Thread by @SagasofBharat

Did you know?

Lying in ruins for years, Once Upon a Time Sharda Peeth was amongst the most revered Temple in Kashmir.

As Our Home Minister preparing to inaugurate it and return it back to its lost glory. Here are some Fun Facts of its history.
(Thread)

1. The story goes back to the time when Shandilya Muni did austere penance and after satisfying Devi Sharda, 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.
That is how old this temple is.

2. It was at this temple Adi Shankaracharya was recognised as religious scholar of highest merit.

3. A 1000 year old poet Bilhana once said that it was because of Sharda that Kashmir was recognised as a centre of learning.

4. Al biruni 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.

A Jain text Prabhāvakacarita narrates-when Hemchandra was asked to compose new grammar he asked for the old grammar that could only be found in library of this Temple.

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

But slowly this temple fell into darker days as with every inch of Kashmir.

Major Charles Ellison Bates, who wrote A Gazetteer of Kashmir, had written that the stone in the temple was diaturbed by Mansur Khan, Rajah of Karnal in search of treasure.

During the time of Mυslim ruler Shikandar Butshikan(who was famous for breaking idols of Hindu gods thus earning the name Butshikan) had ravaged Temples in Kashmir in wholesale.

Can be assumed that Sharda Peeth too must have been a witness of such a ravage.

By the time the eminent Hungarian-British archaeologist, Aurel Stein searched for the shrine in 1892 cz, it had become almost unknown to many.

His research was aided by kalhana’s Rajatarangini. By the time he discovered it temple had lost most of his glory.

Stein was guided by Chandra Pandit who narrated that the temple was almost deserted during the Mθhemedan rulers of Karnav until sikh invasion.

Under one of the ruler, the temple was used for storing Gunpowder which blew away its original roof.

Maharaja Gulab Singh later repaired the temple & financially helped the Brahmins.

Religious tourism to Sharada Peeth has declined considerably since the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948, which resulted in the division of Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

Happy to see, we can visit this Shakti Peeth again thanks to our government.

https://twitter.com/arunpudur/status/1638472435782807552

Source :
Fight & Flight of deities by Meenakshi Jain
Shri Sharada Mahatmya by Brij Nath Tikoo

Photograph :
Samuel Bourne, 1870, Rijksmuseum
Aurel Stein, 1892

Bilhana & Champavati, illustrated manuscript of Chaurapanchasika

Since many people are asking. Yes we will be able to go to the original Sharda Peeth across the border at POK now.

It will be similar to Kartarpur corridor.

https://twitter.com/abhinayadutta/status/1638753577245241345