MARTANDA SUN TEMPLE OR ACROPOLIS OF KASHMIR
“ The Munificent *(1) king built
the Marvelous Temple of Martanda with Massive stone
walls inside encircling Ramparts and a Township which rejoiced in Grapevines .”
( Rajatarangani of kalhana canto
192 Taranga IV )
This is how KALHANA mentions the Grandeur of this temple and attributes its construction
to King Lalitaditya Muktapida .
Adds Francis Younghusband in his Book 'KASHMIR'
“Martand has a very high place in the world's great architecutral
designs. It is an example of not only the Kashmiri architectural skill but it
has pride of having been set up at a fine spot which is prettier than the spots
where Parthinan, Taj Mahal, St. Peters have been built. It can be considered
either a representative of all such great buildings and monuments or a
combination and sum total af all the qualities. It gives an insight into the
greatness of the people of Kashmir……. In terms
of beauty and strength and in grandeur it is next to Egypt
and Greece.
This temple has been built with strong and square limestones. The temple has
received grandeur and beauty through the pillars of Greek pattern. It is now in
ruins and there are many such ruins scattered in Kashmir.
The very existence of this temple encourages man to carry out study of the
skill and art of Kashmiris. Anyone bereft of the love of nature could not
select such a special spot for the construction of the temple.. ”
About king Lalitaditya
Muktapida , Eminent historian R C Majumdar writes in his book ANCIENT INDIIA
“Lalitaditya moved, with his victorious army, from
Dardistan to Turkey.
The entire area was rich in Kashmiri traditions and education because of the
efforts of unlimited number of monks and Kashmiri people in towns of central Asia. It is not difficult to understand that Lalitaditya
achieved an easy victory in this region. Kashmir, at that time, was the most
powerful state. During the time of Lalitaditya its boundaries had extended from
Tibet in the east to Iran and Turkey
in the west and from Central Asia in the north
to Orrisa and the seashores of Dwarika in the south.”
To
locate this Site one needs to go
Google EARTH and zoom in on the site of The Martanda temple (coordinates
Lat 33°44′44″N Long 75°13′13″E) nine
kilometres east-north-east of Anantnag District Headquarters.It is about
78 Kms from srinagar city on srinagar Pahalgham road . Infact Mattan
village is situated on the main road but to reach MARTAND temple ruins ,
one has to go 2 kms up from Mattan village to reach Ranbirpora village
on the Mattan Karewa ( Plateau ) where the Monument is exactly located
.One can travel from srinagar by a bus or taxi direct to MATTAN village.
Built with 84 columns ,MARTAND SUN TEMPLE is a
listed national monument protected by Archeological survey of India.
The Ancient Temple Architecture of Kashmir
undoubtedly
bears **(2)Greek influence. This influence is starkly
visible in the use of stone Pillars , Columns ,
Trefoiled Doorways , Ornamental fritters
, Geometrical designs especially the rectangle and Triangles , Images
of Gods Carved on stones and Pediments . Kashmiri Stone Architects
made some amendments to suit
Intense winters . This influence is clearly visible in Martanda and
Awantipora stone Temple Architecture
.The
majestic SUN TEMPLE of Martand perched amidst the jungles in the
plateau ( KAREWA ) of Mattan in Anantnag
District of Kashmir is also known as dream of stones. The temple is made
of
Devri stones carried possibly by elephants
. Elephants were seen in abundance in Kashmir
till 11th centaury which fact is substantiated in some cantos of Kalhana’s Rajatarangini.
This temple is enclosed in a courtyard of columns and Arches forming
covered passage all round it. .Like
Chandrapida Vajraditya , illustrious king Lalitaditya was a sun
worshipper and a Follower of Vaishnava cult devoted to the worship of
Keshva Vishnu..
Accordingly Many three faced Vishnu and some Chaturbhuja Vishnu figures
have been prominently carved on the
walls of this Temple
. A central Water Tank with narrow water
channels are existing to this day . In the right panel of
the eastern wall of the Ante chamber of this Temple , an
image of Aruna carved
discerningly is still visible . . Aruna , the charioteer of surya is holding the reins of his seven horses.
