Ansh Chowdhari
Traversing through a hilly tract, whether in the physical or metaphorical sense, mirrors the journey of life itself. The undulating terrain, with its ascents and descents, symbolizes the myriad of experiences, challenges, and triumphs that shape our existence.
And one of these valleys in Tehsil Kalakote of District Rajouri harbours a marvellous piece of architecture beckoning the art lovers to come and witness its remarkable structure, which stands a testimony to the region’s rich historical past, a legacy now largely forgotten and sidelined. Yes, I’m talking about the Panjnara Temples of Kalakote.
This valley is largely inhabited by a mix of Brahmin and Muslim households interspersed with large vacant swathes of verdant lands. Legend has it that the temple derives its name from the five rivers (panj – five, nara – river) that are believed to converge in the vicinity, symbolizing the convergence of spiritual energies. Except for a single scholarly text titled ‘Antiquities of Bhimbar and Rajauri’, written by the former Prime Minister of Kashmir and Jammu, R C Kak, that I could acquire regarding this temple, there is no other major work-archaeological or otherwise, on this site, at my disposal.
Kak says that the construction of this temple took place in the 9th or 10th century. He corroborates this with the findings of the local priest Mansa Ram, who had found Kashmir coins (one silver and the other copper) in the adjacent fields: The silver coin was of Jayapida-Vinay?ditya (8th century A.D.) and the copper coin of Harsha’s (A.D. 1089-1101) period.
The temple is situated in a longitudinal valley on a plain levelled surface. In the first instance, it’s very difficult for anyone to really discern the differences between this temple and the famous temples of the Kashmir valley. Even RC Kak mentions that “…the magnificent temple locally known as the Pandu-Kund-which is unique in the province of Jammu and in grandeur the best-preserved temples of the valley of Kashmir.” The temple is having a rectangular ground plan with enclosed boundaries on all the four sides, except the east which has the main doorway leading to the shrine. This doorway now stands dilapidated under the vagaries of nature. Situated just in the middle of the complex is the main shrine. The main temple complex is built on a raised platform (double basement) emphasizing its sacred significance and providing devotees with a sense of elevation and reverence as they approach the sanctum. One has to climb about 15 steps to reach the sanctum sanctorum. The pilasters of the sanctum, now largely withered, have some inscribed images, now fainted, of the gods and goddess. It’s difficult to discern this imagery. Even when Kak had visited this place in 1920/21, he noticed that “Almost the whole superstructure of the central shrine has fallen down; but the double basement, though buried under the debris of the demolished superstructure, appears to be intact.” Between the stairs descending from the doorway and the temple is a small stone platform which is probably the Garudadhvaja or a place where the vahana of the deity was installed.
This main shrine of the temple is surrounded by a peristyle on all the four sides. These small 53 cells were perhaps used for some rituals and ceremonial offerings in those times. Surprisingly, not all the cells are having the similar facades. Some cells are having a trefoil like entrances while others were having simple flat arches. It’s quite confusing to see this asymmetry. This marked absence of any pattern in this cell structure indicates that these cells were perhaps built during some tumultuous and lean period.
RC Kak mentions “Suffice it to say that, if the temple were to be suddenly transplanted by the side of the Buniar temple one would scarcely notice any marked difference between the two structures either in shape of size, disposition of parts or massiveness of construction, except that this temple has no colonnade.” Kak had also noticed a well in this temple, but I, in my visit, couldn’t locate that.
Now, my concern is that this temple has been rendered outside the governing sphere of the administration. The road leading to this temple is bereft of any signages or proper boards. Even the one ramshackle board installed at the last turn towards the temple points towards the opposite direction. Even though it’s a state protected monument under the Department of Culture as per SRO-371 of 09-11-12, the protection and restoration measures are negligible. Due to the lax protection regime in place, the locals have constructed a new temple within the premises. A temple of this magnitude which could have attracted scores of tourists and travellers to this remote place and could have acted as a potential catalyst for the comprehensive and sustainable development of this region. Catapulting this heritage structure to the national consciousness requires an all-stakeholder approach.
My aim here is not just to lament the cold shoulder given to this temple but to also point towards some viable solution for its adequate and proper restoration. Since this temple belongs to the Kashmir group of temples like Boniar, Martand etc, I propose that these temples can be forwarded as India’s application for the inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list. In the meantime, the UT government can transfer the operation and maintenance off this temple to ASI. This can bring it on the national map for the heritage enthusiasts and history lovers. It becomes even more relevant when the J&K government is seeking to restore the pristine glory of the Martand Temple in Kashmir.
I hope that the concerned departments take notice of this grand structure and issue necessary directions for its proper maintenance and care. Nelson Mandela said that our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to build our nation. We must take some cue from his ideas and ensure that we create a meaningful basis of existence for our future generations. The need is to act with promptness and alacrity.
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