My knowledge of Cinema can
be written on the back of a postal stamp – to those well versed, can you recall
or do you remember these lines !
ஓடுகின்ற மேகம் வந்து உனை தொட்டு பேசும்
ஓடை நீரில் மேடை போட்டு வாடை காற்று வீசும்
– the following lines for
sure, most of you have heard many a times !!
சத்தியம் தான் நான் படித்த புத்தகமம்மா !
சமத்துவம் தான் நான் அறிந்த தத்துவமம்மா !!
-these are lines from a
famous song in MGR movie ‘Idhaya Veenai’ released in 1972, directed by R.
Krishnan and S. Panju, starring MG Ramachandran in the lead role, with Lakshmi,
Manjula, MN Nambiar and others. The film
was a hit running for more than 100 days .. .. and in case you are still unable
to recall, the above lines are part of the song :
“Kashmir beautiful Kashmir - Kashmir wonderful Kashmir” – it is a paradise on
earth !
Bernier, the first European to enter Kashmir,
wrote in 1665 : " In truth, the kingdom surpasses in
beauty all that my warmest imagination had anticipated." .. this beautiful land has all along been
portrayed far differently in our school books and when we grew up - it has
a glorious history .. .. Utpala dynasty,
a Kashmiri Hindu kingdom, ruled over the Kashmir region from 8th to 10th
century CE. The kingdom was established by Avanti Varman, ending the rule of
Karkota dynasty in 855 CE. The cities of
Avantipur and Suyapur were founded during the reign and many Hindu temples
dedicated to both Vishnu and Shiva. Sadly the same Kashmir towards the end of
last century became barren and devoid as Kashmiri pundits were driven out in
pogrom.
Oct 26 has all along been
an important day – ‘Accession Day ‘ commemorating the day when the last Dogra
ruler of Jammu and Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession
in 1947. 5th Aug 2019 is perhaps more important day that
every other day. The historical day of Presidential
promulgation which read : "All the provisions of the Constitution shall
apply in relation to the state of Jammu and Kashmir." i.e., unification
with the great Maha Bharat India. After Kashmir's special status is gone,
people from anywhere in India be able to buy property and permanently settle in
the state.
The valley
of Kashmir is, generally, a verdant plain, ninety miles in length, and
twenty-five and a half in its greatest width, which is at the southern end,
between the cataract of Arabul and the ruins of the great temple of Martund :
surrounded on every side by snowy mountains, into which there are numerous
inlets forming straths on a level with the plain; but all having a lofty pass
at their upper extremity.
At the village
of Martund, or “ the Sun,” half an hour’s ride from
Islamabad, is the most holy spring in Kashmir, called, par excellence, Bawun,
or the spring. It is said that, after the valley was dried, small hills and
caves appeared, and that Kashuf Rishi
walked about in the greatest delight; that he accidentally found an egg
(the mundane egg of the Hindus) shining most brilliantly, which he picked up.
It broke in his hand, and from it flowed the springs of Bawun or
Maha-Martundf—sacred, of course, to Vishnu, who divided the mountains at
Baramula.
Of all the cities built by the great Lalitaditya, Martund, Kakapur, and Paharispur, are the only three whose names I have been able to recognise. The modern account of Martund, as written for me by a native, is as follows ;— “ They (that is, the temples and houses) were built on the top of Martundh, which appears to have been the name of the plain (of the sun), by Rajah Liltadith, or Lalataditya, who dwelt in the village of Litapur, in the province of Wuhu (perhaps Vehi). He reigned in the year of the Hejira 192. He was ruler of Kashmir for nearly thirty-six years, and con¬ quered the four quarters of the world. He built a new city, splendid in every respect, on the top of Martundh. Some of the houses were of copper, brass, stones, and bricks. He caused a river or canal to be cut from the great river Limnurdhi (hodie Lidur),
The facade
of the building which stands in the interior is abreast of the gates of either
colonnade, and one-third of the whole length of the quadrangle intervenes
between it and the front gate, which faces to the west. A bank of stones and
rubbish occupies the place where there was originally a flight of steps leading
to the doorway. Though not a vestige of them remains, there can be no doubt of
the fact, as many of the other old temples in the valley, and those in the
Baramula Pass, are constructed more or less on the same plan as that of
Martund, and have steps, or the remains of steps, in front of them.
