Saltmine & Ketas Temples
The Khewra Salt Mine (or Mayo Salt Mine) is located in Khewra, north of
Pind Dadan Khan,an administrative subdivision of Jhelum District,
Punjab, Pakistan. It is Pakistan's largest and oldest salt mine and the
world's second largest. The salt reserves at Khewra were discovered when
Alexander the Great crossed the Jhelum and Mian Wali region during his
Indian campaign. The mine was discovered, however, not by Alexander, nor
by his allies, but by his army's horses, when they were found licking
the stones. Ailing horses of his army also recovered after licking the
rock salt stones During the Mughal era the salt was traded in various
markets, as far away as Central Asia. On the downfall of the Mughal
empire, the mine was taken over by Sikhs. Hari Singh Nalwa, the Sikh
Commander-in-Chief, shared the management of the Salt Range with Gulab
Singh, the Raja of Jammu. The former controlled the Warcha mine, while
the latter held Khewra
Ketas
The temples of Ketas are situated about 4 km away from Choa Saidan Shah
on Kallar Kahar – Choa Saidan Shah Road. The distance of Ketas from the
salt mines of Khewra is about 18 km. this place was originally known as
Katahsha or spring of raining eyes. According to an old legend when
Shiva was very sad at the death of his wife Sati, tears fell from his
eyes one at Pushkar at Ajmer, and the other at Ketas. So in memory of
this the temples were built. Here is a pool sacred to the Hindus. The
pool lies in the midst of two hills fed by springs in the pool itself.
The Hindus believed that the pool was bottomless but during the British
period soundings were taken and the depth was found to be only 7 meters.
Probably the oldest building in Ketas is a Buddhist Stupa. The remains
of this stupa are still visible on an elevated portion of Ketas