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Pilgrim Places in Kashmir
Shankarcharya Temple
Within Srinagar, on its highest hill is the Shankaracharya temple, nearly one thousand feet
above the city. It is devoted to lord Shiva. The site dates back to 2500 BC. The philosopher
Shankaracharya stayed at this site when he visited Kashmir ten centuries ago to revive
Sanatan Dharma.
Before this date, the temple was known as Gopadri, as an earlier edifice on the same site
was built by king GopadUya in the 6th century. In fact the road below the hill, with residences
of high- ranking State Government officials, is still known as Gupkar road.
Sharika Devi Temple
To the west of the city is the much lower hill of Hari Parbat, which is surrounded by a fort.
On this hill is the temple of Sharika Devi, believed to be a form of Durga Mata or Shakti.
25 kms from Srinagar, past Ganderbal, is the most important pilgrim place in Kashmir, the only
exception being Amarnath cave.
Tulla Mulla Temple-Spring
The temple and spring of Tulla Mulla, the local name of the Goddess Raginia, believed to
be another form of Durga Mata. The site of the temple predates this millennium. The temple-spring
complex is affectionately known as Kheer Bhavani because of the thousands of devotees who have
offered milk and 'kheer' to the sacred spring, which magically changes colour, turning black
when warning of disaster.
Chatti Padshahi Gurudwara
Chatti Padshahi Gurudwara, the sixth guru of Sikhism travelled through Kashmir, stopping to
preach occasionally. A gurudwara has been built at the exact site of each of these halts. The
most important one is Chatti Padshahi Gurudwara near the Kathi Darwaza in Rainawari, Srinagar.
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Raghunath Mandir
Amongst the temples in the city, the Raghunath Mandir takes pride of the place being situated
right in the heart of the Jammu. It consist of cluster of temples which makes it the largest
temple complex in northern India. The inner sactums of the temples contain giganatic status of
Gods and Goddesses and numerous 'lingams'. It contains representatives of almost Hindu Pantheon
which makes it rare site to see.
Bawey Wali Mata Temple
The famous temple of 'Bawey Wali Mata' is in site the Bahu Fort, where every Tuesday and Sunday
pilgrims throng and jostle one another to worship the Goddess. A little further away on a hill top
opposite the Bahu Fort, is a lovely spot over looking the river Tawi, where a temple dedicated to
Mahamaya has been constructed.
Peer Budhan Dargah
It is said that if Bawey Wali Mata is the presiding deity of Jammu, the Dargah of Peer Budhan
Ali Shah (Peer Baba) is the other shrine that protect it people from mishaps and evil sprits a
friend of Guru Gobind Singh, Peer Baba lived all his life on milk alone and was 500 years old
when he died. On Thursdays, you can find Hindu and Sikh devotees vastly out - numbering their
Muslim brethren at this shrine such is the faith that people have in the Peer Baba. Most VIPs
make it a point to visit this Dargah when they come to Jammu.
Peer Kho Cave Temple
The Peer Kho Cave Temple, overlooking the Tawi river, the Panchbakhtar Temple and the
Ranbireshwar Temple are the other well-known Shiv temples in Peer Mitha is another famous
shrine in Jammu. Peer Mitha was a contemporary of Ajaib Dev and Ghareeb Nath. Both saints
were famous for their prophecies and miracles. 'Mitha' means the sweet one for this Peer would
accept nothing more than a pinch of sugar from his devotees.
Other significant temples are the Laxmi Narayan Temple and Panj Mandir in the posh Gandhi
Nagar locality of Jammu.
Other Places Of Worship:
Christian :
Garrison Church,
Satwari. St. Paul's Church, Wazarat Road.
St. Peter's Church, Christian Colony.
Muslim :
Jamia Masjid, Talab Khatikan.
Jamia Masjid, Ustad Mohalla.
Jamia Masjid, Gole Market.
Ibrahim Masjid, Wazarat Road.
Sikh :
Sunder Singh Gurudwara, Gurudwara Road.
Tali Sahib Gurudwara, Talab Tillo.
Maharani Chand Kaur Gurudwara, below Gumat.
Gurudwara Singh Sabha, Nanak Nagar.
Kalgidhar Gurudwara, Rehari.
Singh Sabha Gurudwara, Raghunath Bazaar.
