Shrines & Temples in Kashmir
Kashmir, paradise on earth, is a place of immense beauty that will never cease to amaze you. This land, bathed in the magnificence of nature has been the source of inspiration for quite a few Saints and Sufis. Bestowed with religious wealth in the form of numerous shrines and places of worship enjoying reverence and allegiance of people professing different faiths, in Kashmir peace and tranquility flow in the gentle breeze that shakes the flowers and trees in beautiful harmony, while making ripples through the lake. There are numerous sepulchers of saints located in enchanting environs. At these shrines be one with nature and feel close to the Almighty. Some of the shrines have historical importance in addition to religious significance attached to them. Here you can find shrines, Gurudwaras & Churches that are visited by thousands of devotees.
Shrines There are not many places like Kashmir in the world where a number of great ascetics have lived and have their Shrines also. These spiritually uplifted souls carved out special place in the hearts of innumerable followers not only in Jammu & Kashmir state but even across the country.
Hazratbal Shrine A place of utmost serenity and calm, Hazratbal shrine is considered to be Kashmir's holiest Muslim shrine and it is situated on the left bank of the Dal Lake, Srinagar. Step inside and you will be enveloped in a tranquil hue of peace while admiring the pristine white marble elegance of Hazratbal as it is reflected in the waters of the lake. Hazratbal contains a relic, the Moi-e-Muqqadas, believed by many Muslims of Kashmir to be a Hair of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The Hazratbal shrine is a marble structure that was specifically constructed by Muslim Auqaf Trust with the objective of preserving the Prophet's hair, this piece of hair arrived in Kashmir in the year 1699. The Moi-e-Muqqadus is usually on public display inside a glass casket on certain sacred and holy days. Tours and travel to the Hazratbal shrine gives you an opportunity to participate in the colorful and vibrant fairs that are held at Hazratbal every year, the most important among these is the Shab-e-Meraj.
Charar-e-Sharief Kashmir, with its immense beauty and piousness holds the whole world enthralled for its mysticism. Charar-e-sharief counts amongst the most sacrosanct Muslim shrines in India. It is situated approximately 40 km from Srinagar, enroute to Yusmarg near POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir). A wooden shrine, the Charar-e-sharief is approximately 600 years old. Popularly known as the Hazrat Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Wali, the shrine was built to commemorate Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani, a Sufi saint. Charar-e-sharief served as his final resting place, where his mortal remains were buried. It is said that nine lakh people gathered at the Shrine of Charar within two days of his death, in 1438. Chrar-e-Sharif, remains the most popular and famous as his body is buried there. This shrine attracts people from all sect of life to seek his blessings and favour.
Makhdoom Sahib Hari Parbat on which the Makhdoom Sahib Shrine is located, is one of the holiest places in Kashmir. Surrounded by almond orchards, it makes for a lovely sight during April when the trees blossom, heralding the advent of spring in Kashmir. The shrine rests below a magnificent Mughal fort that crowns the hill. This fort gives a magnificent top view of Makhdoom Sahib Shrine and falls on the southern side of the hill. Beauty of this shrine is truly enchanting and invites devotees on a large scale irrespective of their religion. This double storied mosque is an invigorating structure and is designed with many pillars, high connecting false ceiling and conical roofs. The mosque has a high peak on top finished with descending roof sizes. This shrine also connects to the famous Dal Lake and a number of stone steps take you there. The exteriors of this mosque are a striking example of Mughal architectural design. Some parts of the shrine can be correlated to the Mughal fort on top. This shrine is open throughout the year, irrespective of the extreme weather conditions of this place.
Temples The valley of Kashmir is famed around the world for its mystical and magical beauty. The beautiful valley claims a glorious past of grandeur, power and riches beyond imagination. And the temples tell tales of this legacy and refined sense of culture and art.
Martand Sun Temple Of all the interesting sights in the vicinity of Anantnag, the ruins of Martand temple holds the first place. The ruins of the Martand temple crown the highest part of the hill, where it commences to rise to its juncture with the mountains. This temple is built on the top of a Plateau from where one can view whole Kashmir Valley. Martand Sun Temple is a Kashmiri Hindu temple dedicated to the sun god -Surya, and built during the 8th century. This temple is located five miles from Anantnag in the Kashmir. The Government of India has developed the site as an important tourist site with facilities. Interestingly the architecture of this temple is purely indigenous Aryan. The primary shrine is located in a centralized structure that is thought to have had a pyramidal top - a common feature of the temples in Kashmir. Various wall carvings in the antechamber of the temple depict other gods, such as Vishnu, and river goddesses, such as Ganga and Yamuna, in addition to the sun-god Surya. The Archaeological Survey of India has declared the Martand Sun Temple as a site of national importance in Jammu and Kashmir.
Shankracharya Temple A beautiful Shiva temple situated on a picturesque location on the Gopadari Hill on the South East of Srinagar. This temple is situated at a height of 1100 feet above the Srinagar city. The name of the Temple is after the great philosopher Shankaracharya who visited the valley about ten centuries ago. The Temple is built on a high octagonal plinth approached by a flight of steps. Shankarachar is a detached ridge of igneous rock to the south-east of Srinagar, separated from the Shilamar Range by the Aita Gaj Gap. The summit of the hill is crowned with a picturesque edifice.
Kheer Bhawani Kheer Bhawani is a temple dedicated to the Goddess Kheer Bhawani (originally just Bhawani) and constructed over a sacred spring which flows from west to the east. Another interesting fact about the holy spring is, that it changes its colour with various hues of red, pink, orange, green, blue, white, etc. which was noted by Abul Fazal and Swami Vivekananda. The worship of Kheer Bhawani is popular among the Hindus of Kashmir. The temple is situated at a distance of 14 miles east of Srinagar near the village of Tul Mul. Surrounding the temple is an area covered by smooth and beautiful stones, chinar trees and streams. Swami Rama Tirtha and Swami Vivekananda also visited here to have the darshan of the place. As per the legend it is believed that Ravana, after his worship of the Goddess, offered her kheer (rice pudding), which she accepted and since then it is called Kheer Bhawani.
Gurudwara Guru Nanak passed through Jammu and Kashmir during his journey towards Mansarovar and Kailash, and on his return, stayed at various places which are now marked with many gurudwaras. A gurudwara means "the doorway to the Guru", can be found in Kashmir surrounded by magnificent mountains and fed by many rivers. It is renowned for its natural beauty and quaint lifestyle.
Chatti Padshahi Srinagar Gurudwara Chatti Padshahi is a very important religious place which was constructed in the memory of 6th Guru Hargobind Sahib ji (1595-1646) who stayed at this place in 1616 AD when he was on the way to Kashmir along with the Caravan of Emperor Jahangir. It is situated outside the Hari Parbat Fort's southern gate and forms an important part of the religious tourism in the city. According to some sources it is believed that the seventh Guru Har Rai also worshipped this Gurudwara. This religious place is visited by pilgrims from across the nation. In recent times, a larger building was constructed for the gurudwara. Visitors can stay here as the shrine's administering community offers proper facilities for accommodation.