File:Sassi da Kallara.jpg

Located in the northwest of Talagang tehil of district Chakwal,Punjab,Pakistan and part of USESCO World Heritage Site. Locals call it "Sassi da Kallara", or simply Kaalar, and connect it to the popular legend of Sassi, the washerman's daughter of bhambore in Sindh, who here becomes princess, and punnu, the prince of Kech (Makaran), who is transformed into a camel driver. Standing on crest of crumbly clay and sandstone ridgeoutside the cillageof Shah Muhammandwali on the bank of seasonal Leti Kas (stream) inthe extreme northwest corner of Talagang tehsil, the stumbby ruin is visible from distance. Built with large kiln fired bricks, it is the only Hindu Shahya Temple in the Salt Range to use the material. All other being constructed with porous, fossileferous limestone.

Situated at the very edge of the crumbly hill, the building raised above a high plinth of limestone blocks, is entered from east via remains of a portico that fell away years ago. Indeed, the erosion that floor of the cella has been partially dug up, very likely by treasure hunters. The walls, fortunately, are intact, above which the original roof has been replaced by cement and steel dome- the brave attempt of some concerned archeologist to preserve the deteriorating structure.

While Kaalar largely fallow the pattern of decoration of the other Salt Range temples, there are two unusual elements seen in the building. In the interior, just below the squinches above which on the exterior the elaborate and beautiful two-depth rosettes.The rossettle, it needs be said, is believed to be a manifestation of the su brought to the subcontinent by Persian sun worshipping travellers or immigrants as ealry as the beginning of the Christian era, perhaps even earlier. To the hindu stone mason this must have seemed a pleasing embellishment regardless of its extra-Verdic orgin, and one to be incorporated restricted to this temple alone.

The three external facades are decorated in the prevalent style of period witha niche topped by a trefiol finial the experts believe to be rendition of Buddhist stuppa. This is flanked by square pilasters topped with ornaments capital. Above these, all around by building, runs a band of triangular motifs over whcih there is an arrangement of semi-circular representation of stupas interspersed to the top of the building, is an interconnedted and coherent repetotion forms.

At the bottom of all this, just above plinth, is a band of broad-pentalled flowers. Togeather with a rosettes, the chequer design, the sue of kiln fired bricks, this features makes the temple of Kaalar remarkable and unique among the Salt Range. The open hill is strewn with the ruined foundations of houses and pottery shards. A date, if one can at all be assigned, come from the find of a single coin of King Venkadeva who ruled in the latter yeards of 8th century AD. Such an early date unlikely however. thebluilding probably dates from 10th century , where coin of Venkadeva were still legal tender in the country. coordinates to Kaalar Temple : 33.0316850,71.9464440