The Martand Shiva Temple. It's NOT a Sun Temple!

 

The Martand Temple is certainly the most majestic temple of Kashmir, dating to the 8th century CE. The architecture is an amalgamation of the Greco-Bactrian style and the Gupta architectural style. 

Historians tell us that this is a Sun Temple (the term "Martand" means "Sun"), but on exploring the site I could not find a single evidence of it being a Sun Temple. In fact, everything about the site suggests that it used to be a grand Shiva temple. Right at the outset, let me summarize the main points why I think so.

1. The temple faces west, unlike the Sun temple at Konark which faces east, towards the rising sun. On the other had, many Shiva temples of India are west facing. 

2. A remnant of a large Shiva-lingam lies in the temple courtyard, which is completely out of place in a Sun temple. But it is expected in a Shiva temple. 

3. There are no relief carvings of the Sun God or his solar horses on the temple walls. None at all! However, there are surviving relief carvings of Shiva, Bhairava (a manifestation of Shiva), Vishnu and Brahma. 

4. On either side of the entrance to the garbagriha (main shrine), there are relief carvings of Vishnu and Brahma. This is very incongruous in a Sun temple. But it would be expected in a Shiva temple, since Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva constitute the Hindu trinity. 

I am really curious to know on what basis this temple has been classified by archaeologists as a Sun Temple. The ASI guide at the site could not provide any convincing answer, nor could I find anything from online sources. Given the the long history of Shaivism in Kashmir, it will be appropriate if the most imposing temple of the valley is a Shiva temple.

The imposing entrance to the temple. Must have looked grand in its heyday.

The main temple. The courtyard has a water tank (pushkarini)

Water channels leading to and from the central water tank

There is a remnant of a giant Shiva-lingam inside the temple premises. This may have been the lingam installed in the central shrine (garbagriha).

The backside of the temple has an imposing arch in the Greco-Bactrian style.

Vishnu

Bhairava - a manifestation of Vishnu

Shiva on his bull mount

The view from the top of the temple stairs

With my friends Will and Kiara

Relief carving of a three-headed Brahma on one side of the garbagriha entrance

Relief carving of Vishnu on the other side of the garbagriha entrance

View from the garbagriha

A parting shot

I honestly did not expect the Martand Temple to be so architecturally striking. It deserves a lot more footfalls than it receives. But then, most people go to Kashmir for its natural beauty, so it's architectural grandeur goes unrecognized.  

I am convinced that the Martand Temple is a Shiva temple. All the evidence points to it. There is absolutely no reason to call it a Sun temple. Did historians actually go by the name of the place where the temple is located i.e. Martand to classify it as a Sun Temple. If so, that is absurd! Can a place called Rampur only have Ram temples?  

Besides, Martand is not only the name of the Sun god, there was a rishi named Martand who was popular in the Kashmir valley. In fact, there is a Martand Tirth in the Anantnag district of Kashmir named after Rishi Martand. It is possible that this place was also named after Rishi Martand. 

Well, that's it for this photo journey. I hope that you enjoyed the pics of the Martand Shiva Temple, and are already making plans to go there on your next Kashmir vacation.