Temples of Jammu & Kashmir
Art & Culture › Architecture · Topic 1.18
The temples of Jammu and Kashmir follow the Kashmiri style (Kashmir school) of Hindu temple architecture, which flourished from the 8th to the 10th century and peaked under the Karkota (c. 625 to 855 CE) and Utpala dynasties. Its marks are a steep pyramidal roof, trefoil arches, triangular pediments, fluted columns and a shrine set in a colonnaded courtyard, with Gandhara, Gupta and Greek influence. Key examples are the Martand Sun Temple at Mattan near Anantnag, built by Lalitaditya Muktapida, and the Avantiswami and Avantishvara temples at Avantipora in Pulwama, built by Avantivarman. The Dogra-era Raghunath Temple stands at Jammu.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · Art & Culture · Architecture
At a Glance
- Style Kashmiri style of temple building
- Peak period 8th to 9th century CE, Karkota and Utpala rule
- Best-known site Martand Sun Temple, Anantnag
- Distinct features Pyramidal roof, trefoil arch, peristyle courtyard
- Later temples Dogra period, Raghunath Temple Jammu
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Art and Culture: Architecture
Where Does It Fit?
This topic sits among the regional temple topics of the architecture macro. It shows how the Himalayan valley built in stone with a style of its own, outside the Nagara and Dravidian schemes. Previous topic: Temples of Himachal Pradesh. Next topic: Mahabalipuram monuments,…">Pallava Period Temples.
What Are the Main Temples of Kashmir?
| Temple | Place, district and Union Territory | Builder and date | Key facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martand Sun Temple | Mattan, Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir | Lalitaditya Muktapida (Karkota), 8th century | Dedicated to the Sun, a large courtyard with a peristyle of fluted columns and a central shrine, on a plateau; now in ruins and protected by the ASI |
| Avantiswami Temple | Avantipora, Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir | Avantivarman (Utpala), 9th century | Vishnu temple with a gateway and sculpted pillars and courtyard |
| Avantishvara Temple | Avantipora, Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir | Avantivarman (Utpala), 9th century | Shiva temple, near Avantiswami, similar plan |
| Pandrethan Temple | Near Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir | 10th century | Small Shiva shrine set within a pool, carved ceiling with a lotus |
| Payar Temple | Payar, Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir | c. 10th to 11th century | Small, compact Shiva shrine, a clear sample of the Kashmiri style |
| Shankaracharya Temple | Srinagar, on the Takht-e-Sulaiman hill, Jammu and Kashmir | Ancient site; present form from the Dogra period | Shiva temple on a high octagonal plinth; renovated in the Dogra period |
| Raghunath Temple | Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir | Begun by Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1835, completed by Ranbir Singh in 1860 | Dedicated to Rama, a large complex of shrines, among the biggest temple complexes in north India |
What Are the Features of the Kashmiri Style?
- Pyramidal roof: a steep double-pitched or stepped roof on the shrine, suited to heavy snowfall and standing out from the curved Nagara shikhara
- Trefoil arches: a three-lobed arch over doorways and niches, a signature of Kashmiri temples
- Triangular pediments: a gabled front over the entrance, with a recess below
- Fluted columns: column shafts with vertical grooves, in the manner of Greek and Gandhara work
- Peristyle courtyard: the shrine stands in a rectangular court ringed by a colonnade of cells, as at Martand
- Material: local grey limestone cut into large blocks and fitted without mortar
- Water: tanks and springs are part of the plan, as seen at Pandrethan
- Mixed influences: Gandhara, Gupta and Greek elements, joined by local carpentry roof forms
What Else Should You Remember?
- Alternate names: Martand is also written Marttand and called the Surya temple of Mattan, Pandrethan is the old Puranadhishthana, and the Shankaracharya Temple on the Takht-e-Sulaiman hill is also called the Jyeshteshwara temple
- Dynasties: The Karkota dynasty (c. 625 to 855 CE) with Lalitaditya Muktapida, and the Utpala dynasty with Avantivarman, were the great patrons. Kalhana wrote the Rajatarangini in the 12th century and describes these kings
- Lalitaditya: the most famous Karkota king, who is also credited with a large empire in north India and Central Asia and with the Martand and other temples
- Martand location: at Mattan near Anantnag, built on a raised plateau with a view across the valley
- Martand plan: a central shrine joined to an antechamber and a mandapa, inside a courtyard of about 84 columns, with a gateway on the west
- Avantipora: the town takes the name of Avantivarman, and the two temples there are mostly in ruins but their plan and carvings survive
- Decline: later centuries brought destruction and neglect, and the Sikandar But-shikan period is blamed for the ruin of many temples
- Dogra patronage: Maharaja Gulab Singh and Maharaja Ranbir Singh founded temples at Jammu, including Raghunath and Ranbireshwar
- Pilgrim shrines: Vaishno Devi in the Trikuta hills near Katra, and the Amarnath cave with its ice lingam, are cave and hill shrines, not architectural classics
- Kheer Bhawani: the temple of Ragnya Devi at Tulmulla in Ganderbal, with a sacred spring, is central to Kashmiri Pandit tradition
- Hari Parbat: the hill in Srinagar that has a Hindu shrine, a Sufi shrine and a gurdwara in view of the fort
- Ladakh: after 2019 Ladakh is a separate Union Territory, and its Buddhist monasteries are treated under Buddhist architecture
- Protection: Martand, Avantipora and Pandrethan are protected monuments under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958
- Compare with other styles: the curvilinear tower is covered as in Nagara Style and wooden hill temples as in Temples of Himachal Pradesh
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Match questions: Martand with Lalitaditya, Avantipora with Avantivarman
- Style features: trefoil arch, pyramidal roof and peristyle courtyard
- Dynasty questions: Karkota and Utpala rule and the source Rajatarangini
- Statement questions: Martand is a Sun temple, not a Shiva temple
- Common errors: confusing Raghunath Temple of Jammu with Shankaracharya Temple of Srinagar
As an analytical point, the Kashmir temples show how geography shapes form: snow gave the steep roof and local stone gave the fitted block. Their ruins now ask for steady conservation and safe tourism.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Regional style Asked as a style identification question
- Dynasty links Karkota and Utpala patronage
- Heritage care Conservation of ruined monuments
What Came Next?
