Temples in Kashmir

Discover the Spiritual Side of Kashmir: Journey to the Ancient Hindu Holy Sites in Kashmir

Temples in Kashmir

There are many ancient and historically significant Hindu temples in the Kashmir Valley. Some of the most iconic temples including Shankaracharya Temple in Srinagar, the ancient Kheer Bhawani Temple in Ganderbal, the revered Amarnath Cave Shrine and the historic Martand Sun Temple, which is now a ruins but remains a significant archaeological site. Other notable sites include the Mangleshwar Bhairav Asthapan in Anantnag, the Sharda Temple in the Neelum Valley (though historic and now less accessible)

Kashmir “the paradise on earth” is not only known for its lush green meadows and natural beauty, but also for its rich and diverse Hindu religious heritage sites. Kashmir is home to some of the most ancient and sacred Hindu temples , shrines and pilgrimage sites . Every year thousands of hindu devotee visits these famous temples in Kashmir. Here are some of the most famous and revered Hindu holy sites in Kashmir that you should visit on your next trip to Kashmir. In this blog we will cover all the famous Hindu temples in Kashmir as well as ancient Hindu temples in Kashmir. Below is the list of temples in Kashmir.

Here are some of the prominent temples in Kashmir

Shankaracharya Temple

Location: Srinagar.
Description: Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this ancient temple is located on a hilltop and is a significant spiritual site, with historical links to the Mughal emperor Jahangir.

Kheer Bhawani Temple

Location: Tulmulla, Ganderbal district.
Description: A highly sacred pilgrimage site dedicated to the Kashmiri goddess Kheer Bhawani. It features a spring that is believed to change colors and is an important religious center for Kashmiri Pandits.

Amarnath Cave Temple

Location: South Kashmir.
Description: A highly revered cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, famous for the natural ice formation (lingam) that appears during certain times of the year.

Martand Sun Temple

Location: Near Anantnag city.
Description: An ancient, now ruined, temple dedicated to God Surya (the Sun God). It was a significant center of worship in the past but was destroyed in 1389.

Mangleshwar Bhairav Asthapan

Location: Anantnag district.
Description: Another important Hindu site dedicated to Gor Shiva and Goris Parvati.

Sharda Temple

Location: Neelum Valley.
Description: An ancient temple and center of learning renowned for its library.

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List of Famous temples of Kashmir

The Kheer Bhawani Temple

Kheer Bhawani Temple is a Hindu temple located in the village of Tula Mula in the district Ganderbal of Jammu and Kashmir. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Ragnya Devi, who is also known as Kheer Bhawani. As a symbol of faith and worship the devotees offer rice and milk pudding to Kheer bhawani. The temple is famous for its sacred spring, which is believed to change its color , the color of the water is said to predict the impending future. It is at the top of our list of temples in Jammu and Kashmir.

Every year a festival “Mela Kheer bhawani” or “Zyeth Ashtami” is held at this temple, which falls in the month of May or June according to the Hindu calendar. During this festival, the temple is decorated with flowers and lights, and devotees offer prayers and perform rituals to seek the blessings of the goddess. In previous year around 18,000 Kashmiri pandits and devotees visits Mata Kheer bhawani temple. The temple is easily accessible from Srinagar by regular tourist buses and taxis in Kashmir. You can also rent a bike in Sringar to reach Kheer bhawani temple.

Amarnath Cave

Amarnath is one of the famous and sacred Hindu shrine located at a distance of 143 from Srinagar at an altitude of 3,888 meters above sea level .The cave is surrounded by glaciers and snowy mountains and remains covered by snow throughout the year. This pilgrimage is believed to be abode of Lord Shiva. Every Year Thousands of devotees visits the Amarnath cave to seek blessings from the divine.

To reach the Amarnath cave, there are two routes available – the Pahalgam route and the Baltal route. The annual pilgrimage to Shri Amarnath takes place in the month of Shravan and starts from Pahalgam and Baltal on specific dates . The Shri Amarnath-ji Yatra of 2024 will start on its scheduled date, and the amarnath yatra 2024 registration date will also be announced accordingly. Check our holy tour packages

Shankaracharya Temple

Shankaracharya Temple is a beautiful and ancient Hindu temple in Kashmir, located on the top of the Shankaracharya Hill in Srinagar on Zabarwan mountain range. It is one of the famous temples in Srinagar. The hill is known by various names, such as Gopadari Hill, Sandhimana-parvata, Koh-e-Suleman, and Takht-i-Sulaiman .This temple is devoted to Lord Shiva and is one of the oldest and ancient temple in Kashmir. The temple is situated at an altitude of about 1100 feet above the sea level, and offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Dal Lake , Houseboats, Shikara and surrounding areas.

