Monday, April 25, 2011

18) Kashmiretu Saraswati

Saraswathi devi temple in POK


Goddess Sarswathi
 18) Kashmire tu Saraswati : The Sharda Temple is located in Kishanganga Valley just across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) in a small village called Shardi at the confluence of River Kishanganga and River Jhelum which flows from Kashmir.
In 1948, during raids by Pakistani tribal raiders, the village fell into Pakistani hands.
A famous learning centre of Kashmiris, it is identified by noted historians and chroniclers including Al Beruni (1130 ad) and M A Stein, who visited the temple in 1892, (in Rajtarangini) as one of the most important temples of the Hindus equivalent to the Shiva Lingam of Somnath, Vishnu of Thaneshwar and Surya of Multan.
Abul Fazl in Ain-i-Akbari (16th century) says that on every eighth day of the month at the time of full moon, the temple "shakes and produces the most extraordinary effect." He however does not explain the "extraordinary effect."
The temple is so vital to Kashmiris that Kashmiri language has the script of Sharda, which is little similar to Devanagari.
Kalhana in Rajatarangini has said, devotees of Durga and Shiva from all over the country would flock to the temple of Sharda which can be approached from Bandipur in North Kashmir, about 80 km from Srinagar.
Through centuries the temple had remained the object of worship and devotion of lakhs of pilgrims from all over the country. Though in ruins now, the entire temple complex inspires grandeur and awe.
The temple had a massive library attached to it which had priceless works on art, science, literature, architecture, music, humanities, medicine, astrology, astronomy, philosophy, law and jurisprudence and sanskrit etc. The library was used by scholars from even neighbouring countries.
Kashmir was also called "Shardapeeth" (the base of Sharda), the name being derived from the temple.


Body part : Devi's right hand has fallen here.

5 comments:

  1. Should the Indian devotees have Pass Port & Visa to visit the temple. I live in Hyderabad, AP, India am interested to visit the Shakthipeet to cover all the 18 shakthipeethas. Can any body advice me on this please.

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    Replies
    1. dear sir, Its a pleasur to inform you that the Siva Shakti tourism , Vishakahpatnam which is a extension of Bhubaneswar is organising group tour to all the Shaktipeetha and Jyotir linga's once in a year.sivashaktitourism@gmail.com

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  2. dear hindhu culture indians, please try to see the development of this temple, compulsory, without fail, as the lord shankaracharya argued the lord swaraswathi and bring the swaraswathi to south by opening south door.

    educate them tourisam development lively hood development to all, like hotels, transport etc. Silence is also crime.

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  3. I first heard about this temple from the speech that Shri shankaravijayendra swamigal of Kanchi peeTam when he unveiled an icon of Saraswati at the Shiva temple in the IIT Madras campus two years ago. He also mentioned about its location.

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  4. Just wait for a few months, we can go and worahip without passport

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