.The outer dimension of this
temple is approximately about 200 feet by 170 feet rising upto a height of 75
feet (approximate Measurements done by this writer ). The inner MANDAPA measures roughly 18 feet
by 18 feet . About 84 stone pillars Ten to twelve feet long in single piece
have been used in the construction. Some of them are still erect and the remaining
are broken and scattered inside the complex.
Unfortunately this 8th centaury
Marvel faced ***(3) Demolition during the rule of Sultan Sikander ( 1394-1417 AD ) of Kashmir . The Temple
structure would have been as
imposing as the Pyramids of GIZA or ACROPOLIS OF ATHENS had human hands not joined in its
destruction.
( My special thanks to
the up loader of this photograph on the NET . I do not know the person but my
due acknowledgements to him for this
grand upload. This photograph drawn by some unknown person/ Artist gives an
idea as to how graceful this
majestic Heritage Temple would have been prior to its demolition.)
The temple offers a Panoramic view of Anantnag Area below the hill and the serpentine Lidder stream flowing down below near BUMZOO village. The BHARG SHAKHA Goddess Temple overlooks this monument from a nearby Hillock. Close to the monument are two villages with PATHAN and SIKH settlements. The PATHANS live in WANTRAG village near this monument and speak Pushto besides Kashmiri . So do Sikhs speak PUNJABI ( Multani Type ) and live in a nearby villages called RANBIRPORA and CHITHI SINGH PORA .A pucca road from this monument goes to Achhabal or village BRAH and HARD TUROO . The old MARTAND CANAL ( wherein the water from the lidder stream is lifted through Gravity system to irrigate this KAREWA or PLATEAU ) passes near this Monument and goes up to ACHHABAL ..............
(THE RUINED TEMPLE OF MARTAND )
On slope of vast and undulating plain
In solemn solitude, of noble art,
The ancient ruins of Martand remain
Built for Sun worship on^e. Has the true
part Of thy prone columns faded like a dream?
Engirdled by the everlasting hills
Temple of the Sun! High radiant beam
Illumes this broken altar, and still fills
These shattered halls at dawn with his clear
light Though human hands may no more lovingly
tend.
The Sun's pure glory is God's symbol bright.
Thus thy great destiny can never end:
Still eloquent of prayers, though stones decay
And forms of ancient creeds have passed
away.
( *Muriel Talbot )
- Muriel Talbot also known as Catherine or Mrs Percy Brown. Muriel was the daughter of Col.Adelberl Cecil Talbot resident of Kashmir from 1896 to 1900. Catherine was a poetess who had lived in Kashmir with her father four more than four years .She wrote many poems on the life of kashmiris and beauty of Kashmir which she published in 1921 in a book Titled CHENAR LEAVES from Cacutta after her marriage to Dr Percy Brown.
- Dr Percy Brown ( 1872-1955 ) was a British scholar , painter and Art Historian and writer who came to India and joined Royal Indian Education Service ( 1899-1927 ) as principal of Government School of Arts and Crafts Calcutta . He wrote some monumental books on Indian architecture especially The Budhist style of construction . . After his retirement , he settled in kashmir and moved to live in a houseboat named Catherine parked near Jhelum Bund close to the then srinagar Club . Dr Percy Brown lies buried inside sheikh Bagh cemetery Amira Kadal Srinagar .Percy Brown was also the curator of Lahore Museum and principal of Well known Mayo College of Art Lahore (1899-1909..
About two Kms Below the Martand
Sun Temple ruins lies the sleepy village
of MATTAN or BHAWAN where another small
temple also known as Surya Temple exists
with a spring having gushing water full of Fish .This lower Surya Temple in Mattan village ( About 5 Kms from Anantnaag
Town in south of Kashmir ) is presently
a TEERTHA for Hindus and often confused with the Majestic National Monument uphill. This lower Surya Temple is just 5 kms away from
Ananatnaag town and falls on
Anantnaag -Pahalghaam road . The Surya Temple in village MATTAN finds mention
in NILMATA PURANA as a place for performing SHRADAAS (ceremony for the Dead )
by Hindus from northern part of the
country .
