NB Twitter Scan | Did you know these HISTORICAL FACTS about Sharda Peeth?

NewsBharati    24-Mar-2023 16:00:20 PM
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Returning its lost glory, Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the virtual inauguration of the Sharda Devi temple at Teetwal in Kupwara district. Adding another historic development, he also informed that the central government is considering of opening a corridor in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) that will allow Hindu pilgrims to visit ancient Hindu temple Sharda Peeth, on the lines of the Kartarpur corridor in Punjab.
  
Sharda Peeth facts
 
Notably, the Sharda Peeth corridor, if established, will be the second religious passage after Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan-controlled territory that will connect the two neighbouring nations.
 
 

HISTORY

 
Dedicated to the Hindu goddess of learning, the 5,000-year-old Sharda Peeth was an abandoned temple and ancient centre of learning. Established in 237 BC during the reign of Ashoka, the ancient temple was one of the foremost temple universities of the Indian subcontinent between the 6th and 12th centuries CE. It is among the three famous holy sites for Kashmiri Pandits, the other two being the Martand Sun Temple in Anantnag and the Amarnath temple.
 

LOCATION

 
The temple has been built on the banks of the Kishanganga river along the LoC, which divides the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is located in Neelam Valley across the LoC in PoK.
 
Lying in ruins for years, once upon a time, Sharda Peeth was amongst the most revered temple in Kashmir. Here are some facts of its history.
 
1. The story goes back to the time when Shandilya Muni did Tapasya and worshipped Sharda Devi. After satisfying Devi Sharda, he sought her blessings & made her reside in Kashmir for the good of the world. The story is narrated in Devi Mahatmya written by Ved Vyas. Through this, we can now calculate that is how old this temple is!

 
2. It is at this temple that Adi Shankaracharya received the right to sit on the Sarvanjnanapeetham or Sarvajna Peetha (Throne of Wisdom) after beating the scholars of that temple in debates pertaining to religion and philosophy.. The first verse of 'Prapanchsar' composed by Adi Shankaracharya is devoted to the praise of the temple's goddess, Sri Sarada Devi. The Sarada image at Sringeri Saradhamba temple in South India was once said to have been made of sandalwood, which is supposed to have been taken by Sankaracharya from here.
 
3. Kavi Bilhana, an 11th-century Kashmiri poet describes both the spiritual and academic elements of Sharada Peeth. He describes Kashmir as a patron of learning and Sharada Peeth as the source of that reputation. He also says that the goddess Sharada:
 
"resemble[s] a swan, carrying as her diadem the [glittering gold washed from the sand] of the Madhumati stream, which is bent on rivalling Ganga. Spreading lustre by her fame as her diadem, and rivalling the Ganges river. Spreading lustre by her fame, brilliant like crystal, she makes even Mount Himalaya, the preceptor of Gauri, raise higher his head (referring to his peaks) [in pride] of her residence there."
 
4. According to a Dawn report, in the year 1030 CE, Muslim historian Al-Biruni visited Kashmir and narrated that he saw a wooden idol of Sharda Devi in the temple. He compared the temple to the Multan Sun Temple, Vishnu Chakraswamin temple at Thanesar and Somnath temple. He had described this temple as one of the most venerated one often frequented by pilgrims.
 
5. It was not only well known as a religious site, but was also one of the prominent ancient universities in Indian subcontinent.
 
6. It is said in the Prabhavakacarita that when Jain scholar Hemachandra was commissioned by Jayasimha, King of Gurjara Desa (present-day eastern Rajasthan and northern Gujarat) to write the Siddhahema. Hemachandra visited Sharada Peeth for access to previous works on grammar, as it was the only place with a library known to have all such works available in their complete form.

7. In Ain-i-Akbari, Abul Fazal wrote about the great Miracles of this temple.

He wrote :


Sharda Peeth facts

However, gradually, this sacred temple fell into darker days.

Radical Islamic ruler, Shikandar Butshikan(who was famous for breaking idols of Hindu gods thus earning the name Butshikan) imposed the worst form of Sharia law in the region under which this Shakti Peeth was destroyed in a series of temple destruction which also included grand temples like Martand Sun Temple.

This Shakti Peeth post destruction went into decline untill it was partially restored by Dogra King Maharaja Gulab Singh.

But now, the government has successfully restored the temple!

(This article is based on a Twitter thread by Sagas of Bharat)