Temples, Hindu: Jammu & Kashmir
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Temples in Jammu & Kashmir
Written by Manas Srivastava
New Delhi | Updated: September 9, 2022 5:16:28 pm
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What is the important source to study the early history of Kashmir?
—The main source to study the history of Kashmir is the Rajatarangini written in A.D 1148-1150 by Kalhana in Sanskrit language.
—It is considered as a reliable source of history of Kashmir especially for the period from about A.D 600 onwards perhaps with the foundation of Karkota dynasty by Durlabhavardhana early in the seventh century.
—Rajatarangini provides reliable and comprehensive information on political, administrative, religious and economic condition during Kalhana’s times.
Who have been some famous rulers in the early history of Kashmir?
Karkota dynasty
—Durlabhavardhana
Chinese pilgrim, Hsuan Tsang visited Kashmir and spent three years from A.D 631 to 633. He left a detailed account on Kashmir and its people, Buddhist monastries, Ashokan stupas containing relics of Buddha.
His territories extended beyond Kashmir and was the first king of Kashmir to issue coins, according to Chinese annals.
—Lalitaditya
He was known for his military exploits and active patronge of arts and letters.
The most important exploit of his career was the defeat of Yasovarma of Kanauj and the annexation of his kingdom. He founded many towns and settlements and bulits temples and mathas.
In Parihasapura he built four Vaishnava shrines with gold and silver images, a Buddhist temple enshrinig a brass image, and a monastery. The most important religoius foundation laid by Lalitaditya was the Sun temple at Martanda.
Utpala dynasty
—Avantivarma
He is known for brought peace, prosperity and stability on Kashmir with the help of his loyal minister named Sura.
He founded Avantipura and built two great temples of Avantisvami and Avantisvara there.
His court consisted of authors and poets such as Bhatta Kallata, Muktakana, Sivasvami, Ratnakara and Anandavardhana.
His reign is also known for the engineering achivements of Suyya. Suyya devised technique of controlling the waters of the river Jhelum and increasing the amount of cultivable land. It involved the imrovement of facilities of irrigation.
—Sankaravarma
His expeditions drained Sankaravarma’s treasury and forced him to impose heavy taxes. His extortions fell heavily on temple endowments, priestly corporations, and on the cultivators who were further opressed by forced labour.
He founded Sankaraputrapattana and adorned by three large shiva temples.
—Didda
She was the wife of the ruler Kshemagupta and dominated the political scene in Kashmir for half a century- as a queen-cosort, regent and finally as sovereign.
I Lohara dynasty
—Harsa
He possessed both scholarly and musical talent. But lacked on military and administrative fronts. He is blamed for robbing temple-treasures and melting down ancient images in order to replenish his exchequer.
II Lohara dynasty
—Jayasimha
He is said to have ruled through a judicious combination of strength and cunning. He was the patron of Kalhana, author of the Rajatarangini.
After Jayasimha’s death, Kashmir continued to be ruled for about two centuries by a succession of weak Hindu princes until A.D 1337 when Hindu rule was terminated by Sultan Shamsuddin.
What does the early history of Kashmir tell about Religion?
—Nilamatapurana, a work from Kashmir of seventh century A.D. informs that Kashmir has had a strong persistent tradition of Naga worship.
—When Asoka’s missionary Majjhantika came to Kashmir to preach Buddhism in the third century B.C he had to contend with the Naga cult. Hsuan Tsang informs that Majjhantika achieved remarkable success.
—Kaniska convened the fourth Buddhist Council in Kashmir and at the end had the Tripitaka treatises engraved on copper plates and deposited in a stupa in the valley.
—Hsuan Tsang who stayed in Kashmir saw in the valley about 5,000 Buddhist priests and viharas.
—Ou-kong who visited Kashmir during the eighth century A.D. also found Buddhism in a flourishing state.
—The Karkota kings whowere followers of Brahmanical religion but they extended liberal patronage to Buddhism.
—Kashmir developed a stronghold of the Sarvastivada sect and played an important role in the spread of Buddhism and Buddhist art beyond India to Afghanistan, Central Asia, Tibet and China.
—After eighth century, Buddhism was overshadowed by Shavism and Vaishnavism. Kashmir fostered a distictive four-faced Vaikuntha form of Vishnu. Utplala kings from Sankarvarma onwards were more inclined towards Shavism. Kashmir was a citadel of Pasupata sect.
Which are some of the other important temples in Kashmir?
Shankaracharya temple
Pandrethan temple
Sankara Guruvaram (Sugandesha) temple
Naranag Temple
Avantiswami (Avantipur) Temple
Loduv Temple
Mamaleshwar Temple
