Roots and Reflections - Exploring Ideas, Experiences and Wisdom

  Kashmir possesses an artistic and cultural inheritance of extraordinary historical significance. Its ancient stone sculptures, exquisite bronze images, Buddhist antiquities, temple fragments, miniature paintings, manuscripts and traditional crafts represent centuries of creative excellence and intellectual exchange. These treasures are not merely remnants of a distant past; they are material expressions of a civilisation that developed distinctive artistic traditions while maintaining meaningful connections with the wider Indian subcontinent and the Himalayan world. The Shri Pratap Singh Museum (SPS Museum) in Srinagar, one of the oldest museums in India, occupies a particularly important position in preserving this legacy. However, possessing an exceptional collection is not enough. A museum must also possess the scholarly competence to identify, interpret, document and communicate the historical importance of its holdings. This is precisely where the SPS Museum requires renewed...

Background and location:          (Temple in dilapidated condition) The Shivalaya/Shiv Temple is situated in the Gundi Jaffar area of Vessu near Sadoora Railway station, Anantnag. It is a historical shrine of Kashmiri Hindus known for its strange structure and shape of Shiva Lingum. This temple was constructed in 1970 on land donated by Amar Nath Pandit, a resident of the village. The sacred Dhara-linga, or Shiva-linga, was discovered by Pandit Lassa Koul of Gundi Jaffar, who was working in the Forest Department. He found it beneath a tree in a dense forest near Lamber in Devsar, Kulgam district. Lamber is also known in official records as Brinial Lamar or Lammer and is situated in the Kund area of Kulgam. After its discovery, the ancient Shiva-linga was first brought to Vasuk Nag at Kund. It was later shifted to the present temple at Gundi Jaffar. According to eyewitnesses, the sacred stone was transported by truck to its present location. The newly constructed...

               (Shiv Mandir, Qazigund )          (Entrance Door of the shiv Temple)  Introduction :  I first visited this sacred Shiv Temple at Qazigund with one of our neighbours, Sh. K. N. Bhat, who resides in a rented accommodation in a building where we are temporarily putting up. He originally hails from Tarigam village in Qazigund. I visited this temple on several occasions along with his family during summers. From Bhat Sahab, I got to know about this temple and he told me in deep detail about the temple's religious, cultural and spiritual significance with regard to KP community. There is also a KP shopkeeper, Sh. Inderjeet Tickoo, who resides near this shiv temple and many a times he used to accompany me to this sacred and pious place and seeks blessings from Lord Shiva.  Located in the historical town of Qazigund, at the foothills of the majestic Pir Panjal mountain range, stands the ancient Sanata...

Lalitaditya Muktapida: A Glorious Epoch in Kashmir’s History Lalitaditya Muktapida (C. 724-760 CE) takes a special place in the history of Kashmir. This great ruler of the Karkota dynasty deserves his place in history for his military genius, ability to rule, patronage of the arts and architecture, and his contribution to the cultural history of ancient Kashmir. The reign of Muktapida is considered to be one of the most brilliant epochs in the history of Kashmir when the region flourished as a political, cultural and religious center. Kalhana, the famous 12th-century Kashmiri historian and author of Rajatarangini, describes Lalitaditya as a great conqueror whose ambitions knew no bounds. According to Kalhana, the king’s military campaigns knew no limits and took him beyond the borders of modern-day Kashmir. Lalitaditya faced the ruler of Kannauj, King Yashovarman, and defeated him before undertaking new campaigns in the east and south of the subcontinent. However, the great king’s fame...

       (Photo of Late Shri. Jagernath Koul) Lt. Shri Jagernath Koul: A Life Rooted in Service and Shiv Bhakti                                      Lt. Shri Jager Nath Koul is son of Late Gasha Lal Koul a respectable Kashmiri Pandit of 20th century. He was born on First April 1916 at Village Bugam  then Tehsil Kulgam District Anantnag now Tehsil Kulam, District Kulgam. Lt. Jagernath Koul is remembered as a person who combined the dignity of government service with the simplicity, humility, and spiritual inclination of a saintly  human being. His life represented  an older Kashmiri ethos in which public service was not merely  a profession but a  responsivity towards society. Born and brought up in Bugam, Kulgam, Jagernath  belonged to  a generation  that valued simplicity, honesty, punctuality, dedication to service, learning and...

Gudar: A Scenic Village of Kulgam  Gudar village is situated in Kulgam district, Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory in the southern part of Kashmir valley. This village has a population of about three thousand people according to 2011 census. It has an area of 334 hectares. It has a scenic beauty and good agriculture productivity. Gudar is famous for horticulture as it produces apples, Peach, walnuts in very large numbers. The river Vishaw which flows through Kulgam is the source of irrigation not only for kulgam but for Gudar village and in fact for the whole district. It is a destination for picnic and students of nearby schools go to this village for excursion as it has much natural beauty and is a quite, serene place away from mad rush, hustle and bustle of a city.                            (Image of Park) Gudar’s Natural Beauty and Connectivity: I appeal to people to visit this place in summer and autum...

Background and Introduction of Mata Kulwagishuri Temple:  The whole Jammu and Kashmir has been a pious land of temples, shrines, saints, seers and faquirs'. So kulgam is no exception to this very truth. In this pretext, the Kulwagishori temple/shrine is a very famous and sacred shrine in south Kashmir. It is situated in the Bongam area of Kulgam and in the vicinity of the river Kawl and historic Vishaw. The "Kaval" (or Kawl) is a local stream that is a primary offshoot of the Veshaw River in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir.  This temple is located at the most scenic natural beauty. There is a stone statue of Mata Kulwagishori in the temple building and devotees used to visit this shrine from far and wide of Kulgam before militancy and migration. Kashmiri Pandits have much faith and belief in Mata Kulwagishori shrine. ( Main Entrance Gate of Kulwagishuri Temple)               (Idol of Mata Kulwagishuri Ji)         ...