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Exotic Shopping in Kashmir
Everybody associates Kashmir's handicrafts with carpets, but there's a whole lot besides.
Depending on the quality of your purchase, you can either pay as little as Rs.10, or a few
lakhs. Very many qualities exist side by side in Kashmir to suit a variety of budgets.
Shawls :
There are pure wool shawls called raffal which have different counts of wool - 40, 60, 80
etc., and the shawl is progressively more expensive as the count increases. Shawls mixed
with other fibers like cotton and cotton derivatives are far cheaper. On the other and,
woolen shawls mixed with pashmina will be far more expensive. Then too, there are shawls that
look and feel like pashmina and which are priced between wool and pashmina.
Naturally a pure pashmina shawl will run into thousands of rupees. Depending on the count,
two similar looking pashmina shawls will differ in price if they have a different count.
And then there are the embroidered shawls. Embroidery is of two kinds - hook and needle,
and the former is generally less expensive than the latter. As a general rule, the better the material of
the shawl, the better the embroidery, with pashmina having the tiniest stitches in
needlework, and the less expensive mixed woolen shawls having either hook work or somewhat
coarser needlework stitches. Some shawls have gold zari embroidery worked on
them in hook work are highly prized.
Papier mache :
Here too, the quality of papier mache differs markedly, depending on two factors. The first
is the papier mache in its raw state. Unless it is smoothened adequately to be silky to the
touch, it is not considered high grade. On the other hand, inexpensive papier mache, brightly
painted and varnished, makes a variety of gifts and souvenirs that do not cost a fortune. Eggs,
eggcups, candle and pen stands, kum kum boxes and cigarette boxes are just a few options at
the low end.
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At the other end of the scale, high grade papier mache is used to make vases, bowls,
trays and a number of other products all painted by expert craftsmen in lifelike images
of kingfishers, chinar leaves and other motifs. Gold used on these products will be real gold
leaf. On lower range products it will poster paint. The real difference however lies in the
skill of painting and not in the product itself - two trays or vases can appear roughly the
same at firs glance - it is the execution of the painting and the type of gold used that
will determine the price One may be a collector': item, the other an inexpensive
souvenir.
Walnut Wood :
Items made from walnut wood come from three parts of the tree: the branches, the trunk and
the root. The branches have the pales colour of wood, and the trunk the darkest Branches have
no veins trunks have the strongest marked veins. Objects made out of the root will be the
costliest because of the wood used. As walnut is a soft wood, it takes carving very
well. Chinar leaves, vine leaves and flowers can be either carved along borders or can fill
entire surfaces the artistry of the carving and its abundance dictates the cost. Trinket boxes
and the larger jewellery boxes shoul have invisible seams. Other walnut wood objects are
salad bowls, nut bowls, photo frames, trays and furniture. This cans Srinagar from a simple
telephone stand or nesting tables to a dining table with six chairs.
Saris :
Kashmir has extensive mulberry cultivation. Silkworms feeding on this produce resilient
silk. Kashmiri silk may be thin, but it is strong nevertheless, as is chiffon. Very little
silk is actually woven in Kashmir - Kashmiri silk is the term. Used for silk produced in
Kashmir. It is mainly used to make saris.
Basket Weaving :
Surprisingly strong, wicker baskets can be used as picnic hampers, lampshades, and glass
holders for holding hot tea, work baskets, even packing cases which can be sent unaccompanied
by road. The main centre of this craft is at Hazratbal in Srinagar.
Cricket Bats :
Kashmir's willow is so highly prized, that most of the national team uses cricket bats from
Kashmir.
Other Products :
Other products of Kashmir include saffron, grown in Pampore on the way to Pahalgam. It is
one of the only two places in India where saffron is grown, the other being Kishtwar,
also in Jammu and Kashmir. This expensive spice, requires only a few strands to flavor a
dish serving ten people and hence you need to buy very little of it, 5 or 10 grams being
enough for several years. Preserved in airtight containers in a cool dark place, saffron can
keep indefinitely and hence is an excellent buy. Walnuts and almonds are available in the
market throughout the year. Being substantially cheaper in Kashmir than elsewhere, they too
make good gifts. Other food products from Kashmir are shah zira (also called kala zira),
Kashmiri chilies and honey.
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