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The Adi Shankaracharya Temple

The Shankaracharya Temple also known as the Jyeshteshwara Temple is situated on top of the Shankaracharya Hill on the Zabarwan mountain range in Srinagar. It is also known as the Jyesteshwara temple and Pas-Pahar by Buddhists and recently also took on the moniker of Takht-e-Suleiman (Throne of Solomon). The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is situated at a height of 1,000 feet above the valley overlooking the famous Dal Lake.

Kashmiri Hindus strongly believe the temple was visited by Adi Shankara (8th century CE) and has ever since been associated with him; this is how the temple and hill got the name Shankaracharya. The earliest historical reference to the hill comes from Kalhana. He called the mountain 'Gopadri' or 'Gopa Hill'. Kalhana says that King Gopaditya granted the land at the foot of the hill to the Brahmins that had come from the "Aryadesa".

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Adi Shankaracharya

This splendid temple was built sometime in 367-366 BCE by King Gopaditya. It was renovated and rebuilt by King Jaluka of Kashmir in the 2nd century BCE. The king dedicated the shrine to Jyesteswara, and it was subsequently renamed Shankaracharya by the Hindu Maharaja in 1848. Several Persian inscriptions are found inside the temple which indicates it dates back to earlier times. Zain-ul-Abidin is believed to have repaired the roof which supposedly collapsed during an earthquake. The steps from the Durga Naag temple side were constructed by the Dogra King Gulab Singh and the Maharaja of Mysore is credited with installing electrical fittings inside the temple.

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Adi Shankaracharya Temple

The statue of Adi Shankaracharya was placed inside the temple by the Shankaracharaya of Dwarkapeetham in 1961. The present structure is believed to date back to 9th century and the Shivalinga was placed inside in the 19th century during the reign of the Sikhs. The temple became a hub of activity during this period and regular services were conducted within its premises. The Muslim Governor Sheikh Ghulam Mohi-ud-din is also credited with repairing the dome sometime in 1841 – 1846 during the reign of the Sikhs. The fortunes of the temple experienced a revival during the Sikh period, with prayer services and festivals like Shravan Poornima being celebrated in the shrine.

Significance.  Many sources suggest that the temple was a Buddhist place of worship at some time and was changed into a Hindu temple by the great saint and philosopher Adi Shankaracharya who sparked the revival of Hindusim in the country. He is believed to have lived in the temple and underwent severe penance to renew the tenets of the Hindu faith. The Shivalinga in the Sanctum Sanctorum was the focus of Adi Shankaracharya’s worship and he is said to have attained a higher plane of understanding.

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Many stories abound about the visit of Jesus Christ to the temple, with inscriptions within the temple clearly supporting this fact, and it is thought that he might even have lived here for a long period of time. As per the age-old tradition related to the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, the holy mace (Chhari Mubarak) of Lord Shiva was brought to the ancient Shankaracharya Temple.

Architecture. This ancient temple is built in the indigenous early Kashmiri style of architecture and embraces the techniques prevailing in those days. The early Shihara style is prominently evident in the building design and is indicative of a horse shoe arch type of pattern. The steps leading up the hill from the Jhelum river banks were removed by Muslim invaders and used for the construction of a mosque. The octagonal solid rock base of the temple is 20 feet tall and the temple is square in shape. A stone staircase leads to the square terrace of the temple and a doorway to an interior circular chamber. Four octagonal columns support the ceiling and surround the area where the Lingam, encircled by a snake is placed.

References:

  1. Kalhana’s Rajatarangini Vol I I-345

  2. https://www.astroved.com/astropedia/en/temples/north-india/shankaracharya-temple

  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shankaracharya_Temple

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