The Shankar Acharaya temple is also known as the Jyesteshwara temple or Pas-Pahar by the locals. During the festival of Shivratri thousands of devotees visits the Shankaracharya temple. The shankar Acharaya temple is the famous shiv temple in Kashmir. To reach the top of the Shankaracharya Temple, visitors need to climb a flight of stairs. The site is also a historical and cultural landmark in Kashmir. Its nearby to houseboats in Dal Lake.

The Martand Sun Temple

The Martand Sun Temple, also known as the Martand Surya Mandir, is an ancient Hindu temple in Kashmir, located in the district Anantnag of Jammu and Kashmir. The Martand sun temple was built by Lalitaditya Muktapida of Karkota dynasty during the 8th century . The temple is dedicated to Lord Surya. The temple is designed in the classical Kashmiri style with the Sun temple of Martand stand in the middle and surrounded by a courtyard which is enclosed by a colonnaded peristyle with 84 columns. It is believed that the Martand sun temple was destroyed by by the orders of Muslim ruler Sikandar Shah Miri.

The Martand sun temple is 64km from Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. You can hire a taxi in Kashmir from Srinagar to reach there.

Sharika Devi Temple

Sharika Devi Temple is a Hindu temple located on the Hari Parbat hill in Srinagar. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Jagadamba Sharika Bhagwati. The temple is an important pilgrimage site for Hindu devotees. During the Sharika Jayanti festival thousands of devotees visits this temple to seek blessing. Sharika Devi Temple is regarded as one of the sacred sites for Kashmiri Pandits. As part of the Sharika Jayanti festival, devotees offer a special dish called ‘Taher Charvan’, which is made of boiled rice with turmeric, oil, and salt, along with cooked goat liver, to the goddess Sharika Devi.

The 18-armed idol within the temple is revered by Hindu adherents as Srinagar’s presiding deity. The temple is a popular tourist destination due to its historical and religious significance. You can get a cab service here for the tour. Or you can cover it while doing Old City tour.

Mamleshwar Temple in Pahalgam

The Mamleshwar Temple is located in the picturesque town of Pahalgam in Kashmir valley just few kilometers from the main town of Pahalgam. It is situated on the banks of Lidder river. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

According to the belief, the Mamleshwar Temple is the place where Parvati placed Ganesha as the doorkeeper and instructed him not to allow anyone to enter the premises without her permission. Due to this reason, the temple is also known as Mammal Temple or Mam Mal, which in the local language means “Don’t go”.

Rani temple in Gulmarg

Maharani Temple is a historical temple situated in Gulmarg, dedicated to Lord Shiva. It was built by Maharaja Hari Singh and is said to be the royal temple of dogra dynasty. Maharani Mohini Bai used to pray here everyday that is why it is known as Maharani temple.

The temple is located on a hilltop and is surrounded by serene natural beauty. Due to its scenic and peaceful environment it becomes a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to Gulmarg. There are many hidden places in Gulmarg which are worth a visit and with our Gulmarg travel guide you can explore these hidden places also. While visiting Gulmarg, don’t forget to enjoy the Gondola ride, and be sure to book tickets for both Phases i.e. Gondola Phase 1 and Gulmarg gondola phase 2

Pandrethan Temple

The Pandrethan Temple was built by Meruvardhana, a minister of King Partha during the 8th century. The Pandrethan Temple in Srinagar Kashmir is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is about 4 miles from the city center. The temple is known for its impressive designs and illustrations.

The temple hosts several ancient sculptures that have been excavated and date back to the 2nd century. These sculptures comprise of two massive Shiva lingams made of monolithic rock, seven sculptures of Gandhara style, and a vast rock carving of the feet of a monolithic statue. The excavated sculptures were restored by chinar corps of indian army and constructed a themed heritage park to display them.

Temples in Kashmir

Discover the Spiritual Side of Kashmir: Journey to the Ancient Hindu Holy Sites in Kashmir