Sixteen Centuries Old Durga Temple At Thatta

It was a sunny Saturday as we reached Thatta, the capital of Sindh in the days of Samma dynasty, one of the two native ruling clans of Sindh, who were overthrown by barbaric Arghuns, as these merciless Arghuns entered Thatta, a port city of immense value in those days, they started to burn it.

Thatta was established by Samma rulers of Sindh, who took the throne of Sindh from their ruling cousins the Soomra. Jam Nazimuddin alias Jan Nando became the most famous native ruler of Sindh, his rule was the most properous, harmanous and the boundaries of Sindh were well protected.

M. Saleem Akhtar in his book "Sind Under The Mughals" mentions that the throne of Sind was adorned by Jam Nizam al-Din Nandah (1461-1508), the penultimate ruler of Samma Dynasty.

 The Jam's territories as pointed out by Erskine, reached from the ocean to the Multan territory, above Bheker, on the one side; and from Rajput desert and Kach, to Bolan Pass and Baluchistan on the other; comprehending, the Delta of Indus and the country on the both sides of the river to some distance from its banks, especially Sehwan with Shikarpore, Kach-Gandava and part of Siwastan. Thanks to the pragmatic policies of this Jam, as the Samma rulers of Sind were traditionally called, Sind became a land and plenty. The insurgent tribes were effectively held in check, people lived in harmony with each other and art and learning rapidly progressed.

At Makli, one of the world's largest Necropolis, situated some five kilometers from Thatta on nine square kilometers bearing witness to artistry and craftsmanship of Sindhis during Samma dynasty, we came across a Hindu Temple of Mother Durga  (the most famous goddess of Hindu mythology, a goddess of war carrying a different weapon in her many hands killing the demons and evil monsters.
The temple is a vast two storey building containing a number of Hindu deities and saints including Ganesha (the elephant head god) and Shiv or Shiv Maharaj. 

(Prayer tools at Durga Temple, Thatta)

The repair and renovation of the temple was in process when we reached it to visit, only local Hindus were allowed from their prayers, while no visitors of other faiths were allowed as the increase of extremism in Sindh and attacks on Hindu temples in various parts of Sindh.

(Different Saints at Durga Temple, Thatta)

 Yet in Pakistan some people and professions have got extra privileges, for example if you are in Pakistan Armed forces and walk the street in your uniform, you would be treated as a god and above every law of the land. Take another example of Malik Raiz of Bahria Foundation, he is such a powerful man in real estate business of the country that even if he demolishes the Parliament House of Pakistan, and allot its land for his housing scheme, he surely would get away with it, like he got away with half land of Kherthar National Park at Jamshoro district, likewise we journalists enjoy our own privileges, as we introduced ourselves as journalists from Hyderabad, we were allowed in the temple and had a guided tour.

According to the local priest the temple was 16 centuries old, the main deity was Durga Mother, yet there were other deities like Shiv Maharaj, Ganesha, Hanuman, Ram, Sita Matta and others. We found a stone marked with the renovation of temple during British period and it was dated 1872.

(The Pond of Water Used For fulfillment of wishes)

There was a pond of water inside the temple, its water considered holy and any wish was to be granted on throwing some amount of money in the pond.

(Idol of Shiv Maharaj at Durga Temple Thatta)

(Shri Ram, Sita Matta, Shri Lakshman and Hanuman: Famous deities in Hindu Mythology)

The locals claimed that though the community had faced various ups and downs, disasters, and invasions, yet it has stood there for centuries and has provided guidance and courage to the local Hindu community in rough times.