MARTAND SUN TEMPLE- MATTAN

Martand Temple is located at a distance of 5 miles from Anantnag. One has to go 2km from Mattan to reach Ranbirpora village on Mattan Karewa (Plateau) to reach it which is on an elevation of 5817feet Mean Sea Level. 

MARTAND SUN TEMPLE- Front view

Central Shrine- MARTAND SUN TEMPLE

Martand is called as "Mattan" in corrupt Kashmirian pronunciation.It is usually called the House of Pandus by the Hindus and by local parlance.

The damaged right corridor

The damaged left corridor

LEGEND OF THE MARTAND:

According to Local legend, Surya the Sun God of Hindu mythology was born to Aditi from a lifeless egg called Martanda (Mart-Dead and Anda-Egg). Aditi was wife of Kashyap, saint from whom Kashmir probably takes its name. Surya was her 13^th child.

Some say it as the Linga

CONTROVERSIAL HISTORY

Kalhana in his RAJATARANGINI gives contradictory reference regarding the founder of Martanda. At one place he mentioned that king Ranaditya founded Martand. And in another book he mentions famous warrior king Lalitaditya Muktapida an ardent worshiper of sun defeated King Yashovarman of Kannauj and he paid homage to fierce luminary by founding Martanda.

Walter Lawrence in his book THE VALLEY OF KASHMIR is of view that temple must have started somewhere around 370-500 AD and completed during the reign of Lalitaditya.

Alexander Cunningham attributes the Main temple to Ranaditya (AD 578-594) and side chapels to his queen Amritaprakha.

The left chapel

The right chapel

H.S. Tarik Hassan recognizes it with the name of Martandashwar and referred that it was built by Raja Ram Dev on Mattan Karewa (Plateau) in the year 95 Kaljugi. He mentions that the temple was repaired by Raja Lalitaditya during his rule and adorned with gold.

Fergusson in his book KASHMIR: a HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION thinks it was probably built about 100years after the temple at Awantipura, about AD 852 or 853.

S.N.Dhar in his book KASHMIR: EDEN OF THE EAST says that King Ram Dev of Pandava Dyansty in 3007BC built the Temple of Martand.

ASI signboard

ARCHAEOLOGY

This temple of Martanda is dedicated to Vishnu in his incarnation as the sun. The principal deity can no longer be seen. 

Damaged idols of two female goddesses- we can notice some dismantled idols on the lower platform

I could identify the image of Murari- Lord Krishna

It is also marked by a magnificent spring (traditionally represented as two- Vimala and Kamala) which in ancient legend connects with birth of sun god Martanda.

Spring in front of the central shrine

It is built on top of a plateau from where one can view whole of the Kashmir Valley. It has blended Gandharan, Gupta, Chinese, Roman, Syrian-Byzantine and Greek forms of architecture.

The Ardhamandapa

The Antarala

The central building is 63 feet in length and 36 feet in width and has antarala and ardhamandapa. 

Columns and the mandapa

The Mandapa

There are in all 84 columns. The number 84 is accounted sacred by the Hindus in consequence of its being the multitude of the number of days in the week with the number of signs in the Zodiac.

The Garbagriha is thought to have had a pyramidal top.  

Garbagriha with two side shrines

Vandalised roof of the Garbagriha

A side shrine

DESTRUCTION:

The vandalism of Martand Sun Temple started during the rule of Sultan Sikander But-Shikan of Kashmir at the end of 14^th CE. 

A destructed Toran

The interior of the temple was set on fire and it took one year for him to dismantle it.

Of all the ruins in Kashmir the Martand ruins are both remarkable and most characteristic. No temple is ever built on a finer site. It stands on an open plain; behind it raises a range of snowy mountains.

Restored Image of Martand Temple... 

It deserves this account for its solidarity and massive grandeur.

I end this post with a poem from CHENAR LEAVES- Poems of Kashmir written by Mrs. Percy Brown (in 1921)

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 once, has the true part.

Of thy prone columns faded like a dream?

        Engirdled by the everlasting hills

O temple of the Sun! His radiant beam

       Illumines this broken altar and still fills

These shattered halls at dawn with his clear light

Though human hands may no more loving 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.