Apart from living in this area
for about 3 complete years , I have also visited this site at least 7 times
during 2008 to 2012 and have felt that
the structure needs immediate attention to save
it from Cracks , Erosion and Weathering . A beautiful garden is maintained by ASI near
the Monument but the main structure needs extensive restoration and repairs. Any
further neglect may deprive posterity of
this Grand Heritage .
The photographs of Martanda
Sun Temple
have been clicked by me during my
various visits . I have also uploaded three photographs of the lower Spring temple known as Mattan or
Bhawan Teertha. I conclude the post with lines from the celebrated poem “History ” by Bulgarian Poet Nikola
Vaptsarov ( 1909-1942 AD )
“ For the hardship and affliction
We do not seek rewards,
Nor do we want our pictures
In the calendar of years.
Just tell our story simply
To those we shall not see,
Tell those who will replace us –
We fought courageously. ”
*(1)
King lalitadittya Muktapida ( Rule period 693 to 729AD ).Some Historians
believe that the Temple
structure was actually started around 370-350AD while a good number of
Historians believe that the structure
was started by King Ranaditya .
Ranaditya is also known for building some VIHARAS in Kashmir.Walter Lawrence is
of the view that the temple structure must have been started somewhere between
370 to 500 AD and completed during the reign of Lalitaditya Muktapida .
**(2)
Presence of people of Greek
origin in kashmir during the rule of Ancient
Hindu kings is confirmed from some direct and indirect references in various
books covering history of Ancient Kashmir . Well known Scholar and historian Dr
Sunil Chandra Ray in his Book “ EARLY
HISTORY AND CULTURE OF KASHMIR ” writes
“Kashmir
came under the occupation of the Greek King MENADER . He was a devotee of
Budha but afterwards left the throne and joined the SANGHA and at last became
an ARHANT . He built a Vihara which came to be known as MILINDVIHARA after the name of its founder ”
***(3)
This Vandalism of Martanda Sun Temple during the rule of Sultan
Sikander of kashmir is also confirmed by various Historians /
Chroniclers including Jonaraja, Ferishta , Author Of Baharistan e
Shahi , Prof.Mohibul Hassan ,
Kashmir Historian Peer Hassan Shah ( Died 1898 ) , Walter Lawrence and
many more . Adds kashmir Historian Peer Hassan Shah in his Book
"Taarikh e Hassan"........
“In the first instance he turned
his attention towards the Martanda temple built by Ramadeva (it was actually
Lalitaditya who had built it) on Mattan Karewa. For one full year he tried to
demolish it but failed. At last in sheer dismay he dug out stones from its base
and having stored enough wood in their place set fire to it. Gold gilt
paintings on its walls were totally destroyed and the walls surrounding its
premises were demolished. Its ruins even now strike wonder in men's minds. ”
References
1
Rajtaringani of Jonaraja,
2
Rajtaringani of Kalhana translated by R S Pandit
3
Baharistani - Shahi ( Translated from Persian
by Sh K N Pandita ) .
4
“ Kashmir Under
Sultans ” by Mohib ul Hassan
5
“Valley
of Kashmir ” by Walter
Lawrence
6 “Tawarikh Farishta ” written by Muhammad
Qasim Hindu Shah Ferishta ( 1560-1620) Translated by John Briggs .
7 “Tawarikh e Kashmir
” by Haider Malik Chadura Edited and translated by Razia Bano .
8 “Eminent Personalities of Kashmir ” by
Krishan Lal Kalia .
9 “Ancient Greeks In Kashmir
Evidences Of Ancient Greeks Found In Jammu Kashmir , Ladakh And In Its Frontier District by Iqbal
Ahmed ( Dilpreet Publishing House (2011) Price Rs995.
( Autar Mota 31.03.2013 ... Time 11.15PM ... Good Night )
CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.
3 comments:
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