Walking the streets of Sahiwal (Pakistan), I spotted a domed building, distinctively looking like a gurdwara but adorned with a copper, triangular pennant, indicating it would be a Hindu temple.

“Hindu Satsang Sabha” was written on its dome in Hindi but at its entrance a plaque engraved in Gurmukhi, had the Sikh invocation “Ik Ongkar Satgur Parsad”, with the names of donors inscribed. I was deeply touched to see how the Hindu community of Sahiwal closely associated itself with the Sikh faith. Observing that the four loudspeakers on the dome were announcing Azan, I reflected that over time, this place of worship has been a confluence for Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. It reminded of a verse from Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scripture.

Photographed in Oct 2014, during the research for the book “LOST HERITAGE The Sikh Legacy in Pakistan”