Announcing the development, the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) said in a post on X: “The inauguration of the Loh Temple at the Athdara Pavilion in Lahore Fort marks the unveiling of this historic site after conservation by AKCS-P and WCLA, funded by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund.”

According to the official website of the Walled City of Lahore, the temple—located near the Alamgiri Gate—is popularly known as the Temple of Raja Loh. Hindu tradition identifies Raja Loh as a son of Sita and Lord Ram.

Local belief holds that the ancient city of Lahore was founded by Loh. The WCLA website notes that Sita gave birth to twin sons, Lava and Kusha, and oral traditions suggest that Lahore, once known as Lavapuri (City of Lava in Sanskrit), was founded by Prince Lava, while the nearby city of Kasur was founded by his twin brother, Prince Kusha. This legend forms the basis of the cultural link between Loh and Lahore.

However, experts told Free Press Kashmir that there is no authenticated historical evidence to conclusively support the claim linking the temple or the founding of Lahore to Loh, the son of Lord Ram.

Researchers involved in the conservation project said that remnants of frescoes discovered during early zoning work prompted further excavation. This led to the uncovering of additional rooms, corridors, and courtyards beyond what was initially visible, offering new insights into the site’s architectural complexity.