Had visited Sun Temples of Konarak and Jageshwar so a visit to the Martand Mandir was a dream come true. U see side view of temple, gives you an idea of how big the temple originally was. We reached here about 5.30 pm, were greeted with apple boxes at entrance. Garden is well maintained.
We first went to the Surya Mandir complex in Anantnag adjacent to which is the Mattan Sahib Gurudwara where Guru Nanakji visited. Water in this kund flows continuously and is believed to flow from Shri Amar Nath Ji.
Board outside Surya Mandir. Martand means ''sphere of rays emitted by the sun at dawn''.
Lower part of same board. The trust provides facilities to devotees who go for the annual Amarnath Yatra. They are very helpful.
Image of Surya Devata or Sun God in one of the newly made temples here. As always Surya Devata is riding seven horses. To see similar pic no 20 visit Murdeshwar in Karnataka Click here
This is the point where the water flows in from Shri Amar Nath ji. We spent nearly an hour, the water kept on flowing.
Devotees believe that the yatra of Shri Amar Nath Ji would be complete only when the fishes in this spring are fed on return from Amar Nath. The spring has lots lots of fish. U can buy dough ie available there and feed fish. It is equivalent to feeding pigeons.
Inside the Mattan Sahib Gurduwara ie part of the temple complex. In 1617 Guru Nanak stayed here for 13 days. To see more pics & of Nangali Sahib GurudwaraClick here
On the way to Martand Mandir we saw deserted Kashmiri Pandit homes, a reminder of what happened in the 1990''''s.
Another deserted Pandit home. To hear Pandits speak on what happened in 1990 Click here
Board at entrance of Martand Mandir. Temple was built by Lalitaditya Muktapada (724-761). Devi stone used to make temple.
Garden all around temple. Entrance right in front. Seeing stones on either side of entrance indicate there was a wall round the temple like in many others temples.
Close up of entrance arches not much left to see though. Once u walk thru this entrance there are images on either side, see next pic. The ruins of Martand Mandir ''or, as it commonly called, the Pandu-Koru, or the house of the Pandus and Korus—the Cyclopes of the east''.
Image on entrace, were these Dvarpals like other temples. Wish the learned can help with proper captions on pictures presented in this collection. ''The temple is itself not now more than 40 feet in height, but its solid walls and bold outlines, towering over the fluted pillars of the surrounding colonnade, given it a most imposing appearance.''
View as we enter temple. Look at left and right, there were smaller shrines on both sides of the sanctum and behind as well as I saw later.
A view of the entrance from the other side. Stone lying on right and left sides indicate these were probably the base for smaller temples.
As I clicked this pic the size and grandeur of this temple struck me. Note huge walls on either side of sanctum not usually seen. ''The central building is 63 feet in length by 36 in width, and alone of all the temples of Kashmir possesses, in addition to the cella or sanctuary, a choir and nave, termed in Sanskrit the antarala and arddhamandapa; the nave is 18 feet square, the sanctuary alone is left entirely bare, the two other compartments being lined with rich panellings and sculptured niches''.
The temple has a mandapa, vestibule and inner sanctum. There are images of Ganga, Yamuna and Vishnu on its inner walls. Since these are part of Mandapa this and next image is that of Bhagwan Vishnu per Dr R Kumaraswamy whose article u can read in next caption.
Image of Lord Vishnu per this link ''Martand'' written by Dr R Kumaraswamy . Click here
Per Dr Kumaraswamy ''The one on the north has the three heads visible with the fourth at the back is not. The right face is that of a lion and the left is Varaha while the front is Vasudeva. The back obviously was Kapila. According to authorities the lion face is that os Samkarshana an d the Varaha face is that of Aniruddha.''Based on what I clicked assume this is the north image.
The image on the South seems to be that Mahadeva which has also three heads the right face representing aghora and the left Vamadeva Uma vaktra. So the front is Tatpurusha. So both of them depict some form Bahirava.''
Based on what I clicked assume this is the south image.
Image of a woman. To see pics of Sun Temple Konarak, another great Surya Mandir Click here
Side view of temple with smaller shrines on left of pic. Saw young boys and girls at temple, come for evening out. Girl on right getting herself clicked, most youngsters had a Smartphone.
Close up of smaller shrines. To know more about temple
Click here
Straight rear side view of temple gives you an idea of its dimensions.
Side view from north west corner of temple. New stone that is in front of pic must be a subsidiary shrine.
View from north-east side. Sun was about to set, used high ISO for these pictures.
Close up of columns of a smaller shrine on southern side of temple. Like this were ruins of smaller shrines on northern side of temple but hardly anything left. ''There are in all 84 columns—a singularly appropriate number in a temple of the sun.''
Was keen to click locals but all except these smiling and sporting girls shied away. We used Bishen Sharma 9797350725, 9419896745 for 1800 kms Jammu Yatra drive. Good guy. Vehicle is well maintained and he drives himself. If u want a Innova type vehicle call Mahesh Sharma in Jammu 9419190597, 9797640597. 0191 2560685. Did not use him but spoke to him many times before trip, has a service oriented attitude, helpful and known to a friend. He has about 10-12 vehicles while Bishen has 2 vehicles. See what works for you.
We now show images on temple wall - external side. Please help with captions.
Image on right is playing a flute.
Please help with captions.
Please help with captions.
Please help with captions.
Rear side ie western side of temple. Took this pic lying down to give an idea of temple height and dimensions. To see some lovely pictures of Martand Mandir Click here
Please help with captions. Very good write up on the importance of Kashmir for Sages of earlier times Click here
Image of a woman. To see pics of Sun Temple in Kumaon, Uttaranchal Click here
Image of a woman. Read in the sanctum is an image of Surya riding a horse. Missed it please check. If u see can upload pic as part of this collection.
Stone relief in garden. In places like Konarak similar stone reliefs have become part of the Museum there, wonder if the Government can do it here as well. To read SuryopanishadClick here
Drive to Sinthan Top, amongst the most exciting drives in this part of the world. To see pictures of Sinthan Top
Click here