How 5,500-yr-old Pathankot rock-cut temple was saved from being submerged 

Since time immemorial, sages and saints have defined the 5,500-year-old Mukteshwar temple as a “sanctuary of serenity in a chaotic world”.

Legend has it that these caves grant liberation or “moksha” from the cycle of life and death, and that the heroes of Mahabharata, the Pandavas, stayed here after their exile. The structures, situated on the banks of the Ravi in Pathankot, are considered sacred in Hindu mythology.

As they say, every brick tells a story, respect it and preserve it.

Five man-made caverns comprise the rock-cut temple. These represent the Hindu Gods Ganesha, Brahma, Vishnu, Hanuman and Parvati. Such is the aura of the place that lakhs of tourists, including foreigners, come to the world-famous festival “Mukesran-Da-Mela” here every April.

There is a school of thought that the temple is aligned to celestial bodies, but no evidence exists regarding this.

Locals were stunned beyond disbelief when, in the fall of 2014, they got to know that there was no proposal whatsoever to save the temple from being submerged once water filled up in the newly constructed Shahpur Kandi Dam reservoir. Devotees of Lord Mukteshwar, or the Lord of Salvation, were terrified about the very idea of losing their “soul”. And with this, the Mukteshwar Dham Bachao Committee (MDBC) was born.

For the next eight years, barrage officials faced repeated protests and fasts originating from the MDBC’s fear of losing the centuries-old temple. “Come what may, passionate locals were not at all willing to let go of their soul, their temple. There were too many emotions and sentiments involved," said Gulzar Singh, president of the MDBC.

To create pressure on dam officials, the MDBC went on a fast unto death at Doong village, adjacent to the site. Several other pressure tactics were also used.

The then Chief Minister Amarinder Singh visited the site, assured the MDBC that the government would chip in with funds and said he would remain in touch till the work was done. That turned out to be mere rhetoric. Neither the funds came, nor Amarinder came back.

Then entered the scene a forward-looking engineer, Sher Singh, the chief of the barrage. He smothered the ruffled feathers of the MDBC members and told them “Where there is a will, there is a way.” He quickly formed a committee of experts to find a viable solution to the problem.

Engineers worked for months on constructing a concrete wall, which is akin to a mini-dam, to ensure the caves did not get inundated. “A protective wall was built. Nearby mountains were drilled to anchor support. It was a highly technical job and state-of-the-art infrastructure had to be used. Finally, we came up with a structure that acted as a saviour for the caverns. The entire process took months to complete,” he said.

The MDBC says many sensitive things have been overlooked. “The Langar Ghar, Langar Hall, Jaura Ghar, Puja Sthal, Bandar Kaksh (Kitchen) are yet to be built. Officials have assured us to build these, but we are not sure whether these entities will be constructed,” said Bhim Singh, general secretary, MDBC.

Sher Singh says to build certain structures pointed out by the MDBC, the design wing of the dam needs more time to study the situation. He feared that if more construction took place, the river bed material (RBM) used earlier might unsettle and, hence, the entire project could be jeopardised.

“This is a religious issue. We want the barrage officials to construct those structures which have been left out,” said Bhim Singh.

To this, Sher Singh said, “We are on the job. The remaining work will start as soon as we receive the green signal from the technical wing.”

The day they got the news that the site had been actually saved, residents of Matti, Kot, Doong, Aman, Kharasa, Shahpur Kandi and Jugial villages, all located in the vicinity of the site, got together and performed pooja.

“We had feared the worst. However, the dam officials, with their dexterous work, have given us a new lease of life,” said nonagenarian Gian Singh.

These villagers had been offering prayers for months. “We prayed with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties. Whenever I have prayed, miracles have happened. And when I do not pray, they do not happen. A marvel had happened, the temple had been saved,” added Gian Singh.

Indeed, out of difficulties are born miracles.

These caves are not just religious sites — they are vibrant expressions of history, culture and artistic heritage. Ancient shrines are indeed indelible symbols of faith and artistry. These are also a testament to humanity’s enduring desire to remain connected with the divine.

Punjab