The next topic moves south to the first great stone temple builders of Tamil Nadu. Next topic: Pallava Period Temples.
Key People and Terms
- Lalitaditya Karkota king, Martand builder
- Avantivarman Utpala king, Avantipora temples
- Trefoil arch Three-lobed arch
- Peristyle Colonnade around a court
- Kalhana Author of Rajatarangini
- Gulab Singh Founder of Dogra rule and Raghunath Temple
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Sun temple: Martand, Anantnag, Lalitaditya.
- Vishnu and Shiva temples at Avantipora: Avantivarman.
- Signature: trefoil arch and pyramidal roof.
- Jammu temple: Raghunath, Dogra period.
- Source: Rajatarangini of Kalhana.
Do Not Confuse With
- Martand and Konark Kashmir Sun temple of the 8th century versus the Odisha Sun temple of the 13th century
- Karkota and Utpala The earlier dynasty versus the one founded by Avantivarman
- Shankaracharya Temple and Raghunath Temple Hill Shiva temple of Srinagar versus Rama temple complex of Jammu
Memory Hook
Karkota built the Sun, Utpala built Avanti, trefoil arch and pyramid roof.
Mains Angle
Questions on this topic link heritage, tourism and regional identity. These points give a balanced frame.
- Conservation Ruined monuments need ASI care
- Tourism Heritage circuits in the valley
- Identity Shared sacred landscape
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Discuss the distinct features of Kashmiri temple architecture and the challenges of conserving its monuments.”
How to Answer
- Style Pyramidal roof, trefoil arch, peristyle.
- Examples Martand, Avantipora, Pandrethan.
- Challenges Ruin, neglect, climate.
- Way Conservation and site interpretation.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kashmiri style of temple architecture?
It is a regional temple style of the 8th to 10th centuries with a steep pyramidal roof, trefoil arches, triangular pediments, fluted columns and a shrine in a colonnaded courtyard. It blended Gandhara, Gupta and Greek ideas with local stone work and flourished under the Karkota and Utpala kings.
Who built the Martand Sun Temple?
The Martand Sun Temple near Anantnag was built by Lalitaditya Muktapida of the Karkota dynasty in the 8th century CE. It stands on a plateau, with a central shrine in a large courtyard of fluted columns. It is now in ruins and is a protected monument of the ASI.
Which temples stand at Avantipora?
Avantipora in Pulwama district has the Avantiswami temple, dedicated to Vishnu, and the Avantishvara temple, dedicated to Shiva. Both were built by Avantivarman of the Utpala dynasty in the 9th century. They are mostly ruins, but their plan, gateway and carved pillars show the Kashmiri style.
What is Pandrethan temple known for?
Pandrethan, near Srinagar, is a small Shiva temple of about the 10th century, built within a water tank. It is known for its compact plan, pyramidal roof and carved ceiling with a lotus design. It is a clear example of the Kashmiri style on a small scale.
Why are the temples of Jammu and Kashmir important for UPSC?
Prelims asks for the builder of Martand and Avantipora, the dynasty (Karkota or Utpala) and the signs of the Kashmiri style such as the trefoil arch. Mains uses them for regional variety outside the Nagara and Dravidian schemes, and for conservation of ruined monuments and heritage tourism in the Union Territory.
What is the difference between the Kashmiri style and the Nagara style?
Kashmiri temples have a steep pyramidal roof, trefoil arches, triangular pediments and a shrine in a colonnaded courtyard, built of fitted limestone. Nagara temples have a curved shikhara over the sanctum, topped with an amalaka, and stand on a platform without such a courtyard. The Kashmiri roof suited heavy snowfall.
Who built the Raghunath Temple in Jammu?
The Raghunath Temple in Jammu was begun in 1835 by Maharaja Gulab Singh of the Dogra dynasty and completed in 1860 by his son Maharaja Ranbir Singh. It is dedicated to Rama and consists of a large complex of shrines, and it is among the largest temple complexes in north India.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Martand Sun Temple was built by Lalitaditya Muktapida.
He was a Karkota king of the 8th century.
2 Avantipora temples were built by the Karkota dynasty.
They were built by Avantivarman of the Utpala dynasty.
3 The trefoil arch is a feature of Kashmiri temples.
It marks doorways and niches.
4 Raghunath Temple of Jammu was built by the Dogra rulers.
By Gulab Singh and Ranbir Singh.
Related Topics
Browse the full Art & Culture index