Martand Sun Temple

Martand Sun Temple

News: The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor participated in a religious ceremony held in the ruins of the 8th century Martand Sun temple, a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. This temple has been recognised as a “Site of national importance”.

About:
• The Martand Sun Temple also known as Pandou Laidan is a Hindu temple dedicated to Surya (the chief solar deity in Hinduism) and built during the 8th century CE. Martand is another Sanskrit synonym for Surya.
• It was built by the third ruler of the Karkota Dynasty, Lalitaditya Muktapida.
• It is now in ruins, as it was destroyed by the orders of Muslim ruler Sikandar Shah Miri.
• From the ruins and related archaeological findings, it can be said it was an excellent specimen of Kashmiri architecture, which had blended the Gandhara, Gupta and Chinese forms of architecture.

Who was Lalitaditya Muktapida?
• Lalitaditya was born in the year of 699 AD as the third son of Durlabhak-Pratapaditya of kashmir. He was from the Nagvanshi Karkota Kayastha Dynasty of Kashmir.
• Karkota Kayastha families were mainly serving in the army of the kings of Kashmir since decades. They were known for their remarkable courage in the battlefield.
• The Kings of Kashmir had given them the title Sakhasena for their immense contribution.
• Lalitaditya’s birth name was Muktapida and his older brothers were Chandrapida and Tarapida. Muktapida took over the Kingdom of Kashmir in the year 724 AD.
• It was the same time, when the western invasion had begun in India and the Arabs had already occupied the province of swat, multan, peshawar and the Kingdom of Sindh.
• The Arab king Mohammad Bin Qasim, the Arab ruler was already threatening to occupy Kashmir and central India.
• He fought the daradas, kabhojas and bhuttas of ladakh who were under Tibetan rule.
• Lalitaditya himself led the army into the war defeating all Kings and established control over the regions of Ladakh.
• The alliance between Lalitaditya and Yashovarman defeated the Arabs from entering Kashmir.
• He later invaded Turkestan via Kabul. Lalitaditya acquired most of the places in the west and south of India starting from Rashtrakutas in Maharashtra, Pallavas and Kalinga in the southern part.
• He also extended his kingdom to central China after defeating the Chinese. After which he was compared with Alexander the great.
• The Kashmir Kingdom gained enormous wealth and Lalitaditya utilized the wealth to build massive infrastructure in Kashmir, construction of temples were taken up and Kashmir saw extensive development under Lalitaditya.
• Lalitaditya was a very liberal King, though he was a strong follower of Hindu tradition, he respected all religions. He is said to be a very compassionate ruler who responded to people’s voices.
• In the year 760 AD, the Lalitaditya era came to an end by his sudden death.