The Hindu
worshippers of Siva in Kashmir exceed, I think, in number those of Vishnu,
though I should say that the temples were generally dedicated to Vishnu. Abu
Fuzl, in the Ayin Akheri, tells us that Kashmir is esteemed holy land, being
dedicated to Mahadeo, the great god, or Siva, and some parts are considered
peculiarly sacred. Such a remark, from such an authority, would help to raise a
sus¬ picion, already noticed, that the Temple of Martund itself was dedicated
to Siva, who also represents the Sun
~ wrote G.T, Vigne, Esq. F.G.S. (above in Green) extracted from his book ‘Travels in Kashmir’ Ladakh, Iskardo, the countries adjoining the mountain course of Indus and Himalayas – published in 1842.
Sad, we were deprived of reading about the great ‘Lalitaditya @ Muktapida (724 CE – 760CE) a powerful ruler of Karkota dynasty of Kashmir region.
The 12th century
chronicler Kalhana characterizes Lalitaditya as a world conqueror, crediting
him with extensive conquests and miraculous powers in his Rajatarangini.
According to Kalhana, Lalitaditya defeated the central Indian king Yashovarman,
and then marched to eastern and southern parts of India. He subjugated several
more rulers on his way back to Kashmir, and then subdued several northern
kings. Based on a reconstruction of Kalhana's account, art historian Hermann
Goetz (1969) theorized that Lalitaditya managed to create a short-lived empire
that included major parts of India as well as present-day Afghanistan and
Central Asia. Lalitaditya is accepted by
historians as the most powerful king of
his dynasty. He commissioned a number of shrines in Kashmir, including the
now-ruined Martand Sun Temple. He also established several towns, including a
new capital at Parihasapura, although he also maintained the dynasty's
traditional capital at Srinagara.
Emperor Lalitaditya
Muktapida, a name surprisingly not
mentioned in the school books of India, was the fiercest and the most powerful
ruler of the Karkota dynasty of Kashmir region. His name Lalit+Aditya means
“beautiful Sun God”. His empire stretched from Kabul in the west to present day
Kolkata in the east. A man of many interests, he has been lavishly eulogized by
Kalhana, the contemporary poet and biographer in his historical account of
Kashmiri kings “Rajatarangini”. The Martand Sun
Temple stood as his most magnificent
creation but sadly was ravaged by marauding invaders.
The Martand Sun Temple is
a Hindu temple dedicated to Surya (the Sun God) and built during the 8th
century CE. Martand is another Sanskrit synonym for Surya. Now in ruins due to
Islamic Invasions of Sikandar Shah Miri. The temple is located five miles from
Anantnag in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Buddhism was established in Kashmir in 300
BCE, but was eclipsed by the flourish of Hinduism in 800 CE. The region came
under Muslim rule in 1400 CE. .. .. and those invasions sadly reduced the
greatest of heritage temple to a mere film location ! remaining forgotten and forlorn just outside a small
village near Anantnag. The limestone pillars in Greek style hold the broken
walls and high arches. Intricate carvings of gods and goddesses, musicians and
dancers, flowers and creepers cover the outer walls. The overall design ensures
that sunlight fell on the main idol throughout the day.
The Martand temple was built on top of a plateau from where one can view whole of the Kashmir Valley. From the ruins and related archaeological findings, it can be said it was an excellent specimen of Kashmiri architecture, which had blended the Gandharan, Gupta, Chinese, Roman, Syrian-Byzantine and Greek forms of architecture. The temple had a colonnaded courtyard, with its primary shrine in its center and surrounded by 84 smaller shrines, stretching to be 220 feet long and 142 feet broad total and incorporating a smaller temple that was previously built. In accordance with Hindu temple architecture, the primary entrance to the temple was situated in the western side of the quadrangle and was of the same width as the temple itself, creating grandeur.
Now after the plundering,
the Archaeological Survey of India has
declared the Martand Sun Temple as a site of national importance in Jammu and
Kashmir. The temple appears in the list
of centrally protected monuments as Kartanda (Sun Temple). The Hindi film Man Ki Aankhen released in
1970 starring Dharmendra and Waheeda
Rahman had Martand Temple as background for the Rafi-Lata song Chala Bhi Aa
Aaja Rasiya. It also featured similarly in the Hindi film Aandhi starring
Sanjeevkumar and Suchitra Sen.
Sad heart-rending story.
17.4.2021.
Pics various
sources of web and twitter. Copyright rests with respective owners. If pointed
out any violation, would remove immediately.
More photos - ruins of the once glorious temple - some photos that makes one cry – shared by my friend Parthasarathy Ragavachari - Travel Entreprenur : UnusualEscapes; Soulful Travel
