The most memorable and beautiful work of King Lalitaditya is the construction of the spacious Martand temple, which he built in honor of the Sun God or Bhaskar. Lalitaditya was a Surya (Sun) Dynasty Kshatriya. The temple's style of construction and the skill displayed in it are unprecedented in world history. Though the cities, towns, and ruins of Lalitaditya's era are not easily found, the remnants of the large Martand temple, which the emperor had built at the pilgrimage site of the same name, are an example of the building skills of Kashmiri Hindu builders of ancient times. They are praised for their beauty, design, and art. Martand is regarded as one of the world's great architectural designs, and it is not only an example of Kashmiri architectural skill, but it also has the distinction of being situated in a very picturesque location. The massive temple ruins stand in a square field against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains. This temple was constructed with strong and square limestones and features Greek-style pillars. For six centuries, Lalitaditya was not only the founder of a vast empire but also the founder of Kashmiri Hindu art and skill.
History Of Martand Sun Temple
The Martand Sun Temple is built in the nagara
style of temple architecture and is immaculately maintained. The Archaeological
Survey of India has designated it as a protected monument. It predates the
Konark Sun Temple in Odisha (13th century AD) and the Modera Sun Temple in
Gujarat (11th Century). Sun is known as "Martand" in Sanskrit.
Ancient and medieval kings would frequently refer to themselves as "son of
the Sun" (Surya-Putra). The impressive Martand Sun Temple was built during
the reign of Lalitaditya Muktapida, one of the mightiest emperors of north
India.
Architectural Significance Of The Temple
The Martand Surya Mandir's architectural style
is a mix of authentic Kashmiri architecture and Gandharan, Gupta, Chinese,
Roman, Syrian-Byzantine, and even Greek architectural styles.
Stones with images of Hindu deities are strewn
about on the ground. Martand Sun Temple is located in Mattan, Kashmir, India.
The temple's sprawling campus was surrounded by
84 smaller shrines. The central temple rose above the ground as if guarding the
entire valley of Kashmir. It was the strangest Hindu structure I'd ever seen.
Despite having traveled to over 300 places in India and abroad for over 11
years, I have never seen anything comparable. I'm not bragging; I'm simply
expressing my opinion. Historians and archaeologists believe the temple's top
was pyramidal in shape. Many temples in Kashmir have a pyramidal shape, known
in Hinduism as Shikhar.
The Temple’s Carvings
The impressive shrine boundary is 142 feet wide and 200 feet long. The Greek-inspired peristyle is the largest of its kind in Kashmir. Martand Surya Mandir is an architectural marvel, and all of the chambers were aligned with the temple's perimeter. And there's more. The chambers were all of the same sizes. Massive square blocks of limestone form the sturdy foundation. The Greek-style pillars are still visible. Many carvings are deteriorating in this manner as a result of poor maintenance. The Martand Sun Temple in Kashmir is second only to the impressive Konark Temple in Odisha. The other ancient Sun Temple is in Gujarat, in Modhera. None of these temples are still in use today.
Because of the architecture's brilliance, the
temple's main entrance is the same width as the main temple in the courtyard's center,
making it appear dramatic, grand, and larger than life. The main entrance of
the temple is located on the western side of the overall layout, as is
customary in Hindu architecture.
Destruction Of The Temple
Martand Sun Temple was destroyed during the
reign of Sikandar Butshikhan, who was responsible for the forced conversion of
Hindus to Islam in No prizes for guessing why he was also known as 'Sikandar
the Iconoclast' or Sikandar Butshikan. He was the sixth Sultan of the Shah Miri
Dynasty of Kashmir. He reigned from 1389 to 1413.
Sikandar Butshikan was a bigot of the religious
variety. Mir Mohammad Hamadani, a Sufi saint, influenced him to commit crimes
against the then-majority Hindu population to convert them to Islam by force.
As a result, a large number of Hindus converted to Islam. Their descendants now
reside in Kashmir and identify as Muslims. Those who refused to convert to
Islam were either killed or expelled from Kashmir. It was similar to the mass
slaughter of Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s.
Sikandar Butshikhan was known as the
idol-breaker or – Shikhar because of his penchant for destroying temples, idols
of infidels, and idol houses. But that means a statue.
He destroyed many Hindu temples in his rage.
Some of them are the well-known temple of Mahadev at Bahrare, the temple of
Maha-Shri built by Praversena, and another temple built by Tarapida. He also
destroyed the Jagdar temple, the temple built by Raja Alamadat in Sinpur, and
the grand Hindu temple of Bijbehara in Kashmir. He also demolished many
hermitages, viharas, shrines, chaityas, and other sacred Hindu and Buddhist
sites. Only one temple from his era with a roof survives today, most likely
because it was spared the mad King's wrath due to its insignificance and small
size.
How To Reach The Temple
Martand Sun Temple is only 5 miles from Anantnag
in Jammu and Kashmir, India's union territory. Mattan is three kilometers away.
The Martand Sun Temple is only 64 kilometers
from Srinagar. Martand Surya Mandir is in Kehribal, close to Anantnag. From
Srinagar, you can get here. You can take a taxi or an auto-rickshaw. Don't
forget to pay a visit to the modern Martand Temple, which is located just
before the original.
Best Time To Visit Martand Sun Temple
Kashmir is a year-round tourist destination. It is open to the public all year. In India, the landscapes are especially beautiful during the autumn months. Winter is the best time to see the temple covered in snow. However, because they will be covered in snow, you will miss out on many details.
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