Built by the Karkota king Lalitaditya Muktapida in the 8th century, this Sun temple on a plateau above the Kashmir valley was the grandest example of Kashmiri temple architecture. It was destroyed in the early 15th century under Sultan Sikandar Shah Miri, and its ruins are an ASI monument.
HistoryDocumented history
Martand had a central shrine inside a large colonnaded court of 84 columns, combining Gandharan, Gupta and Chinese influences. Kalhana's 12th-century Rajatarangini is the main source for its building. Today only its walls and broken colonnade stand.
Sthala PuranaTradition
Martanda is a name for Surya, born from the 'dead egg' (mrta-anda) of Aditi, according to the Puranas. Mattan nearby is a sacred spring linked to the Sun.
Aitihyas and storiesTradition and folklore
Local tradition says the temple took a year of effort to destroy. Kashmiri Pandit families still revere the nearby Mattan spring.
PhilosophyInterpretation
Sun worship honours the source of life and the light of awareness, the Gayatri mantra's 'divine light that stirs our minds'.
Meaning todayInterpretation
Martand's ruins are a powerful reminder of Kashmir's layered history and its loss of heritage. Proposals for restoration and occasional rituals at the site raise questions about the protection of ASI monuments versus revived worship.
Timeline
- 725–756constructeddocumentedLalitaditya Muktapida (Karkota)Built, according to Kalhana's Rajatarangini.
- Early 15th c.destroyeddocumentedSultan Sikandar Shah MiriDestroyed, according to Jonaraja's chronicle, during a campaign against temples.
Videos
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Sources
- Rajatarangini, Kalhana (1149)primary
- Dvitiya Rajatarangini, Jonarajaprimary
- Wikipedia: Martand Sun Templetertiary
This entry is a draft. Traditional stories are presented as tradition, not as historical fact.