One of the oldest Hindu temples in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi is being renovated after a legal battle to evict encroachers and a long campaign to raise funds for its restoration.

The 1,500-year-old Shri Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir, located at Soldier Bazaar in Karachi, is getting a facelift after its management battled land grabbers to regain partial control of its property.

Though the renovation efforts suffered a setback some years ago, its management is adamant that the work will be completed despite encroachments on the temple's plot, intimidation and threats by land grabbers and a lack of funds, The Express Tribune newspaper reported today.

"The temple was supposed to be renovated within two years. But a shortage of funds and the cases we have been fighting for the ownership of our land have slowed down the process. Yet we won't give up," said Shri Ram Nath Maharaj, the temple's caretaker.

The temple holds special significance for Hindus as it is the only shrine in the world which has a "natural statue" of Hanuman that is not man-made, Maharaj said.

The eight-foot blue and white statue was discovered at the site of the temple long ago. The room in which the statue is kept will not be touched during the renovation.

A free 'langar khana' or kitchen and a praying area are currently being built.

To preserve the look of the temple, its original yellow stones are being used to rebuild the arched walls.

"We believe in preserving our temple. We had to renovate because it was in ruins, with parts of the roof caving in," Maharaj said.

Blocks of old stones are being moulded into new ones.

"The process of using the old stones to rebuild is time consuming, difficult and costly," he explained.

The renovation of the temple is not being funded by the Minorities’ Affairs Ministry of Sindh province.

Instead, Hindus and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement hace provided donations.

"We need Rs 4.5 million for the reconstruction. We have received half of the money but we need the rest to complete it," said Maharaj.

A banner at temple requests people to make donations.

The Shri Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir has faced the same problem as many other Hindu shrines in Karachi – encroachment.

Half its 2,609-quare foot plot has been taken over by encroachers.

According to documents shared by Maharaj, the plot was divided into 10 parts in 1995. Land grabbers claimed the lease.

In 2006, the temple won back four parts after the lease was cancelled by a district court.

The anti-encroachment department was ordered by the City District Government to remove illegal encroachers from three other plots but the decision is yet to be implemented after six year.

"The illegal owners continue to reside on land which belongs to the temple. We are still fighting in court for the ownership of the other two plots," said Maharaj as he sat in his incense-filled office while a stereo played bhajans and pictures of Hanuman adorned the walls.

Maharaj is hopeful of regaining control of the land.

"We could once again attract foreign devotees. When we win back our land, I will make guest rooms, a parking lot and a place for shoes," he said.