The temples are not as ornately decorated
as those at Katas and Malot. However, some of these are embellished with
artwork, while others are enormously high and noticeable from a distance.
All of our heritage temples are in shambles as a result of negligence
on the part of both the authorities and the general population. Two temples
in Chaddran Mohalla are in disrepair. Kashmiri immigrants live in one
of the temples. Tourism is vital to the economy of some of Western Europe's
most renowned countries, including Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. Unfortunately,
it is our country's most neglected sector. They have defiled numerous
figures displayed on the temple's walls, and the temple's western wall
has crumbled. Then a nearby temple is transformed into a business selling
household things. The agencies concerned must work together to prevent
further damage to these beautiful works of architecture. The restoration
of these temples and Havelis will provide our youngsters with an opportunity
to witness the magnificence of our Hindu history in Pakistan in the past.
If the government takes the required steps, this location might become
a stopover for visitors to Kallar Kahar and Katas. Tourism has become
an industry in other countries, and countries are creating strategies
to boost it.. Tourism has gained the status of an industry in other nations,
and countries are devising ways to promote it.
Bhaun was a major trading center, and Hindus dominated the roost in this
town. They left behind a variety of temples with basic construction that
blended native and Kashmiri styles, with little decoration. The current
condition of the temple is deteriorating and not in usable condition The
artist used digital illustration skills to elegantly illustrate the Bhaun
Mandir which is the finest approach to conserve and promote the place
for future generations and named it and named it “Time-Worn Bhaun
Mandir”(Image.5). Mandir differs from those in Katas and Malot,
which are built in the Kashmiri style and are highly adorned. Some of
the temples in Bhaun are embellished with artwork, while others are enormously
high and visible from a distance.